crosspollination

ombre for amoa/arthouse

2012-01-14T17:36:00.000-08:00

Recently The Austin Museum of Art and Arthouse at the Jones Center merged and we installed this piece at The Jones Center for one of their recent openings-The Evidence of Houdini's Return. Thinking about the content of the show ombre turned out to be the perfect way to make an abstract floral arrangement. The larger piece starts with black sand and sweeps up to real hornet's nests.

eggplants and wheat sheafs at the mansion on judge's hill

2012-01-10T08:27:00.000-08:00

I'm loving these images Jeff Loftin captured of one of my fall weddings. Check out veil and the dress!

And an image I shot on the way out the door... the guests got to take home the wheat sheafs for their Thanksgiving tables.

white & purple wedding at hummingbird house

2012-01-04T14:48:00.000-08:00

Oh my goodness, do you remember this amazing wedding at the Hummingbird House I posted the personal flowers for a while back? Vanessa Torres from Now Fly Away captured these amazing shots on the day... Can you believe the emotion vibrating from these images? What a beautiful couple, inside and out.

project wedding blog #1 real wedding of 2011!

2012-01-04T07:04:00.000-08:00

Well, we're completely bowled over - Paige and Zach's wedding that we worked on with Suzi at Q Weddings Photography and 36th Street Events was just posted as the #1 Real Wedding of 2011 on Project Wedding's blog. Wow. Thanks to all the amazing vendors who worked hard to make this event so beautiful... Go here to check it out, as well as the other 9 amazing events.

peonies, blackberries and parrot tulips

2011-12-30T13:15:00.001-08:00

french legation wedding on style me pretty texas

2011-12-29T11:37:00.000-08:00

Gorgeous professional shots by The Life You Love Photography.
See more on the Style Me Pretty Texas blog here.

tillandsias and peonies at the palm door

2011-12-18T08:40:00.000-08:00

seattle... inspired by marigold and mint

2011-12-02T14:23:00.000-08:00

Did I tell you I went to Seattle this August? It was amazing. I got to visit some places that I've been stalking online forever. Like Marigold and Mint, Sitka & Spruce and Nettletown...

Marigold and Mint is the retail front of the organic farm and floral design studio owned by Katherine Anderson... they sell a delightful assortment of veggies, flowers and gifts out of the newly renovated Melrose Market Building in Capitol Hill, Seattle, which is like a permanent farmer's market.

I had dinner the next night at Sitka & Spruce, their neighbor that focuses on locally sourced everything... and if I could renovate my house I would choose to make it look just like their open-kitchen dining room. Love.

Nettletown Cafe, who's wall art made me smile, also had some tasty locally-foraged treats. Looks like I caught it just in time, as they've now closed. I can't wait to go to Seattle again, maybe make it any annual pilgrimage?

pollen on style me pretty texas blog

2011-11-29T13:38:00.001-08:00

Style Me Pretty Texas featured one of our recent weddings on their blog! Check out the post here and leave a little comment if you have time!

a traditionally non-traditional thanksgiving

2011-11-25T14:58:00.001-08:00

We sat down to eat, and of course my parents' 29 chickens and 1 rooster were pecking on the door. Not because we were eating turkey-we weren't-but because they wanted to share in the meal. Ha. They know they get all the scraps.

So what were we eating? Grilled rosemary lambchops with balsamic sauce... lamb that my parents raised on their land, a lamb that had a name and that had a wonderful life. Kyle made the best sweet potato casserole with vanilla marshmallows, and green bean casserole. There was wild rice salad. And pumpkin custard pie for dessert with whipped cream and a pecan crust. Kind of traditional and kind of not, just the way we like it.

After the meal we walked the pasture, trying to avoid the horns on Jose the ram-the next to be 'going to the freezer'. It will be poignant, because Jose was the lamb my mom took under her wing when his sheep-mother rejected him. He got to sleep in her bed! He got bottle fed for months. But that also made him a bit too comfortable around people.

We were out in the pasture to inspect Dad's new solar-powered water pump. When he bought the property years ago there was a beautiful but decaying windmill anchoring the hill. But now it's been replaced by 2 panels that can pump water even when there's no electricity or wind.

