Spring Flowers

Easter came and went and it was glorious....if a bit rainy and cold and we heard tales of a hailstorm as well.   And the flowers were  just bursting everywhere - it was all squill and apple blossom and lemon balm and daffodils. And I'll leave you with just a little flower inspiration from our instagram feed.

 

 Easter was spectacular. It was all lilac and dogwood and apple blossoms everywhere.

And the weather was gorgeous.

 I brought three different kinds of lilacs to our little local  feast. I had to smile when they served Bloody Marys for Easter Brunch.

 And, of course, in the best locavore tradition, they were composed of fresh frozen tomato pulp from the summer before. Plus a little salt, a little pepper, lemon juice, and some fresh grated horseradish gave it just the right amount of zing.  Oh and then the vodka zing thing too!  And a home canned dill bean to stir it all up.

I think I'm going to make Bloody Mary's my new Easter traditon.

A Lovely Cordial for Easter Brunch.

 

So happy to have this back in stock.

Our Easter Window

 The Beckster came to visit and it was fun.  She set up the whole upstairs sale at the store and then, since Elvis was in the house, why not the front window too?

 

Then we go into our little mind meld code and I say things like, " wall chart, powder blue, your boy, Easter basket"....

And then I come back the next day.

And voila, magic, the veil is lifted a tiny bit.

Always a happy surprise.

Celebrations

Hippity Hop~!  Easter isn't quite the holiday it used to be....but still I love the traditions.  Brunch and eggs and all things egg shaped and rabbits (oh and chocolate too). And last year I was in Oaxaca over Easter and that is a decidedly different celebration than it is in the States. Nary a rabbit in site but lots of sorrowful Mary's and penitents.  They each have their charm but it has been lovely to enjoy the entire springtime here this year.

Shop Passionflower Online

For your two am viewing pleasure...and other times too....shop our Easter Collection online.

http://shoppassionflower.com/shop/?category=Easter+Goodies

Perfection

 

I am contemplating spring,and rebirth, and all new possibilities, and the perfection of the shape of an egg.

I'll be back in the states in a couple of days.  In the meantime, wishing everyone the Happiest of Easters.

photo courtesy calligrapher extraordinaire, Marina Marjina

Which Came First

We love these ceramic egg containers for making little botanically inspired flower arrangements but they'd also be a great way to show off your Easter eggs.

Bring on the Flowers

 I'm still in Mexico, but I hear we're having all kinds of wonderful weather in Eugene and flowers are popping up everywhere....it's daffodil and squill now and soon apple blossom and lilac, oh my.  Which just seems like  a perfect occasion for a new vase.

You know how some people think you can never have too many shoes (well I'm actually one of those people).....or too many tablelinens (I'm one of  those people too).  And I'm also one of those people who believes you can never have too many vases either!  Which is why I'm so happy we just got in a new collection of Eigen art Vases in some yummy spring colors!  Any of these would be great with flowering branches or some long stemmed tulips!

Playing Dress Up

I have a staff that really loves to play dress up - witness the exta cute photo that appeared on Facebok last week.  I always love seeing what they're attracted to and how they put it together.  I see Sarah's wearing Susan Goodwin, Coral & Tusk and Everyday Artifact jewelry in addition to showing off the fabulous Knitted Dove hummingbird sweater. She just makes it all come together! Something about this photo just made me extraordinarily happy.  And I think these would be the cutest sweaters for Easter morning.

Easter Bonnet Extra-ordinaire

In case you were wondering what to do with yourself this weekend.  Might we suggest working on your Easter Bonnet?  Come in showing off your finery between now and Easter and enter to win $100 gift certificate.

photo lifted from Google images, we believe taken at the New York City Easter Parade

Easter Flower Arrangement at Passionflower

You know you have it bad when you'll drive to Portland to get poppies, when you don't really care how much those big, fat ranunculus cost, they're just so gorgeous you gotta have them, when you find yourself stalking the neighbor in the hopes that you can casually ask them to pick some andromeda from their overflowing bushes.....add some quince, dusty miller, and an esperance rose or two and there's Sarah up at our new lightbox taking this gorgeous photo of some spring flowers she just made.
Would love these for Easter Brunch!

