poppy pods, peonies and comin' home

I did this arrangement for the entry table at a large party a while back, on a sweltering hot day. Peonies, banksia, poppy pods, cymbidium and dendrobium orchids, set on monstera leaves. There are more images from this tropical event on the Pollen website.

And on a different note, I'll be moving back to Austin next week. Woohoo!

small stump is branching out

How beautiful are these arrangements by Jill Pilotte at Small Stump? She's adding flowers to her already interesting offerings, working with Alethea - a friend and former workmate at Rose and Radish, to form Studio Choo. (Choo is their nickname for each other.) I can't wait to see more! I just wished I lived in San Francisco so I could be on the receiving end of the arrangement in the birch bark vase. Check Jill's blog for more great images.

green apples and jasmine

Apparently I can't make an arrangement without putting fruit or vegetables in it. I think it somehow completes the story of the flowers - shows their raison d'etre so to speak. Hydrangea with amaryllis, roses, parrot tulips, Granny Smith apples, seeded eucalyptus, acacia, and jasmine... these smelled awesome.

harvest inspired centerpiece

Kale, artichokes, figs on the branch and millet round out this centerpiece with Sumatra lilies, dahlias, snaps, double tulips, ti leaves and pittosporum.

kumquats and banana leaves in a bouquet

This fun bouquet was for a wedding show. It includes tulips, roses and dahlias, with ranunculus, begonia and kumquats, surrounded by coconut fiber and banana leaves. Boutonniere and centerpiece below.

tropical centerpieces

Mmm, lots of wilt-proof centerpieces for an outside summer soiree, created a few summers ago. Orchids, Song of India, celosia, kangaroo paw, lilies, pincushion protea, some even had pineapples and red bananas.

ancient beads

More pieces with the ancient beads, on suede cord with sterling findings. I never realized how hard it is to take pictures by yourself of things you're wearing. A clean mirror helps.




Normally I don't wear 4 necklaces at once, but I was channeling my inner Sheryl Crow. I actually might wear this out... The one below reminds me of Wilma from the Flintstones.

purple orchids and green viburnum

Here are a few more images from the archives, using huge stems of purple orchids, extra tall viburnum, green euphorbia, blue delphinium and tropical leaves. It's hard to tell how huge these arrangements are, but they are taller than I am.


Table arrangement with king protea, purple orchids, leucodendron foliage, pieris (andromeda), and dark purple ligularia leaves.

frilly purple tulips

My laptop is dying, so I've been frantically shuffling files onto K's computer. It's been interesting to sift through all the images I've taken over the years, some of which I didn't remember I had. So here's a caterer's booth I did the flowers for a long time ago, but I still love the elements - pineapples, bamboo, frilly tulips, pink mink protea, celosia, leucodendron foliage, brunia berries and fern curls.

Here are a few more necklaces I've made from the ancient Afghani beads, with sterling findings and hand-forged silver disks. The red beads are clay, with a rough-cut stone as the focal piece. The green beads are strung on a camel-colored suede cord. I'm thinking about setting up a BigCartel site for these - email me if you're interested in purchasing...

felted pebbles by ronel jordaan

Soft, felted wool pebbles by South African textile artist Ronel Jordaan. I was tipped off about Ronel by K's mom Joanne, who works with Aid to Artisans, a great non-profit that "links artisans to new markets and buyers to culturally meaningful and innovative products". I think Ronel's aesthetic is wonderful and I love that she has trained other women in Johannesburg to felt wool and make these yummy products to snuggle up with. Check out her website for more beautiful images.