It's been good to take a break from our hectic life in Austin...it's been an exhausting year of professional and emotional growth. I'm looking forward to Christmas this year, I used to take for granted that our cold winters in the Northern Hemisphere are studded with social, fun occasions that often involve lights and gifts and good food-not so in the Southern Hemisphere. I spent some long, cold winters in NZ. So I'm thankful this holiday season to be spending time with our family, and enjoying the positive energy swirling around right now. Hope your holidays are merry and bright!

coral charm peonies

2011-11-18T15:40:00.001-08:00

Let the surprise party begin! How fun would it be to walk into a room full of charming people you love and lots of Coral Charm peonies?

chocolate lace

2011-11-13T14:16:00.001-08:00

color!

2011-11-10T15:52:00.001-08:00

wheat sheafs

2011-11-09T05:45:00.000-08:00

From a wedding we did this weekend... didn't have time to get many other shots. Even though the weather doesn't feel like it here in Austin, it's getting close to Thanksgiving. I can't wait!

whites with plum orchids and clematis

2011-11-06T10:31:00.000-08:00

super soft

2011-11-04T07:40:00.000-07:00

Oh, Martha... inspiring brides everywhere. Tissue-soft flowers inspired by a certain Weddings spread with a palette that I've never worked with before. Feels good to stretch a bit and create something a little different than I would when I'm stuck in my rut. So delicate (scary delicate, do you know how careful you have to be not to bruise these little beauties?)!

more beatles-inspired wedding by paige newton

2011-11-02T07:10:00.000-07:00

IMAGES BY PAIGE NEWTON

ferns and vines, with gardenia

2011-10-31T07:56:00.000-07:00

honeycomb and white

2011-10-30T16:56:00.001-07:00

more halloween spookiness

2011-10-29T20:27:00.000-07:00

A crazy whirlwind of an evening... you shoulda seen the cake - bust of Marie Antoinette with a cotton candy beehive hairdo and vampire teeth.

if marie antoinette was a vampire...

2011-10-29T12:43:00.000-07:00

A sneak peek of some flowers we're doing for an awesome charity event at Lambert's tonight.

gourds, dahlias and peonies

2011-10-22T14:30:00.000-07:00

A couple of fall arrangements going out this week, love the gourds mixed with the whipped-cream-soft dahlias.

soft pinks and rusts

2011-10-17T16:05:00.000-07:00

sweet southern wedding at mansion on judge's hill

2011-10-15T14:35:00.000-07:00

An elegant but approachable wedding we did this spring. Sweetest bride and groom ever! I wish them all the best... and I may steal those teal shoes.

IMAGES BY JESSE RYAN PHOTOGRAPHY

james allan salon by studio 512

2011-10-12T13:14:00.000-07:00

Check out these gorgeous shots that Casey Woods captured of the James Allan Salon. Nicole Blair at Studio 512 recently remodelled this cottage into a warm and modern salon space. We loved providing the flowers for the shoot. Wish I could live here...

IMAGES COPYRIGHT CASEY W00DS

fall berries

2011-10-11T12:26:00.000-07:00

A couple of recent arrangements going to lucky ladies. The best of fall - berries and lots of texture with a pop of unexpected gloriosa pink. And a little velvety-leafed Cuban oregano, something I've never seen before... smelled so good.

one final shot

2011-10-10T13:19:00.000-07:00

Ok, last shot taken from the beach... I'm just having so much fun playing around with Instagram I can't quit. It's seriously addictive. Anybody know of other apps like it, or maybe something you can use on a laptop, not just an iPhone?

b hollyman gallery opening

2011-10-10T12:13:00.000-07:00

another morning on the beach, south padre island

2011-10-09T08:21:00.000-07:00

2011-10-08T18:02:00.000-07:00

I took a walk on the beach tonight while Kyle was still surfing (with sharks and dolphins this time), and there were so many rustic sandcastles.

the light on the island

2011-10-08T11:58:00.000-07:00

Blurry turtles in motion and some shots Kyle took this morning while I was still sleeping. Can't believe I missed such beautiful morning light...

south padre island

2011-10-08T11:32:00.000-07:00

A much needed break from reality: a few days on the stunning South Padre Island. Kyle surfed with sharks... we visited the Turtle Rescue Center and saw an amazing Atlantic Green turtle named Allison with only one fin who was fitted with a carbon fiber prosthetic so she could swim... I swam (!)... clean and clear 84 degree water, air temps in the nineties... what an October. Notice how the sand dunes have taken over the left-hand lane in the bottom image... good thing it's a sparsely traveled road.

