Petal by Petal: Cosmo

Being in a creative person, I find it essential to step out and venture into neutral territory, some place that I am not constantly stimulated by the computer screen - Pinterest! Blogs! Instagram! The place that I regain my center is being in nature, whether it is at the beach or spending time in the grass in the country.  One of my favorite things is to be consumed by flower fields, wild or cultivated, there beauty is something that you just cannot get when sitting behind a computer.  Typically I shoot by Petal by Petal series in my studio (rather my Brooklyn apartment that I try to transform and make it condusive to a photo session), but switching things up to step out but if stepping out and being with the flowers in their element is an option then I jump at it.  I took these photographs of towering and incredibly vibrant cosmos a few weeks ago at a farm in Upstate New York.  Shades of purple and pink stood out in a sea of green that was almost unreal (note, typically I may bring the saturation levels up when editing a photo, but not here, these flowers were that green).  Read on to learn more about this summer beauty!

White Layer Cake with Strawberry Buttercream

If I could, I would bake a cake at least once every two weeks.  This has nothing to do with my sweet tooth either, it has more to do with the process of creating something beautiful.  I always say that my four favorite passions all phonetically begin with the same sound - fashion, food, flowers and photography.  When I can pair a few of these things together it makes me impossibly happy.  To relish in the end of summer, I decided to create a white layer cake with strawberry buttercream and decorate it with soft pink lisianthus flowers.  This recipe is unique because it incorporates two different types of frosting - a buttercream and an Italian meringue.  The latter takes a bit of time to make but it is definitely worth it.  It takes on the consistency of fluff and melts in your mouth.

Setting the Table:: A Fragrant Herb Bouquet

A table setting would never be complete without a flower arrangement.  The spring and summer months are filled with luscious floral blooms, so it is inevitable that they will end up in a pretty bouquet front and center on the table commanding all of the attention.  Also in abundance during the summer are herbs - parsley, basil, oregano, sage, mint and lavender, just to name a few that are very inexpensive and can be picked up at your local farmer's market.  On a recent trip to the flower market, instead of picking up another variety of dahlias or roses, I opted for a fragrant mixture of sage and lavender. The color palette couldn't be prettier, soft foamy greens blended with textured French lavender and when nestled into a antiqued silver vessel the result is organic yet beautiful.   

Petal by Petal:: 'Café au Lait' Dahlia

It has been far long since my last Petal by Petal series. Well that is changing now and what better time than summer when flowers are plentiful, especially local varieties that only emerge once a year.  One of my favorite summer blooms is the dahlia. They come in a variety of sizes and colors, like this vampy red version that was featured here last summer.  The flower market in New York is over-flowing with this variety right now and while I thought my process of elimination would be difficult, it ended up being quite easy after seeing the 'Café au Lait' dahlia.  This particular variety is known as a Dinner plate dahlia because it is literally just that, nearly the size of a dinner plate.  The smaller varieties of dahlias have a longer shelf life, unfortunately the larger they are the quicker they begin to wilt.  Even though I only had them for about three days, they still added a dose of happiness to our home.  

Currently Inspired:: Amy Merrick at Elmwood

If you follow bi-coastal floral designer Amy Merrick on Instagram, you have probably already seen  her serene retreat in the countryside of New Hampshire aptly called Elmwood.  Her bucolic home is surrounded by wildflower fields that serve as the base for her whimsical creations.  In the most recent issue of Martha Stewart, the magazine profiled her work and her creative space that has been passed down from generation to generation.  Here is just a glimpse inside of her dreamy country home.  

Cherry Blossom Wonder

I hope that everyone had a great weekend! We had quite an eventful one, if you follow me via Instagram you might have seen we (legally) got married!  Saturday's weather here in New York felt like a hot summer day that brought with it sporadic rain showers, luckily, the rained cleared and the sun came out long enough to say our vows by the Long Island Sound.  It was a very special moment, but I am looking very forward to our actual wedding this Saturday.  

Ever since my first year living in New York (I am dating myself but it has been 13 years) I have been flocking to the same grassy hill in Central Park to take in the cherry blossoms each spring.  With this past winter being so brutal, there were times that I thought these beautiful flowers would never bloom.  I could sit under the light pink petal canopy for hours letting the light filter in and hearing the bird sing.  Here is a glimpse into the grand finale of spring here in New York, I hope you enjoy!

