Fleurs De Villes: Apotheca Design at the 2020 Northwest Flower & Garden Festival

"Emerging from the lush valley to ignite the fire in your heart and stir your soul to dance - she is the Festival Goddess. Inspired by British fashion and fiber artist Eleanor Amoroso and my own annual migration - Wanderlust - her boho eclectic look is created using tropicals fused with romantic florals and sustainable succulents."- Apotheca Design

She is nothing short of spectacular, a Festival Goddess on her throne.

I am thrilled that Fleurs De Villes (Flowers of the Cities) is making its debut this year at the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival in Seattle. The visionary company partners with local florists in the event city and works with partners and floral sources (thank you, Washington Floral Service!) to put on a visual show. You can learn more about it from the creators, Karen Marshall & Tina Barkley on Debra Prinzing's Slow Flowers Podcast Episode. 

I love when artists are given free reign to use unexpected materials to create something beautiful and interesting. The Fleurs De Villes mannequins I've seen on Instagram have been incredible. The wilder the better. And I think that is what inspires the designers in each city to up their game. Strappy sandals where "the straps" are leaf fronds. Earrings made of seed mosaics. When I was on the phone with my best friend describing the concept, apparently I said, "there could be corsets made of primulas!" and she told me I needed to calm down.  

This installation (below) is near the show's main entrance, and was inspired by the phrase Some Like It Hot. It is the work of floral designer Kara Natalia who owns and operates Apotheca Design, a floral and botanical design studio on San Juan Island. 

Kara was very kind and ducked out of the Meet & Greet held inside the main Show Garden area and came to talk to me by her mannequin in the grand entrance hall. As a judge, I am not allowed into the Show Garden area until 1 pm on Tues Feb 25th, the deadline that the Grand Garden designers have to complete their displays. As luck would have it, the press Meet & Greet with the Fleurs De Villes floral designers was held inside the Show where the other 12 mannequins were displayed. Kara was kind to make sure I got one great interview on press day!

Isn't she incredible? Yes, you can interpret that I am talking about both the mannequin and the designer. Kara had the vision to seat a queen on a throne of sustainably sourced grasses from her local park (with permission and assistance) and allow the colors of fire to show both movement and grace. Kara learned macrame on YouTube to craft a corset befitting a natural goddess. She made the perfect leaf-covered pumps with Echeveria flair, because women in heels get things done. 

I love that Kara already had a secret weapon - she makes real women into goddesses every day with her living jewelry, which I was happy to hear will be available for purchase within the Fleurs De Ville booth at the Northwest Flower & Garden Show this week. Lucky us! I'll be the first one there tomorrow. Kara knows how to create a headpiece of succulents and an armband of living tendrils and her craftsmanship shows. Bravo.

I am happy. Yes, flowers make people happy. This is the beauty of everyday life. I urge you to visit the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival and see it all for yourself. Feb 26 - March 1 at the Washington Convention Center in Seattle

#nwfgs #springfever #nwfgf #fleursdeville2020 #apothecadesign #finddelight #seattleblogger #slowflowers #washingtonfloralservice  

Northwest Flower & Garden Festival: Succulent Souvenir: Kileen's Garden Boutique

The Northwest Flower & Garden Festival starts Feb 26th at the Washington State Convention Center and in my shopping series, I wanted to spotlight a great booth called Kileen's Garden Boutique.

I had direct experience with them because one of my neighbors made a purchase from their booth and was so happy with it, she asked if I would go back and get her another one the next day. For a price, you receive everything you need to make a complete succulent garden to fill a shape, like a wooden Initial box (represent your last name) or a heart. It is really cute. 

My friend Jenny wanted to give her friend the letter P. I chose 7 small succulents and the shop keeper supplied the moss, potting material (not much more than what is in each pot, if I remember correctly) and everything the recipient needs to plant a little garden. I think this is a great gift.