ranunculus... green with envy

2011-10-01T08:52:00.000-07:00

sweet pink sweetpeas and callas

2011-10-01T08:07:00.000-07:00

take heart opening party

2011-09-29T09:54:00.000-07:00

Don't forget to stop by the Take Heart Opening Party tonight from 4-8! Nina has a wonderful light-filled space full of unique jewelry, cards, handmade gifts and so much more...

passionvine and pink garden roses

2011-09-21T18:42:00.000-07:00

ladybird lake from the top floor of the austonian

2011-09-21T18:38:00.000-07:00

carrots, passionflowers and clematis

2011-09-10T18:58:00.000-07:00

Carrots! In the bouquet!

orchids, grapewood and papyrus

2011-09-10T18:41:00.000-07:00

A reception for Michael Feinstein at the Texas Performing Arts Center. Had to use those awesome pink pineapples.

super mod green, white and gray wedding

2011-09-10T18:11:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful modern event! I just love Mint Ice cymbids, frilly lisianthus and dusty miller. The bouts all had guitar strings... the Beatles played during the walk down the aisle.

glam indian wedding with purple vanda orchids

2011-09-05T08:48:00.000-07:00

Saman at Saffron Affairs did a wonderful job coordinating this elaborate Indian wedding in San Antonio... I always love hearing the drums and seeing the groom on a white horse for the Baraat.

The gorgeous vanda orchids made processing all the flowers for this event at midnight worth it! Can't wait to see the professional images.

gardenias, chocolate cosmos and succulents

2011-08-28T19:08:00.000-07:00

Chocolate cosmos are one of my favorite flowers, both for their chocolate scent and their velvety petals. All the flowers for this wedding smelled amazing... gardenias, tuberose, and blooming jasmine. The bride provided so many interesting components - maps, antlers, brass candlesticks, vintage books - and it all came together so nicely.

coral roses and celosia

2011-08-27T20:53:00.000-07:00

I love the texture that the succulent blooms and the celosia added to this bouquet. Vive la coral!

fischer hall, texas - a dance hall wedding

2011-08-02T17:27:00.000-07:00

Fischer, Texas was a very fitting small-town location for Christy and Jon's spring wedding this past April, as Christy's parents live just minutes from Fischer Hall, a historic dance hall with awesome ambiance about an hour west of Austin. The house Christy designed for her parents in the Texas Hill Country served as the ceremony location, with both a tractor and a covered wagon to welcome guests at the gate.

Christy's an architect specializing in sustainable design in Austin, so we sourced all the flowers and organic vegetables from Texas Specialty Cut Flowers and Johnson's Backyard Garden, two of the best suppliers of flowers and organic veggies, respectively. Christy borrowed all the vintage blue Mason jars from family friends!

Texas Specialty Cut really came through, it was the last week for all these amazing blooms: poppies, ranunculus, anemones, sweet peas and a whole lot more… the weather was so hot all the plants were getting tilled under the next week for a new round of summer flowers. Texas is a hard place to grow fresh cuts, but Christy's vision of lots of red, yellow and orange spring garden flowers turned out just perfect.

Johnson's Backyard Garden supplied all the local, organic kale, beets and carrots, which were used as table and entryway decorations. The guests left with pockets bulging with fresh produce-one guest even made borscht as a belated wedding gift!

Christy created the vintage seed packet 'table numbers' which featured images of guests' pets in unique designs for each table.

Music was a big part of the day as well, with Sean Castillo and the Hubcaps from San Antonio providing the reception with a rockin' set of swing and rockabilly numbers.

Sullivan Street Caterers from Blanco catered the amazing food, which was also locally sourced and perfectly complemented the floral design with seasonal greens, colorful roasted vegetables and flat-iron steaks grilled on site. Cupcakes in a variety of flavors from Polkadots in Austin provided a fun and tasty alternative to a traditional wedding cake, and a friend of the couple painted the wooden bride and groom to look like Christy and Jon in their wedding attire.

PHOTOGRAPHY: JON BOLDEN PHOTOGRAPHY
CATERING: SULLIVAN STREET CATERERS
CUPCAKES: POLKADOTS
MUSIC: SEAN CASTILLO AND THE HUBCAPS
VENUE: FISCHER HALL, FISCHER, TX

more old world garden party wedding at laguna gloria

2011-08-02T13:54:00.000-07:00

I posted the images of this beautiful Laguna Gloria wedding that were featured on Project Wedding awhile back, but I wanted to show you even more of the images Suzi at Q Weddings captured.

