Inspired

I spent a beautiful Thanksgiving in Estes Park with my sister and her precious family. Every time I visit her - I come home inspired to create. Her house is absolutely to die for! It honestly needs to be featured in cottage living. She designed every last inch of it and didn't leave one rock unturned.

But this time, I came home doubly inspired because she so graciously taught me to sew and she sparked in me the fun in finding things for so little that I can use for great purpose.

And so, my renovation has begun. I am reworking my flower work room in order to use it for sewing, arranging, gift wrapping and dreaming. I am excited to post pics! As soon as it is completed (very soon) and I can get a camera that works (very soon) I will post pictures of my new inspiration room.

Thank you, Heather, for being such a great teacher and such a font of inspiration. I love you.

Thankfulness comes from strange places

Today I realized that I am absolutely thankful for EVERY struggle I have ever encountered. I am thankful for my past because it has brought me to this place - right here right now. These past 15 years of my life have been such a struggle to find my place - to figure out who I am and where I want to go. I am becoming more profoundly aware that it is in these struggles and these valleys that I am given the privilege to become more like my sweet Savior, Jesus Christ.

And it is because of these struggles that I have had to lean into my family and depend on them to keep me moving when it seemed I couldn't take another step. What an honor it is to be able to depend on your family and to have them respond in such gentleness and kindness.

And where would I be if it were not for my precious children, Cooper and Katherine? For they have given me purpose and chipped away at my hard exterior allowing me to feel love deeper than I knew was humanly possible.

And my loyal and honorable husband, Tom, who has shown me what commitment looks like. He has proven to me that we can press forward to find a new day.

And THANK YOU giver of all good for allowing me the privilege to work with my hands in an art form that is nothing less than exquisite. How utterly blessed I am that I am allowed to add to the beauty.

I hope that everyone finds reason to be thankful this November 27th.

Hot September Wedding

This lovely little bouquet is the result of a wildly creative and fun bride named Ruth. She loved (almost as much as me) Ariella Chezar's floral work. We worked together to come up with this hot garden styled bouquet only enhanced by the silk dupioni ribbons hanging down. This was one of my VERY FAVORITE weddings because The Zeros were playing and as I was setting up the tables - the Zeros were warming up their insturments. Ruth had invited my husband and I to the wedding, but we couldn't make it because we were flying out to Italy the next morning. I did seriously consider moving the flight just to stay for the awesome reception. Thank you, Ruth, for being so much fun.

August Wedding

I thought I would try to post some pictures from weddings that I have done. This is from a wedding in August of 2006. The bride, Amy, was such a pleasure to work with and purple was the color she was most excited about. Purple hydrangea was the flower that she wanted most of all. Her budget wasn't huge, but we made it work. You can't see it in the photo but a purple ribbon was tied to the back of every chair and it really dressed up the room.

A Touch of Dutch

Who doesn't want to walk through this door?

Well, anyone with a hankering can hopefully do so quite soon.

Belli Fiori has found and purchased a white dutch door similar to the one above.

We can't wait to put it in the shop....

Storefront

Dream with me for a minute.

A white door facing a sidewalk catches your attention. You are drawn to the window boxes that hang on the big picture window. A hostage to your curiosity - you walk inside and step on painted wood floors. Big silk drapes pool on the ground. A wall is covered with chalkboard paint and the names and prices of flowers are listed randomly. A large worktable sits under a beautiful chandelier and beckons you to create your own bouquet. You notice as they assist you that the friendly owners are wearing handmade one of a kind aprons.

Don't dismay - you too can own an apron. And an assortment of bags if you wish. All kinds of bags made in different materials fashioned in an array of shapes.

And of course, you can treat yourself to a beverage, on us of course. Who knows - we might even find the time to bake cookies or pumpkin bread.

Won't you be our neighbor?

Autumn anyone?

