Archive for May, 2009

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Eating Well, Living Well

Friday, May 29th, 2009

My sister-in-law recently introduced me to what is now one of my favorite magazines — EatingWell. It’s based out of Vermont and has a strong emphasis on cooking with fresh, local ingredients. The recipes are simple to follow and the results are delicious; the articles are beautifully written and accompanied by gorgeous photography.

Much of the content is written by nutritionists and registered dieticians and all of it is reviewed by their Nutrition & Health Advisory Board. But this is NOT a diet magazine. As its name indicates, it’s simply about eating well — good food from real food sources (no quirky substitutes or artificial shortcuts). And, by the way, no pushy agendas.

All that being said, I have been so inspired this week by the idea of food and design. On Tuesday, Rachel talked about Pantone’s greenmarket color palette for 2009 and set a rustic table using natural colors and materials fit for any farm fresh meal. On Wednesday, I discussed the amazing long white tables that are the signature canvas for “Outstanding in the Field” dinner parties. So I had a little fun last night pairing some of the juicy food photography from EatingWell with a few delicious rooms from designer Jay Jeffers’ portfolio.

{photos: left, Ken Burris for Eating Well magazine; right, Jeffers Design Group}

{photos: left, Ken Burris for EatingWell magazine; right, Jeffers Design Group}

{photos: left and right, Jeffers Design Group; middle, Ken Burris for Eating Well magazine}

{photos: left and right, Jeffers Design Group; middle, Ken Burris for EatingWell magazine}

{photos: left, Ken Burris for Eating Well magazine; right, Jeffers Design Group}

{photos: left, Ken Burris for EatingWell magazine; right, Jeffers Design Group}

{photos: left, Ken Burris for Eating Well magazine; right, Jeffers Design Group}

{photos: left, Ken Burris for EatingWell magazine; right, Jeffers Design Group}

So the next time you’re in a design rut, check out Mother Nature’s portfolio. She is a master at mixing colors and textures…

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Posted in Inspired Nest | 1 Comment »

Over the Shoulder Vegetable Holder

Thursday, May 28th, 2009

I asked Stephanie to help me with a little project this week. I made a few new market bags for toting my goodies from the farm co-op, and I wanted to embellish them with fabric appliques. Stephanie whipped up 4 great designs for me to choose from, and I couldn’t narrow them down to one or two so I used them all.

I made 2 bags, one is a backpack and the other is a tote. The tote is really simple to make, you can download the instructions here. I’m still working out some kinks in my backpack pattern, so I’ll post those instructions after a few tweaks. If you don’t want to make a bag from scratch you can always add the appliques to any bag that you happen to have. They are very easy to apply, just a few quick steps:

    1. Download the applique designs here and print.

    2. Trace the designs onto double-sided fusible web (I recommend “Steam-A-Seam 2″ because it is washable). Remember to trace the applique in reverse of how you want it to appear on your bag.

    3. Follow the directions on the fusible web package to adhere the web to the applique fabric.

    4. Cut out the applique and follow the fusible web directions for adhering it to the bag.

I’m really pleased with how the bags turned out, and they look great with the purse that my husband and daughter gave me for Mother’s Day!

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Posted in Build the Nest | 1 Comment »

Outstanding in the Field

Wednesday, May 27th, 2009

Do you know about Outstanding in the Field? There is something about this organization that really stirs my soul.

A proponent of the local food movement, Jim Denevan and his crew travel the country setting up long, interconnected, white tables throughout farms, fields and vineyards where he serves a full-course meal at the source. He not only invites the community to participate, but also the farmers, artisans and vintners who provide the ingredients. It’s not a restaurant and it’s not a private party. It’s a movement. And I am moved.

I imagine dinner in Heaven might look just like this…

{photos: Outstanding in the Field}

{photos: Outstanding in the Field}

The concept is delightful, and important. And I am very seriously considering a reservation, assuming I can actually get one! They go quickly. In the meantime, I bought a copy of Jim’s book and joined a farm co-op in my community.

