Napkin rings with fresh flowers inhance any sit down event.

Dining in style at the Arts' Council

The Watershed benefit

The Watershed Association's autumn benefit was this past Saturday October 3rd. I was happy to be a part of it. One of the organizers said something stricking to me, though - 'no one ever volunteers'. When it was all said and done, the place looked beautiful - a green grass carpet, hydrangea everywhere.... The flowers for the large arrangements came from the Honeybrook Organic Farm. A few of us put our shares together that day. Hydrangea is from people's gardens, including my own. I very much enjoyed making these vases full of autumn's bounty outside Watershed offices on a gorgeous Friday morning.

autumn flowers

On the left - Teddy bear sunflower babies (it's their second week in a vase, if you can believe it). Picked fresh last week, they were closed tight - one thing about them, beautiful at every stage but always thirsty. Add and change water frequently. Below a few centerpieces - true autumn garden mix: bold color snapdragons, malticolor ageratum, mint and veronica, crocosmia... i love making these tight little centerpieces. The one all the way down is for a friend's dinner party. It is a small clear glass square vase that fits a surprising number of flowers - there are probably 40-50 stems in there, different groupings tied together with raffia for more of a modern effect. It's midnight, but i have hardly noticed. i love spending evenings working with freshly picked flowers.

Roses, straw flowers and fern leaves. These were the three bouquets for the bride and grooms's sister and sisters-in-law.

wedding in Istanbul

The wedding in Turkey was lovely. Jean and Vincent, both ancient near east scholars and archaeologists were excavating in Turkey and Syria prior to meeting in Istanbul to prepare for the wedding. I flew in just a few days before - they had already done all the floral research. The flower market is in Taxim square, where i took a taxi on the morning of the wedding, holding a hotel card with return address. It was hot there in the morning and afternoon, so i wanted to get to the market as early as possible before flowers started wilting. There are maybe 7-10 kiosks with men and women sitting behind rows of roses, chrysantemums, lysianthus.... and that is pretty much it. They were yelling 'madam' to me and trying to grab my hands to prevent me from visiting neighboring kiosks.Two of the ladies got into a fight over the flowers i was picking. I had to ask them to write down how much i owed. In the end i shoved back into a taxi with 4 bunches of lyshinathus, at least 150 stems of roses, 25 stems of casa blanca lilies, and an anthurium plant for Jean's bouquet. Jean's bouquet of white lysianthus and red anthurium turned out well, I thought. Certainly the tonn of ribbon I got for any eventuality came in handy.

The summer is retreating (though today was a soft warm day), it is waining - it's in the air and i am back from the safety of travel to the promise of next year.

Here is Sonia's resting mat for school. I made it in August before we left. This little 20 minute bag was another quick project. It's perfect for a cell phone, a couple of bills and whatever other little nothings one has to bring along. I tested it out in Istanbul - it was a charm.

just one more

night and day pictures

these little silver bout holders are very handy and tasteful. they pin on quite well, but i am still waiting to see how they handle hugging, bending and dancing... and those are the tamer party activities.

more boutonnierres

just a few more - grasses, crocosmia hybrids, african violet blooms, hoya leaves - these will outlast the party.

bridal flowers

i love the intricacies of personal flowers for bridal parties or any other formal event really. it takes a long time to make, but what you end up with is absolute perfection. these little bouquets in any style in which placement and color must be impeccable. and i especially appreciate that i can use up all the little baby buds, leaflets and bits that are so adorable but are only suitable for the minis of bridal work.

it is that time of year again when i go off into the wild of the world to have a look-see, air myself out and to get ideas for my future projects. l'll be off the grid for about a month. in September, though, there should be photos of the Labor weekend wedding in Istanbul. cannot wait to see what flowers we'll find and how Jean's bouquet turns out. i feel like i have ribbon and bridal work supplies for any eventuality. now the challenge is in getting it there. i hope the flower market in Istanbul is vibrant and glorious with bold colors, lasting, interesting textures and i get to make for her exactly what she has been wishing for. and then there are all the other personals: handheld bouquets, boutonnieres, corsages and decorated favor sachets with Middle Eastern spices. stay tuned for how it all turned out and have a great rest of the summer everyone.these are some of the bouquets from the past.

the garden

it took 3 years, but here we are. these flower beds are finally full.

