Dear Rosemary

Dear Rosemary,

Has it really been 15 years since you hired me to come process flowers at Rosetree? Waco’s premiere florist shop on the corner of 6th and Webster is now the Silos Bakery. I know we are both laughing…or maybe crying. In some ways it seems more like 30 years. So much life has happened between now and then. I was a college kid who had no idea what I wanted to do and in many ways lived more in the clouds than on the ground. Pursuing a degree in Philosophy, my interest was wrapped up in an inner-world that I did not yet know how to materialize.

Despite my wandering mind, you took a chance and entrusted me with an orange grip florist knife and endless packages of roses. In some ways it was the perfect job for me not knowing where my life was headed. I could think all day in that little processing room, just processing away in my own mind as I did the flowers. 

You sent me on deliveries throughout the city of Waco in a white van that was always tuned to NPR. I loved driving around town bringing people colorful arrangements, knowing that the flowers you made brought an unsuspecting dose of joy to the recipients. It was also another opportunity to escape into the depths of my own mind. One afternoon Rosetree received a phone call informing you that the flowers I had left on a porch wilted in the Texas heat. You were always so gracious with me when my instincts for the job were… let’s say less than keen. I knew almost nothing about flowers at the time. I did not grow up with flowers in my home or in the spaces I occupied. While you were understandably upset, it made me realize that flowers were not just objects, they were living beings. 

This morning as I was cleaning the floor of my studio, I recalled the time when Hartley caught me sweeping the floor at the end of a work day. “What are you doing? Let me show you how to sweep.” He took the broom from me and with two hands on the stick, he attacked the refuse on the floor with the efficiency and determination of a war horse. That floor was clean in half the time that it took me. Moments like this slowly began to bring my head out from the sky and closer to where the flowers were growing. Not only was I becoming more attuned to my job duties, but to the physical world around me. 

Though my tasks never involved me designing—an act of wise discretion at the time— I watched you, Emily and Amber create magic with blooms. One day on the way home from work, I called my mom and told her that I wanted to become a florist some day. This call was undoubtedly relieving to a mother who was likely worried at the thought of what her daughter might do with a philosophy degree post college. 

Watching you run your business while raising a family, taking care of your community and supporting Hartley through his health challenges taught me that women can carry heavy things. As I embark on my own journey as a young mother, I imagine what it must have been like for you in the early days running a business and raising two little ones. The financial challenges, the uncertainty of a budding business and the daily tasks of meeting your children’s needs are all things I hold close in my heart to this day.

While the difficulties of life do not disappear with age, my hope is that the legacy of inspiration you have given me might lighten some of the world’s weight. Thank you Rosemary. Before I met you, I had never really seen a flower. You have opened my eyes to the depths and beauty of this physical world, though messy and broken as it is. Rosemary of Rosetree you are a gift to this world. 

(* How I wis, I had pictures from this era. So rather I am just going to insert pretty pictures rooted in the inspiration you gave).

2021: Year in Review

I know nothing in the world that has as much power as a word. Sometimes I write one, and I look at it until it begins to shine.

- Emily Dickinson

Apparently words have power. They mean something once they are spoken into existence and I have seen it proven time and time again. It’s why the words that we speak to others and even more importantly to ourselves, matter. Growing up my mother and grandfather would ritually choose a word or phrase at the beginning of the year to write at the top of their goal sheet and calendars. It usually rhymed with the year, something like, “let’s thrive in 2005.” I used to think this was cheesy and gimmicky but now as a mid-thirty year-old mother of two, jaded by the existential cynicism of my twenties, I have come to accept the practice. What child-like wonder it took to choose these words.

I suppose it’s not the phrase itself but rather the people who are speaking, believing and praying them into being that make these words powerful. One might suggest this practice is manifesting. That word feels too trendy and I just cannot bring myself to use it. I feel more like what my grandfather and mother were doing was simply re-calibrating.

