Lindsay rocking some jewelry in a quieter moment

It's a Volkswagen Van Kind of Thing

What are the odds that you'll do flowers for two weddings that both figure vintage VW vans in their weddings?

Well, if you're a florist in  Eugene Oregon, I guess the odds are pretty good.

Loving these happy couples.

(Bottom photo courtesy Jane in the Woods Photography)

Navone Jewelry at Passionflower

You know there's a lot of independent jewelry makers  out there in the world. And people want to sell it to me all the time at Passionflower.  And I say no a lot. There's a lot of reasons jewelry doesn't work for the store. Sometimes it seems too much like something we already have and sometimes it's just wrong for us and sometimes the price point is just way too high and sometimes I've spent all my allocated dollars and sometimes I'm just too busy to give it the time it deserves. And then, every now and then, there's a line that really stands out.  Hasn't happened in a while until Laurel said to me, "You might want to check out my friend Rachel Dean's jewelry.  She lives in Bend and I think it would be a good fit for us."  "Um, yes OK, I will".  And then Rachel sent me a lot of photos (all priced) and I could tell, not only did she have something original and fabulous to sell, she also had it together as a business person. And I need both those things to make it work here at Passionflower. So I said YES Please! 

And Rachel came over from Bend and we picked a really fun selection.  And now she's a house staple.  Her work definitely has a relaxed, boho vibe but add good design and color sense and it really sings.  It's mostly brass, beadwork, and gemstones but she adds thread and leather sometimes too.  And since Rachel seems like the energizer bunny when it comes to production, we thought it would be really fun to have a trunk show so you can see the huge, vast array of her work.  Please join us Thursday November 20th. We're open until 7 and will be serving a little bubbly and playing some lovely tunes.  

Or should partying on a Thursday evening prove too much for you, there's always our online jewelry store!

Susan Goodwin Jewelry Comes to Town

 The ever talented Susan Goodwin will be joining us for a trunk show next Friday at 2 and her work will be up until Saturday afternoon.

 Word on the street is that Susan has radically changed her display and I had a little sneak peek when I visited her in Carlton.  It's ephemeral and incorporates photographs.  Susan not just a great jeweler.
She's a talented artist who has spent most of her adult life living off the fruits of what she creates with her hands.  I have so much admiration for people who do that. Just stick to their one thing and ride with it as far and long as they can - constantly re-inventing themselves and, at the same time, staying true to who they are.

I always find something lovely for myself. And hope you come and find something lovely too.

Getting Hitched?

Stay tuned for year two of Brides on Broadway, a little indie wedding show featuring all kinds of fabulous downtown and other local vendors.  We'll be hosting Jane in the Woods Photographie  and Little Arrow Studio.  Melissa Jane and Brianna are two uber talented young women.  You'll love their work. Plus we'll be doing a little show and tell about hair flowers and crown.   It's happening Saturday the 22nd from 3 - 7.  Not exactly one stop shopping but you can  check out flowers, get invitations, buy some beautiful bridal jewelry and plan an engagement shoot all in one spot.  I'm pretty excited about the potential of this show to really be an outside the box event that offers brides the opportunity to create an authentic look true to their style.  Lots and lots of other things happening in the neighborhood  too.  Please pass this on to anyone you know who's planning a big party because I'd love to see a big turnout for this show.

photo courtesy Blue Bus Creative

Our Last Wedding of 2013......

 Why do I love these photos so much?  Well, first off the flowers are gorgeous!  It was an impromptu little wedding, the bride sort of bought the flowers off the rack if you will, coming in and picking what we had in the cooler just a few days before her December wedding.

 Taylor did a massively beautiful job with the bouquet using a big white kale, bright red roses and ranunculus, red amaranth, eucalyptus, fringey white tulips and some other lovelies.

 Plus they just look so darn happy!

