Local Bouquets from West to East!

I adore flowers.  I can't remember a time in my life when I wasn't captivated by a new bloom.  Dandelion bouquets for my mom, clover chain necklaces for friends at recess, ditch bouquets for my grandma...from those childhood flower interactions, I've developed a deep love for flowers and floral design.  

It's always so much fun to find people who share that same love and to see how they put that love to use in their floral careers.  Through searching the internet & through the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers, I have found some amazingly talented flower fanatics.  Here are a couple of them that I love and that are great inspiration!  

One of my absolute favorite flower farmers is Erin Benzakein of Floret Flower Farm near Seattle, Washington.  I am always sending Travis and my friend, Kelly, links to Erin's blog and telling them that *this* is what I aspire to be someday...with my own little spin on it, of course, but just wait until you see it!  You'll understand.  Warning: Be prepared to be sucked in for hours!...she does such amazing things on her less than 3 acre farm!  Here are a few of her awesome photos & creations:

Amazing, right?!

Okay...one more favorite...Jennie Love of Love 'n Fresh Flowers from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.   Like most of us wacky flower farmers, she seems to just go & go & go!  She does oodles of weddings each season, has a flower CSA and offers some pretty fun workshops.  I love her creativity and her use of anything and everything in her designs.  Travis often gives me interesting looks when I venture out into the woods and come back with branches, berries & anything else that I think has a great look or texture.  I'm pretty certain Jennie would understand my madness.  Check out some of her awesomeness:

See even more of Jennie's photos on her Facebook page!

Such talent, such beauty...and all with locally grown flowers!  

Don't you think these are far more beautiful and unique than the typical cookie-cutter type wedding floral pieces?!  I do...and it's why I *love* this business! 

Oh, What Fun!

What a busy, busy fun-filled weekend! 

I began prepping for wedding floral on Wednesday night by getting wine bottles sorted & ready to use as vases...some full size & some cut in half.  Flower cutting began on Thursday afternoon with a stop by Miss Effie's to get a milk jug of snapdragons, a few salvia and strawflower.  It's always fun to talk flowers with her!  Then, I made my way home to the flower field to cut as many flowers as I could before darkness set in...earlier and earlier these days!  Friday afternoon was more flower & foliage cutting and then the fun part...design!! 

I always have this vision in my head of how I want things to look...thankfully, Mother Nature & the Flower Gods {they must exist!} were very kind and provided fabulous colors & textures! I really loved how everything for this wedding turned out!

The excitement doesn't stop there!  We had a chance to visit our friends in their new home right after the wedding floral delivery.  The plan was to help them move, but the 2 p.m. delivery and then a 45 min. drive made us a bit too late.  It was great having dinner & laughing with them, though!  

 THEN...on Sunday, we drove 3.5 hours to Niles, IL near Chicago.  Travis & I have talked about getting a large dog to be a friend to Olive & I.  He really likes Bernese Mountain dogs...I just wanted a nice, big dog...one that would be nice to Olive, too.  Out of the blue, I did a search on PetFinder for a dog.  Well...after two weeks of discussing & applying to adopt, we made the trip to Wright Way Rescue to get this little guy!  It was a rough ride.....he gets car sick....but he was happy as could be once we got him home & cleaned up!

His name is Kevin.  ha!  Yep, I know...Kevin.  Travis named him.  We came up with some good names the night before with our friends...Oscar, Tom Selleck (!!), Grover...nope...Travis liked Kevin.  Remember the bird from the Pixar move, 'Up'?  The name reminded me of that silly guy (er...girl) & I did really like that movie.  Kevin it is!  So far {we've only had him home for 19 hours}, he is a really nice, sweet, cuddly dog.  Olive isn't too happy about this new guy stepping on her turf, but I think she's going to be alright.



Seeing Double.

First off...before I get into my current infatuation...IT RAINED!  Not a few drops, not a quarter inch...a good 1"+!!  Ahhh...a huge relief!  I have been waiting & waiting for rain.  I have found some great deals on flowering shrubs this fall & haven't been able to get them in the ground because it is just un-diggable.  They'll all go into the ground this week so they can spread their roots & start growing!  Oodles & oodles of hydrangea and other flowering shrubs for next season!!

Now, let's keep some steady rain coming through fall so that I can get lots of these planted...!!

& these...

& these....!!!

Aren't they amazing?!  I am in love with double tulips!...and thankfully, have finally found a good wholesale source for them!  I cannot wait to have all of these blooming next spring!  They're going to be GORGEOUS in wedding bouquets!

Nerves...

I had a great opportunity to get the word out about Seeded Earth, sustainably grown flowers & The Freight House Farmers' Market today on Paula Sands Live.  I thought that I was ready...I felt ready...

da da dum...Until I got there...My nerves kicked in. 

Paula was great -- chatted with all of us {guests} and tried to make everyone comfortable.  I was up first.  As soon as the cameras came on, I went a bit blank.  Crazy, eh?  I've spoken publicly many times, but never interviewed...on camera.  I didn't realize how much different it would be!   

So, friends...let's just call this one my trial run.  Next time {Travis insists there will be a next time!}, I'll be all sorts of ready for questions, cameras, Paula & live T.V.!

Here's the link to the video.......remember....nervous.  ;)

http://www.kwqc.com/global/video/flash/popupplayer.asp?ClipID1=6144254&h1=%22Paula%20Sands%20Live%20on%20August%2011%2C%202011%22&vt1=v&at1=Entertainment&d1=1566367&LaunchPageAdTag=Community&activePane=info&rnd=72676679

Oh, the Suspense...

It's killin' me...May 21st is just around the corner!...my wedding day!  With all of the little, last minute, tying up of loose ends, I am beginning to wonder what flowers will be in my bouquet, on the tables, etc.  I will be doing all of the flowers for our wedding...with some help from friends & family, of course!

It's exciting to know that all of the flowers I will be using (with the exception of some bells of ireland that I won't have ready yet) are ones that I have grown myself! 

This is also the perfect opportunity for me to tell you that using locally grown flowers for your wedding takes a special kind of bride... 

It takes a person who wants a unique, beautiful product that just cannot be as easily achieved with your cookie-cutter type flowers.  It takes a person who is somewhat easy-going, confident and flexible. 

I say this because locally grown flowers are {for the most part} controlled by Mother Nature.  One year, lilacs may be blooming on Mother's Day.  The next year, they may be blooming in April.  Mother Nature isn't always predictable...but from April through September, she can guarantee that there will always be beautiful things blooming & available!...just maybe not those lilacs on the exact date that you want them.  As long as you trust that everything will be beautiful and aren't too set on specifics, you make a great candidate for locally-grown wedding flowers!   

Other reasons for going local on your wedding day?

~ You know exactly where your flowers are coming from.  You know your grower and with us, you are welcome to make an appointment to come see where your flowers are grown!

~ You know that your flowers are free of pesticides and harmful chemicals.  Plan on using flowers for your cake or desserts?  Flowers from Seeded Earth are all sustainably grown, chemical-free.  Earth friendly, eco-conscious!

~ You are supporting your local grower and economy!  What a great feeling to buy directly from someone in your neighborhood!