A few weeks ago, Ted Mishima and I collaborated again on a very fun photo shoot. I wanted to experiment with a different mechanic to make fascinators and had a lot of fun designing them. At the flower market I found a magnificent tropical leaf, alocasia sting ray. As usual, I had no idea how the design would evolve; it turned out to be a striking choice for this project!

A few weeks ago a friend gave me some wood shavings that she had collected as her husband was working on a wood project. I honestly had no idea how I would use it, but they turned out to be the perfect element to create curly hair for the second fascinator!

For the third design I braided some midollino sticks to extend the small base.

Many thanks to @anoushanou for modeling!

(more…)

Last month Morgan Moylan hosted a fabulous workshop at her studio West Queen Studio in Hillsborough,NC. The weather was perfect and we were able to hold the class outside. All the students were super talented, as the pictures tell.

The first day we made botanical jewelry. That evening Morgan hosted a garden party and also invited many local growers from the area. The students showcased their beautiful creations, which were admired by all! Many thanks to Jennifer Wood for designing the gorgeous centerpieces for the garden party!

The second day the focus was on woodland centerpieces and bouquets. Morgan had saved beautiful pieces of bark and wood and we were able to forage a lot of mushrooms on her property in addition to the treasures that we had gathered  at a friend’s garden the day before the workshop.

Many thanks to Mina von Feilitzsch for the magnificent images!

(more…)

Last month, Lauren Hampton, one of the organizers of Sneaker Week in Portland, OR contacted me, asking if I would decorate a pair of sneakers that she would wear during her presentations at this week long event.

“Sneaker Week bridges the footwear industry, surrounding industries and professionals to creative and engaging experiences that educate and excite”

Of course I said yes and mulled over which materials to use that would hold up for a whole week without a water source. I decorated the sneakers with paper thin bark, foliage of bromeliad, succulents, acorns, pine cones, lichen, snail shells, tillandsia, amaranthus, dried straw flowers and fiddleheads, rattlesnake grass, ripsalis, seedpods of poppies, nigella, pokeweed, eucalyptus, peonies, baptista,…

Thank you Jason Hill for the fabulous photos!

(more…)

It was thrilling to be contacted by Jo Packham, the creator and editor of the exquisite magazine “What Women Create” last spring. It was such an honor to be invited and be part of the fall issue of this most beautiful magazine, that features such a diversity of art, created by talented women artists from all over the world!

Heartfelt thanks to Theresa Bear for the splendid photography and Azelle Chang for modeling all the botanical couture so graciously. And last, but not least, thank you Leah at Indigo Gardens for letting me harvest at your wonderful flower farm for this fun project!

The magazine will be available at US newsstands on September 7th and online through wherewomencreate.

Anyone who wishes to order a copy of the magazine or a subscription(vs purchasing it on a newsstand) can do so at https://womencreate.com

(more…)

A favorite vine! Clematis garden hybrids have been very popular with gardeners;  more hybrid cultivars are being produced constantly. The Rogerson Clematis Garden, just south of Portland, OR, displays 2000 individual clematis, representing over 900 distinct species. Many varieties have the most exquisite seedpods!

These vines prefer sunny locations (at least six hours needed for blooming), but it is very important that the soil is kept cool. This can be accomplished by adding a 2″ layer of mulch to keep the roots moist and cool. Another way to go about it is to plant low growing perennials or a ground cover at the base of the clematis. These gorgeous vines need to be supported either by growing them along a trellis or fence or on an arbor; the smaller varieties can be supported by poles.

Early spring blooming varieties should be pruned back as soon as possible following their blooming but before July, as they bud on previous season’s growth. Large flowering types that bloom in mid-spring should be cut back to the topmost buds in late winter/early spring. Late-blooming varieties should be pruned back above a pair of healthy buds, removing the spindly and damaged growth above. Avoid heavy pruning. .

Clematis are a wonderful vine to design with as they create beautiful movement in woodland design and in bridal work. They also are perfect for botanical couture.

Thank you Theresa Bear and Ted Mishima for the beautiful images!

(more…)

Photographer Neeraj Narayan  scouted the perfect area in Forest Park, here in Portland, for this photo shoot. Using mostly botanical materials from my garden – foliage of hellebore, some evergreens and seedpods of lunaria – I designed a mask, a stole and a cape for our wonderful model, Ama Hathaway.

(more…)

For several years I have used hot glue to create ‘flexible fabric’. Designing these capes was by far the most involved project that I had done.

Sisters Delphine and Azelle Chang were the perfect models to wear them for this photo shoot.

Thank you Theresa Bear for the magnificent pictures!

(more…)

Digitalis is a genus of about 20 species of herbaceous perennial plants, shrubs, and biennials, commonly called foxgloves. Digitalis is native to Europe, western Asia, and northwestern Africa.

Digitalis is the first flower to re-emerge after undergrowth has been cleared. Foxglove is ideally suited for gardens with a moist, slightly acidic soil. They blend well with ferns, columbine and bleeding heart.

Plant in September for flowering the following spring. If prevented from forming seed, they will survive for many years. Otherwise they are exhausted after 2 years.

(more…)

In the heart of Oregon’s Willamette Valley, Schreiner’s Gardens cultivate over 150 acres of beautiful iris. For four generations they have been family owned and operated; hybridizing, growing and distributing thousands of iris annually and today Oregon is the largest grower of iris in the United States.

We had the pleasure of curating a photo shoo in these stunning gardens. I designed a large botanical headpiece, a two-layered collar and a fun pair of sunglasses with a great selection of locally grown flowers and textures.

Photos: Theresa Bear

Styling: Gwen Seversen

Model: Jasmine Renae

(more…)

Dictamnus is an absolute favorite spring perennial! Dictamnus albus purpera reach a height of about 4 feet tall with quite woody stems at the base. In the late spring dictamnus blooms with long, spikes of pinkish flowers with purple veins set off by glossy green leaves. Once the flowers have faded, spectacular seedpods remain. They are native dromsouthwesterns Europe through to Asia.  The dictamnus is hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 3-8. They thrive in full sun in well-drained soil with a high organic matter. That said, they are fairly tolerant of poor soils and even partial sun. Once dictamnus has been established, it should not be moved or any attempt made to divide it. At maturation after several years, the growing dictamnus will appear as a clump with stunning stands of flowers poking from amongst its foliage.This plant exudes a volatile gas that in hot weather can be ignited without harm to the plant. hence the common name burning bush or gas plant.

Photos of designs by Theresa Bear

(more…)