Be sure to look for this cute booth and consider a succulent souvenir from the 2020 Northwest Flower & Garden Festival 

#nwfgs #succulents #souvenirs #kileensgarden #gardengift #seattle

Northwest Flower & Garden Show: Shop & Swoon

Ravenna Gardens booth 2019

Have we talked about the shopping you can do at the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival? I know you fall apart when you see great houseplant posts on Instagram, but where can you get a beauty of your own? Independent Garden Centers, of course! Did you know that many of Seattle best garden stores build their dream shop inside the show? I bought a beautiful ceramic pot that hangs from leather cords in the Ravenna Gardens booth above.

Swanson's Nursery booth 2019

Look at these spectacular plants that were in the Swanson's Nursery booth last year. I was green with envy. This is the beauty of everyday life and it is alive!

Swanson's Nursery booth 2019

The independent garden center booths often have unusual containers to pot your plants in. I just love these pieces I found in the Swanson's Nursery booth last year - plant them and you have living art on your wall. That will brighten up any small apartment, I promise.

Every year I stop at the Pelindaba Lavender booth and inhale. They have beautiful products made from their lavender farm. My first purchase was dried lavender fire sticks that I wrote about in my French Flair blog post in 2016. They dip the dried lavender stalks in colored wax and prepare them to be tossed in a camp fire. I keep mine in my linen closet. They look pretty and smell great. I hope to visit their farm on the San Juan Island, WA (near Seattle). Some day I'll go camping the Pacific Northwest...went I do, I'll bring along a lavender stick to enhance the fire. They sell real lavender plants too. And lavender jelly. And dried lavender wreaths. Have a sister-in-law with a birthday coming up? This is the place to shop.

How are you going to manage all of these packages? Never fear, the Northwest Flower & Garden Show has a free package/bag check for the plants and pots you purchase. The show starts Weds Feb 26, 2020 at the Washington State Convention Center. Check out www.gardenshow.com for details.

***Update: I swear I wrote this blog post first and then last night (02/20/20) I got the mail and started reading the beautiful new March issue of Better Homes & Gardens. Guess what I saw!? The exact same hanging wall planter I pointed out to you yesterday! Swanson's Nursery & I showed you first!

#nwfgf #nwfgs #springfever #seattleblogger #seattle #finddelight #beautyofeverydaylife #gardenshow #bhg #NWFGF2020 #fernlove

Northwest Flower and Garden Festival: Grand Show Gardens Indoors

2019 Notting Hill Modern English Garden by Folia Horticultural & Design

The Show Garden Creators at the Northwest Flower and Garden Festival design, build, plant and deliver a living world inside the Washington State Convention Center. Real trees, giant boulders, flowing rivers, blooming gardens. In my opinion, the entire process is nothing short of Eden and you should see it for yourself.  

For example, look at the photograph above. Imagine standing right there and taking a deep breath before peeking into this chic monochromatic garden in London's Notting Hill. Is that Julia Roberts' reflection in those incredible stainless steel orbs? Maybe if you squint? Enjoy it because in this moment, you are the star living in style.

Stand there and smell the hyacinths. Hear the smooth wall of water as it pools in the catch basin. The ability to engage the senses is the thrill of the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival. 

It is unreasonable to build grand show gardens indoors for just a few days and that is precisely what makes it so wonderful. 

The Northwest Flower & Garden Festival was just ranked the Number 1 Flower & Garden Show in the United States by Better Homes & Garden magazine. It opens Wednesday, Feb 26, 2020 and runs through Sunday, March 1.  Wednesday - Saturday: 9:00 am - 8:00 pm; Sunday: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm

#springfever #nwfgs #finddelight #beautyofeverydaylife #gardendesign

Delightful Feedback: Roadrunner Pin

Remember my recent blog post about wearing Sentimental Jewelry? I suggested that you go to your jewelry box and pull out something that was given to you long ago and wear it. My item was this roadrunner pin from my Great Aunt Wezie, who mailed it to me when she lived near my Grandmother in Arizona when I was about 12. 

