Flower Power!

Giant flower spotted driving around Salem, OR!

Don't be scared if you see a GIANT flower while you're driving around Salem, Oregon — it's just our ad on Oregon Mobile Media's mobile billboard truck. Far classier than a sign bolted to a truck bed and way cooler than a traditional billboard, this mobile media truck has three sides that display scrolling "billboards" (up to 12' wide!) AND----it's lighted at night so it glows. :)

Yep, super awesome. You've got to see it in person to really appreciate just how cool it is, but til you do, here's a photo of it in the evening with the lights on. For more photos and to learn more about this super-cool new advertising opportunity, be sure to "Like" them on Facebook or visit their website.

Image Floral featured in Willamette Woman Magazine!

We we very excited to be featured in this local magazine, alongside five other talented & successful business women. Other than having my photo taken, it was great!

Here's a copy of the article  --- (thought it was posted earlier, but the BlogGremlin deleted it!)

Download Willamette Woman article

Royal Wedding Flowers... no pressure!

Wow. Really, that's the first thing that comes to my mind when I think about the florists who'll be designing the flowers for William & Kate. A friend commented to me, "Wouldn't you just love to get THAT job?"

Hmmm, that gave me pause. My first reactions was "YES!," followed by "wellll, maybe...", then "NOOO!" That's a LOT of pressure and scrutiny. Opportunity of a lifetime? Sure. Worth the stress? Not sure. The Middleton's family florist, Emma Sampson, has been working with Royal Florist Shane Connolly on the floral arrangements, but still...

(Here's a link to some photos of the flowers arriving at Westminster Abbey...)

From my perspective, a wedding is a wonderful, fantastic floral event, but there is pressure to make sure that you & your bride are on the same page, as far as the designs you'll be delivering. "Pink" means different things to different people and the last thing you want is a bride that doesn't like her wedding flowers because they're the "wrong pink." I cannot even imagine the thought of desiging for this particular bride, all the while holding your breath until she says she likes it. The best phrase I can hear when presenting the bride with her bouquet is, "I love it."  (*Whoosh!* Exhale of said held breath!)

So for now, I think I'll stick with my local princesses and helping them create the wedding of their dreams. That's enough pressure for me! :)

 

 

Oregon Wedding Showcase in Salem a huge success!

WOW! What a fantastic—and exhausting— weekend! We had 600+ brides attend the Oregon Wedding Showcase in Salem, at the Oregon State Fairgrounds. And boy do I feel like I talked to all of them. :)

I posted some photos of the different varieties we had in the shop to "play with" for the show, and here's a peek at some of the finished products:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'll have nice, professional shots up on the website in a couple days—look under the "recent Events" tab.

Flowers, flowers everywhere—and not a bouquet in sight... yet.

This weekend is the Oregon Wedding Showcase at the Oregon State Fairgrounds in Salem, and the studio is a kaleidoscope of color right now! Pink, coral & red! Purple, green & orange! Ivory! Blue! Yellow!

Bridal shows (though they make for a verrrry long weekend, in most cases) really are great fun, because I get to design what I want, with the flowers I select. I really have no one to please but me (and let me tell you, that's tough!). I like to think of it as my floral fashion show: clothing designers show their over-the-top designs, then pare down that look for the buying public. I try to do the same, showing the latest floral trends & pushing the envelope with color and design.

Usually I have ideas in mind several weeks before a show, then sketch out the designs I see in my head, ordering flowers based on those. But, every few years I get a 'wild hair' and decide to wing it by just going to to the flower market and seeing what's there, designing & sketching as I shop. It definitely takes longer that way, but it's more exciting to see what's there and let your creativity run wild (Ooohhhh -- black mini callas! PEONIES? Yippeee!)

This was one of those years. :) So, here are some snapshots of the flowers & colors... guess we'll find out together what I do with them for the weekend!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And speaking of, if you're planning a wedding—or know someone who is—the Oregon Wedding Showcase really is a great one. If you come, be sure to stop and say HI!

Gerbera daisies—a deux

Gerbera daisies continue to hold their popularity—I've had two weddings back-to-back with them, in fact. Here are some snapshots of the wedding this past Saturday, with a red/white/blue theme, as well as some from the week before where orange and wine (sangria) were the featured colors...

Anatomy of an arrangement— from sketch to centerpiece!

Not always do I sketch out what I'm seeing in my head, but if I'm communicating with a client via email, it's often necessary so they can "see" what I see in my head. (Scary thought, I know!)

This sweet little cube design was for Willamette Valley Hospice's annual banquet at Illahe Hills Country Club. They'd selected an Asian-inspired theme, hence the chrysanthemums & chopsticks. A teal blue was the accent linen on the tables. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see the tables fully set, so some of the effect is lost, but thought the photo progression was interesting.

          

AZ is a'bloomin!

Feb 28 "tasting" at The Oregon Garden Resort a success!

About 80 people +/- attended the tasting put on by the The Oregon Garden Resort on Sunday, Feb. 28. The event let current & prospective brides sample some of the menu offerings for weddings. It was a lovely event, with over 80 people in attendance.

Sue Hamilton of SHE Designs and I worked out the 'tablescapes," choosing to highlight the colors of the room with our linen & flower choices. We even created a "chapel" area in the room, with the 2 chair offerings the Resort has, so brides could get a feel for what's possible in the room.

In addition to the event florals, we set up a small display and ran a video slideshow of some of our work, which seemed to be very popular... I may have to do that at all the shows!

Flowers designed for novelest John Irving.

I was very excited to be able to design the flowers at a reception for one of America's most popular and respected authors—John Irving.  His novels include The World According to Garp and The Cider House Rules. Irving was on Willamette University's campus on Wednesday, February 24, 2010, to deliver the spring Atkinson Lecture in that evening. 

Shades of blue & green featured flowers including green & ivory roses, Bells of Ireland, white Oriental lilies and delphiniums. Oh, and peacock feathers. I love working with the clear cylinders for elevated florals such as these, as you can use that "negative space" to create a bit of a terrarium. FUN! Can't wait for the next event! 

Click here to see the full article on Irving's visit to WU.