We created a custom cedar chuppah which looks great with just a few clusters of flowers... Laguna Gloria has such a great ambiance, it almost looks like Italy with the lake and rolling hills in the background.

One of my favorite elements from this wedding is the groom's cake, which we decorated with fruit and veggies because the groom owns a few restaurants - Shake Shack, where I had a wonderful burger a couple years ago in a park in NYC. Never thought I'd be doing flowers for the guy behind it!

variegated zinnias

2011-07-30T18:08:00.000-07:00

Oh summer, I heart you. Not for the scorchingly hot days, or lack of refreshing rain... but for the zinnias, the celosia, the gomphrena. It's all locally grown too, can you imagine how hard that must have been when we've only had about an inch of rain these last few months?

This arrangement went out to a recent bride of mine. We did her wedding this spring with all locally grown flowers from the same farm where these were grown. I'm wishing her all the best this summer, and many summers to come.

bi-color carnations, zinnias and garden roses

2011-07-29T08:28:00.000-07:00

I love that when you send a photographer flowers, they send you some stunning images of it. Thanks Suzi! It was so fun sharing your birthday festivities...

real wedding: anemones and succulents at the w hotel

2011-07-20T08:06:00.000-07:00

Ashley and Neil had such a wonderfully fun wedding at the W Hotel in Austin this summer... I love the emotion that comes through in these beautiful images.

IMAGES BY AUSTIN IMAGERY

COORDINATION BY E-MAYSING EVENTS
VENUE: W HOTEL AUSTIN

kumquats and kiwi vine at star hill ranch

2011-07-19T06:45:00.000-07:00

I was looking back at this wedding we did, oh, maybe 6 or 7 years ago now... and it still feels so fresh to me. The bouquet is one of my all-time favorites.

IMAGES OF BOUQUET AND CENTERPIECES BY VANESSA

real wedding: local succulents at mercury hall

2011-07-17T11:42:00.000-07:00

Laura and Jai are such a sweet couple, so I couldn't be happier that their spring wedding at Mercury Hall turned out perfect. All the succulents were grown just outside Austin, the books and vases were collected by Laura, and Jai's sister made the cake. They even drove away in a CarToGo! Very sustainable, just the way a nice event, and even nicer relationship, should be...

IMAGES BY SVETLANA PHOTOGRAPHY

an arrangement for bastille day

2011-07-16T16:26:00.000-07:00

Looks like fireworks a little bit, non?

You may have noticed a few changes around here... I've finally had time to improve Crosspollination a bit. There are tons of images under the new tabs at the top, some you've seen before, some you haven't. Let me know if you have any suggestions!

blooming basil

2011-07-15T12:05:00.000-07:00

Some super-duper-smelling arrangements going out today.... And I finally figured out the code to make the images larger on this template. Hallelujah.

free delivery in july!

2011-07-13T08:29:00.000-07:00

Want to place an order but just haven't gotten around to it? Well now's the time - get free delivery in July! Happy summer...

sweet little video

2011-07-08T05:19:00.000-07:00

Tracy + Jacob: Highlight Video from crooked tie studios on Vimeo.

july floral design workshop!

2011-06-30T09:11:00.000-07:00

Sunday, July 24th, 9am-12pm
$250

hosted by Sabia Apothecary and Spa
(includes containers, flowers, use of tools and yummy snacks)
Workshops limited to 6 students

There's no better way to feel refreshed in the hot summer months than working with flowers! We'll make two beautiful arrangements: a European-style handtied bouquet that we'll place in a vase, and a lush, Dutch Master Painting-style arrangement created in a ceramic urn.

*appropriate for a beginner to intermediate level, if you'd like to take an advanced class please email me for more details.

Tuition will need to be paid in advance for workshops to secure your spot-cash, check or credit card (cc's processed through Paypal for a fee). For more information email or call Brooke at 512 586.8913.

hot pink for some hot weather

2011-06-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

It's been seriously hot here, I don't know how I'm going to make it through 3 more months of this... at least the pool down the street finally opened.