Well the next day, a reader wrote me to tell me about HER roadrunner pin! Can you believe it? My post brought her delight and she gave me permission to share her message. She also wrote again to tell me that she would be wearing her roadrunner pin to court soon. This is the beauty of everyday life. 

"I had to write and tell you how much I enjoy your blog. I’m a Probate and Family court judge now.  I see a lot of sad events in people’s lives and find myself checking your blog some days for a bit of sunshine.


Today, I saw your roadrunner pin post.    My mom gave me a gold roadrunner pin after my election, telling me that I had more in common with a roadrunner than anything!  That was seven years and a lot of miles ago.  I thought your post must be a sign to finally email and say thank you for being you and posting such pretty, and cute, things." 

#beautyofeverydaylife #sentimental #storytelling #jewelrybox

Happy Valentine's Day: A Galentine's Party with My Neighbors

I had a great time preparing for and writing about the 12 Days of Valentine's Day this year. I hope you enjoyed it too. It culminated with a Galentine's Party at my house with a bunch of my neighbors.

 My sugar cookies were delicious, though they certainly looked homemade.

I made my popular raspberry punch with heart shaped ice cubes, made with cranberry juice for a deep red color. One friend told me she loved it so much that she drank 4 cups! Now that is a successful punch recipe.

We laughed; we ate sweets; we caught up with one another. It was a great party the night before Valentine's Day. I hope you are having a great week too.

#12daysofvalentinesday #valentinesday #valentine

12 Days of Valentine's Day: Day 11: Make Memories and Art with an App

It's the last day of the 12 Days of Valentine's Day 2020 and I was trying to think of a way to make this string of delightful days last a little longer. How can I encourage you to make the perishable permanent. Yes, I've said that before, but when we're talking about remembering all of the love you have in your life, it seems even more important. 

That's when it occurred to me that though I've told you about the app Waterlogue (this is not an ad; I'm just a fan), I haven't told you to convert a photo in relation to Valentine's Day. Waterlogue is an app that can change any photograph on your phone into a watercolor image in about 5 minutes. The image is stored as a jpeg and can be adjusted in style, brightness and color. It is amazing. I used Waterlogue to convert my photo of Valentine's chocolates in the beginning of this blog series.

Isn't it fantastic? My suggestion is you take a photo to commemorate something fun from this week and then convert it to a piece of watercolor art you can print and save. Isn't that a great idea? Your desk needs a little something extra to show that at Valentine's Day you were extra.

Tomorrow is the big day. May you wear red. Greet people with kindness and enjoy some sweet treats. Happy Day 11.

#12daysofvalentinesday #valentinesday #valentine #waterlogue #makingmemories #finddelight #beautyofeverydaylife #littlepiecesofart #makeart

12 Days of Valentine's Day"Day 10: Be Yourself & Wear Red

Who is this girl writing about the #12daysofvalentinesday? It’s me! And thanks to my mom, we’ve been celebrating love and hearts and friendship for my whole life. I’m just trying to bring you all in on the fun. Yes, I’ve been expertly ladling punch since I was 12. Today I’m baking cookies for a party tomorrow and wearing a red scarf when I go out on errands. My message is be yourself and wear red today. Let me know how it goes. Happy Day 10! 

#valentines #valentinesparty #ivebeenmeforalongtime #day10 #beautyofeverydaylife #finddelight #beautyofeverydaylife

12 Days of Valentine's Day:Day 9: Dinner by Candlelight

12 Days of Valentine’s Day: Day 9: Candlelight. No matter what you’re having for dinner, it will taste better in candlelight. Happy Day 9. And as a friend pointed out on Facebook, we all look more beautiful by candlelight too. Can't hurt! Relax, breathe and enjoy the flicker.

