I’ve always been a bit of a teacher’s pet and actually enjoy homework. I get a thrill submitting projects for review and anxiously await the feedback. I get especially excited when I’m proud of my work. My first flower homework assignment was no exception.

For our first assignment in Flower Arranging 101 we were shown how to create a hand-tied bouquet- characterized by its spiraled stem base that stands on it’s own, and a 360 design that looks good from every angle.

I really enjoyed the challenge of creating the spiral in the hand-tied bouquet and ended up redoing the project twice. It was important to me to get it right and I now feel like I could easily pick up a bunch of flowers and create a hundred of these standing beauties. This style of bouquet is popular for weddings, and for gifting because the receiver simply has to fill a vase and plop the flowers inside.

For my hand-tied bouquet I decided to choose flowers in warm autumnal hues with greenery that had a blueish tint to compliment them. I used golden mums, red protea (a tropical flower), a yellow and brown autumn berry mix, and eucalyptus leaves and berries for the filler. The results felt lush and organic, and I puffed my chest out in pride. - b.

I decided to give myself a little birthday gift this year- my very first flower arranging class! Though I thought my first class would be surrounded by old women in a church basement (or something) I'm happy to report that after a lot of research I landed on a much better option. I'm taking an online floral design course taught by the talented floral designer and prop stylist Chlesea Fuss.

The course is four weeks long and each week covers a different flower arranging technique. I've already worked my way through week one and I'm addicted. Sorry, but you can definitely count on my sharing every last homework assignment with you here. 

I've been dying for more floral education and it feels really good to be doing something like this for myself. -b.

Some images are kindred spirits, they relate and respond to one another in a way similar to how body language communicates between two people. It’s chemical, mineral, visual. It’s couplings. - b.

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1 |  I’ve had a harder time getting into fall this year than at any other point in my life. I blame it on warmer than average temperatures and too much work. These anything-but-halloween colored pumpkins are about as autumn as I’ll get this October.

2 |  In a month I will be reunited with my sister (at last) and so now every time I see two girls together in a photo I think of her and all the good times we’ll be having come Thanksgiving. Is it November yet?

3 |  It seems that the earlier the sun chooses to set the more I crave home baked goods. Maybe I’ll finally learn to bake delicious desserts, or maybe I’ll just go to Whole Foods.

4 | I’m enamored with home exteriors right now and this color combo is particularly speaking to me. First impressions are everything you know.

5 |  “I must have flowers, always, and always.” - Claude Monet

6 |  All I want to do is surround myself in golden fields and take in a little nature. Not the easiest task in America’s fifth largest city- Philadelphia.

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