A few arrangements leaving the studio for some fun and sun out in the world... loving that celosia and Chocolate Lace. And Hot Majolika sprays where have you been all my life?

oh the light at parkside

2011-06-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

Someday I'll actually get to eat at Parkside, or Backspace their woodfired pizza restaurant... but for now I'm happy to set up beautiful flowers there. This rehearsal dinner couldn't have come together prettier, although it's too bad I always get pictures before the candles are lit.

I can't wait to see the images of the wedding, I added some peach and caramel garden roses, eremurus, poppies and ranunculus to the tall arrangements before they made a reappearance there.

even more eastside cafe shoot with manda levy

2011-06-28T07:36:00.000-07:00

Here's the last set of images from the photoshoot at Eastside Cafe, shot by the amazing Manda Levy. Lana Chu created the breathtaking hats, and Unbridaled provided the dresses. Natasha Cordes of Bella Rose made the jewelry modeled by Sommer and Skylar Isdale.

more eastside cafe shoot with manda levy

2011-06-27T07:21:00.000-07:00

I'll continue to post more images this week from the gorgeous photoshoot at Eastside Cafe, shot by the amazing Manda Levy. Lana Chu created the breathtaking hats, and Unbridaled provided the dresses. Natasha Cordes of Bella Rose made the jewelry modeled by Sommer and Skylar Isdale.

eastside cafe shoot with manda levy

2011-06-26T06:44:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of providing the flowers for a gorgeous photoshoot at Eastside Cafe recently, shot by the amazing Manda Levy. Eastside grows a lot of their food and raises chickens for eggs and meat, so their garden behind the cafe was a perfect spot for this oh-so-Austin shoot.

Lana Chu created the breathtaking hats, and Unbridaled provided the dresses. Natasha Cordes of Bella Rose made the jewelry modeled by Sommer and Skylar Isdale.

pollen and suzi q on project weddings blog

2011-06-23T20:07:00.000-07:00

Suzi at Q Weddings captured so many wonderful elements of Paige and Zach's recent wedding at Laguna Gloria. Go see the whole post on the Project Weddings blog...

parkside wedding

2011-06-21T14:41:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful afternoon wedding at Parkside... looks like everyone had a wonderful time!

poppies, garden roses and dusty miller

2011-06-16T12:50:00.000-07:00

The wedding this weekend is going to be so beautiful. Lovin' the poppies and Juliet garden roses this week!

sunny, happy sunflowers

2011-06-12T12:52:00.001-07:00

Teddy bear, yellow center and classic sunflowers mixed with geranium, celosia, succulents, maidenhair fern, frosted explosion grass (seriously, it's really called that), and ranunculus. Oh, and yellow peonies, bradford pear branches and clematis vine. Dani at The Simplifiers did a wonderful job coordinating this event!

On the agua fresca table, with lemon and watermelon agua fresca... I so wanted some of that!

A perfect day at the lake - drought or not, the water was still beautiful... and there was a nice breeze. I love the hexagonal cake, I've never decorated one like that before.

sunflowers, peonies, ranunculus and clematis

2011-06-09T14:12:00.000-07:00

Thank you star-shaped clematis vine, hovering delicately over a sea of yellow peonies, sunflowers and ranunculus. Just perfect for a Southern garden wedding.

simply orange and green

2011-06-04T10:49:00.001-07:00

Sometimes I forget that simple is best... look how classic and beautiful this ranunculus and succulent wedding turned out. Parkside will be the perfect spot for the ceremony and reception, congrats Tracy and Jacob!

pollen on ruffled blog

2011-06-02T07:36:00.001-07:00

Yay! Sometimes things really work out... I recently visited my best friend in New Orleans and while I was there I met Maria at Tupelo Honey. She was involved in a photoshoot, and I ended up making a bouquet and bout for it. Holly at Magnolia Pair did such an amazing job of capturing all the details - go over to Ruffled and see it all!

modern chuppah and cake

2011-05-30T11:48:00.001-07:00

Blooming succulents on the cake, with coral cockscomb... my fav.