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) supports fresh, local and healthy food. There are a number of ways to get involved, including crop shares and co-ops. The co-op that Rachel and I joined, Fall Line Farms, offers year-round access to several participating farms and artisans in our community. We place orders online weekly from a list of available produce, meat, fish, dairy, poultry and baked goods. They have arranged for locally owned business throughout the city to host weekly pick-ups. Rachel and I pick up our groceries Thursday afternoons at a favorite wine and cheese shop in our neighborhood.

I enjoy cooking and eating well is important to me. The process of selecting my food straight from the fields actually reduces the stress of “what to make for dinner.” I simply have to figure out how to use what I have. I’m much more creative and I spend a whole lot less time wandering the aisles at the grocery store!

Here are some of the recipes I’ll be trying from Jim Denevan’s farm to table cookbook:

  • Tomato Water
  • Almond & Orange Cake
  • Rainbow Shard Tart
  • Mixed Berry Tart with Meyer Lemon Pastry Cream
  • Pasta with Walnut Sauce
  • Baby Turnip Soup
    • {photos: Outstanding in the Field}

    {photos: Outstanding in the Field}

    Many more incredible photographs, stories and tour dates can be found on their website, www.outstandinginthefield.com, and their blog.

    To learn more about farms, markets, CSA’s and co-ops in your community, visit www.localharvest.org or www.communitygarden.org.

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    Posted in Leave the Nest | 8 Comments »

    To Market, To Market

    Tuesday, May 26th, 2009


    I recently saw Pantone’s 2010 color forecast for home and interiors on apartment therapy. It must be such a fascinating job to study colors and predict what our favorites will be in the future. The “greenmarket” color scheme in particular caught my eye.

    {greenmarket from Pantone}

    {greenmarket from Pantone}

    I’ve always been a fan of produce stands and farmers markets, but I have certainly caught the “go local” bug this year and even joined a farm to family co-op (more on that later this week). I bet the beautiful produce I have been bringing home would look perfect on a table set using the greenmarket palette. I decided to play around a little and see what I could come up with:

    {images from purl soho, global table, Martha Stewart, west elm, and glassybaby}

    {images from purl soho, global table, Martha Stewart, west elm, and glassybaby}

    I would start with a table cloth made out of Naomi Ito’s scattered dots in yellow, and I would round out the linens with one of my favorites, a mixed set of dinner napkins, made from Yuwa Fabric’s live life stripes in coffee, Seven Islands sakura in chartreuse, and Kokka’s small yellow pears (all of these fabrics are from purl soho). I rediscovered global table while doing some surfing the other day. This site has an interesting selection of table-wares, and I think the pordamsa dinnerware would be a great addition to the table. A couple of years ago I gave a glassybaby votive holder to my girlfriends for Christmas, and I have wanted some for my table ever since. So, I would include a few in “true love” on my greenmarket table. To serve my farm-fresh food, I would use west elm’s rustic wood serving pieces. Last, but not least, my centerpiece would be a few of these adorable chamomile arrangements (courtesy of Martha Stewart, of course).

    I’ll let you know if I can make this table setting a reality – I’d like to at least get to the table cloth and napkins!

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    Posted in Inspired Nest | 3 Comments »

    Memorial Day at Urban Nest

    Monday, May 25th, 2009


    We are enjoying the day with our families, but will be back tomorrow with a full week packed with great ideas! Stay tuned as we celebrate farmer’s markets and share with you a keen new how-to.

    Cheers! Stephanie, Juliet, & Rachel

    Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

    Easy Reading

    Friday, May 22nd, 2009

    Hello! I’m straying from this week’s “Our House” topics today to share some new blogs I’m reading.

    I recently participated in an online class about blogging. Holly Becker of decor8 organized and facilitated a truly remarkable endeavor in April called, Blogging Your Way. If you are not already familiar with Holly and her blog, she is incredibly accomplished and has worked really hard to get where she is today. Not to mention, her work and her inspirations are simply beautiful.

    I had the joy of learning not only a ton of practical and professional lessons about this quickly rising industry, but also her very real and personal path to success. It was an honor to benefit directly from her dedication to her work and to this Internet community.

