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.