It's that time of year again........you know the one you've all been waiting for.  Time for the annual Easter Bonnet Contest (remember Easter is my favorite holiday)......So WE'RE HAVING A PARTY - it's next Friday April 6th.....and everyone is encouraged to put on their finery and don their bonnet.....because the best bonnet WINS $100 GIFT CERTIFICATE.......can't make the party?  No worries (except you're missing a great party - think live music and pink drinks)- come in between now and Easter with your bonnet and we'll take your photo and throw it into the mix.

And just for a little inspiration - Remember this guy with his flower filled bonnet?  Click here for some other Easter Bonnet ideas.

Some Ways to Celebrate Easter

                              Full disclosure.......Easter is my favorite holiday of the whole year.  It's so low pressure.  Should you choose, a beautiful brunch is all that's called for.  But should you choose, you can go a little crazy, dye easter eggs, have an egg hunt, plan your Easter Bonnet, put on your springtime finery and take it from there.

                So I'm going to sprinkle the blog with a few photos to put you in the mood.
 



And we've even redone our velvet pumpkins in a spring palette!  Lots of great goodies for your Easter Basket chez Passionflower.
final photo in this trio courtesy our pumpkin friends at Hot Skwash!

It's not that we're not busy and don't have lots to do here at Passionflower. It's just that we all need to sometimes take a break and do something silly, don't we? Witness Lindsey's jewelry styling of our traveling bunny. Just in time for Easter.

Some Flowers For Easter & A Baby Shower Too

Messing around with flowers on a bright spring morning.

HyAcinTh, 'ApPle BlosSoM' StocK, JasmInE VinE, & a gARden Rose.....

I've been buying milk from longtime Willamette dairy family Noris Dairy and they have these great glass bottles with a $2 deposit...uh oh.....I kinda like them as vases.....

Pretty.

Might be nice with some angelique tulips....

or white camellia? Yes white camellia...yummy....

lily of the valley?

Flowering Apple branches?

Or just the way it is.

Easter Egg Containers.....

Ceramic egg cartons...they'll hold a dozen eggs.....love, love, double love them. They look cute in the fridge. But they weren't selling so well in the store. I decided to do something to show them off a little bit.

Here's my little montage of spring flowers in shades of pink.

I'll tell you a little secret. The tip of green fern was the last thing I added and I think it brought it all to life.

It was really pretty. And since Becky is now in love with her new i phone, she had to take a picture using her hipstamatic app. Which seems to be the go to app which has enchanted one creative person after another. I can see why.

Pretty nice photo, dontcha think? Thanks for that Becky.
And click here, should you like to get that hipstamatic app for yourself.

Easter Brunch a la Passionflower

I don't usually go in for the blog as advertising vehicle....I think of it as more of a way to share with you what gets my juices flowing....and I don't usually go for photos I didn't take...But this image that just arrived from our beautiful glassware and tabletop vendor Juliska was just way too beautiful to pass up......

It's nothing too fancy....some madelines, a tart and lemonade but it makes me want to put on the biggest, baddest Easter Brunch ever.....alas this year I'm having dinner - leg of lamb, mint jelly, leeks in cream, wild chickweed & arugula salad and I'm not sure what else.

Any suggestions?

Handpainted Easter Eggs at Passionflower

Years ago, when I lived in Portland, I would go to Powell's Books and buy the most beautifully colored Ukranian dyes and writing tools.....Many people don't know this but Mr. Powell (who was a really great guy) was Ukranian and he had a little locked cabinet full of dyes and styluses and wax which he would ceremoniously unlock for you. Then I'd have a big party with friends and their children. We'd make a mess and make some beautiful eggs while we were at it........There was something special about the vivid colored dyes and the way the styluses could be used to "write" on the eggs with wax. We'd write our names and draw maps of the world and scribble bits of poetry on them. Sometimes we'd hang crystals and ribbons from them. It was great fun. Click here to find out more about Ukranian Easter Egg dyeing tools.

These eggs remind me a little of those times.....They're handpainted in Austria and we have them in several patterns.

Dried Wreaths at Passionflower

I always love a wreath in the spring time.....to me it symbolizes the circle of life. Here's one a little bigger than the outspread span of my hand....it has eggs, and feathers, and twigs and moss and a touch of blue hydrangea - oh yeah and a little pussywillow.....

Because pussywillow is the harbinger of spring.