    {image Sarah Richardson Design Inc.}

    {image Sarah Richardson Design Inc.}

    So, I am still digging through my notes and have lots to apply to Urban Nest over the next several weeks. In the meantime, I want to introduce you to just a few of the 200 other aspiring bloggers from Blogging Your Way. Please note that I haven’t even begun to get through all of them, so this really is just a sampling of where I’ve landed in the past six weeks.

    Enjoy!

    We’ll be back on Tuesday. Have a lovely weekend.
    : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :
    dress design décor
    I want it all. Everything on Daniella’s blog evokes a dreamy list of ooh’s and aah’s.

    visual notes
    Straight up eye-candy, this blog is full of interesting, inspiring and covetable images!

    Ink on my fingers
    This is a beautiful blog with amazing photography. Check out today’s post to get to know a little more about decor8’s Holly Becker.

    Simply Hue
    Vicki is a professional color consultant and she writes about all the things I love, with a focus on their color stories. Her selection of photography is delightful.

    orange and pear
    Lovely blog and business dedicated to the art of giving. I love buying meaningful presents and, perhaps more, wrapping them!

    the inspired bride
    This is a terrific blog for any aesthete. I have always found that wedding design can inspire my fashion, décor, and artwork. If it’s beautiful for a wedding, it’s beautiful for life. Check out some of Maddy’s “Color Cards.” Inspiration is all around us.

    Rug Design
    I had no idea there were so many amazing rug designs out there! Even if you’re not in the market for a rug, you will love sifting through these images and stories!

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    Posted in Uncategorized | 8 Comments »

    Garden Shed Negotiations

    Thursday, May 21st, 2009

    We just completed a major landscaping overhaul that I could not be more excited about, especially since we finally tore out the rusty old aluminum utility shed and replaced it with a sweet little garden shed. I don’t know how I overlooked this eyesore when we bought our house. I can only assume that it was one of the things I chalked up to a quick fix, no problem. Well, five years later, that not so quick fix is, finally, no longer a problem.

    {before - What an eyesore!}

    {before - What an eyesore!}

    These sheds are somewhat of a staple for urban dwellers with limited storage. Basements are not a given, and crawl spaces are not suitable for storage (in my opinion!). And so you see lots of charming little cottages tucked away in backyards where we live. The best ones assume the character — architecture, construction and/or color — of the house.

    {image from ShedsUSA}

    {image from ShedsUSA}

    We opted for an out-of-the-box shed from a large retailer that was fully installed to our specifications in about an hour. Needless to say, I couldn’t wait to paint it to match our painted brick house! I never expected that my husband had his own vision for our little shed. Before I could say “NOOOOO!” he had stained the cedar paneling and trim. It would be perfect tucked in a mountainside in Scandinavia. But we have a Cape Cod on a busy street in a Southern city…

    {my garden shed moment}

    {my garden shed moment}

    I sat with it for nearly a week. I planted the flower box. And I hoped that it might look different once I painted the walls. I wanted to validate his enthusiasm for at home projects — desperately. But, with one stroke of the paint brush, I knew there would have to be some quick negotiations. Paintbrush in hand, I sent a text from the backyard that read, “Painting shed. What do you want for it?”

    {left, Scandinavian stain; right, quaintly painted}

    {left, Scandinavian stain; right, quaintly painted}

    Maybe he didn’t care as much as I imagined he did, but this is how our little garden shed was meant to be. I know it’s only May, but I can’t wait to hang fresh greens with red ribbon on the door at Christmastime.

    DESIGN NOTE: I changed out the hardware on the door and added decorative corner mouldings (top and window) for some added character. At the risk of overdoing it, I love the idea of a tiny weathervane or cupola on the top! What do you think? Too much?

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    Posted in Inspired Nest | 4 Comments »

    Bungalow

    Wednesday, May 20th, 2009

    Renovating our kitchen has really given us the bug to wipe the slate clean at our house and make a fresh start, and our next area of focus was the front of our house. Here is what our 1920’s bungalow looked like 3 years ago when we bought it.