And hubby setting up the chuppah. Turned out great in the end, but the wind almost blew the fabric and flowers right off of it! And the petals on the aisle? Forget it! We had to have guests toss them at the bride's feet as she walked down the aisle, and they sailed right over the balcony down to the people eating outside at the cafe below. Gotta love nature, she always throws in something unexpected...
Who wouldn't love this man?!? He created this amazing modern structure from scratch, in a week, welding and doing all the woodwork. He also pretty much set it up by himself, and broke it down a few hours after that. Just one of the many reasons I heart him.

pretty and edgy

2011-05-28T11:12:00.000-07:00

A sneak peek of a bouquet for a very sweet bride that loves lots of diverse elements. I love it when clients want something interesting. We custom-built a huge, very modern chuppah with raw wood and steel... can't wait to show you images of it set up at The W Hotel.

coleus and coral

2011-05-10T15:57:00.000-07:00

Coral peonies, coleus, parrot tulips, and Soloman's Seal. Have you smelled Soloman's Seal? I remember it from years past, the heady sweet scent that can fill a room.

cascading bouquet of pitchers

2011-05-09T11:14:00.000-07:00

I just love unexpected things. Like serracena-all dark veins and macabre connotations. Spectacular with yellow mokara orchids, honeymoon frilly tulips, jasmine vine, and green amaranthus. I wonder how it looked flying through the air at the bouquet toss? I wonder what the catcher thought about the papery, nodding serracena? I wonder what the meaning of this bouquet is, in the language of flowers?

happy mother's day

2011-05-08T10:55:00.000-07:00

I have the sweetest mother - really, I know what you're thinking, that it's Mother's Day and all. But people tell me this about my mother all the time... strangers, good friends, pretty much everyone that knows her.

I'd like to add some things to the list, because really, she's so much more complex than that. She's also the most selfless and giving person I've ever met. Who else would bottle feed a baby sheep, Jose, when it's mother-already burdened with 2 babies-rejected it right after birth? And let it sleep in her bed. Or bath a tiny chick and then blow dry it, and notice how much it really loved being blown dry. Or take care of my Alzheimer's-riddled grandmother for more than 10 years, every day, every night, almost every hour.

What if I also told you that she maintains an architectural design business, and drafts, by hand, many amazing and gorgeous homes, each perfectly suited to the client? Or that she deals with my crusty Dad (sorry Dad), keeps a beautiful home, cooks like noone else, and is an expert on alternative medicine? I can only hope that one day I am as strong, patient, kind and loving as my Mom.

I love you so much, Mom, and I wish I could be there... and I hope you don't have to do any chicken tidy-up, or sheep wrangling today.

spring bouquet with lady slippers

2011-05-01T18:02:00.001-07:00

A little sneak peek of a bouquet with white peonies, lady slipper orchids, cockscomb, ranunculus, muscari, hydrangea, awesome stripey succulents, geranium and maidenhair fern foliage. I can't wait to see the images Suzi Q got of the morning Hindu ceremony/reception (everyone in saris-how beautiful!) and the evening ceremony and reception at The Wildflower Center. Mary at The Simplifiers and all the super nice folks at Word of Mouth Catering did a spectacular job.

tropical mexican feel

2011-04-15T16:02:00.000-07:00

How much juicy color can you get in one arrangement?!? The bananas on the stalk get me every time when I have to go tropical, and the bougainvillea vine was the perfect final touch...

texas performing arts center preview party

2011-04-14T15:42:00.000-07:00

The party invite had beautiful quilled paper, so I tried to mimic that feel with the lily grass...

coral peonies

2011-04-14T15:24:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd show you an arrangement on the bench, with all the chaos that surrounds it...

I've been feeling a bit disorganized and chaotic lately, too, so I went out today and bought an iPhone. It's only chirped once so far, but already I feel calmer and more in control.

flowers for a cellist

2011-03-30T18:30:00.000-07:00

Kyle and I had the pleasure of attending this concert at the Texas Performing Arts Center, as well as doing the flowers for the reception. It was an incredible experience.

wild and purple

2011-03-29T18:22:00.000-07:00

professional workshop

2011-03-04T17:56:00.000-08:00

I had a super fun afternoon recently with Lauren - she came all the way from Fort Collins, Colorado to hang out with me in the studio and learn how to create wedding flowers! She's already a grower and designer, and can you believe the beautiful arrangements she turned out in 4 hours? This girl's one to watch...

chez wedd at allan house

2011-03-02T19:05:00.000-08:00

So, wedding season begins! We set up a sweet little table at the recent Chez Wedd show held at Allan House... I was inspired by all things spring. And I'm loving my new business cards that have a different image on the back of each card.

A bouquet of mostly succulents, with arabicum, and palm fiber.

A ranunculus bout and anemone corsage. The real mood moss was a huge hit, people couldn't stop petting it.

