Updates

I'm a blogging slacker. Like I've said in most of my last posts, I've been so busy lately that I haven't been keeping up with the blog as much as I'd like. I'm taking my marketing courses and doing a lot of new training at my day job. I've also been busy getting this beauty out to a bride-to-be who's using it for an engagement shoot:

I love that idea of using an alternative bouquet for an engagement shoot!


We also got to go on a little mini-getaway when I got a surprise day off from work! That was nice and much needed. We stayed in Ellenton, FL and did a few things around town in Bradenton (where I grew up!)... it was a really a nice little break. We also went to The Dali Museum in St Petersburg to see the Dali & da Vinci exhibit (going on through July 26). Bonus... on Thursday nights, it's only $10 a person to get in! If you've never been to The Dali Museum, you need to go... just the building itself is worth the trip!

Atrium of the Dali Museum, photo by me.

Alternative Wedding Bouquets

As I've mentioned before, I'm pretty new to Instagram and I love it. Besides being fun because of all the pretty pictures, it's a great way to meet new people and find new things. I've long been obsessed with paper flowers and I'm planning on using them for my wedding. Through Instagram, I've found several paper florists (is that what they're called? is that a thing?) that I was previously unaware of. I also found another cool alternative to fresh flowers that even though I probably won't do, I'm super in awe of them. And well, I make alternative bouquets too, so I'll talk about myself a little (haha).

Like I said, I've been loving on paper flowers for awhile now, but I just recently found a few really good makers of them on IG. Probably my favorite is Margie Keates from The Lovely Ave. I've been Instagram stalking her for the last few weeks and she does some great work. I'd love to have some of her flowers at my wedding (if I haven't been too creepy of a stalker and she'll talk to me, that is).

From The Lovely Ave @thelovelyave on Instagram.

From @thelovelyave on Instagram.

Super pretty, huh? And check out her beautiful new website!

The other super talented maker of alternative bouquets that I've been in awe of lately, is Meghan LaCroix. She makes the most gorgeous, fresh-looking bouquets that I would never believe are actually dried and preserved.

From @MeghanLaCroix on Instagram

HOW TO: Make a Fun Rehearsal Bouquet

It's traditional, at least around here, to make a bouquet out of bows from the bridal shower for the bride to carry at the rehearsal.  As the Maid of Honor, I got tasked to make one for my friend Jessica.  It's a pretty goofy, not-supposed-to-be-glamourous tradition, but I still wanted to try to make something cute. 

OUTDOOR WEDDING by KRISTY BULSON on ETSY

To me, the idea of an outdoor wedding, especially here in Florida's crazy climate, is pretty daunting.  Rain/hurricanes, bugs, sweltering heat, uneven ground... I could go on and on.  I do love the idea though of bringing the aesthetics of an outdoor wedding to an indoor wedding (or at least one more shielded from the elements).  I was recently featured in this "Outdoor Wedding" treasury on Etsy featuring some awesome items for an outdoor (or wanna-be outdoor) wedding....

Take a peak at the treasury on Etsy for prices and shop sources!

Hope you've had a good week!  It's been crazy for me, but we've gotten a lot done, thankfully!

Robin

NEW BOUQUET IN THE SHOP TODAY!

I've been working hard on this bouquet for the last two weeks or so and I'm super excited to have it finished and posted in the shop.  Getting this bouquet done and some photos taken of it were the last things I wanted to accomplish before I start getting together applications for some new advertising.  Here's hoping I can get accepted to a few good blogs!

Here are some pictures from our little mini-photo shoot this week...

New things are coming soon!

I've disappeared from the blog a bit the last two weeks, work and personal issues are big time suckers for me, like they are for most people, but I've also been hard at work on new things for my shop and the blog.  I've been working on this black rose for a customer, as well as putting together a new bouquet that will be debuting with another photo shoot next week!  

Also, I've been doing lots of research on the new trends for 2014 and I can't wait to get started on some new items in these colors, picked by Pantone for Spring 2014.  I already have items in something like hemlock and, of course, radiant orchid, but I love some of the others too, like the pretty Cayenne below!  I love these bright colors for spring... winter is almost over!

via The Perfect Palette

Thanks for looking... check back soon!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Happy Valentine's Day!  Hope you had a great day, whether it was a day with that special someone or Singles' Awareness Day!

Here are some fun items from my shop in the spirit of Valentine's Day :)

PHOTO SHOOT for Fuzzy Rose!

While the rest of the country has been frozen in a polar vortex (and Snow-mageddon happened in poor Atlanta), central Florida has escaped mostly unscathed.  Still though, the chilly rain is getting old and depressing.  Tuesday though, we had a break from the gloom and it was a beautiful, sunny, warm day.  It was the perfect day to run outside and get some photos before the sun hid again.  We're definitely still new at this and need to get a better camera, but I'm super happy with how the pictures came out, especially for our first try. 

MICHELLE'S INTIMATE SOUTHERN CHIC SAVANNAH WEDDING

Confession: I love watching Say Yes to the Dress and its kooky spin-off Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta. On the Atlanta edition, I giggle to myself when brides come into the salon declaring that their theme is "Southern Chic"... but not really having a clear idea of what that means to them.  Their confused group runs around the salon holding up dresses asking if they're "Southern Chic" enough.  It usually ends in the bride tearfully saying that a sleek mermaid dress makes her feel "like Scarlett O'Hara" while her bewildered group cheers her on, relieved to finally figure out what "Southern Chic"means.

Michelle's wedding is the real deal though when it comes to Southern Chic, taking place against the historic, Spanish moss-draped background of Savannah.

All photos courtesy of the bride, photography by Maria Reed of Romeo Cowboy Photography, www.romeocowboyphotography.com/ 

When Michelle first contacted me about a brooch and flower bouquet in my shop, she described her wedding vision as "intimate and classic Southern inspired" but also unique, without being over the top. She loves polka dots, stripes, dark purple, ranunculus, and anemones. I did my best to incorporate as much of this as possible into her custom order.  Lots of classic brooches kept with the theme and lace and pearls scattered throughout the bouquet nodded to classic Southern style.