    This picture is not the greatest, but you can at least get an idea that our house has always had some potential. Our only complaints were the off-white shutters and front door and the overgrown shrubs around the foundation. Here is what our house looks like today.

    Last summer we painted the front door green and the shutters black. We added house numbers and replaced small brass sconces with larger lights. I could not find inexpensive black lights that I liked, so we bought these in brass, and I spray painted them black with metal spray paint.

    This year we tackled the shrubs and replaced the unhealthy white azaleas with some blue hydrangeas, boxwoods, pencil hollies, sarcococca, and magnolias. We had some help with this project – the husband and wife team at Christie’s Fine Gardening has been a favorite of our neighbors’ for years and now we know why. We love the combination of plants that they recommended and they have been wonderful to work with.

    Now that the yard is so pretty, one of my favorite spots in the whole house is our porch swing.

    My 3 year old daughter, Violet, and I spend a lot of time swinging and being silly here. I’m sure we’ll be out here even more when the flowers start to bloom – I can’t wait to see the blue hydrangeas!

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    Posted in Feather the Nest | 10 Comments »

    A Fresh Coat

    Tuesday, May 19th, 2009

    Welcome to my house! This is the 1940s brick cape cod my husband and I call home. Over the past couple of years we’ve spent countless hours working on the interior and making it our own. But now I’m ready to tackle the outside! I have been so anxious to freshen up the brick to brighten up the facade. With so many color choices and combinations…it’s hard to decide on one complete look. Check out the transformation Nicole Balch of Making it Lovely created on her own home. It was so inspiring, I decided to do some experimenting of my own. Take a look below at my house in its current state…(complete with a sunshine yellow front door).

    And this is what I came up with. I’m not sold on a red front door, but I let my husband put his two cents in! Overall, I love how crisp it looks and I’m really digging the flagstone step and path.

    I will keep you updated if we move ahead with this project. In the meantime, send me your suggestions-I’d love to try out some of your ideas.

    Posted in Feather the Nest | 4 Comments »

    It's Finally Done!

    Monday, May 18th, 2009

    We’ve had some requests for more pictures of our homes, so we’ve dedicated this week to giving our nests a little more limelight. I am really excited for the excuse to show a little project that my husband and I have just wrapped up (or, I should say, our contractor just wrapped up). We’ve done minor reno projects before – from replacing bathroom plumbing fixtures to installing hardwood floors, but this is the first time that we’ve taken a room down to the studs and floor boards and started from scratch. Meet our old kitchen:

    It actually doesn’t look as bad in these pictures as it was in real life. We were down to one working burner on our stove and the refrigerator door fell apart if you opened or closed it with too much gusto. Aside from quirky appliances, the plaster walls were in bad shape and the floor sloped up significantly in the middle of the room (perfect for my daughter to ride her big wheel over – but not exactly the look I was going for). The bottom line was that our kitchen was looking (and functioning) pretty rough, so, in February, we broke ground, err linoleum.

    It was a long process, 11 weeks to be exact, and I had no idea how much of a mess it was going to create. But now that it’s done, we couldn’t be any happier with the results.

    We replaced the linoleum with hardwood floors that match the rest of our house, and after lots of anxiety about stains and etching, we decided to go ahead with the marble countertops that I was pulling for.

    We mounted the upper cabinets close the the ceiling and left room underneath for an open shelf – an idea inspired by a favorite kitchen of mine from Cottage Living. This is one of my favorite features, and it actually saved money because the shorter cabinets and the shelf were less expensive than cabinets that spanned the whole space. One thing to keep in mind with this approach is that the underside of the cabinetry needs to be finished off nicely. This isn’t always the case, since for the most part, the bottom of a cabinet isn’t visible. We did not take this into account, and our contractor had to get creative with trim to cover some unfinished areas and gaps under the cabinets.

    My other favorite feature is the sliding barn door that hides our utility/laundry room. It is a great space saving solution, because we didn’t have to worry about being able to maneuver around our peninsula when the door is open. And I just love the way it looks.

