Hey ya’ll! How are we doing on this lovely Thursday??? Exactly 9 days until spring break, but who is counting ;). I am so excited to show you my first (of many) attempts at a corsage and boutonniere!
I now have much respect for floral designers who make 50+ for prom, weddings, etc.! It is not easy…! My hand was cramping, my stress level increased, and my concentration narrowed but I loved, loved, loved every minute of it!
We began by wiring all of the individual flowers and wrapping each stem with floral tape. The wire was placed in the head of the daisies and right below the bloom of the rose. If you look closely you can see the wire in the daisy above.
Next we added Tree Fern and Purple Limonium to the back of the corsage and boutonniere. After taping it up one more time, we added a bow below the flowers.
I hope you are as pleased with them as I am! Let the orders flow in, prom goers, brides, grooms, event participators… call me! 😉
Guess what Picking Wild Flowers? My flower seeds came in!! I am excited to write about the flower garden and I invite you to come along with me on my journey. Here are a few post ideas:
Is it Monday already?? It can’t be… this weekend went way to fast! Currently I am sitting at my dining room table in my cozy apartment while it drizzles outside. I am loving the odd weather! It may be getting me antsy for spring break though 😉
Between last week and this past weekend I am feeling pretty blessed. I had a great Valentine’s Day. Tyler surprised me at school with my favorite flowers. It is a semester of flowers, flowers, and more flowers and I am loving every minute of it!
Wednesday came around and it was time for my weekly floral design class. This week we designed 3 arrangements: french bouquet, wedding bouquet, and a small table design. I found the hand bouquets to be very frustrating! It was so hard to hold all the stems as you twisted and layered the flowers. We also had to make the flowers stand up on their own!
My flowers (amateur designer) of course would not stand up! I cut the bottom stems perfectly flat and the dang things just wouldn’t listen haha. I was so embarrassed but I worked hard and finally got them to stand on their own just as the teacher was walking around to each person’s station.
We then tore the bouquet apart to make the small table piece. It was sad pulling the flowers from their tightly bound arrangement, but in the end we had more practice.
I have to give a shout out to Tyler for making my week fantastic! Not only did he surprise me on Valentine’s Day, but he accompanied me to the National Farmers Union College Conference on Cooperatives in Minneapolis.
Doesn’t he clean up nicely? 😉 He is going to be mad at me… haha. We had a great time exploring the Twin Cities.
Did you know there are housing and restaurant co-ops? Ace Hardware is a co-op…it is ran by its employees!! We had the opportunity to tour Mississippi Market, Riverton Student Housing, and REI.
I learned so much from so many people. NFU put together a great line up of knowledgeable speakers and panelists. Coming from an agriculture background, I really only had experience with grain and local cooperatives, but co-ops are everywhere!
Iowa Folks
There were two other Iowans who joined us at the conference. It was great getting to network with people within our state and with people from across the U.S. I met 3 wonderful people from North Carolina.
NFU took us to the Mill City Museum and to a play called “Rise up O’men,” I highly recommend both! I had a blast stepping back into history.
Sunday came and the drive to Iowa was a sleepy one, but it is opportunities like this that I want to take advantage of. I am learning so much and I find the experience to be so valuable. Having a open mind and soaking in the world is something that will continue long after I graduate.
“Millennials love co-ops, they just don’t know it yet,” said keynote. Cooperatives are a very unique way to conduct business.
Thank you for taking time out of your day to read Picking Wild Flowers each week. Your continuous support and encouragement is making my blog come to life. I wish you a Happy Valentines Day!
These three things continue: FAITH, HOPE, and LOVE… and the greatest of these is LOVE.
XOXO
Morgan
I love Valentines Day! I love celebrating LOVE and cherishing those who are in my life! This is Tyler and I’s first Valentines Day <3! Being as Valentines Day is on a Tuesday I won’t be able to see Ty, therefore, I made him treats last weekend before heading back to school. Have you ever heard of Iowa Girl Eats? If not check her out because these Triple Fudge Brownie Truffles are chocolate heaven!
Coming off a chocolate high, I introduce to you two designs from last week! Enjoy!
Design One:
Asymmetrical Design3 Gerbera, 3 Bells of Ireland, 3 Aster, 2 Palm leaves, and 3 Linear Blue flowersBells of Ireland are so interesting!
Design Two:
Roses, Alstromerias, and Zinnias for Grandma Pat from Dad
Check out the largest arrangement I have created to date! Last week I mentioned my blog would soon be filled with floral arrangements and today I bring you my first one!! I am enrolled in a floral course this semester taught by an owner of Coe’s Floral and Gifts. Each week we will design a new style of arrangement. I am soaking in the information and trying to be in the moment each week as I practice my design skills.