#12daysofvalentinesday #imhavingcauliflowerpizza #valentinesday #beautyofeveryday #candlelight

12 Days of Valentine's Day: Day 8: Make A Scrapbook Paper Runner

12 Days of Valentine’s Day: Day 8: Paper Runner. A few years ago I made this pretty pastel runner (top of photo, above) for my kitchen island out of pieces of coordinating #scrapbook paper in shades of pink, aqua, cream & blue, stuck to a length of contact paper. It was unique and original and 100% my original idea. Today I made one for Valentine's Day out of the cute scrapbook papers you see spread out above, with a solid red heart paper place mat as the focal point...  

IT'S SO CUTE! I could not be happier with how this Valentine's runner turned out. I am having some ladies over for a casual Valentine's Girl's Night Out on Thursday and I know we will stand around in the kitchen talking. This will be a very festive focal point.

How did I do it?

I bought about 20 square sheets of American Crafts scrapbook paper at Joann Fabric. I trimmed off the edge with the corporate details and cut the paper into wide strips, large squares or big pieces. Then I arranged them on my island in the same width as a standard roll of clear contact paper and as long as I wanted on the island. When it looked good, I unfurled the contact paper (sticky side up - this takes courage) and taped each end down with a few pieces of clear tape for stability. Then I arranged the pieces of paper like a quilt until I was finished! Tah-dah! Yes, I've over-simplified, but you get the idea. 

Happy 12 Days of Valentine's Day, Day 8.

#12daysofvalentinesday #day8 #Celebrate #beautyofeverydaylife #finddelight #papercrafts #americancrafts #scrapbookpaper #thiscreativelife #makersgottamake #seattleblogger

12 Days of Valentine's Day: Day 7: Flowers For the House

12 Days of Valentine’s Day: Day 7: Buy Yourself Some Flowers for the House. I bought this bouquet of Stock last Monday @costco for $9.99. They still look fresh and gorgeous and I’ll enjoy them well into this week. They make me happy every time I see them and the house looks great. Don’t pin your hope on roses next Friday. Enjoy any type of flowers today! 

#12daysofvalentinesday #valentinesday #findingdelight #beautyofeverydaylife #buyflowers

12 Days of Valentine’s Day: Day 6: Shop For Heart Bedecked Paper Goods

12 Days of Valentine’s Day: Day 6: Shop for Paper Goods  I meant to post a suggestion for the 12 Day of Valentine’s Day earlier, but I left my phone at home! I was out all day with my husband running errands, drinking lattes and buying stuff @homedepot . So today’s  suggestion could be to “invite someone you enjoy to pal around with you all day.” I’ll share my original suggestion too. Buy heart-bedecked paper goods and use them! I’m co-hosting a #Galentines party next week and these are the plates & napkins I found. 

#12daysofvalentinesday #valentinesday #day6 #party #beautyofeverydaylife

12 Days of Valentines Day: Day 5: Sugar Cookies

It isn't Valentine's Day without my paternal grandmother Nama's sugar cookies baked into hearts. She made these gorgeous cookies for us every year and I remember that she liked to include a few hearts frosted in chocolate frosting (add cocoa powder to frosting when mixing) and she loved the color purple, so many of her heart were shades of lavender and purple. This batch was all shades of pink. I am helping to host a Valentine's Galentines Party next week and I am baking these for the girls. Yum! Happy Day 5

Nama's Old Fashioned Rolled Sugar Cookies

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
2 Tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder

Cream butter in mixing bowl. Beat in sugar, egg, milk & vanilla. Add flour, salt & baking powder. Mix well. Divide dough in half and wrap each disc of dough in waxed paper. Chill in refrigerator at least one hour. Use plenty of flour on board, rolling pin & cookie cutters to prevent sticking. Roll out dough 1/4 inch thick and cut out shapes with cookie cutters. Bake at 375* on a parchment paper lined or un-greased cookie sheet for 5-8 minutes.

Nama's Frosting

Mix 2 Tablespoons of hot water to 1 cup powdered sugar. Mix with whisk until no lumps. Tint with a drop or two of liquid food coloring. Spread with knife. Frosting should not run off the cookie. add more powdered sugar if you make it too thin. Frosting will dry and look beautiful. Do not stack cookies or they will dent each other.