    The change that made the biggest impact was raising the ceiling in the back half of the room and adding this window. I painted the sashes the same color as the barn door and carried this color to the legs of these stools from Ikea.

    We have been enjoying the new kitchen and are looking forward to making some big meals for the generous friends and neighbors who fed us when we didn’t have a kitchen!

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    Posted in Feather the Nest | 69 Comments »

    Animal Magnetism

    Friday, May 15th, 2009

    {After the slightest bit of computer rage this afternoon, here is our Friday post.}

    When my husband and I bought this house, we agreed that he could have one of the spare bedrooms for his music studio. Well, since I started working from home over a year ago, I’ve been inching my way into every corner of the so-called “music room.” For a while during this transition I started to refer to it as the “yellow room” – as in, not so much your music room any more, but I’m feeling a little guilty about that.

    Well, it’s time to call a spade a spade. I concede that the yellow (and now, pink) room with the recording equipment in one corner and shelves of fabric, magazines and flourishes of ribbon and flowers everywhere else is, in fact, “my office.”

    Over the past year, I’ve acquired various different shelving and storage units to corral all of my stuff. Maybe because metal is cheaper than wood, or maybe because I’m trying to create that urban loft effect by using more industrial materials, I’ve ended up with a stainless steel work table (Vika Hyttan tabletop & Vika Moliden underframe), galvanized steel book shelves (Hyllis shelving unit) and two metal lockers – all from Ikea.

    As I’ve settled into my new space, I’ve discovered how useful metal materials can be for their magnetic quality. Not only am I able to maximize the interior space of the cabinets, but I can use the exterior panels as my mood board. Beautiful business cards, fabric swatches and tear sheets are always in rotation. I use magnetic hooks to hang cutting boards and scissors that I need to reach easily and are otherwise cumbersome to store.

    Speaking of my desk, the entire thing is stainless steel. I love the look and it’s very functional. I do a lot of sewing and when I’m measuring and cutting I clip the edges of my fabric with magnetic clips to hold it in place. I also glued some magnetic disks to the back of a yard stick so I could always have it at my fingertips. When I’m not using it, it fits perfectly along the edge of my table, mostly out of site. When I am using it, I can position it on the top of the table like you see at the fabric store – so much easier to move the fabric along the table than to move the yardstick from point to point. And, it’s great to do a quick measurement of anything while I’m at my desk – a note card, a photograph or a scrap of fabric.

    I’m always discovering new ways to organize myself. Right now, I’m hooked on magnets! By the way, my favorite magnets are these tiny little metal dots. They are so strong, but so unassuming. I’m not big on decorative magnets, especially when they detract from whatever I’m posting. No pink flamingos from Florida on my mood board, please!

    What are your tricks for staying organized in creatively messy places?

    Posted in Inspired Nest | 2 Comments »

    Hooray!

    Thursday, May 14th, 2009

    We made it to Apartment Therapy and Craftzine! We’re so excited that one of our DIY projects, Cereal Box Storage Bins, was picked up by two industry-leading blogs.

    We’re just getting started here at Urban Nest and we are so grateful for all of our readers! A special shout out to all of my fellow classmates from Holly Becker’s (decor8) “Blogging Your Way” e-course. Your support and enthusiasm for what we’re doing is so rewarding.

    Feel free to drop us a note, share your ideas, and show us your projects. We’d love to know more about you and what you’d like to see at Urban Nest!

    And don’t forget to tell your friends!

    Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

    Office Details

    Thursday, May 14th, 2009

    My home office is far from being photography-worthy at this time, but I’ve started the process by getting more organized. With that, I have been finding a home for every torn magazine page, every scrap of fabric, and each coveted piece of stationery I have saved for a rainy day! To brighten up all of our offices, I designed these fun labels you can download here. Simply print out on plain paper and adhere to the surface of your choice. Or print right on a label sheet and cut out. I spruced up my magazine file with one as you can see below.

    magazine file covered in paper from ink & paper and labels you can download from urban nest

    magazine file covered in ink & paper gift wrap and labels downloadable from urban nest

    I started with the Knuff Magazine File from Ikea and covered it with one of my favorite papers from Ink & Paper. The labels were easy to print out and now I can find my archived Domino Magazines in a flash! What are you doing with all those great glossies…?

    labels designed by urban nest - download here

    labels designed by urban nest - download here

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    Posted in Feather the Nest | 4 Comments »

    In the Home/Office with Jerry Peart

    Wednesday, May 13th, 2009

    Today I am introducing you to local artist Jerry Peart who has a unique home/office studio in Ashland, VA. Jerry has been a self-employed sculptor for 35 years and for most of that time has worked out of his home, or in some cases has found a home in the corner of his studio. Jerry was born and raised in Arizona, lived and worked in Chicago, IL for over 20 years and most recently moved to Virginia. Jerry works with aluminum and the scale of his pieces range from about 2′ to 39′ (4 stories!) high. In 2001, he renovated the big red barn shown below to become his current studio space.

    renovated barn turned studio; photo of working model inside Jerry Peart's studio

    renovated barn turned studio; photo of working model inside Jerry Peart's studio

    I asked Jerry what are some of the things that have allowed him to become so successful working out of a home/office. Jerry explained that over the years he has kept working hours and is typically in his studio at 8 AM and will come “home” at 5 PM. Depending on the season and how warm his wood stove keeps the barn he will often work later hours. One thing that Jerry stressed was that you have to be in the right frame of mind to work. What I found to be most inspiring was when he said, “the benefit of working from home is that I get to get up today and I have a whole new day to succeed and be successful for myself. I really understand what I want to do, I understand myself, and understand the creative process. I know I’ve succeeded because I have done what I set out to do.” Jerry sees life, and work, as an opportunity-not as discipline.

    Jerry Peart in his home with Struggle, 2006.

    Jerry Peart in his home with Struggle, 2006.

    Jerry’s creative process begins with a feeling or a sketch and flows until each piece has a sense of “life.” Jerry tends to gravitate towards fluid, arc-like forms and refers to these forms as his vocabulary of shapes. Each shape is a very deliberate creation. Jerry’s art is fashioned over time and once completed has a living, moving quality. For those questioning the abstract forms, Jerry equates it to music and the process that a musician takes to put notes and chords together to form their masterpiece.

    Blue Geisha, 1985 and Angel, 1999. Photos from peartsculpture.com

    Blue Geisha, 1985 and Angel, 1999. Photos from peartsculpture.com

    Check out peartsculpture.com to hear more about Jerry and his work. A collection of his pieces can also be found at LewAllen Comtemporary in Santa Fe-one of the largest galleries in the Southwest.

    Thank you Jerry for your time and the tour! It’s wonderful having an uncle who can inspire the artist in me.

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    Posted in Leave the Nest | 3 Comments »

    Are you board?

    Tuesday, May 12th, 2009


    I’ve been wanting to make one of these boards that I saw in Martha Stewart Living for a long time.

    {image from Martha Stewart}

    {image from Martha Stewart}

    It’s made out of homasote, which is a sound-proofing material made mostly out of post-consumer recycled paper. After a few unsuccessful trips, I figured out that you can’t get this board from the large chain hardware stores. Homasote is actually a brand name, and their website can help you track down a local supplier. Here in richmond, I found the board at Siewers. It comes in 4×8 foot sheets for about $25, and I decided to go ahead and use the whole board (Siewers said they will cut it down for a small fee).

    I covered the board in charcoal grey linen and used a cream grosgrain ribbon to create the lattice pattern. I’m really happy with the finished board.

    {my finished homasote board}

    {my finished homasote board}

    It’s the perfect place to display these pictures that I’ve been meaning to frame for a while now. I’m also using it to brainstorm a new color scheme for my family room.

    If you want to make your own,here is how I made this one.

    Tags: , , ,
    Posted in Build the Nest | 2 Comments »

    My Office

    Monday, May 11th, 2009

    We recently completed a big renovation project in our house (more on that next week), and in the process our house was turned upside down. My office, in particular, became more of a garage. This weekend, I reclaimed my space and even added a few new touches.

