Flowers!

Photo by me, taken in front of the window in our hotel room. Sweet back lighting.

As I mentioned before I always knew I would do my own flowers. For a brief moment where I may have been temporarily insane I had a grand plan of waking up and going to Jean Talon or Atwater market at 7am and strolling around eating a croissant and picking out flowers. Luckily that notion passed and I realised that more than likely I would rather sleep in! Good thing too since we didn't go to bed until 3am the night before!

After taking stock of what was in perfect bloom in my garden I headed out the Friday morning to the local flower markets and bought about 35 dollars worth of flowers all in shades of purple. I got tiny white carnations that were streaked with purple, roses, pom pom dahlias, tiny kale, lisianthus and some filler. I went home cut some more dahlias and sweet peas.
Now if I was a good blogger I would have taken step by step photos...but alas I did not, so instead here is the play by play....

I stripped all the flowers of thorns and leaves, put aside any that were looking a bit sad and then starting with the kale I placed them in my left hand making X's with the stems and turning every now and then until I had what I wanted. Then holding it like a bouquet I decided if I needed to move things or add things and then about 15 minutes after I started I wrapped it in some floral tape, cut all the stems to one length under water and then set it in a vase with some water at the bottom for the trip. I picked tough flowers. Other than the lisianthus and sweet peas all the other flowers could take some beating. I also took along several extra flowers just in case and although I didn't need them I did remove one flower that got the droops during it's trip, since it was near the base it didn't even matter.

The day of the wedding I took them out of the vase, dried the stems with a towel and covered the floral tape with some ribbon that I just tied in a bow. I left the bouquet at the hotel taking only some roses to press at home. Also I'd like to point out that the 35 dollars I spent on flowers from the market gave me enough flowers that I could have easily made 2-3 smaller bouquets after making mine. Instead I threw them in a vase and left them in my kitchen.

How does your garden grow.....

I have always known that I would do my own flowers. Flower arranging is something I've always been rather good at right up there with flower growing. For years I even arranged flowers for the office I worked in, I was given a budget each week and I would trek out to the flower markets on a Monday morning and then make a different arrangement every week. Clients always asked what florist we used. When I was a kid I would check out books on flower arranging from the library on a regular basis. I would love to be a professional florist maybe that's my calling.

In spring I planted a whole bunch of dahlias and in the past week some of them have started blooming. And boy are they beautiful. As an organic gardener I'm never sure how something will turn out, I'm constantly at war with various critters who think I've planted a delicious buffet just for them. I use companion plants that are known to repell inscects and other beneficial bugs that come in and eat the bad bugs. I'm the captain of my own lady bug army!

I should be able to use all flowers from my garden for my bouquet(fingers crossed that theres no freak hail storms!) flowers a grew myself that will be back every year around the same time so I can create my bouquet every year for free!

Day by day.

Since not fitting in my dress a few weeks back I have been looking a backup. Just in case. Which led me to this dress. From BCBG. You cannot tell from this photo but it has polka dots. swoon.

I said I'd give my dress a month to fit. So I still have two weeks to go, but everything feels so urgent and well in my case it is!

We still haven't heard from Montreal. Every time I check my email or my phone rings I think "Please let it be someone french."

I'm getting increasingly anxious by the day!

Luckily Mother Nature has decided ease my nerves by springing into action in my garden. It's bursting with blooms! Did you know Chocolate Cosmos smell like chocolate? Brilliant! The dahlias are delectable! And it's all going to get better!

Beauty inspired by beauty*

If you haven't taken a gander over at 100 Layer Cake then I suggest you get your over there now!

Every post makes my heart pitter patter a bit more. It's beautifully curated, I tried to think of a different word but it really does seem like a well curated collection.

This inspiration board is perhaps what I've been waiting for, not just for my wedding but for my home and well... my whole life! It makes my mind reel with possibilities. A cream dress with seafoam shoes, bridesmaids in terracotta and rose boys in ink with seafoam ties.

These flowers...

Yes sir I'm in lurve. Now we just have to agree on that pesky date thing.

(* Inspired by Kittens Inspired by Kittens..go watch it now!)