This year I chose abundance as my word for 2021. At the end of a year dry with desert sand,  I was longing for a  spring, not just one that trickled. So I prayed with this word, for my business but also for my neighbors and friends. I kept it in mind as I approached each proposal and job, resulting in far more bookings than I could have imagined or hoped for. Looking back over the past year, I can say without hesitation that this was a year of abundance yet not always in the ways I was expecting. With abundance of work came an abundance of childcare logistics and scaling my business towards elevated levels of anxiety and exhaustion. 

Reviewing the ways in which abundance was played out this past year is a practice not only of reflection but also of gratitude. I hope it is an encouragement to those who are also hoping to re-calibrate in the new year and pondering whether the cheesiness of a new year’s word is something you are willing to declare.

The first arrangement I made in 2021 was an anniversary commission for some dear neighbors and friends. It felt like the perfect wintery piece for the start of the year. The orange pops of light from the ranunculus was a flicker of hope reminding us that the days are progressively getting longer and brighter.

Last Valentine’s Day was my first, living in Philadelphia. I delivered to both Philly and NYC since so many of the people I love are now in both places. On February 14th, I made the journey to Brooklyn myself, surprising friends on their stoops with not only flowers but also the face of an old friend.

Collaborating with a like-minded mompreneur on a baby mobile was such a fun and different project for me. Sarah Hollingsworth is the owner and founder of baby registry company, Poppylist. Her love of flowers and motherhood closely align with my love for flowers and motherhood! Working with silk flowers, I created a dangling nursery piece. I hope to do many more projects like this. Silk flowers are a sustainable way to honor the beauty of flowers and inspire people towards nature.

I don’t do many photo shoots on principal but when Source and Gather reached out, I happily said yes! We did a super fun shoot at City Winery. As a designer who tends towards color, working with a more neutral color palette was an opportunity to expand my portfolio. Source and Gather is a collaborative company built by event planner, Willa Dunn and photographer, Gina Ribando. They create customized collections to style micro weddings and small events. Check them out for your next dinner party!

Photography by Gina Ribando.@ City Winery Philadelphia

Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day was the kick-off to my main work season and so with summer quickly approaching, I wanted to invest in some professional development that I knew would take my designs to the next level. For years, I have admired the work and teaching of Amy Balsters of The Floral Coach. So it was a no brainer to sign up for her Bouquet Bootcamp as soon as she posted dates. At the beginning of May I drove down to Alexandria, Virginia and learned skills and practices that I will take with me for the rest of my career.

Karen Obrist Photography @ Bouquet Bootcamp

Karen Obrist Photography @ Bouquet Bootcamp

While there are so many weddings to highlight from this past year, I feel it is important to mark the first one. The image below features a wedding I had booked almost two years prior. It was a beautiful and celebratory event at June Bar in Brooklyn. To this day, I have never seen a dress that receives more accolades!

Photographer Sarah Kuszelewicz @ June Bar, Brooklyn, NY

My summer weddings were ones full of Alaska peonies, Florabundance ranunculus, and some of whatever was growing at Jig-Bee. Though not all pictured here, almost every one of my summer weddings took place in Brooklyn. Getting to work in the city I once called home was a blessing.

Far Out Feeling Photography @ Dobbin St. in Brooklyn, NY

Matthew Morgan Photography @ Rule of Thirds in Brooklyn, NY

Love Me Do Photography @ Park Savoy, NJ

One of the most valuable and important things I did all year was take time to rest and create arrangements for the sake of creation itself. This time away was given as s gift from a dear friend, mother, writer and floral educator, Kelly Perry. Taking time to explore and ponder with no boundaries or borders made room for imagination, creative growth and at the same time much needed rest.

The next slew of images are those from the abundance of weddings I had this fall. They were a mix of Philadelphia and New York weddings, each with its own style and seasonal uniqueness.