    {my office during our renovation and after some serious elbow grease}

    {my office during our renovation and after some serious elbow grease}

    My favorite space in the office is this corner next to the 4×8 foot bulletin board that I finally convinced my husband to help me hang on the wall.

    I keep a few of my prettier office supplies in this wire basket from Williams and Sherrill and these inexpensive trays from Jamali Garden.

    I use this dresser from my college days to store my collection of fabric.

    {dresser accessories: ink and paper desk calendar, pinkkiss pottery spoon rest, mrs. meyers candle}

    {dresser accessories: ink and paper desk calendar, pinkkiss pottery spoon rest, mrs. meyers candle}

    The leaf is a new little treasure from Pinkkiss Pottery. Technically, it’s a spoon rest, but it’s a great place to keep a few spools of thread for the projects that I’m working on. One of my favorite candles from Mrs. Meyers just happens to match the May page of my ink and paper desk calendar.

    My office is still a work in progress, but it’s so nice to have it back in working order. My next project is some little curtains for these Ikea shelves to hide some of the mess. I plan to replace the window treatments that were here when we moved in and find a rug. I’ll keep you posted.

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    Posted in Feather the Nest | 1 Comment »

    Etsy Flowers

    Friday, May 8th, 2009

    After days of rain here in Richmond, the sun has finally come back out, and my peonies are about to bloom! I can’t wait to cut a few to bring inside. Are you looking for some flowers to bring in to your house – maybe some that won’t ever wilt? There are some great options on etsy, here are some that I’ve had my eye on.

    A “through the viewfinder” photograph of a peony from JKphotography.

    {image from JKPhotography}

    {image from JKPhotography}

    A ranunculus print from INK+WIT

    {image from INK+WIT}

    {image from INK+WIT}

    A vintage oil painting of a rose from blue bell bazaar

    {image from blue bell bazaar}

    {image from blue bell bazaar}

    Anemone cut paper table lamp from Hannah Nunn

    "{image from Hannah Nunn}

    {image from Hannah Nunn}

    I hope you’ve enjoyed our week full of flowers! Have a great weekend.

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    Posted in Feather the Nest | 1 Comment »

    Sweet Success, Delicate Flowers

    Thursday, May 7th, 2009

    Today I have the pleasure of introducing you to Sweetpeas floral designers, Mary Doug and Ann Douglas — mother and daughter respectively. Sweetpeas was named after the sweetly fragrant, delicate flower, and for the nickname by which Ann Douglas and her sister were called by their father as young girls. The name could not be more perfect for this lovely family business.

    {photos by Jake Lyell}

    {flowers by Sweetpeas, photos by Jake Lyell}

    {flowers by Sweetpeas, photos by Jake Lyell}

    {flowers by Sweetpeas, photos by Jake Lyell}

    Ann Douglas took time with me this week to talk about Sweetpeas, working with her mother, and the lengths they go on behalf of the flowers:

    How did you get started?
    My mom learned how to do flower arranging from her mother so she’s done it for most of her adult life. At first she offered to do reception flowers for friends’ children as a wedding gift. A few years ago I helped her with a wedding and found that I really enjoyed doing it. We decided to take a class and I got a job in a floral shop for a few months to learn more about the different types of flowers and how to care for them.

    How long have you been in business?
    Our first wedding was June of 2008 and we’ve been surprised to see how well things have taken off. We get all of our business through word of mouth and have stayed pretty busy.

    What is your favorite flower?
    My favorite flower – wow that’s a hard one! – I think tulips are lovely, orchids are so incredibly graceful and I really like a bouquet of white or blue hydrangeas. My favorite floral scent is by far Lily of the Valley. Some of my mom’s favorites are grape hyacinths and jonquils – she enjoys the dainty, spring flowers.

    What floral design trends are seeing for 2009?
    A lot of monochromatic designs. For example, an arrangement of all orange flowers – with different textures and varying shades of orange – that really shows off the depth of the flowers.

