flowers for friday

 happy friday everyone. i spent the earliest part of wednesday at the san francisco flower market, a must if you are in town or if you ever visit. the anemone this time of year are absolutely gorgeous & locally grown so i couldnt resist picking up a few bunches - i love the contrast of their dark centers with aged silver and pewter vases.... i wish they had had a little more time to open but alas...

still lovely i think and i adore how all the colors look mixed together. 

flowers for friday

i am starting to design my first wedding of this season. i have been thinking a lot oabout how different textures layered one on top of the other add such stunning visual interest, even when punctuated only by one or a few blooms.

I am struck by how well sarah winward accomplishes this in the beautiful arrangement pictured here. to check out more of her gorgeous arrangements go here. 

a wedding in the woods

just a few photos from the wedding this weekend in big sur. it was on a private working ranch so we kept the flowers simple and wanted them to look like they had all come from a big cutting garden. my favorite was the delicate little wildflower headwreath for the flower girl.

the setting for dinner was beautiful. it was on a saddle of land 1000 feet up and overlooking the pacific ocean.

and the cocktail reception and dancing after dinner were held in a little pasture area below grazing horses and rolling mists.

Comfort

simple sundays

the last parrot tulips of the season

outings - flora grubb

i took a little outing yesterday - to the lusciously green flora grubb gardens here in san francisco. its a perfect place to find unique plants and containers for both inside and out, but its also just lovely to stroll around among all the green

i was particularly excited to see the strawberry plants, some with fuschia colored blossoms. I grabbed a latte from the ritual coffee there and strolled around the grounds to check out some of their whimsical plantings - like this old teal sink planted with carnivorous plants.

i didnt leave empty handed of course, another little air plant to add to my collection and a little thimble vase that reminds me of a crumpled paper bag or tree bark in white porcelain.

i highly recommend making a trip to check this place out! its certainly been added to my "most favorites" list.

4 things for happiness

- warm, homemade brown bread with butter and strawberry preserves

- the gently rounded mug my brother made for me - its shape is just perfect for cupped hands around it

- putting a clean tablecloth on the kitchen table, though choosing the perfect one from the collection can be difficult

and last but not least..

- tulips - all blown out and simply perfect - its funny how flowers look their most beautiful just before they die

fanatic about felt!

with fall fast approaching felt seems like an appropriate material to think about - it also seems to be making an appearance in multiple facets of my life recently, from home accessories to fine art pieces, to construction materials - but this shop is hands-down my new favorite way to use felt!

another felt fact you may find fantastic - its the oldest fabric known to humankind! crazy huh, the mighty felt has been around for it all! felt remnants have been found dating back to 6,500 bc!!!!!! i love that, its so humble, utilitarian, durable but in the right hands can still be made into the loveliest of lovely things - check out what alicia of AAliciaAccessories has been doing with this amazing fabric over at her shop -

i can't decide, just the hint of gold mixed in with the rich charcoal for understated elegance, or the pure white for versatility and the ability to join the mix as either formal or casual?!!

how decadent - who would have believed felt could have such richness wouldnt these be stunning on your winter coat!

and if you cant get enough, you can even dress-up your pillows with felt too!

- yes i want one of each please! its too hard to choose just one