A bouquet of all the best spring has to offer...

gilded flowers

2011-03-02T18:37:00.000-08:00

I gilded these yellow pincushions with a light dusting of gold paint, perfect for their appearance at the Tribeza Wedding Day show, on Gilda Grace's table. Some of my favorite things made it into this arrangement, and I just couldn't stop taking pictures of it... heavenly scented gardenias, green ruffled ranunculus, fuzzy kalanchoe, a snippet of my rare vining begonia plant, and of course some wasp nests, one of which also got goldilocks'd.

fall wedding at allan house

2011-02-22T09:56:00.000-08:00

***Update: Pollen will be at Chez Wedd at Allan House tonight from 6-8! Stop by and see all the beautiful flowers and meet lots of other fantastic wedding vendors.

Lauren was such a sweet and beautiful bride to work with! Nicole Chatham captured the day perfectly...

texas biennial happy hour

2011-02-21T09:13:00.000-08:00

Yay, time for the Texas Biennial again... we did some flowers for their pre-event happyhour.

"Continuing the Biennial’s aim of providing 'an independent survey of contemporary Texas art', Rutledge has selected 49 artists drawn from a pool of almost 800 applicants living and working throughout the state. The artists represented include both emerging and established talents, and the exhibition will include recent works created in a range of artistic media from painting, sculpture, drawing and print, to photography, video, installation and performance."
-from the Texas Biennial website

secret circus

2011-02-20T09:05:00.001-08:00

A dark and feathery design for the entry to Secret Circus. Sounds like it was an amazing event!

valentine's party

2011-02-10T15:34:00.000-08:00

fun february workshop

2011-02-08T14:57:00.000-08:00

Spring is pretty much my favorite time of year for flowers. So it was a very fun workshop this past Saturday at Sabia... look at the stunning arrangements we created!

everlasting botanicals at howl

2011-02-07T14:34:00.000-08:00

I dropped off a few arrangements of permanent botanicals at Howl - dried palm leaves, banksia blooms and mossy branches mixed with a few succulents, bird's nests and antlers. Not as spring-y as Sabia's display, so I might add in a few butterflies this week...

Lil' cicada in a horsehair bird's nest.

red orange hot pink

2011-02-06T14:26:00.001-08:00

lance armstrong's livestrong holiday party

2011-02-03T11:08:00.000-08:00

Pollen had the honor of donating flowers for Livestrong's holiday party at The Austonian this past December. Usually yellow is the color of choice, but for this event the planners were thinking something more unusual might be better. Fuschia coxcomb and gloriosoa lilies were the perfect fit.

visual art center puts on another great show

2011-01-30T12:41:00.000-08:00

The artwork was amazing, the food was delicious, the company was impeccable. And Suzi got some stunning shots of the flowers!

Love this shot... I'm pursing my lips furiously while carrying a really heavy, awkward arrangement. I think I smiled a bit after she clicked the shutter... note to self: smile more while doing awkward things.

february and march workshop dates

2011-01-28T12:06:00.000-08:00

Hello!

Spring is almost here-and it's time for Pollen's next two floral design workshops:

Saturday, February 5th, 9am-12am
$250
&
Sunday, March 6th, 9am-12am
$250

hosted by Sabia Apothecary and Spa
(includes containers, flowers, use of tools and yummy snacks)
Workshops limited to 6 students

We'll meet at Sabia and have a fun and informative introduction to early spring flowers like parrot tulips, ranunculus and blooming branches. We'll make two beautiful arrangements-a European-style handtied bouquet that we'll place in a vase, and a lush, compact arrangement created in a ceramic urn. I can't wait to see what you guys design!
*the same format will be used for both workshop dates and is appropriate for a beginner to intermediate level, if you'd like to take an advanced class please email me for more details

You can see images from a past class here.

Tuition will need to be paid in advance for workshops to secure your spot-cash, check or credit card (cc's processed through Paypal for a fee). For more information email or call Brooke at 512 586.8913.