Kristy Hoadley Photography @ Ridley Creek State Park, PA

Daniel Moyer Photography @ Bartram’s Gardens, PHL

Rachel Pearlman @ Sleepy Hollow, NY

Matt Agan Photography @ Sayville Yacht Club, Long Island, NY

Liz Gibbs Photography @ Penn Ryn Mansion, Ben Salem, PA

Mason Photography @ Greenville, DE

Dag Photography @ Greenpoint Lofts, Brooklyn

Par La Mer Photography @ Prospect Park Boat House, NY

Par La Mer Photography @ Prospect Park Boat House, NY

Gatherings are a central part of what Flower Clvb offers outside of event florals. The opportunity to gather and share with one another is so important to its vitality and purpose. In the past gatherings have offered only opportunities to create florals but this year I decided to incorporate a seasonal meal. Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweet Grass was a huge influence on this model. Gatherings have become an opportunity to celebrate and honor the earth’s gifts.

I have hesitated to plan gatherings as the world begins to re-emerge from COVID, however I felt it was okay to start small. Even in the ways of small and slow, there is abundance. It felt good to work with flowers only grown locally without pesticides, and with little to no impact to the earth.

Fall marked the busiest and most mentally trying time of my floral career. The amount of abundant growth I experienced this year was a blessing but required logistics and planning that often felt overwhelming. It meant time spent away from my kids and left me questioning whether or not I am a good mother. I am the type of people- pleaser and gritty achiever that refuses to back down at no amount of pressure even at the cost of myself.

I learned so much, not only about running my business more efficiently but also about valuing my mental health. Sometimes it takes going to a really dark place, to realize that all the lights are off. As the new year approaches, my goal is to reach for the switches that get those lights back on. Perhaps it means drinking less, prioritizing therapy and making some tweaks to the way I organize my schedule. Even despite these struggles, I am still proud of the ways I loved and cared for my children and for the designs I created for my incredible brides.

The word I have chosen for this year is humor. Wearied by the heaviness of this past year, I feel this word needs no explanation. In many ways humor is an issue of the heart. When my children are throwing tantrums and my instinct is to yell, if I decide to begin speaking in a British accent and get real silly, it almost always changes the mood for everyone. What would arrangements look like with a bit of humor added? How might my brain operate with more David Sedaris and less Michael Barbaro? Perhaps I will re-watch Seinfeld rather than binging Walking Dead episodes.

Almost fifteen years ago I took a trip to Jinja, Uganda where I met a woman who had been kidnapped along with her twin sister by the Lord’s Resistance Army at the age of 16. She was rescued by a cohort of nuns. As she was recalling the story to me, I asked her how she kept hope. She told me that her friends who were captured with her, would try to make each other laugh. This has stuck with me over the years. They did not laugh to minimize or cover up what was going on but simply to get through it. I am sure there is plenty of psychology around this and I have all of 2022 to dig in, laugh a little and release all the tension I currently am holding in my shoulders.

Art vs. Design, Mother vs. Maker

A reflection on motherhood & art practice pt. 2

The tension between art and design is similar to that of vocation and motherhood. Often the one informs or renews the other but it is important to acknowledge their own separate roles. In order to honor the work of both artists and designers, we must distinguish their differences. To oversimplify, art primarily needs to exist for itself as the end, whereas design tends to give itself to external means and purposes. For example, floral design is specifically a practice that serves to memorialize or celebrate which is why you tend to see flowers at weddings and funerals and not in galleries or museums. However, I think it’s a good idea for designers to practice art in order to continue creating authentic and challenging work. The times I have paused to make art with florals, I have experienced rejuvenation in my design practice.

Rather than trying to prove to myself that my designs are art, I find rest in knowing that my work does not have to fulfill a particular definition in order to have value. Though, I do think without it, my designs suffer. Whether through dance, drawing, writing or making floral arrangements for the sake of themselves, the need to express feeling, emotions and drama is at the foundation of my artistic inspiration. Pinterest will always fall short of true internal grit. I have struggled to call my practice art since flowers are by their nature beautiful and lack the raw, grotesque characteristics of so much of the contemporary art that I admire. But knowing that they are separate, actually takes the pressure off. 

Whether an arrangement is made as art or as design, leave it out long enough and the stress of this life will reveal itself. If you have ever seen a decaying sunflower, it is as if the wilting disc has spent the last day over the toilet, hair soaked in sweat and raw exhaustion. As a mother I feel so often like the sunflower in its various stages and am oddly even comforted whenever I see one of these giant puking blooms. It makes me feel seen.

