Woodland Designs By Françoise Weeks

I’m so excited about today’s post! Not only am I going to introduce you to a phenomenal designer, but I have a little surprise for you at the end of the post…

Meet Françoise Weeks (if you don’t already know her)…

Born in Belgium, Françoise now calls Portland home…where she weaves garden material into intricate woodland designs in her design studio. Her designs are so uniquely “Françoise”, I believe I could spot them anywhere. Lichen-covered branches and moss… seedpods and berries…miniature fruits and veggies…lush foliage, succulents, fragrant herbs and seasonal flowers…

Take a look for yourself…

Not only is Françoise Weeks a master of European and Woodland designs, she is also one of the nicest people I’ve met. She is genuine in her love of floral design and of people in general. She’s humble and approachable…a wonderful example of a floral designer who’s in it for all the right reasons.

Now for the surprise…Françoise is giving away one of her Woodland Note Card sets to a lucky Botanical Brouhaha reader! The woodland note cards were inspired during Françoise's childhood vacations in the mountains of Switzerland. While taking lunch breaks on hikes, she and her siblings would create magical arrangements from bark, moss and wildflowers and give it to their mom. The set contains 8 cards (2 each of 4 original Françoise Weeks designs). I know you’ll love them. I’ve already used a whole set…hope you’ll join me in bringing card writing back! Email is great, but receiving a handwritten note on a beautiful card is so personal…

Here’s a peek at one of the card designs I love…

So, I encourage you to pamper yourself…grab a cup of coffee or a sweet tea and visit Françoise’s website and blog for plenty of inspiration. Then leave a comment on this post by noon on Thursday if you’d like to win the Woodland Note Card set. I’ll announce the winner on Friday…(sorry, we can only ship in the US).

Photo credits:

1. Joni Shimabukuro
2. Sara Gray
3. Nicole Wickens
4. Sara Gray
5. Joni Shimabukuro
6. Brandon Schmidt
notecard: Joni Shimabukuro

Happy Tuesday!

Let’s Pretend…

…you’re getting married…and these are your choices for the ceremony site. Which would you choose?

image via Planet Flowers

image via Three Petals

image via Fleurs 

image via White Lilac Inc.

image via Preston Bailey

image via Azzura Photography and Flora Nova 

image via Azzura Photography and Celeste Cooning

image via Sarah Yates Photography

image via Millie Holloman Photography and Salt Harbor Designs

image via Azzura Photography

Be sure to check out the Celeste Cooning website for some amazing cutwork. I can’t decide between the beach and the Preston Bailey forest of trees! What about you?

By the way, thanks to all who left comments or sent emails in response to my post on Friday. I’m amazed at the love and encouragement sent by friends I’ve only “met” on the web. Thanks for stopping by today…hope your week is off to a great start!

Keeping It Real

I feel that I have to share a part of myself with you today. No flowers today, so I’ll understand if you want to scoot on to another flower blog…but, for today, I have to keep it real and share with you what’s on my heart.

For the last year my little family has been watching as God rearranges our lives…without our informed consent! We’ve dealt with illness, job insecurity and the reality that some of our (I repeat…OUR) dreams may never come to fruition. Through the struggle our hearts have been changed and we have been forced to let go of our “plan” for security and the American Dream. A seed…of wanting to meet the needs of people, of wanting to love God and people in a deeper way, of wanting to be obedient to the convictions God has placed in our hearts…has grown to the point where we can no longer sit idly and not take action.

So…today I am cleaning out our home and simplifying our belongings as we prepare to put it up for sale next week. I have all of Bliss Flower Studio consolidated into 3 bins and I have to admit it’s been quite an emotional morning. I’m thankful for this blog to keep my connection with the floral industry and so many friends who love flowers along with me.

I guess many will wonder where we’re going…what we’re doing…why we’re selling the house. The short answer is…we don’t know. We only know that God has been preparing us for something and letting go of the house and security we have come to rely on is the first step. We are sure of this first step. Beyond that…we are trusting that He will lead us. For those of you who know me, you will understand the magnitude of this decision. I LOVE comfort and security and want that for my family. However, the events of our life over the last 3 years have made me (painfully, at times) aware that I am not in total control of my life. I can’t control whether or not the people I love have a heart attack, get cancer, have a car accident, lose a job…you get the idea. God has watched patiently for years as I tried desperately to plan and execute a comfortable, pain-free life that captures the essence of the American Dream. In a way it’s just like raising our children…some things we just insist on figuring out ourselves.