Photo of past floral design demo by Suzi Q Varin of Q Weddings.

butterflies in january

2011-01-21T16:32:00.000-08:00

A big log, a little moss, and two hornet's nests. Add in some butterflies and candy hearts and you've got Sabia's Valentine's Day spring window... Jessica's gonna be throwing a wonderful V-day party, stop by and you might win a lovely Pollen arrangement or a year's worth of Sabia services!

david neale of the golden smith

2011-01-18T07:20:00.000-08:00

I love jewelry so much (or jewellery as it's spelled in Australia and New Zealand). And I especially love the work of David Neale. Simple, sophisticated, witty. The good news is that you can now buy David's work directly at his new online shop The Golden Smith. Perfect for Valentine's Day, non?

vineyards at chappel lodge

2011-01-16T10:01:00.000-08:00

There's a new venue about to open in Austin called The Vineyards at Chappel Lodge-the perfect mix of modern and Texas rustic. Pollen got to do the flowers for their Bridal Extravaganza booth this weekend. We had some freedom to pick what looked best at the market this week, and thank goodness they had mossy branches, purple clematis vine, unripe blackberries and garden roses. Oh, and succulents of course!

Lavender mica (a sparkly mineral) also made an appearance nestled into some sparkly black sand and spanish moss.

I couldn't help but make some corsages for the girls to wear out of vintage hand-dyed ribbon and blackberries.

allan house wedding

2011-01-16T09:12:00.000-08:00

Cory Ryan got some great shots of the flowers we did for Meredith and Clay at The Allan House. What a sweet couple!

flowers for the w hotel

2011-01-08T14:22:00.000-08:00

Recently Pollen had the opportunity to create a multi-faceted installation for the new W Hotel Austin Recruitment Center. Suzi captured the whole space amazingly well. I wrote an artist's statement to accompany the installation:

When I think of Austin, I think of the people: creative and friendly, down-to-earth but worldly.
My mind also goes to the physical landscape, a mix of lushness and desert, beautifully rugged
and unexpectedly abundant.

Creating an installation that reflects two axes (lushness and desert, creative innovation set against a sense of history) led me to interact with some of my favorite local suppliers. Jay at Desert to Tropics grows truly succulent cactus and succulents. I could wander his greenhouses for days and not see every amazing variety on offer.

A key component of my floral design philosophy is to incorporate more than just cut blooms, including all kinds of plants, mosses, dried materials, rocks and minerals. This creates a huge palette of interesting textures and shapes (why use the same standard botanicals when there are so many natural materials to use in a floral installation?). I was also thrilled to be able to acquire pieces at Uncommon Objects. Their tag line ‘raw materials for creative living’ couldn’t be more accurate. Steve Wiman and his vendors artfully curate a collection of vintage and antique items you can’t find anywhere else.

I love being able to mix components from these sources with some of the best international
floral product, like the orchids, hydrangea, and tropical leaves used here. By mixing all these
elements a story emerges: one of black sand evoking Texas’ mineral heritage, grapevine
root hinting at an emerging viticulture industry, horseshoes and antlers elevated from typical
props to symbols of luck and our spirit of enduring sportsmanship, respectively. The synergy of
this edited collection captures the sense of innovation mixed with history and groundedness
for which Austin is known.

Authentic materials are also key here. The W’s architecture and interior design rely on materials
like concrete, steel and glass. I’ve tried to use honest ingredients that work with and echo
that sense of modern form-meets-function (and adding some playful moments here and there).

With the typed text, displayed in the purple typewriter, I tried to capture some of what makes
Austin unique, as told by a few of the emerging and established creative entrepreneurs who
call Austin home. Guests and hotel staff are able to contribute their own stories on the gray
typewriter.

new year's day wedding

2011-01-07T14:06:00.000-08:00

a very gardeny fall wedding

2011-01-06T12:44:00.000-08:00

Can you believe these images? Suzi Q took some amazing shots of a recent fall wedding, and I'm still in awe looking at them.

early december floral class at sabia

2010-12-23T11:58:00.000-08:00

We had such a fun class on December 5th at Sabia! Students picked out flowers at the wholesaler to make a hand-tied bouquet- everyone's turned out wonderful. Then we made arrangements in urns... check back for more classes in 2011. Happy Holidays!

howl store opening

2010-12-11T06:56:00.000-08:00

Howl, who's tagline is Fearless Home Fashion, just opened a retail store on Lamar here in Austin. Barry and Kim Jelinski have put together a wonderfully odd and authentic collection of pieces, both found and fabricated. I did a few arrangements for their opening party, but was too tired to actually attend it! Notice the taxidermied mouse in the maze coffeetable above...

Eagle on loan from Uncommon Objects; I like it so much it might find a permanent nest as a light fixture in my home.

Images below of a shell encrusted armoir created by Howl.