When it comes to vocation, it is not always for me to determine whether my work is art or design. I am called to do what is set before me and right now that is raising two children and running a flower business. At the center of my purpose is serving others, specifically in a way that is sacrificial and rooted in love. Understanding this, helps me keep going when I feel guilty for leaving my kids for days on end to work on a wedding. 

I have found that when I am not clear on the underlying motivation of love, negative self-talk and limiting beliefs about myself tend to almost shout at me. I sense the little joy feelings trying to get back in but they are just smothered in all the growling of the inner wolves. I won’t be the first to tell you that comparison is the thief of joy. When I compare myself to others, it’s not so much other floral designers as it is those who I consider to be “true” artists. I begin to doubt myself and my purpose and wonder if a career in screamo music would resonate more with what I am actually feeling inside. Perhaps…Perhaps screaming lyrics into a microphone is my true calling but it is not what is in front of me now. I am more likely to generate love  through the simple acts of creating a bouquet or reading a book to my children than hyping up head bangers. 

Art happens when I look the tragic parts of my mind in the eye and speak to them through whatever my hands are able to make. It need be nothing more. I am living out my calling when I do what is set before me in love. It need be nothing more.

10 Table Setting Basics For Conscious Gatherings

I love the tradition of gathering, feasting and giving thanks. With every holiday celebration comes a commemoration of some particular moment in history deemed good and worthy of jubilee. So as we reflect upon the history of Thanksgiving earnestly, we must acknowledge the cognitive dissonance that we are hopefully all experiencing. It would in fact encourage me to know that others wrestle with the narrative of peace —Squanto and the Mayflower Voyagers breaking bread together — vs. the very real suffering of the Wampanoag people and many other indigenous tribes that continues to this day.

My ideas for setting our tables are intended to honor the earth and make way for slowing down our minds in order to welcome in nature. While I don’t claim to tackle the debt owed for a distraught past, I do seek reparations with any small fruit my hands may produce. We can approach our tables in such a way that makes us more still, remembering the ones who have suffered as a result of this day while also offering gratitude for the gifts of harvest.

So here are the basics for setting up your table to welcome the gifts of family/ friends and nature:

1. Light: Place your table where people will experience the light of day. Eat outside if possible, but if it is too cold prepare your table by the brightest lit window. We do not have a dining room in our small row home but if you do, these are normally well lit rooms. As you share your meal allow yourself moments of stillness in order that the light might nourish you.

2. Time: Consider the time when you will gather and how light will impact the mood or feeling of your gathering. Our home receives the best light in the morning around 10am. Preparing an early meal followed by a hike feels like the right mood for our household. Perhaps dusk works better in your home. Take the hike in the morning and feast in the evening. If you have an evening meal, make sure you have candles so as not to admonish the light.

3. Space: Movies and commercials often depict large tables wide enough to hold everyone’s plated meal and all the Thanksgiving dishes which can easily be passed back and forth. However, most of our tables are not this large. If your table is more dainty, prepare another nearby surface where dishes are placed while allowing for a few small items such as dinner rolls to remain on the main table. Never let the size of your table deter you from inviting as many guests as you want to welcome. One of the best things I ever purchased was a couple fold-out tables and chairs for this reason.

4. Table Cloths: Clothe the table with a special fabric or attire to indicate that something out of the ordinary is about to occur. If you don’t have a table cloth, remove the curtain in Maria Von Trapp style and place it on the table. Both of the table cloths pictured in my images are actually curtains. Consider the textures and where the fabric was made. Patterns or solid colors can elevate a space in a significant way. Table runners also work great as an alternative.

5. Flowers and Foraged Nature: You may have a few dahlias and mums still blooming as we do up here in the northeast, but I love the way dried flowers and the colorful leaves outside look among the feast. Honoring nature by bringing it to the table indicates that what is growing has value and that we are grateful for it. I like to go on foraging walks with my children and allow them to pick out things that they find interesting. Collect what you find in gratitude and care. Perhaps as you go about acquiring earth’s gifts, you could leave one as well. Plant a bulb in return.