sweet peas

i started these from seed in February and they took a long time to get to this point, even still they are not as full as I would like them to be. but such as they are, they are stunningly fragrant, especially at dawn and dusk.

dessert

peach and strawberry sorbet served in wedgwood cups, a berry mousse tart from Whole Foods and sweet sweet cherries. it's not a great picture, but is was oh so delicious.

summer dishes

most everyone loves summer grilling and there is always pressure to have healthy dishes and get them to be ready at the right time. roasted portabello caps and zucchini rings can be done in advance and served warm or cool. they can go on the grill or stove-top with just some olive oil, garlic, salt and herbs. in the middle - a guacamole variation with lots of lemon and cilantro - impossible to resist. needless to say, flowers complete any platter presentation.

cherries

this was a few weeks ago. the natural bounty is humbling.

travel pockets

these are very quick to make. instant gratification - big fan when it comes to crafty projects. i use different fabric for the two sides and complementing ribbon long enough to go over the shoulder or tie around the waist. the pockets are great to go treasure hunting with or to take favorite little bunches of something-something on a long car trip or on an airplane. we have tried these out a few times now - they work great and the kids love how light, roomy and 'only mine' they are.

snapdragons and shells

it must really be summer when these lasting annuals come out with their multitude of flowers, leaves and strong upright stems. they may not be fragrant, but the colors are ever so vibrant. in this square clear glass vase there is a tight bouquet wrapped with raffia, anchored by a large sea shell with hoya cuttings for added accent. simple, minimalist.... but such a lovely presence.

floral medley

peonies, begonias, roses, baptisia, lady's mantle and the freshest field flowers from Honey Brook Organic Farm http://www.honeybrookorganicfarm.com

this bowl is kind of monochromatic with dominant peaches and yellows and just a touch of white and blue. it is simply summer. these were flower heads left over from plate decorations in a catering job with chef Anne-Renee (Contact Chef Anne-Renee 609 915 1119). they held up really well for another week and a half, in large part due to shortness of stems - they wasted no energy on maintaining the stems or on holding up the heads which tend to be heavy. simple, beautiful, fragrant.... and recycled once again.

passioflora

This exotic and delicate flower is a perfect centerpiece. A margarita glass elevates it, supports the petals and provides a space at the bottom for water so that the little stem can reach it.

Words are inadequate to describe the scent of this one. It is akin to plumeria, jasmine .... but deeper, more serious and ancient. It does not have an extended vase life, but it will take your breath away every time you go past it while it is there.

Recycling ideas

Tillandsias and phaelanopsis orchids - looking for a perfect project.... I made a triangular frame from odd plywood around the house, backed it with landscaper's fabric and wrapped with burlap to re-enforce, for aesthetic and natural color. Hot glue, cherry and peach pits, lichen and cedar bark - whatever could be found. The pits are helpful to anchor the orchids and heavier plants to the fabric, and to define hot glue seals in burlap. Cedar bark and lichen are mostly for decor. Quick and easy and so gratifying to make something new from things that have been around for a while or forever (like the cherry and peach pits, saved seemingly without a purpose). Keep this 'living painting' in bright but indirect light and mist every other day, or every few days if weather is humid.
Use it on the dinner table as a most original centerpiece for cocktails or a dinner party.

succulents

2 varieties of sedum cuttings in a crystal bowl with roses and carnations. keep the water all the way up at the rim and it will last 2 weeks.

the bounty of the farm, calibri and tillandsia

our local farm - Honey brook organic, cannot be overestimated. it makes a whole year worth living. every week we get to go out in the field and visit the earth that feeds us. in the most fundamental way for me personally, it is a grounding and sustaining experience. as my little people taste the soil on their teeth as the strawberry juice runs down their chin, they learn respect: for the seasons, for the soil that feeds us all, for the farmer labouring in the field, for the plants that dance to sunshine, for their mom who brings them there, for their dad who works all day to make it possible and for themselves while they experience pure harmonious joy.

calibri is a russian name for nightingale, which i did not realize until one flew into the sunroom. it was like being visited by a fairy. the clever darling knew right away that we were trying to help it get out and cautiously sat on the rim of the butterfly net while i carried it out.
these vibrant green indoor plants have no root systems and are known as air plants. they are a wonderful plant, flower or constant centerpiece for a modern or rustic setting alike - use a shell, a wooden or ceramic bowl or log or bark to display it with a complement to the rest of your decor.