As we walked into the hen house (AKA lab work space, but why not call it the hen house? #ISU horticulture students… haha) I was shocked by all of the flowers we had to process! Iowa State has gone above and beyond my expectations for this class. To process the flowers we had to strip all of the leaves and clip the stem diagonally to open the pores. While traveling, the flowers are in a state of “sleep” they are subject to a cold treatment that keeps them from growing. To “awaken” the blooms we need to use a flower hydrate solution. This encourages the stems to fill with water.
Dan, Coe’s Floral and Gifts owner, designed a recipe in advance for us to follow. The large focal arrangement included 3 Liatris stems, 3 Daisy Mums, 3 Purple Stocks, 3 Carnations, 3 White Daisies, 3 stems of Solidago, and Leather Leaf.
It was fun following the instructor as he gave some tips and tricks to the art of design. I was intimidated at first by the small bowl compared to the amount of flowers we were given, but in the end it was really fun to experiment with.
Guess what Picking Wild Flowers???? Tyler and I received the seed catalogs and have picked out the flowers we want to try growing this summer!! As many of you have probably guessed, flowers have become a new passion of mine. I love agriculture and I love the idea of small scale flower farming. I think it ties in nicely with my love for cattle and agriculture advocacy. With whatever I do with my degree once I graduate; whether that be marketing, public relations, writing, extension, event planning, etc., I know I want to actively participate in farming too and flowers can be my avenue.
This summer I am going to start with a small flower garden on the west side of the machine shed. The garden will be small to begin with, but maybe in the next few years I can expand to an acre or two out in the country somewhere. 🙂
This year, DRUM ROLL PLEASE, I have decided to try Sunflowers, Rudbeckia, Liatris, Mums, Asters, Baby’s Breath, Iris, and maybe Lavender. 🙂 🙂 I am so excited!!! AHHH. Want to know what I am most excited for??? Being outside, getting my hands dirty, and creating something that brings joy to everyone!!!
Have a great week everyone and remember to appreciate all the beauty God has created.
Merry Christmas!! This week we celebrate the birth of Jesus! Matthew 2:10- “when they saw the star they rejoiced.”
“Believe in the magic of the season! The magic of Christmas is not in the presents, but in his presence.”
Designing sure does put a smile on my face and I feel so blessed having the opportunity to utilize Gods floral creations.
I sure needed a lot of coffee for this gorgeous winter arrangement!! Grandma and Papa asked me to design a centerpiece, but little did they know I would get a crazy idea and run with it!!
“Star of David”
I am very proud with how the recipe for “Star of David” evolved and transformed into a beautiful holiday centerpiece. Continue reading for step by step directions 🙂
Step one: Choose a square vase of your choice. I loved the way the drawer looked rustic and vintage but still classy.
Step 2: Research ideas and buy supplies.
Step 3:
Begin by adding base flowers first. I started with Baby Breath and artificial greens.
Add focus flowers
Fill in the gaps
Add other items (pine cones, berries, candy, etc.
Step 4: Create a floral arrangement for someone you love with all the extras (mom) 😉
Last Step: Deliver them to destination with amazing and handy boyfriend!!
Thank you for reading! I hope you have a very very Merry Christmas!! Remember why we celebrate!
Tomorrow I am home bound! This week I wrapped up my LAST fall finals! I am looking forward to much needed time with friends and family! I have a break full of baking, camp preparing, and flower arranging planned!
O Christmas Flower! O Christmas Flower! Thy pedals are so unchanging;
O Christmas Flower! Oh Christmas Flower!
Thy pedals are so unchanging;
Lisa, a co-worker and friend, asked me to design two arrangements. One is for her mom and the other is for a friend who is graduating from nursing school. I enjoyed creating both of them, but my favorite was the Blissful design (pink roses).
Frosty
O Christmas Flower! Oh Christmas Flower!
Much pleasure thou can’st give me;
When Lisa and I walked into the flower shop we were saddened with the selection. I want PERSONALITY! I want WOW! I want FRESH!! I have found a gap in the market place and every day I find more and more motivation to fill it! Flowers are a instant breath of jazz. They might not last long but they make an everlasting impression.
O Christmas Flower! Oh Christmas Flower!
Much pleasure thou can’st give me.
After a little creativity and brainstorming we found the pink and white roses to be suitable! I purchased some evergreens and baby breath to use as fillers. The berries are actually fake but shhhh don’t tell anyone my secret. 😉
Blissful
I really appreciate those who believe in me and all of the practice I have received in the last few weeks. I have picked out a few potential flower garden locations! I need to start thinking about what varieties I want to grow. I know fear is just a part of the process but it will be very interesting to see how this first year goes. It is a year of changes: graduation, job search, flower growing, and moving back. 🙂
This week has been crazy!! Not only is it dead week, but I was invited to my first vendor show! Curves, workout facility, hosts a Christmas sale every year and they invite local women to display their products. I applaud Curves, it is a really good outlet for small town women entrepreneurs.
“Winter Wonderland”
I created two arrangements for the show: “Winter Wonderland, and “Candy Cane.” I heard about the show on Monday night and had to act fast. The show started yesterday and will last for a week! Tuesday was a FLORAL workday!! I was in my happy place 😉 #Goals!