6. Placemats and Chargers: Surrounding your plate with a place for food to go if it falls is always a good idea. I love the look of chargers but placemats often make it easier to place forks knives and glassware. Use what you have. If there are children at your feast, consider covering their table with crate paper. It can double as a canvas and catch all for food.

7. Plating and Utensils: Determine what foods your Thanksgiving will include and pull out plates and utensils accordingly. While cleaning may be a hassle, stay clear of single-use plastics or paper products when possible. If you do not have a dishwasher, ask a family member to help you clean up. If you have soup, bring out bowls but no need to crowd your table with unnecessary items if there is no use. If your dinner and salad plates don’t match, even better. Uniformity is not the point of the gathering and its better to prioritize cohesion over sameness. In formal settings there are multiple forks and knives but for our feast, I just choose one of each. Forks go to the left, knives to the right, followed by spoons.

8. Napkins: Though it may be tempting to buy paper napkins, cloth napkins can be used over and over again. If you do not have cloth napkins, bandannas are a great alternative. I like to fold the napkins and place them in the middle of my plate, underneath a foraged or pressed flower. Typically napkins go to the left of the plate.

9. Water and Wine: I am not a big mason jar fan when it comes to flowers, however for drinking water, a 32 oz mason jar is perfect. I find that the standard drinking glass is too small for the amount of water I like to drink. Hydration is very important to me and it is usually the first thing guests like when they arrive. Have a stash of ice if your guests prefer. For wine glasses, we use tea cups since we have broken almost every wine glass we have ever owned. It is what we have so we use them. Place these items in the upper right corner of the plate.

10. Candles: Having a bit of fire flaming among the meal is another way to bring nature to the table. Amidst the colors of seasonal foods and foliage, the amber light of fire is an ode to the power of light to make us feel warmth and at rest. Whether a candlestick, votive or candelabra, allow your table to be the main source of light when the sun goes down.

As you know, items on a table are not what makes us more caring or loving, but perhaps they can prompt us to become more conscious participants in our gatherings. I’m sure even as we speak there are vaccinated relatives who are pondering whether or not to join together with their unvaccinated family or vis-versa. While this is a legitimate concern and I am very pro- vaccine, might I suggest rather than prompting one another towards the tensions we so easily feel, that we lay down our swords. Allow the light of the sun to penetrate our tables and remind us that we are part of an ecosystem larger that our individual selves. 

What would the ground of our continent feel like if we had entered the land and listened to it? What if the early settlers had looked into the eyes of the peoples met on their voyage and seen them as made in the image of Divine Love? The same humanity that caused war among our ancestors is the same humanity I bring to holiday gatherings. Conscious gathering allows me to recognize the parts of myself that tends toward greed, selfishness and disregard for my earthen community and move toward reconnecting with this Love by which we were all hone. So as I approach the table with this in mind, I am letting the light soak deep within my bones, quieting my words and opening my arms.

Some wise words from Braiding Sweet Grass:

Know the ways of the ones who take care of you, so that you may take care of them.
Introduce yourself. Be accountable as the one who comes asking for life. Ask permission before taking. Abide by the answer.
Never take the first. Never take the last. Take only what you need.
Take only that which is given.
Never take more than half. Leave some for others. Harvest in a way that minimizes harm.Use it respectfully. Never waste what you have taken.
Share.
Give thanks for what you have been given.
Give a gift, in reciprocity for what you have taken.
Sustain the ones who sustain you and the earth will last forever.

-Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweet Grass

A Village of Flowers

A reflection on motherhood & art practice pt. 1

Yesterday I had the privilege of speaking with author, Catherine Ricketts who writes about art and motherhood. As a florist and fellow-mother, she invited me to have a conversation with her on Instagram Live for her Mother/Artist Lunch-Break Series, which highlights the various ways that care and the imagination intersect..You can read more about her work by going to her website catherinedanaricketts.com, or following along with her on Instagram @bycatherinericketts. Below, I have provided a video link to our conversation, as well as a written reflection on the topics we discussed. If you find yourself struggling to balance parenthood with creative work, I invite you to read/watch on as you are not alone.