The Brooklyn Botanical Garden {Early Spring}

Happy Friday everyone! It feels like the past few weeks have been going faster and faster since our wedding is less than two weeks away!  The anticipation leading up to our wedding has been pretty so great that I wish time would slow down just a little bit so that I can fully soak everything in.  This is such a special moment in our lives that I truly want to savor every minute.  I am headed 'somewhere' this weekend I(it is a surprise) to spend a weekend with a few of my sisters

 and my sister-in-law-to-be. It should be fun!  Before I leave you I thought I would share a few photographs from the Brooklyn Botanical Garden (the site where we will be getting married!) that I took a few weekends back when the tulips and magnolias were in full bloom.  I hope that you have a wonderful weekend!

Among Flowers & Pretty Links

I love when editorials stop me in my tracks, such is the case with the Spring 2014 Dior Magazine starring Elizabeth Erm photographed by Camilla Akrans. The garden roses, the petal pink lips, the amethyst eyes, just beauty at it's finest.   I am thoroughly looking forward to this weekend, I am finally back to normal and have been seriously missing both my camera and my kitchen.  I cannot wait to spend some much needed time together and to finally catch up on this space.  I hope that everyone has a wonderful weekend! I leave you with some pretty links below. 

Petal by Petal:: 'Cloony' Ranunculus

When it comes to flowers the more ruffled and layered the better, hence the amount of roses that I feature on this site in addition to my love for peonies.  Close to both peonies and roses are another favorite the ranunculus, a beautifully layered flower that comes in a variety of colors and is plentifully available this time of year.  Browsing the flower market in New York you are greeted with an extensive selection so it was hard to narrow it down, however, when I came across the 'Cloony' Ranunculus I immediately fell in love.  This particular variety is from France and is beloved for it's faint pink color and the way that it blossoms from a tight rosette to an unbelievably beautiful bloom that is about five inches wide.  The ranunculus is a very hearty flower that when refreshed with clean water every day can last in a vase for nearly two weeks.  

{Artist Spotlight} Sara Winward Flowers

As you know I adore flowers - their color, texture and aroma.  I stumbled across Sara Winward Flowers via Pinterest and immediately fell in love. Her arrangements are organic, whimsical and echo that of a still-life.  I adore these bouquets because they incorporate poppies, a flower that I have been trying to get my hands on in the flower district for the past three weeks. They are currently being imported from Italy, but apparently the crop isn't that great this year due to the large amount of rain fall, but stay-tuned.  For now, I hope you love her work as much as I do.  

Heart of Gold:: A Year in Review {Petal by Petal}

(Coral Supreme)

If there is one thing that truly makes me happy it is flowers and photographing them.  About seven months ago I started the column, Petal by Petal, which has become one of my favorites on the site.  Not only do I get venture to the flower market and bring a variety of blooms into our home but also I try to photograph them in a way that brings them to life.  Here is a look back at some of my favorites!

(Stargazer Lily)

A Rose Illuminated

I recently had no choice but to update my camera body from a Nikon D3100 to a  D5200 after the former broke in an unfortunate accident.  Since having my new body, I have been experimenting a lot and playing around with varying intensities of light as you probably might have seen here.  A few weeks ago I came home from work and I stepped out to my porch to see the sun illuminating my Gentle Hermione English garden rose.  It looked magical and I had to capture it.  I wasn't sure that I would be able to see the difference in quality from the two different cameras (I still consider myself a novice that is desperately learning at every chance I can get) but I definitely feel like I am more in control when I am using it. Anyways, here are some of the photographs that captured this fleeting moment.  

A Gathering at Sunday Suppers

I consider myself a dreamer and if there is one message that I would like to convey about myself in this space that would be it.  Ever since I can remember, my head has been floating somewhere in the clouds conjuring up beautiful places, spaces and ideas.  Living in New York, I am constantly inspired by both the people and the places that surround me, but my main mission is has always been the same - to create beauty.  Recently I was able to do just that by combining business and pleasure, while hosting a dinner party at Sunday Suppers in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The space was founded by talented photographer and food stylist Karen Mordechai who created Sunday Suppers to pair food with friends.  I have long admired her work and her stunning lofty white space that hosts spectacular views of Manhattan and the Williamsburg Bridge, so being able to create a beautiful table setting was sort of a dream come true.    I envisioned rustic, unfussy arrangements that had the same organic feeling as the space, so I paired Astilbe and fragrant Mimosa to achieve this look.  Here are just a few photographs from the space. Continue for more...