I love this time of year! Dahlias, antiqued hydrangeas, berries, autumn clematis, kale, gourds, texture! It is a symphony for one's senses. I get crazily inspired this time of year. My head is spinning with ideas, projects, changes. My husband isn't exactly thrilled with my "energy". He keeps saying, "let's just finish this one project, Laura". One project? What? I can't! I MUST paint the door and the shutters, rip up the carpet and redo the stairs, whitewash the brick on the front of our house, build a fire pit, overlay my front porch and walkway with brick pavers, plant color everywhere and repaint every surface available!

Oh! I have to go now...I must get started! But first I'll have a taste of the freshly cooked pumpkin bread that my daughter and I made this morning... Sh! don't tell anyone. I want it all for myself.

Fall Wedding

Fall Weddings are absolutely gorgeous!

It isn't simply the colors that make it so warm....it's all the textures involved.

I am fortunate enough to be doing a wedding for one cool chic!

She has awesome ideas and really knows who she is and what she wants her wedding to convey.

I wish all brides were this easy.

That being said - we are talking about warm reds and yellows, burlap and moss for texture,

candlelight, paper lanterns, and live trees spread throughout the venue.

Isn't this going to be AWESOME?

Dahlias, berries, olive branches, kangaroo paw, roses, moss, and other wonderful

seasonal accents will highlight this November wedding!

Stay tuned for updates!

Growing

Belli Fiori is passing the torch.
Lilies of the Field will have it's own blog spot.
There are links between the two for those of
us who are still learning how to navigate the Internet.

Congratulations to Bebe and Alice for embracing the passion
and cause of Lilies of the Field. They are offering 25% of every purchase to go toward funding Lilies of the Field.
What can't we accomplish when we work together toward a common goal?
Especially one that is for so much good.

"Love is simple. But never easy."
- Mother Theresa

Small Beginnings

Rejoice! We reached out to a shelter for abused women and shared with them our vision of bringing a little bit of joy and appreciation to these women who have had to carry the weight of the world on their shoulders. And the shelter received our vision with open arms and has asked to meet with me so that we can figure out the best way to serve their community. Our community serving their community.

Does life get any better than this?

Lilies of the Field

Okay - so redemption draws near. Is that a tad dramatic? If only this blog had audio....I'd whisper that first line (for even greater dramatic effect, of course). I have dreamt of the day when I would be able to put together a very casual not-for-profit organization called LILIES OF THE FIELD. The sole purpose and mission of this organization is to donate and deliver hand tied arrangements to those whom society has deemed unworthy and forgotten. Can't you just see the eyes of a single mom at an abused women's shelter light up when flowers are delivered to her from her own children on Mother's day? What about the old lady at the nursing home who has no family to visit her and she sits alone day in and day out? Or the patient at the hospital with a terminal disease and nobody to let him know he is thought of while he leaves this world.


Jesus said that whatever we do unto the least of these, we do unto Him.

I invite each and every one of you to get involved. I will need volunteers, cash donations ( to buy flowers), vases, containers, legal help, graphic layouts, a board of directors, a cpa, encouragers, artists, dreamers, prayer warriors, smiles and capable hands.

Ode to Family

Wow. So I was pretty much shamed into this blog thing. I have owned a floral and event design company for about 4 years now. I have talked about actually developing a website. I have actually paid a monthly fee to another company for the opportunity to blog, although I never actually got around to doing it.

And suddenly, without any warning, my older sister (who owns an AWESOME company called http://www.bebeandalice.com/ (our grandmother's names), and my younger sister (who is off to college this year) both started blogs!

What? I am soo behind (as usual). These two aforementioned sisters are quite gifted in the arena of organization and they are much more task oriented than I am. I am the crazy sister. The one who can always find time to get away for a cup of coffee. I am the one who can find any reason to avoid doing what is before me and instead do some shopping. It just does a body good...you know what I mean?


All of that to say - I've arrived.

I'm finally doing what I should have done a long time ago. Thank goodness I have these 2 sisters to lead the way and show me how to do it. Where would we be without our best friends (and in my case - family)?