Completely exhausted from this past week...working at the Playboy Mansion and at the shop all week has me aching for a break. I love being here but Jeremy and I need a vay-cay. Missing Texas and my family back home. At least I have Kai here, who is kinda the coolest kid on the planet. He is obsessed with Solar Walk. I had to get the iPhone for this very reason. So he could play on it. He won the Super Scientist award at school. It's probably all the Carl Sagan I read to him while I was preggers.

Soaps from Saipua

We have been carrying Saipua's soaps since Christmas. They are the bomb! Our customers have been raving about them and they just make me plain happy when I walk in everyday and see them. Come take a sniff for yourself. My fav so far? Vetiver (we're sold out of course) but Basil and Mango Butter are in the running. (photo from Saipua)

Stage two

A baby arrangement for a client today. They don't always have to be pink :)

Stage one

Fun at the Playboy Mansion

Wowzers..yesterday was a highlight in my career as a floral designer kids.. I assisted Zoe Productions, an event company I  freelance for,with their event at the Playboy Mansion. When you grow up, a child of the 70's, hearing and seeing stories about this iconic landmark and it's crazy reputation you kinda have a bit of an image in your mind, to say the least.

I expected to arrive there and find a decadent adult Disneyland with playmates running about to and fro photo shoots and hustle and bustle of deadlines being met. I was not expecting to find a gentle, beautiful estate surrounded by a protected redwood forest and the most lovely flora and fauna. The Mansion itself is a gorgeous, almost castle like,gothic building with a graceful English estate feel.It was a tad fairy tale-ish looking. And yet, the infamous grotto (where I imagined Burt Reynolds and Loni Anderson "doin' it.." don't ask) was kinda skeevy.

The outdoor bar and bathroom's...old and run-down.Like forgotten, almost. Actual Playboy Bunnies did arrive and used the gym downstairs (incidentally this was also our main changing room) to get ready for the party.
Which was surprising again. I expected that they had a dressing room at least in the main house.I spent most of my time trying not to watch what a million men would give their souls for: disrobing giggling bunnies.

Anyway, I am posting a few pics of the lovelier parts of the estate for your viewing pleasure...no not the naked bunnies you pervs,but other just as lovely creatures...

Our shop this morning

I walked back from a meeting this morning and caught view of our store from a customer's point of view. Ya know we are kinda doing a sporting good job of things. We have found our look and it's really lovely...

Happy St. Patty's Day!

Look at this beautiful Oxalis (Shamrock) plant... Wow!

Saipua style.

My favorite floral designer Sarah Ryhanen from Saipua has been my single style inspiration as a floral designer this year. She's only been in the business a few years but she has a tasteful eye and is bringing back class to floral designs. Ariella Chezar has always been a favorite of mine as well. I suspect Sarah is a fan too :)

A floral arrangement I did while at Devynn's. I am definitely moving toward a looser and more natural feel with my arrangements. My favorite florist in the US right now is Saipua. No one is doing a better job at the moment in my humble opinion

We have been in business for over 8 months now. Our life has changed drastically since I first decided to have another store. We could not have imagined the welcome reception we have received from our neighborhood. We have met some of the loveliest customers and neighboring business owners. All supportive, honest and so talented. I hope you find my blog fun,informative and interesting. Stay tuned!

Ranunculus are impossibly beautiful right now