No Flowers

It's so weird to be in my apartment without any flowers right now. Here are images of the place, sans the mess you usually see. But it feels just a tiny bit sad and soulless without the blooms covering every surface. Like I have less to come home to (earmuffs Buster and Bartleby). Anyway, let's hope I get some big orders soon :)

Oh, and the kick-ass best bear poster EVER above my table is by Nate Duval, the other poster is by Studio Violet, and the screenprints on wood are by my lovely friend, Claudia Reyes. Actually that's the link to Claudia's amazing dog Wembley's website. I can't find her portfolio online! Claud will you send it to me and I'll update the link?

Hint: you can see the artwork bigger if you click on the picture.

Signs of Fall

- Wore a long-sleeved running shirt tonight for the first time in at least 4 or 5 months*
- Was tempted into a pumpkin spice latte last week
- Am seeking crispness. In apples, pajamas, air.
- Did a dance of joy at the farmer's market when I saw that pomegranates had arrived
- Am feeling nostalgic for the east coast, where I grew up, and where the leaves really change color**
- Every morning consists of one thought: Can I wear boots today??
- Tights. Striped. Solid. Woolen. Yum.
- Craving sweet potatoes and pies both savory and sweet: chicken pot, pumpkin and apple. Double yum.

What makes you think of autumn?

*Signs that it's been way too long since your last run: embarrassing panting while walking up the slope to my jogging path
**In San Francisco, the leaves don't really change. In some parts of the Bay Area, they do, but that's not the point. It's not the same anyway!

Ready For Their Close-Ups

Here are some of the little cuties (and I don't mean clementines) that I put together yesterday. It was really fun to give them out and also just great to formally meet some of the people who run my local shops and restaurants! Let's hope someone will need flowers really soon :)

Stuffed Animal Weddings & Flowers En Masse

When we were little, my sister Amy and I used to spend countless hours and days planning elaborate stuffed animal weddings. Inevitably, one of my animals would marry one of hers. And we would use the long, narrow upstairs hallway for the aisle.

I've spent the last two days painstakingly making so many floral arrangements that I feel like I'm doing flowers for a wedding. However, I'm actually giving the jars of blooms out to people in the neighborhood - local shops, restaurants, etc. - so they know I'm around.

Regardless it's been fun. I love having this many flowers. Bring on a party, someone! Or two animals who'd like to be wed. I'll bring the flowers.

In Progress

After I prepped all those flowers I had to go to work (at my office, I mean). I got home and started working on the flowers again at 7 PM or so. See what an incredible mess I make? Don't worry, all the waste (extra stems, leaves and the occasional sad decapitated flower - oops) go to compost. This is right before I collapsed and went to bed.

Friday Morning, 7:20 AM, My Place

I can tell the time from the clock in the background. All I know was, it was early. But, I got all different colored flowers to work with this weekend. I love them!

Shades of Yellow

I love yellow. In fact I really want to find mustard-colored shoes for fall. Since I haven't found any yet, I'll make do with some yellow flowers. With feathers too, inspired by Saipua, my favorite floral designer ever.

Ripe and Luscious

Check out these huge duchess dahlias. They are a day or two past their prime, but still pretty rockin.

New Sparrow Print

I ordered this from one of my favorite illustrators, Nate Duval.

Another one of his prints is currently hanging in my living room. It's a bear, and it's sold out from his website but I'll post some pictures of it soon. it's my favorite print in my apartment.

Nate uses really beautiful, intriguing colors and there's so much texture in his work. I am full of anticipation about this poster!!!

Stunning Movie

I saw an incredible movie this weekend, Bright Star,directed by Jane Campion.

It might be the loveliest film I have ever seen, in terms of pure beauty and perfect locations. It takes place in England and is full of enchanting meadows, fields of flowers and huge old trees. I am a little obsessed with it now. I've posted a few pictures from the film. On the web site, they have many more including sketches of the sets.

It makes me want to bring a book of Keats poetry and a cup of tea to a meadow so I can ruminate, alone. See this movie! You will love it.

Red Napa Style

I meant to post these pictures also last night. Can you tell I'm not sleeping much these days, since I "forget" something on every post? Oops. More reds, and I have mixed feelings about these bouquets, I was trying to make something more contemporary for my portfolio. I think of this as a Napa Harvest bouquet, which might be a lot grander than the flowers deserve :)

Reds

Red isn't normally a color I gravitate towards in flowers, but part of expanding my skills is working with flowers and colors I wouldn't necessarily pick out for my apartment.

Regardless, these are kind of modern and warm arrangements and I like them. Red is growing on me. I also didn't used to like calla lilies, so maybe I'm just updating my tastes a bit.

OK, So I Lied A Tiny Bit

Ostensibly this blog is about flowers and decor. But I never said specifically that there won't be interludes of adorable animals up here, and I can't resist these cute pictures of Bartleby, from his latest "escape to the building courtyard" escapade.

Oh Wait, More Pink

I meant to post this tiny bunch also. Pink! In defiance of fall.

Pink, Meet Purple

And have a texture party.

I have a lot of new pictures to share this week, but I've been working (on flowers and in my office) since 4:30 am, so I'm about to collapse. More tomorrow. And, start telling me what you think of my pictures!

Valid Etc.

That's what the digital monitor says every time you use your fastrak in a toll plaza. And every time, I'm totally obsessed with figuring out what they mean by "Etc." Literally, in Latin, in means "and the rest." So my fastrak is valid, and the rest. And the rest of what? Valid and the rest of that crap? Valid and the rest of legality? Valid and the rest of the cards? I have no idea, and I want them to change it so I can stop wasting time pondering the meaning of it.

I was on the Bay Bridge today coming back from, yes, you guessed it - Ikea. I have one more weekend to get the guest room in order and I need step on it. So I picked up a few things and then spent about 6 hours cleaning out the room, then re-arranging my bedroom furniture, and more. I'm beat but not so much so that I can't continue to wonder about Valid Etc.

Soon I'll start posting pictures of progress. But now, you can see the before shots. When we moved into this apartment, we used this room as kind of a dumping ground. I think you'll see that in the pictures. Enjoy the before etc.

Floral Anticipation

On Monday (at 5am!) I'm going to pick up some particularly beautiful, glamorous, fancy flowers that I ordered - several kinds of huge garden roses in peach and golden yellow, snowberries, ivory poppies and I am not sure what else, I've lost my focus in the haze of these lovely thoughts.

In the meantime, here's a crazy sunflower arrangement I made this week.

Guest Room Inspiration

I'm obsessed with Josef Frank fabrics, and that's inspiring my overall aesthetic for the guest room. Also, I have these ideas for all these different pops of red, which isn't a color I normally gravitate towards, but I think it's going to be super crisp and fresh looking. I have this red componobili unit by Kartell that I'm going to use as a night table. I am looking for scandinavian-inspired bedding since Josef Frank is way out of my budget. Any ideas on where to find bedding like that, send them my way. Airy, bright and cheerful, here I come!

Flowers & Tea

As I've delved into floral design, I've found that there are few things more meditative or satisfying than arranging flowers. Flowers are beautiful, and they make me happy. Plus, it's such an immediate joy. You see what you make right away. I like that. I like the arrangements I made this weekend, pictured here. Simple, country, homey flowers. To be enjoyed with chamomile tea and honey. Or maybe some last-of-the-season lemonade. Yum.

On another note, I'm about to start decorating my guest bedroom...I have a ton of ideas and can't wait to chart my progress on here!