POW 12

The sun was warm but the wind was chill.
You know how it is with an April day.
~Robert Frost

lovely ranuculus

On a day that was in desperate need of them

breathe

I may or may not carry them around the house with me.

Ahh, much better.

picking flowers

... in a little spot of land that seems rather... "neighborly"

Saying hello to the friendly roofer.

Sharing treasures.

Telling secrets.

looks like a nice street to live on

love

Can you see it?

I can see it.

photo of the week 46

Showing her flowers some intense lovin'.

photo of the week 34

I am truly excited about the wild flowers in Oregon

I am kicking myself for not sticking my kids in a field and snapping away but honestly the idea of putting them back in the car one more time was too exhausting.

Besides there will be much more time for that next month.

Can you believe I am moving in a month?

When did that happen???

photo of the week 30 and other stuff

the morning started with such promise,

French toast in honor of the French Open

a little trip to the park

(church doesn't start until 1 and it gets wicked hot so fast up here)

where the professor took this

good stuff right?! I love that he is getting into photography

he took it with this.

all dressed and ready for church

in the car driving off the driveway

and then it happens

Jocey: I need throw up I need throw up!
(like an ninja I grab the closest thing I can find... a Frisbee)

It does the job

so now I am home

and she is a sleep

in her pink spot

happy friday

A floral purse I made for a photo shoot two years ago, taken by the amazing Anna.

Has anyone else noticed that the snow's favorite day of the week is Saturday?
"Lucy... you have some explaining to do"!


hopefully, my weekend will consist of:
Playing at a museum in DC
Trying new cupcakes from Baked and Wired
Laundry, I'm looking at you kid
Crayon drawings on the wall complements of Lady J, I'm looking at you too!
Getting half way through Men are from Mars Women are from Venus

Finishing my first roll of Holga film
Big Fat Nap!
and maybe a dressing up 50's style for a little sock hop
cheers!

fyi: oldspice has my buisness for life for this reason

photo of the week 16

Nikon D60 ISO 200 f/5 1/100

I am over the snow.

I am dreaming of warmer weather and a giant cooler filed with flowers every color of the rainbow. Walking into my old flower wholesaler I felt like a kid in a candy store, every time. This is an old friend I donated for the girls camp auction last spring. It was filled with my favorite flowers.

pink dahlias

orange ranunculus

purple freesia

silver lambs-ear

and seeded eucalyptus

yum.

two week check up

I just re-read my goals for this month. Some are going pretty well, some I have failed miserably at (I blame 4 feet of snow and the bachelor) BUT I am not going to give up! I will pick up where I left off... or never started and keep moving forward. The two I am going to focus on the most are

reading my scriptures daily

living in the moment

I didn't share my testimony on Sunday so I would like to share it now with you.

I love my heavenly father and really feel like I am his daughter. I feel it strongest when I am living the commandments and reading my scriptures, right now I feel like I have been so lost and alone but it is not from his end, but from mine. I am grateful to know that. To know that I am not alone and that everyday I can try again, that he loves me and forgives me. I am grateful for Ben and the wide array of crap I put him through. I know that he loves me supports me and thinks I am beautiful even when I don't. And for my girls that forgive me in an instant my short comings and craziness. I am so honored to be their mother and to be the reason their faces light up with smiles. I know the Church of Jesus Christ to be God's completed church on the earth and I thank my parents for raising me in it. I love this gospel and all that it teaches me.

In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

*please forgive the horrible punctuation and lack of commas. Sentence structure is not my forte and if this really bothered you, you probably wouldn't be reading my blog in the first place :).

Our San Diego Adventure

Beatriz and Bruce

I was privileged to create the arrangements for Beatriz and Bruce, (real life clients they found me online and everything) It was at the charming Santa Ynez Inn where my brother and I spent the day reminiscing our childhood.

Head table arrangement

Lilies, Roses, Hydrangeas, Lizzianthus and Dahlias

This picture doesn't do them justice, they were on top of a fireplace that was 6 feet tall. It was quite stunning.the Brides sophisticated bouquet, attached is a locket containing a picture of her father who had passed.Brides maids bouquets of cream colored Hydrangea and Roses

Flowers 101 week 3 + Conference weekend

I made this arrangement for the fabulous and very pregnant Katie Erb's baby shower tomorrow while still following the rules of this weeks flower assignment. Single sided arrangement with abstract elements (see crooked willow) I think it kinda looks like an Easter basket but pretty non the less.


This is how we kept Jocelyn entertained and quiet during the first session of conference Sunday morning.She had a good time

Flowers 101 week 2

This week our assignment was a low fall arrangement with non floral items. I have decided not to run around like a mad woman flower hunting (though I do love the thrill) and just see what Trader Joes has on the way to class for $10 or less.

I had to provide my own container this week so I used these little guys from Stephanie's wedding, I cut up oranges to disguise the floral foam in the vase. They were quite a hit, and smelled delicious.

"Grown Up" Dinner Party

Last night the Shipleys' and I hosted a intimate dinner party. We invited our new neighbors and some friends we want to get to know better. It was fabulous.

We dinned outside by candle light while the kiddies watched "Mr. Incredibles" in our living room.



I hung candles in Baby food jars from ribbon in our tree in the backyard.

Roxanne and I made invitations from her beautiful paper collection, and included recipes from Cafe Rio for everyone to bring.

More flower hunting... roses from Stork Ranch and bouganvilla from Santa Ynez apartments.

Dinner consisted of Sweet Pork Barbacoa, Cilantro Rice and Beans with Chips and Salsa and a creamy cilantro ranch. For dessert we had Tres Leche cake with fresh strawberries.

Flower 101-week 1- The Floral Huntress

As some of you may know, I do not have any “formal” floral design training. I spent six months working at a flower stand for Riley’s Flowers making simple home arrangements and reading Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, occasionally explaining to people that it wasn’t ”my stand” and “Riley” was really the dog. I have spent millions of hours online and sitting in the wedding section of Borders reading fancy flower books that I am too cheap to buy. I call my amazing Aunt Marianne whenever I have tricky questions, but other than that, it’s all me. Until now…

SBCC Adult Education offers a Florist Style Floral Arrangement Class for the low price of $25. It is taught by Richard Finn of San Roque Florist. I am really excited about it. There isn’t a whole lot of instruction but there are tons of really talented woman in the class with oodles of experience and I get to practice new arrangements and working with floral foam. The only catch is that I have to provide my own flowers for each assignment. Being on the graduate student budget that we are, Richard has encouraged us to “borrow” flowers from around town. I am not “stealing” the local flora and fauna and as much as I am “hunting.” I am a Flower Huntress, it was really fun. Check out what I made for the bargain price of $6.00.

The Zanias and Celiosa (red feathery thing) I got at the farmers market for 6bucks. The blue flowers I took from UCSB while dropping off Ben. The red and pink flowers I got from Heather's house after dinner on Sunday. The ferns are provided by the teacher, but the best is the Birds of Paradise that I took from the school parking lot. I am a Huntress.

FYI- I will be in the background of one of these Instructional Videos next month. They tape during class.

Girls' Night Out! the Pics

Delicious Chocolaty Goodness
These are the brownies they serve in heaven :)
I just love pretty flowers
Girlfriends bonding
The End... 'till next month

This is for Whitney

Elegant, funky and not Halloween

Nick and Stephie Stewart

What a pleasure it was to work with such lovely people, Stephie was the most chill bride in the history of the world. (They saw Batman the day before the wedding) She and Nick looked wonderful together.

The limes were for the buffet tables

My favorite Bouquet so far

Old friends

Super Yummy Cake