photos: Elijah Park, Joni Shimabukuro, Ted Mishima

In this workshop on Botanical Couture  you will learn the mechanics behind creating sumptuous designs that mimic objects in our everyday lives. Ornate botanical purses and shoes,  headpieces and jewelry, will expand the way you think about flowers! Françoise shares the techniques she has honed in the creation of these beautifully-crafted floral designs. To stand alone as centerpieces or to be worn as an elegant fashion statement, these couture pieces delight and amuse.

This class offers practical, hands-on experience that will further develop your own skills and repertoire and increase your confidence to think outside the box. After a demonstration of floral techniques and mechanics, you will design your own pieces. You will hone your artistic talents, and will be encouraged to listen to your intuition and further your own vision. Classes are limited to five students to ensure valuable individual attention.

Dates: Monday June 23, Tuesday June 24  and Wednesday June 25

Time: 9am til 4pm (1 hour lunch break)

Where: At Françoise’s Studio

Cost: $1,100 – A 50% deposit is requested to reserve your space; the balance is due June 9.

For more information, please call 503-236-5829 or check my website

(more…)

Last week I taught a woodland/botanical couture workshop at the studio of Alexandra Jusino in Chicago. A huge thank you to Alexandra -owner of Exquisite Designs – for hosting the workshop and to Trish Van de Merkt who took all the images. Feast your eyes to all the creative woodland centerpieces and bouquets that everyone made ! Tomorrow I will post the headpieces and purses.

(more…)

Selection of flower purses for bridesmaids ; they also make great centerpieces for bistro tables

Joni Photo

(more…)

Alathea Harampolis and Jill Rizzo of  Studio Choo invited me to  teach a couple of hands-on classes in their studio on May 18th! I am so thrilled to meet them and to have the opportunity to teach in their beautiful space. You can sign up for one or both classes; you’ll learn a lot of mechanics and will get to choose from an exquisite palette of flowers and textures to create your own  designs!

The studio is located at:

339 Baden Avenue
South San Francisco, CA 94080

Class size is limited to 15 students! Create and keep your designs.
Tools will be provided for use in class.

Woodlands:

Sunday May 18, from 9 am-noon

Here you’ll begin to see your surroundings in a whole new light. A piece of bark, a log, driftwood, wooden disk or branches can all become bases for the unique structures we will be creating. In this class you will make a beautiful arrangement using rich foliage, bark, berries, seedpods, twigs, mushrooms, herbs and some flowers. We’ll discuss texture, form, ideas and mechanics.

photo: Paul Rich

Botanical Couture:

Sunday May 18 from 1:30-4:30

Put your inner fashionista on display! Lush and vibrant or simple and elegant, the elements used all add up to create a unique headpiece. After fashioning a basic form that can be bent or shaped, your creativity will be called upon to construct a stunning spring accoutrement to your unique outfit.

photo: Ted Mishima

To register, please click here

(more…)

Fritillaria is such a favorite!!!

Checkered lily is a bulbous perennial that is native to river flood plains in Europe where it is frequently seen growing in large colonies. Plants are somewhat dainty in appearance, featuring solitary (less frequently 2-3), drooping, 2” long, bell-shaped flowers which are checkered and veined with reddish-brown, purple, white and gray atop slender stems growing to 15” tall. Blooms in April. Linear, lance-shaped, grass-like green leaves are widely-spaced on the stems (Missouri Botanical Garden)

Joni Photo

(more…)

Earlier this month Brooke Howsley with  Pollen Floral Art hosted a 2 day woodland workshop at the Mercury Hall in Austin. It was such a fantastic experience to share a lot of information with this group of talented designers who came from several areas in Texas; Jana came from Arkansas and Rebecca flew in from New York.  Kathy Maguire helped organize the event and it was such a treat to spend time with her and her family for a few days. Her husband Dave  generously offered to come by the venue the second day and take all these great pictures. It was such a delight that Amy McGee with Botanical Brouhaha  joined us. We finally met in person after corresponding for the last 4 years!

(more…)

What a spectacular show at the De Young Museum! It is the 30th anniversary of this brilliant concept where designers interpret a piece of art with a flower design.

The museum was packed with thousands of people and it was not easy to capture images of the floral arrangements paired with the piece of art.

Feast your eyes on these incredible creations!

design: Natasha Lisitsa, Daniel Schultz, Carly Parkinson

(more…)

This wire shoe frame was decorated with succulents and texture; if misted once a week it will look great for a long time!

(more…)

The most incredible eye candy!!!

(more…)

These little blue or white bulb flowers – that multiply like mad in the garden – are such a delight during late winter and early spring. They perform well in a vase or foam and are a good choice for corsages, boutonniers or flower crowns.

Joni Photo

(more…)