Hand-crafted:: Chamomile Tea

I must make a confession, I have thoroughly fallen in love with my camera.  It has taken a little while to really know how to use it, but when you do there is no going back.  That being said, I have really been doing some heavy experimentation lately, where I have spent hours (I mean hours) playing around with different lighting and making photographs either bright and vibrant or dark and moody.  A quick story first though- when I was in high school I inherited my grandfather's manual Nikon from the 1970s.  It is a beautiful camera, I still have it.  I used his camera for photography lessons and back then I just did it because I needed to fulfill an elective.  I thoroughly enjoyed it but my teacher said I didn't have a 'knack' for photography, yes, a teacher told that to a student, so after that class I actually believed him and didn't pick up a camera again until last May.  Since then, photography has been an amazing creative outlet for me and I am glad that I stopped believing him and in turn, I believed in myself.  

Anyways, I decided to dry the chamomile leaves from yesterday's post and make tea.  I made homemade tea once before here and was blown away at how easy it is to make yourself.  Chamomile tea has a subtle floral notes and I love to sip it with just a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.  Continue for more...

Welcoming the Cherry Blossoms

I hope that everyone had a great weekend. I spent an extra day away to spend time with my family in Boston. I finally got to meet my nephew and let me tell you, he is the sweetest little man - it is times like this that I wish I lived closer to my family.  I also got to spend Mother's Day with my mom which was very nice, we enjoyed a nice brunch full of pancakes and strawberry scones.  We also had wonderful weather, everything in Boston is in full bloom, just like it is here in New York. I snapped these photographs at my favorite cherry blossom location in Central Park. These blooms just make me happy - I wait for their arrival every year.  Is there a particular flower that you wait for all year?  

Decorating with Branches

It is officially branch season! We started off with quince blossoms and have now moved into magnolias and fluffy white apple and pink cherry blossoms (this is my favorite time of year) . I have long been a fan of adding branches to decorate a room - they add a wonderful element of texture and height to any setting in addition to elegant and petite blooms.  Here are a few wonderful images that are inspiring me right now for the big bunch of cherry blossoms that I plan on picking up at the flower market this week.  Does anyone else love branches as much as me?  

Bite Lipsticks and Spring Blooms

I collect a few things - magazines, vintage gilded makeup compacts from the 1940s and lipsticks. I am constantly on the lookout for new brands that offer lipsticks that don't just make you look good but are actually good for you too. Bite Lipsticks do just that and more, as the products are all natural and they come in a beautiful array of shades that make my heart beat just a bit faster.  Their new collection of Luminous Crème Lipstick moisturizes the lips and imparts a beautiful dose of color that actually lasts on your lips.   My favorite shades are featured here, Quinta (a great neutral with a bit of pink), Palomino (an electric pink that is just so pretty), Zivoli (a fabulous wine shade that is great to layer on during the day or night) and Zin (another great neutral with a tinge of berry).   I paired these shades with spring blooms like ranunculas, lisianthus and roses in similar shades, since truthfully, nothing makes me happier than beautiful lipsticks and flowers.  Continue for more...

Party Planning:: Floral Styling

 Since the new year arrived, I have been thinking about different things that I would like to accomplish.  Instead of making resolutions or restrictions, I like to make goals that I strive to achieve. As I continue to blog, I am slowly uncovering more and more passions like food, photography and design atop my love that already exists for interiors and fashion.  I have another interest that is on the cusp of blooming: party planning, since I love paying attention to the details to create something that is special.  In fact, next month I will be throwing my sister a baby shower, which I couldn't be more excited about (my pin board is growing quickly).  Another creative interest of mine is floral design because I just adore flowers - their shape, texture and fragrance, which is why when I saw this idea of hosting your own floral styling party I immediately added it to my list of things I want to do.    I can't think of a better way to spend an afternoon than arranging blooms surrounded by tea cups and champagne.  Can you?

The Flower District

If you are ever planning on coming to New York and you love flowers (I mean who doesn't) you must visit the flower district.  It is an entire city street dedicated to beautiful, fragrant blooms and floral supplies.  I recently ventured to my old stomping grounds (it is located a block away from The Fashion Institute of Technology, my alumni) of Chelsea to take in this bustling district once again.  Wandering into each shop filled me with such inspiration from the vibrant color palettes of the flowers, the display pieces to the heady floral aroma of the roses.  

Among Flowers

'There are always flowers for those who want to see them.'
-Henri Matisse