I'm So Thankful

 Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. The food, family and a chance to reflect on the past year and give thanks for all of my blessings.  This year has been especially sweet and so good to my family.

We moved into a beautiful new home in February.  We sold our home without listing it, and bought our real estate agents home, that was not listed.  Such a blessing for us!

My twins started preschool this year two days a week.  They are learning and growing so much.  They are healthy and thriving and making me laugh so much these days.  My heart just about bursts when I think about the past 3 years. I cannot believe they will be 3 in just a few short weeks!

My husband got a promotion at work.  I am so proud of him, how hard he works and how well he provides for our family. He loves us and takes such good care of us.  He is such an amazing husband and father.

The biggest blessing this year was the birth of our third child.  He is such a sweet baby and so full of love.  He always has a smile waiting for anyone he sees.  Having 3 under 3 has been challenging, but also rewarding and fun.  Don't get me wrong, we have had a few rough days here and there, but overall, these 3 little people are the biggest blessings in my life. (Well, 4 people counting my hubby!)

So, as you gather around your tables this week with family and friends, take a moment to really think about all the things you are blessed with.  And of course, be sure to include some flowers on your table!!!  Here are a few pretty pictures I am loving right now!  From simple and elegant to floral and fun, these inspiration pictures are sure to give you a few ideas this Thanksgiving!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Indiana University Distinguished Alumni Banquet

Recently I was asked to create arrangements for an awards banquet.  The request was for an elegant arrangement in white flowers that was not too large.  I decided to use a glass cube vase with hydrangeas, stock, roses and spray roses and a variety of greenery.  I really like the way white flowers pop on the deep wine colored table linens.  I kept things pretty simple as the table tends to get pretty crowded with plates, glasses and various other dinner items.

I also created an arrangement for the podium using the same flowers along with larkspur, snap dragons and stattice.  The hydrangeas were really full and lush and the roses opened just as I delivered them!  Perfect timing!!

  Podium

 Centerpiece

Pumpkin Party!

  I was recently asked by the Jacobs School of Music and the Indiana University Foundation to prepare centerpieces featuring pumpkins.  The event took place on Halloween, so it was the perfect opportunity to do something fun and out of the box with white faux pumpkins. 

The original plan was to glue real bittersweet to the pumpkins.  This was a harder task than I thought it would be as bittersweet is pretty hard to come by these days.  So, I made the suggestion to put flowers on top instead.  I LOVE the way they turned out!  The bright fall shades of the flowers really pop on the muted white pumpkins.  The bittersweet would have been really pretty, but I was sort of hoping that we could do the flowers on top instead!

Luncheon at the Foundation

 Here are a few pictures of my recent corporate work.  Centerpieces for a luncheon held at the Indiana University Foundation and a large arrangement that was placed in front of the podium.  I love the vases wrapped in rope!! 

The linens for the event were a dark chocolate brown and a rich avocado green.  Perfect for a crisp fall day! 

Enjoy!!

Fall Textures and Colors

 

I have been really lucky to work with some great ladies on my corporate work.  They give me linen colors and let me have a chance to use basically whatever I want to.  It allows me to experiment with flowers I don't use very often.  It also allows me to use my interior design experience exploring textures and colors.  

Last week was busy in the design studio making fall creations for 2 events at Indiana University.  I used some traditional fall flowers and added in a few unusual pops of texture for fun.  I used trachilieum for the first time.  (Its the purple puff-ball looking flower below.) It is rough and a little prickly to the touch.  It was the perfect pop of eggplant color that the client requested.  I also used lavender mum, green button mum, alstromeria, green hypericum berries and seeded eucalyptus.  

I was so pleased with how the centerpieces turned out, and more importantly, the client loved them!