Click Image To Play Video

Catherine Ricketts

When I started my business as a new mother, I did so after working many years in the non-profit arts sector where I ran education programs in various spaces from galleries to libraries, churches to schools. While working in both the arts and with youth felt meaningful and purposeful, my full time schedule often kept me from spending time with my own family and required hours beyond the mere 40 or so for which I was hired. The appeal of being in charge of my schedule paired with my knack for floral design is what first compelled me to start Flower Clvb. Prior to 2018, floral design was just a side hustle. 

When I was pregnant with my first, I began conceiving the idea of starting my own business. As someone who is always dreaming up ideas, I have learned that the one’s that stick are those that keep returning and nudging me or rather, the ones that I just do without too much scheming or planning. My philosophy for starting anything is always to try it until it doesn’t work anymore. If the idea is not too complicated and I am passionate enough about it, it will always work. I would certainly characterize myself as a self-starter but out of the thousands of business ideas that have flown in and out of my head over the years, only two have stuck. Flower Clvb is one of those ideas. 

Beginning with just a few smaller weddings and growing slowly, by the time my second child arrived in 2019, I felt I was able to balance motherhood with my budding business. Flower Clvb was novel and exciting yet progressing at a pace that was manageable. Then COVID hit in March 2020 and all the momentum I had built was shut down. Admittedly, at the start of the pandemic I was coveting the life of my friends who did not have children but as the months of isolation persisted, I became immensely grateful for the gift of my children. Our daily walks to the park, the establishment of a routine (something new for me), cooking dinner for my family and actually sitting around a kitchen table felt like the slow life I craved. Unlike many florists that I admire, I did not pivot my business to offer something unique for the time. I simply hit the pause button. All the weddings I had booked for fall of 2020 got pushed back to 2021 and so I decided to just focus on my family and continue booking for the future. 

Fast forward to fall of 2021 and I am suddenly full time florist and full time parent. The balance in many ways has gone out the window. This current season is H.A.R.D. While I finally feel like I am contributing meaningfully to our family’s income, I must admit that I am not handling it as well as I hoped. The slow, still poetry of walking to the park daily with my kids is no longer there and the flexible schedule which once compelled me to enter floristry is quickly becoming more rigid and demanding. Desperate for child care help during wedding weekends, working from the moment my kids go to bed till the moment I am falling asleep at my computer, trying to send proposals while my kids are watching television, not to mention making flower arrangements is all part of the overwhelm that is this season of motherhood. 

***If you are a bride reading this, I want to assure you  the chaos of the last sentence is wondrously tamed by the following sentences. Please read on for assurance***

The saying that it takes a village to raise a child is so cliche as it is true but what I have found to be even more profound is the village it takes to also support parents toward success. I am a big believer that we cannot mother in isolation. Reach out for help when you need it. While I do think mothers have great capacity to spin many plates at the same time and do it well, I also know that the inner-life and mind can be dark and despairing when community is absent. Our villages might look like therapy, trusted friends, grandmothers, hiring childcare, an assistant or simply having neighbors you can rely on. No matter what help looks like, I am convinced that it is essential. Getting help is truly the only way I can survive this season.

Hiring others to assist me in my business keeps Flower Clvb from operating as a one woman show, a production that would most certainly end in catastrophe. Thriving as a designer is dependent upon having an excellent team around me. My absolute resolute insistence that both my children are joyful healthy beings and that my florals are spectacularly beautiful do not have to be at odds with each other. The idea that one has to suffer while the other flourishes is a false dichotomy. If I was doing both by myself, then surely they would. We need people. We need each other.

Flowers are truth tellers and in many ways they are my mentors to both me as a mother and a creative laborer. There is an endless amount of lessons they teach us -- one being-- the impact they have together. A village of flowers made up of the various textures, colors, sizes, shapes and tones is always more glorious than merely one standing by itself. Rarely is a bride walking down the aisle with just one stem (though I can imagine instances where this would be exquisite). Whether you are a mother, an artist, working mom or just human being trying to handle your life, don’t go it alone.