“Candy Cane”
The floral recipes have a more complex design than what I have done in the past and it was a learning curve for sure. I enjoyed the challenge and I am pleased with the outcome. The two are on display with a brochure and a few business cards. I am hoping to receive a few orders this week before heading home for break!
Step one: Purchase supplies; I need to look into buying flowers wholesale. Growing my own will increase profits, but currently my profit margin is very very slim. Practice, Practice, Practice!
Step 2: Layout supplies. I went a little overboard with my purchases this week, but I just got way excited and wanted them to be perfect!
Step 3: “Winter Wonderland”Recipe
Finished Product! The “Winter Wonderland” arrangement took some serious thinking. I wanted to create a table piece that shouted Christmas, but more subtlety.
Step 4: “Candy Cane” Recipe. The ornaments were a challenge all in their own. This was the first time I used non-floral ingredients in my recipe. I conducted a lot of trial and error and ended up securing the bulb to a wooded stick.
What do you think?? I love the richness in the final product! Below is part of the brochure I took to Curves. Read my story and be sure to stay tuned for more floral recipes next week!
At the moment I am sipping hot cocoa while watching Country Christmas on ABC! It is hard to believe we only have 2 weeks of classes before finals! This past week was a great whirl wind! Pardon me while I stop singing “Wish You a Merry Christmas” and switch gears back to Thanksgiving. I am feeling blessed and thankful for many things!
Two weekends ago Dad, Tyler, and Kyle came up to watch the Iowa State Game. Dad should have joined us for more! With that score I think he was good luck!
Man was it cold that day! But I am not complaining, this year has been abnormally warm. The rest of the week was fantastic! I had the opportunity to spend a lot of good quality time with family. Including a workout session with Michael!! #PureTorture!
On Friday, Megan and I helped Pleasant Valley decorate Christmas trees. In return I took a few flowers home to play with ;).
The “Feeling Blessed” Flower Recipe is below! Follow the steps and enjoy!!
I started with an empty vase that is narrow towards the top. I chose to add twine around the lip but if you have a different color of ribbon feel free to add your own personality.
Dawn gave me a great variety of flowers to arrange with! For the first one I decided to try a simple rose bouquet. I learned through my research that alternation is key to a symmetrical and uniform arrangement.
Tyler and I enjoyed dinner with his parents on Friday night and I had the opportunity to take my flowers with me. 🙂
I created a second bouquet with the rest of the flowers and took them over to Grandma Pats; she loved them!
I am interested in growing my own flowers this summer. If you have any tips and tricks you’ve learned over the years please let me know!
Have a great holiday season! I hope to again make a weekly presence on Picking Wild Flowers! A month was way to long!
Remember to feel thankful for our many blessings everyday!
Happy Tuesday FLOWER Lovers! This weekend was crazy busy!! The orchard is in full bloom and the lines for the Cafe are beyond a comfortable limit!! Apple donuts, pies, and hot cider is pushing my fall fetish to full capacity!!
Side Note: I am playing on an undefeated intramural volleyball team!! Talk about a GREAT Monday! 🙂
Back to the post topic:
Today we have an Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Women in Ag Education Training Session and I get to supply the flowers!! I am so excited to represent Picking Wild Flowers during our meeting. I really enjoy the extra practice and opportunity to express myself!
I wanted to create a design that was professional but still made the room feel comfortable. I decided to cook up a pretty simple arrangement. A good center piece starts with a vase. I purchased 7 small vases with two different styles.
The focus flowers include Baby’s Breath and Daisies. I am currently IN LOVE with Fall and I wanted to represent the leaves turning. The Baby’s Breath made a nice neutral base. I added a brown vegetation (optional) behind the Baby’s Breath to help highlight the colors in the Daisies.
Daisies come in all sorts of colors! (Wink Wink: Red, Orange, and Yellow)
Always start with the base flowers!
Place the focus flower.
They all don’t have to be exactly alike but should be similar. It is nice to add a touch of personality to each one.
And I am off!! A bucket of flowers surely can make one’s day!! #FoodForTheSoul
My first floral recipe! I am so excited to share this Fall arrangement with you. Grab your coffee, your favorite vase and lets cook!
I began by purchasing the following flowers: 2 Daisies, 5 White Roses, 3 Hydrangea, 1 bunch of Ornamental Grass, 5 Alstroemeria, and 5 Limonium stems. I also made sure to throw flower food into my cart (Top Fresh dissolves into the water and helps prevent bacteria growth).
I will try and let the pictures tell the story :).
Strip the flowers of all stem leaves. Conserve the plants energy to extend flower longevity.
Begin with the base and place the focus flowers aesthetically.
Doesn’t he clean up nicely? 😉 He is going to be mad at me… haha. We had a great time exploring the Twin Cities.
Picking Wild Flowers 