I love being inspired by fellow floral designers. Starting tomorrow April 14-19 you can catch the Bouquets to Art Exhibit at the De Young Museum in San Francisco. Follow the link below for more information.
https://deyoung.famsf.org/bouquets
Toxic Flowers
Many people are not aware that some common plants/flowers can actually be toxic for your pets and small children. Since getting my puppy and taking care of my nephew, I have been hyper sensitive to things in their environment that may be harmful to them. I was surprised to find out that Lilies, Tulip bulbs, and Amaryllis are among the most toxic plants. See a more detailed list here https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/17-poisonous-plants
Signature look
I dropped off this signature Petals look to my wonderful graphic designer, Jill Ralston. She created my business card and I wanted to show her my appreciation for the many hours she spent on my design. I would recommend her to anyone. Check her out at www.jillralston.com.
VW bus tours
We had fun with this photo shoot in our VW bus today. My husband and I own VDub Tours and part of our services is offering wedding day transportation in our fully restored VW buses! The bride and groom can drive away from the ceremony in style and onto the reception with the photographer in hand so that they can snap some unique shots in some great locations before the party starts. These buses also offer great transportation for bachelor and bachelorette parties. We offer beer and wine tours!
Spring has Sprung
On my morning walk today, I was so inspired by everything blooming. A beautiful Cherry blossom branch in a simple vase brings just the right touch of spring into your home. Or cut some wild yellow daffodils (see warning below) for your kitchen table.
Blossoms in Blue Mason Jar
Yellow Daffodils. Warning! Daffodils can be toxic to children or animals if ingested and can cause an allergic reaction to those who are allergy prone.
Petals begins
It all began 10 years ago while working in a little flower shop in San Diego, CA. I remember thinking, "what a great way to make a living, being surrounded by smiling people and beautiful flowers, what could be better?" Fast forward to the Spring of 2013 when my husband and I decided to take a trip of a life time. We set out to hike the Pacific Crest Trail, which begins at the Mexico/California border and ends at the Canadian/Washington border. We quit our jobs, sold our cars, and started walking. Naturally, we had a lot of time to think while on the trail. I also had the great opportunity to observe the most beautiful and diverse flora and fauna. The trail inspired me to go after what I really enjoy doing in life. Many ideas were fostered between the two of us, but for me, what it came down to was finding a way to combine my passion of working with people, event planning and flowers. I knew I had to get back to floral design . After our trip, I enrolled in a refresher course at the American School of Flower Design in San Francisco and studied under the great Michael Gaffney. Choosing to create my own floral design business has been the best decision I could have made. I get to make people happy, be creative (Although Mr. Gaffney always says that floral design has little to do with creativity and much to do with patterns and formulas) and work at my own pace. The picture below was taken on the Pacific Crest Trail by my husband. We would often walk separately on the trail, so if we got to a junction, we would write out secret sign in the dirt, "XO" with an arrow pointing in the correct direction. This sign could not be more symbolic as to how we live our lives today. If you follow your heart, you will never be steered in the wrong direction.