Note: Using hot water makes the frosting shiny. Add drops of hot water as needed to perfect consistency.

#12daysofvalentinesday #valentinesday #cookies #beautyofeverydaylife #finddelight #grandmothersrecipe #cookiemonster #prettyinpink

12 Days of Valentines Day: Day 4: Add Some Whimsy

12 Days of Valentine’s Day: Day 4: Add Some Whimsy to Your Home. I hung framed and hung these 2 holiday cards recently. I love the contrast of soft winter white with shades of red. The painting of cherries was done by my great-grandmother and I was able to hang it with Elmer's mounting putty. Safe for the walls and this precious antique. But I have been grappling with what would finish this grouping and I have been patiently auditioning different things in my mind. Then it came to me...my tin hearts would be darling. 

You may not have wire hearts ready to hang on the wall with mounting putty, but you probably have something cute to add a little something around your family room. Be on the lookout for some way to add some whimsy to your life this week. Push a straw into the dirt of a houseplant and attach red glitter heart. Buy red heart paper place mats and put them on your table for breakfast. Arrange the magnets on your refrigerator into a heart. You get the idea. 

Today’s the day look for a sweet (and inexpensive!) touch of whimsy. Happy Day 4.

#beautyofeverydaylife #12daysofvalentinesday #finddelight #day4 #whimsy

12 Days of Valentines Day: Day 3: Sentimental Jewelry

12 Days of Valentine’s Day. Day 3 Go to your jewelry box and pull out some sentimental jewelry and wear it. You’ll think of that person all day. This roadrunner pin was a gift from my Great Aunt Wezie. She lived in Arizona near her only sister, my grandmother Anne. She bought this and sent it to me, wanting me to have something distinct from the area where they  lived.  #womeninmyfamily #beautyofeverydaylife #12daysofvalentinesday #valentinesday #day3

12 Days of Valentine's Day: Day 2: Send Letters in the Mail

Could any of us really be too busy to write? I have chosen "Mailing Valentines" as my activity for Day 2 of the 12 Days of Valentines Day. You can do whatever you want to mark the occasion, no pressure. I just like to tell you what I'm up to so that you have ideas to work from.

I'm going to take an hour after dinner and hand-write notes to some of my oldest friends. I haven't done this in ages and I know that they will love getting something in the mail as much as I do.

Don't you love this Vintage Valentine? I found it at an antique show and knew that it would be fun to share here. I hope that even if you have been going on long walks in the woods, you still aren't too busy to write your friends. Happy Day 2.

#12daysofvalentinesday #beautyofeverydaylife #valentinesday #writeyourfriends #finddelight

12 Days of Valentine's Day: Celebrate the Joy of Loving So Many People in Your Life

Today is the first day of The 12 Days of Valentine’s Day! It’s a time when you do little things to show love for family, friends and yourself. Wear something red, set the table with pink place mats, put sprinkles on your kids' pancakes. Everything “counts” when you are celebrating the fact that you love a lot of people.

When someone notices, tell them about the 12 Days of Valentine’s Day and encourage them to find their own way of expressing love over the next 12 days. It's so fun. Today I am going to find something festive to hang in my front door. Tomorrow I will be mailing Valentines to a few old friends. 

This is how I celebrate the beauty of every day life. Join me? I'd love to hear how you are celebrating.

*How did this come to be? In February 2008, I had all of my heart-shaped cake pans out on the kitchen counter. I had pink carnations in a vase in the kitchen and was plotting all kinds of baking fun for the week. When I brought up which night we should order heart-shaped pizza (because they only make it for the 3 days leading up to Valentines Day) Dan blurted out, "What is this, the 12 Days of Valentine's Day?" and I stopped in my tracks. What an awesome name for what I had always done: the joy of celebrating Valentines Day for 2 weeks. It's impossible to get all of the heart-shaped food and decorations into one day, so why not spread it out over 12 days and share the fun with everyone you love.