I am breaking up this reflection into two parts since there is so much to unpack. so stay tuned for part 2.

Venerating the Marigold: An Early Autumn Celebration

My daughter’s birthday comes at the beginning of autumn when dahlias, marigolds and goldenrod are beaming with the turmeric and saffron colors of the season. You will never see me decorating with a pumpkin until we have fully venerated the marigolds in all the bright light and wisdom gained from their summer soaking long and hard in the sun

The following images were captured by Philadelphia based photographer and my sister-in-law, Stacey McDonald.

Amora Living Table Cloth

Candles from St. John’s Monastery

While a successful party needs little more than a few people gathered, the small assembly of details and decorations can indicate the reason for coming together, honor the celebrated and make the act of attending one in which all participants feel the joy and energy of a warm welcome. In addition to the tasty treats and vibrant colors, choosing the right space felt important. So naturally, my husband and I chose to have the birthday party at our local graveyard.

The Woodlands cemetery in West Philadelphia is a historic treelined space, a unique step away from the city and surrounded by cricket-croaking grass. It enchants anyone who walks through. Before the party began I sprinkled marigolds, gomphrena, celosia and zinnias behind ancient oak trees and in hidden spaces. The children were then sent on a flower scavenger hunt. I tend to complicate activities but this simple scavenger hunt was all the children needed to prepare them for the much anticipated cake eating ceremony.

Proceeding the hunt, we sang happy birthday and blew out candles on a cake adorned with Lunaria Garen’s Kees Orange and Burning Ember Marigolds. I have learned that children gravitate towards cupcakes over cake whether they are gluten free or not. Using homemade turmeric food coloring, I made a yellow icing to top gluten free pumpkin cupcakes using the Live Well Bake Often Recipe and subbing the flour for Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Baking Flour.

The taste of the cupcakes alongside the floral beauty and magic of the graveyard made the celebration of Lucy one that I will cherish and remember forever. Truly the joy of the party was seeing children running around, smiling from ear to ear and enjoying the celebration. This is why I decorate, this is why bringing people together is worth the monk made candles and marigold printed tablecloths.

Lucy means “light” and celebrating her life at the time of day when afternoon bleeds into dusk, during the season when the nights begin arriving earlier and earlier, I pause to hold each moment sacred. These early days will not last forever and I never want to forget them. Whenever I plan a birthday party I think about the four short years that I knew my grandmother. She passed the day before my 4th birthday. Though my birthday always had the potential of bringing up memories of loss with each lap around the sun, it conversely has never ceased to bring forth a sense of honor for every year I gain. My grammy always welcomed in the light and I always felt celebrated by her. During Lucy’s birthday party I pondered my late grammy who I remember holding me like I hold Lucy. While the dimness of this life begs me to hold its weight and often I do, the light is the one I was meant to cradle.

Photo by Stacey McDonald

References for Party Items:

Here are a few of the simple items I used to create a sense of magic surrounding Lucy’s birthday

Table Cloth made by Amora Living

Candles made by the monks of St. John’s Monastery

Dahlias and Marigolds grown by Lunaria Gardens

Lucy’s Party Dress by Hanna Anderson

I waited till the last minute to order the cake so I purchased one from Whole Foods. While it was delicious, I am a big advocate of supporting small and local businesses when possible. So if you are Philly based, might I recommend ordering from my favorite bakery in town, The Frosted Fox.

Your Flowers Are Here!

By Grace McDonald of Flower Clvb

It’s finally time for your wedding. You’ve been engaged for what feels like half your life after postponing  at least twice and now it’s here! All is well in paradise until your florist messages you saying the blush roses that are  going to make your dream day perfectly special are unavailable. Oof “unavailable,” I just hate that word, don’t you? If you are a bride who has received a message about flower sourcing and availability, you are in good company. 