    Do you always have fresh flowers in your home?
    I have orchids blooming at the moment, but not always. My mom typically always has fresh flowers in her home. She has a wonderful garden. In the spring and summer there is always an arrangement in the dining room or on the coffee table.

    Do you have a garden?
    My mom is the gardener. She grows flowers, herbs and vegetables. Wonderful tomatoes in the summer!

    What’s your favorite thing about your job?
    The creativity. I love doing bouquets (my mom likes doing the bigger arrangements). It’s wonderful to place the flowers in a precise way so that the color and texture all blend together to make something incredibly pleasing to the eye.

    The intricacies of flowers always amaze me – they each have their own characteristics, whether it be a certain smell or the way the petal feels. It’s fascinating to just observe and see how they can all fit together so beautifully. Whenever we come back from the wholesalers with a load of flowers for an event my little cottage smells like a French florist shop! That’s definitely one of my favorite things!

    Describe your studio?
    Our ‘studio’ is actually my house. I live in a little guest house and we transform my living room and kitchen into a studio whenever we have a job. We create counter space on sofas; the microwave and dish rack disappear; and the fridge gets emptied to make room for the more delicate flowers.

    We did a wedding in January and because of some peculiar circumstances, had to pick the flowers up three days earlier than planned. The heat had to be turned off so the flowers would survive and I had to sleep with two hot water bottles every night!!

    Although the business is stressful because it’s a lot of work at the last minute, it is very exciting and challenging, which we both enjoy. You have to be prepared for anything and we learn as mistakes happen, but the reward is great in the end and it’s wonderful how much pleasure people get out of our work. It’s very satisfying.

    Mary Doug and Ann Douglas focus on weddings and special events in the Richmond metro area. For more information, contact memento.ade@gmail.com.

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    Inside a Wholesale Flower Market

    Wednesday, May 6th, 2009

    It’s been raining here for close to two weeks straight and I’m ready for those May flowers. Yesterday I went with my floral designer friend, Ann Douglas (first name), to visit a wholesale flower market. What a fix for an otherwise dreary day in Virginia!

    {french tulips, shipped with bulbs in tact}

    {french tulips, shipped with bulbs in tact}

    I have never seen so many perky and vibrant flowers in one place. Considering we’re celebrating both nurses and mothers this week (today is Nurse’s Day), the market was buzzing with designers and deliveries.

    {buckets of flowers from all over the world, including the owner's farm in Virginia - upper left}

    {buckets of flowers, including hydrangea from the owner's farm in Virginia}

    I loved seeing floor to ceiling stacks of boxes, full of freshly cut flowers from all over the world. Although, these days it’s even more exciting to know that many of the flowers this wholesaler sources come from right here in central Virginia.

    flower deliveries from all over the world

    {flower deliveries from all over the world}

    Tomorrow I’ll be blogging about how Ann Douglas and her Sweetpeas business partner (and mother) use these amazing blooms to create beautiful floral designs for weddings and other special events.

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    Posted in Leave the Nest | 1 Comment »

    With a Flourish

    Tuesday, May 5th, 2009

    My mom taught me how to make these ribbon flowers when I was little, but I haven’t made them in ages. I wrapped a gift for a friend recently, and thought the package needed something extra and remembered these little flowers. It was the perfect addition and was really fun to do. I whipped up several of them to keep in my ribbon stash for future gifts.

    If you want to make some, you can download the instructions here.

    Here’s another quick flourish you can add to your packages.

    {ink and paper flowers}

    {ink and paper flowers}

    Urban nest’s very own Stephanie is the designer behind ink and paper’s stylish gift wrap, stationery and greeting cards. Stephanie recently filled a Richmond art gallery’s window with these paper flowers that she made out of ink and paper’s gift wrap. She used 3 layers of flower cut outs held together by a brad. She added a floral wire to the leaf so she could bend them into an organic shape and used the wire to attach an alligator clip – that makes them perfect to clip on to a present!

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    Posted in Build the Nest | 4 Comments »

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