The World's Longest Pine Cone

Here's a detail from the wreath on my front door.......The big cone is a sugar pine and it has the largest cones of any pine. Even though they say it grows in the Cascades, I have never seen one. It must be a sight to behold with the big cones weighing the branches down.

I love using it as a big focal point with mossy branches, fresh greens, magnolia leaves turned backside - says winter without screaming Christmas.

Some random photos of my house this holiday season.

I don't go overboard but I like it festive.

A Beautiful Greeting Card

Lots of fresh greenery.

A little high drama is always good at the holidays.

And lots and lots of lights on the tree.....

Christmas Gift Wrapping with Rubber Stamps

Last week when it was time to wrap some packages, I pulled out my tried and trusty DIY gift wrap kit which consisted of

Cavallini rubber stamp alphabet kit, a black inkpad, and a glue stick.

Some might call it recycling, others might say I was going green with my gift wrap, but I say I was putting my packrat tendencies to good use when I cut up this paper bag I'd been saving and used it to label my USPS Priority Mail box.....

I liked the strong imagery of strange animals.

And there was lots of space for the address...

And it was playful and fun. It made me smile.

It made the person who got the package smile.

And it even made the postman smile. So how about that?
Paperbags and rubber stamps and duct tape.

Our Christmas Window at Passionflower

Merry Christmas to All

And to All a Good Night..........

Beautiful Bridal Jewelry at Passionflower

Lindsey's boyfriend bought her this great shirt at Juicy Couture.....and we say great new piece of clothing needs great new piece of jewelry. Here we layered Susan Goodwin pearls with Exstasia amethyst glass intaglio.

Layered amethyst and pearls for a hyper romantic look.

Christmas at the Brandywine River Museum

I recently had the pleasure of visiting the Brandywine River Museum while having a little mini holiday with my mom in Philadelphia. It's a fine little museum with a quirky mix of specialties.

Amongst the slightly macabre collection of Jamie
Wyeth oversize paintings of pigs and crows and male ballet stars, they had it all decked out for the holidays .....

It's a totally homespun affair using only what they have gathered in the surrounding field and gardens.

I imagine hordes of volunteers let loose to give flight to their fancies......

There were lots of animals



Kind of like Granny Craft meets Do It Yourselfer.





I was completely charmed by the treetoppers.

And I know just where I can get a firecracker allium like this one for the top of my tree......
Makes a pretty nice star, don't you think?

Amaryllis a la Passionflower

Disclaimer -Here's more bad photos of good flowers....okay well maybe not bad photos but they don't do the designs justice. We were looking for a simple (that's code for inexpensive) wrap for amaryllis plants. We get these amazing 2 or 3 spike amaryllis but the plastic pots they come in just don't do it for me. Also I wanted something earthy and natural......

I found rolls of coconut bark up in Portland and Julianne wrapped them around the plants and for just a touch of panache tied them with a paperwhite bulb and a sprig of pine.

There could be a lot of variations on this theme (mostly in what you use to tie the coconut bark and also in how you moss the top of the po)t. I'm excited for us to start playing around with this.

Coconut bark adds great texture and blurs the line between man made and natural......

Stay tuned for more holiday designs.

Passionflower Design's Holiday Party

As promised, pictures of the party. It was fun. Katy Jane came with a trunk full of her fabulous jewelry.

Vern Haffner & his partner Michael brought me the biggest bouquet of hydrangeas ever. These are the last of the season picked from their place at the coast. Who knew, local hydrangeas in December.

Our hardworking mayor Kitty Piercy was kind enough to once again pour wine.

Here's a picture of Kitty and our highschool intern Grace who attends school down the street from us at the Network Charter School.

Shhh.....don't tell these anonymous partygoers that we're not in Manhattan.

A good time was had by all and if we didn't see you this year hopefully you'll have a chance to join us next year. It's a great way to kick off the holiday season and celebrate our charming if underrated downtown.

Fashionistas Debut at Passionflower's Holiday Party

Some of my favorite finery at the Holiday Party came from the pre teen set.

This coat seemed to combine some kind of felted wool and knotted threads. The young lady wearing it told us that her mother always gets her great clothes. Go Mom.

And here the lovely Iris, daughter of our friend Jennifer who works next door at Pewter Rabbit Antiques demonstrates her fearless fashion sense. Love the eyelet skirt.

Passionflower Design Hosts a Party

We're getting ready for our annual Open House - this is no drink a cup of cider while you politely peruse the merchandise. This is one huge party! Downtown Eugene really comes alive. So put on your party finery, get together your shopping list, and come be part of the brou ha.......

Plus live music, libations, and special surprise guests.....

Stay posted for shots of THE PARTY!!!!!

Thanksgiving Feasting at Passionflower

From our neck of the woods to yours. Blessings on your meal.

Happy Thanksgiving Day November 2009

Sandy Raney as Weather Barometer

How do they make that herringbone pattern? Sandy's wearing vintage fur.

Brrr.....it's getting cold outside.

Osage Oranges add Something Special to Flower Arrangements

These big bumpy inedible, green fruits are great for floral design. Long lasting and almost indestructable, we are lucky enough to have a local source though I confess I have never seen one growing. This year the harvest was timed perfectly and they are super beautiful. Here we stacked them in a tall slender vase. The water magnifies them a little. They can have a very modern appeal.

And then they can go all earthy and organic. Here Julianne used them with some angel vine twig as an accent at the base of an orchid.

And here it became the focal point of an arrangement that is all foliage and fruit....

Who says "flowers" always have to have flowers in them?

Deer Fern, Hydrange Foliage, String of Pearls, Osage Oranges, and Lichen make a rich arrangement.

The Venus of Willendorf Visits Passionflower

This isn't exactly mail, it didn't cross my desk, but it did cross our doorway. I love it when people bring me strange things.....Strange in a good way.

Here our friend Ann Gordon was showing off her potato which I think looks a lot like the Venus of Willendorf.......Did you know that this 25,000 year old figurine (not the potato) has fans on Facebook? Click here for more info on the Venus of Willendorf.

Bella Notte Pillowcases Get A Little Lovin'

Here's a beautiful little bedding study in purples and lavenders.

As I studied the photo, something was bothering me.

Hhhmmmmm.......

Uh Oh - that pillowcase looks a little bit like a tic-tac-toe board.

Merchandising 101 - all bedding needs to be steamed or ironed.



Stay tuned for more merchandising 101.

Lane County Farmer's Market - Adieu

Passionflower is two blocks from our local outdoor Farmer's Market. Here's my bounty from sometime last summer. Eremurus (Foxtail Lily- do you see the foxtail), Callas, Monarda, and Golden Yarrow. Lucky the florist who can buy this two blocks from their shop.

It's a funky, slightly crowded, market with the usual amazing farmer's market greatness - stands of greens and roots, honey, and vegetables....and new in the last year or two, a great
bakery stand from Hideaway...

But I am always on the prowl for the strange........and different-

Did you know you can buy mushroom growing kits down there? You take home these big plastic bags of spores and sawdust (and other stuff) and whoa......oyster mushrooms....and you can eat them.

Here's some pink ones....I love this color pink.....so fleshy.......

I can sense a little inspiration kicking in.....I want to use these in flower arrangements....not sure how they would hold up for a couple of days....

Probably won't be using these voodoo lilies in anything. But then again, you never know.

Here are some beautiful lily bulbs.....They remind me of some vaguely succulent type flower.


And last but not least, I was happy to be able to buy my canned tuna from a guy who caught it.....better get busy eating tuna if I want to use those cans for flower arrangements.
I will miss the downtown Farmer's Market until next year.