#12daysofvalentinesday #beautyofeverydaylife #finddelight #givetoothers #sharethelove #itssofun #winwin #makeyourhearthappy

Hygge at my House

I was at a meeting last night and as an ice breaker, we went around the table and said what we liked about Winter, or were looking forward to about Spring.

I said that after the layers of color, glitter and music of Christmas, I was enjoying the Danish concept of hygge at my house. The calming effect of candles, soft colors, warm drinks and cozy sweaters. I always write about the beauty of every day life. This moment in time (January) I dedicate to renewal with neutral colors and quiet moments. I think it is wonderful. 

I pronounced it wrong last night, BTW. Apparently it sounds more like "hoo-ga."

I have a green plant in cement pot. I am making sausage, potato & kale soup tonight. I love having a fire in the fireplace every evening. I put gray knit place mats from Hobby Lobby on my kitchen table. They are the definition of cozy.

On Instagram @FindDelight, you can see that I tried the mats with great print napkins (cute!) but style-wise, they have been delayed until the weather gets warmer. Too spring-y.

I am relaxing in all neutrals and I like it! 

Valentine's Day is coming and soon the cute will take over. 

#hygge #seattle #beautyofeverydaylife

     

Darling Valentine Strawberries at Fred Meyer

Our local Fred Meyer superstore had a really fun approach to Valentine's Day this year. In addition to aisles of paper valentines, heart-bedecked housewares for your kitchen and a special floral department set up to make and wrap arrangements, they had a chocolate-dipped strawberry station. 

I took a great photo of the large "long stemmed" strawberries (is there such a description?) and they were so red and beautiful, they could have been sold as is. But, the attraction was 2 gloved ladies from the bakery department in charge of dipping the strawberries in white or dark chocolate and then adding a sprinkle of red heart jimmies, sparkling pink sugar or a mixture of both. I didn't manage to get a picture of the final product as it was a well-oiled machine and I didn't want to interrupt. Once the lid was snapped on for sale, the magic was gone and the image would not have captured you, so I moved on.

I took a few photos and I wanted to share because it was all of the things Valentine's Day should be for adults. It was fun, pretty, delicious and spontaneous. I'm sure a lot of dads out there dashed into Fred Meyer to grab flowers or a card and were rewarded with a really cool, really memorable treat for his loved ones. Way to go, Fred Meyer!

#fredmeyer #onestopshop #issaquahwa #valentinesday #strawberrylove #strawberryfields #chocolate

2020 Northwest Flower & Garden Festival

Northwest Orchid Society display 2019

Have you found yourself standing wistfully in front of the grocery store floral department. Do you need some space to dream about nature? I am here to remind you that oxygen is on the way! The Northwest Flower and Garden Festival begins Wednesday, February 26 - Sunday, March 1 at the Washington State Convention Center. Mark your calendar, call your friends and make a plan. 

As a blogger who writes about the beauty of every day life, I love the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival because it showcases the best the industry has to offer. Horticulture, landscape and design professionals come together to show off their best work, dazzle the public, gain clients and wow the industry.  And you get to come admire their work. You will love walking among the Display Gardens - the scale is so big, it's easy to forget that you're indoors. 

 Nature Perfect Landscape & Design 2019/Dragon by Jeffro Uitto

Wherever you are in your action plan, the Northwest Flower and Garden Festival has your next step. You can go to be inspired or arrive with a list to start bringing a plan to life. There are nurseries selling flowering shrubs. Vendors selling garden tubs. You can think about color, texture, shade, spacing, fragrance...whatever your space requires.  

Perhaps you would like to carve out a space to entertain more often. You can consider just about anything to make an outdoor living room more cohesive. Come wander around the Northwest Flower & Garden Festival and take notes, I know you will be delighted and inspired. #

Designs by deLeuw 2019