As I was going through the house this morning and contemplating what it will be like to walk out the door the final time…handing the keys to a new family who will love this little cottage…I knew I had to share this part of myself with you. I still love flowers, will still write Botanical Brouhaha, will still see my patients as a hygienist…but with a renewed sense of purpose and belonging to my Lord, who saves me from myself. As I sat down to write this post, Katie posted this…

“Terrified and full of joy - I live there. It is possible to be afraid of what obedience might bring next and be full of thanks and overflowing joy and TRUST anyway. This giddy anticipation because we see all that He has done for us and we believe that He can only bring more good.”

That’s it! I couldn’t have said it better myself. We are terrified and excited all at once…because we feel we have heard from Him and we will try to be obedient…

So, it’s back to cleaning closets. Wish you were here to help…would be more fun with a friend! Thank you for allowing me to break from the flowers we love so much to “keep it real”…

Have a great weekend!

Ok…we can’t really go a day without flowers, can we?

image via Pretty Little Flower

 

Mother’s Day Flowers From Ovando

Wouldn’t you mothers love to receive one of these Ovando designs for Mother’s Day?  Or send one to your own mother?

… Blossoming Canopy…

…Lazing Belle…

…Motley Bloom…

…Plush Peony…

I’m in love with the Lazing Belle!

Great news…some of Ovando’s designs are available for nationwide delivery…just call 212.924.7848 to order by Thursday afternoon…

 

Working Designer Wednesday: Pedestal Sources And Window Display Blogs

I loved this comment to yesterday’s post about square columns:

“inquiring minds need to know....where do you recommend purchasing your chic columns?”

Well, I bought my columns from a local party rental company that grew tired of hauling the (heavy) solid wood columns around and didn’t much care for the maintenance either. I loved the shape and was happy to buy them. But, I know that answer doesn’t help you much…so here are a few sources for you to check out…

http://xylemdesign.com/Pedestals/PeasePedestals/Pedestals.asp

http://www.pedestalsource.com/AllPedestals.html

http://www.ww-pedestals.com/?gclid=CKjjmefczKgCFYXd4AodWlO5pg

http://www.pedestalsplus.com/display_pedestals.asp

http://www.retailresource.com/pres262171/LED-Light-Pedestals.html

Here are a few I found interesting…

…minus the tennis shoes, of course…I can picture sexy arrangements of black callas, Black Baccara roses, deep purple hydrangeas, eggplant dahlias and fern curls on these lighted pedestals at a swanky lounge-type reception…

image via Retail Resource

…white laminate…

…brushed aluminum…

…clear acrylic…

last 3 images via Xylem Design

…the Addison…

…hand ground steel…

last 2 images via Pedestal Source

…dark espresso wood…

…how about a pedestal with your logo on it for a wedding show booth?

last 2 images via WW Pedestals

…swivel top…

image via Pedestals Plus

If you have a source to recommend for square pedestals, we’d love to hear it!

Now, one more thing…for those of you who have a retail space…a couple of Visual Merchandising/Window Design blogs…

http://www.swirlmarketing.com/blog/retaildetails/

http://thewindowdisplayblog.com/

Thanks for stopping by today! I hope you found something in today’s post helpful…or at least interesting. I can’t tell you what an honor it is to have each of you reading Botanical Brouhaha.  I love your comments, your questions and your emails.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Oh, yeah, and because we can’t have a post without flowers…

image via Flora Grubb

Chic Ways To Use Columns

Love the contemporary look and clean lines of these square columns…

image via Planet Flowers

image via Tantawan Bloom

image via La Partie Events

image via Three Petals

image via Tantawan Bloom

image via La Partie Events

image via Tic Tock Couture Florals

image via Planet Flowers

Just a side note…I bought square columns (in three sizes) to rent out for events and several brides had slipcovers made for them to match their décor…one bride monogrammed her slips which I loved.

Happy Tuesday!

Hang Them

…flowers, that is…

image via Details Details and Mod Wedding

image via Krista Jon

image via Beautiful Blooms

image via Heavenly Blooms and Sweet and Saucy

image via The Bride’s Café

image via Brandon Kidd Photography

image via Blooms by Martha Andrews

image via Azalea Floral Design

image via Bliss in Bloom

image via White Lilac Inc. 

image via Sarah Yates Photography

image via White Lilac Inc.

Hope you had a great weekend. Thanks for starting off your week with the Brouhaha…love it when you visit!