While there are indeed flower shortages across the globe, I am here to say that beautiful flowers ARE alive and accessible to you and your florist for your wedding. They might not be the exact flowers you had originally hoped for but they will certainly be just as, if not more enchanting. As a florist who goes to great lengths, seeking out unique varieties for my clients, I can assure you that the arrangements I can design for your wedding with alternative blooms will be extraordinarily breathtaking. That is always my goal.

Below I want to share some tips for brides who are navigating florals during this season but before I begin, I want to explain why some flowers are proceeded by that icky word, “unavailable.” Flowers are in high demand right now since everyone from last year and this year is getting married at the same time. On top of that there are major transportation delays due to weather and staffing shortages. So many variables go into getting a bloom from field to bouquet and so that is why I want to offer some encouragement and assure you that there is an abundance of flowers ready to make your wedding memorable and breathtaking. 

10 Tips for Brides Navigating Floral Shortages. 

1. Don’t panic! Take a deep breath and remember why you are getting married. Think about the aesthetic elements that are most important to you. If it is a color then focus on the color palette. If it is a particular flower, then exercise some flexibility in color. Perhaps we need so sub a rose for a dahlia. Are they different? Yes, but are they both beautiful? 100%!

2. Identify the words you would use to define your wedding. Express those to your florist. In considering words, think about the style of the space where you are getting married. If you are getting married in a mansion or ballroom perhaps, “elegance,” or “classic” might be some of the descriptions you choose. If your wedding is in a refurbished warehouse or brewery, perhaps you are going for a more “industrial” or “modern” look. Of course any of these terms can describe your vision for a variety of spaces but sharing these words with your florist will help them understand the kinds of flowers, textures and shapes that will achieve the look you are envisioning.

3. Prioritize color palette over specific blooms when you can. If you have an image reference, talk with your florist about the particular tints and tones that you like about that image and trust your florist to find them in the flowers that are available.

4. Solidify, shape, texture and mood. The shape and spiral sensation of a rose can be found in ranunculus or certain carnations. The size and impact of a round focal flower can be accomplished in dahlias, peonies or even mums to name a few. While we would love for Poppies to grow all year, perhaps an anemone, zinnia, reflexed tulip or lisianthus can do the job. In this process you might discover a new flower that you love even more than the original.

5. Pivot your neutrals toward a monochromatic path. Follow your neutrals and see what colors they lead to. If you were going for more beige neutrals perhaps they will lead you into some peachy hues. If you were thinking grey, consider incorporating shades of purples and plums. A white and green wedding looks lovely, with creams, and even buttery yellows. Or….

6. Go all out on color! When I was getting married I was so afraid to include color, fearing I would regret it but you will never regret color done well. Think about what you normally wear outside of your wedding day. Are you someone who enjoys muted tones or do you like to wear color? If your fashion sense involves lots of vibrant tints than color is important to you. Do not sequester that on your wedding day.

7. Incorporate seasonal blooms. Sometimes when people think of seasonal blooms they think of farmers market flowers. But local flowers can achieve any look from classic, traditional to modern and wild. Even if your theme is elegant, often the design style and shape of flower is what makes the difference in accomplishing a particular look.

8. Think Local! If you care about climate change, ask your florist for local flowers. Buying flowers seasonally and locally lifts an incredible burden off florists, as well as the earth’s resources. If demand switched from imported to local flowers than the carbon footprint of flowers would decrease significantly. Floral foam is not the only pressure on the earth, it’s also pesticides, transportation, bleach, etc.

9. Make a plan A, B and C: If you are getting married in this uncertain state of the world, I am sure you are also well acquainted with making back up or alternative plans. When it comes to flowers that you love, work with your florist to come up with multiple options that mirror some of the blooms you love. It is important that you communicate with your florist about the reasons why a particular flower is special to you and then together as a team, you can identify flowers that fit just as well.

10. Trust your florist! Remember, you chose your florist for a reason. They are working hard for you and want your wedding to be beautiful. While I cannot speak for every florist in the industry, do know that floral design is an industry full of passionate and caring designers and artists who care both for you and the earth.

Your flowers are here and they are waiting to shine for you!