But what really makes these photos special to me is that I know they were taken at the top of Spencer's Butte.  And if you live in Eugene, you know that it's no walk in the park up Spencer's Butte.  It's not too far, but it's pretty steep and always involves a little cardio.  Thankfully guests only had to walk partway up and then after the ceremony, the photographer and the couple walked to the the top.  My guess is, by the time they got there, endorphins were kicking in, adding to a little of that wedded bliss.  Notice the big mud spot at the bottom of her dress?  And  those aren't three inch heels peaking out from under her dress either.

Congratulations you two, those are some beautiful photos you have and  I know you worked hard to get them.

I predict a long and happy marriage.

all photos courtesy Jay Eads Photography
and click here to see more really special photos from this fabulous wedding....

Indie Wedding Show in Eugene

 

Lots of great wedding inspiration crossing our feed this morning....we're having a really fun, indie, alternative bridal show with all our other downtown neighbors on Saturday afternoon the 22nd of February.

We're going to do a little demo on hair flowers and there will be  lots of different styles to try on.  These shots from uber romantic Finnish designer  Minna got us thinking about all kinds of flowers and crowns. 

 

And we've got something extra special planned for our front window.  We're thinking Downton Abbey goes to Burning Man!  Stay tuned.

All photos courtesy Minna

Catching Up

We had a most lovely First Friday event with Mary Briggs, really lovely, very special.  And the seasons they're a changing and so is the store....bringing in all kinds of fall goodness.  And I did some hunting and gathering  in Portland and even hired a new manager!  (More on that in future post)
But nary a camera in sight....so instead some pretty flower pics for you.

The Sweet Things in Life

 It's rare you hear people talk about wedding flowers and what they cost.  I guess because we're supposed to be all smiles and happiness when it comes to weddings. So it was refreshing to see this blog post which was making all the rounds earlier this year which actually talked about what those beautiful wedding flowers you see in magazines really cost.  All too often, the small town florist (that's me) is in the uncomfortable position of having to say, "Sweetheart, those flowers just aren't in  your budget".....And I thought to myself, "I think I'll try a different tact"...so this time when the bride came in and showed me a photo, I just told her "those cake flowers will cost $100" and then I let her decide if it was in her budget or not.  You could see the extremely charming and gracious mother of the bride visibly gasp at the price and I have to admit, even I was a little shocked to hear myself uttering that.  But now I think,  "That was $100 well spent" because the impact was huge.

And the family was Dutch so we used this charming little bi tone tulip as a nod to their heritage.  Which made me really happy.  Thanks Tobi Sovak from Noisette  for making our flowers look so good on that cake.

Susan Goodwin Chez Passionflower

Two weeks from today, Susan Goodwin joins us for her one of a kind, amazing Trunk Show, featuring turquoise and coral, pearls of all sizes and colors, charms, and talismans.....plus I spy a few tassles 

in the mix too. If you love small, beautiful , sometimes sparkly things, this is the show for you.

And in special sparkly celebration I think we'll be serving some lovely elderflower drinks.

Getting Ready for Wedding Season

 

Thanks Eugene Weddings Magazine, we couldn't be happier with the photos and the article. 

photo courtesy Eugene Weddings Magazine which you can pick up chez Passionflower

One of Our Favorite Jewelers

Oh my gosh, we are getting so much great new jewelry in the store.  It's like Christmas everyday. The pyrrha pendants  continue to amaze and inspire. And we're now bringing some bronze pieces as well.  If  you're looking to layer with other pendants or if you want that special, classic  heirloom piece, now would be a most excellent time to peruse!!!!!!  

Some Advice for Future Brides

Wow, it's hard to believe Sarah has been with us designing flowers for almost a year!  How time flies.

And I have to tell you , if I were a bride, I would definitely be finding lots of inspiration on her blog - all kinds of wonderful wedding ideas and sources.  Check it out by clicking here.

Great Jewelry for Graduation Gifts

 If you are looking for a gift of jewelry say for graduation, or for one of your bridesmaids, or another celebratory or meaningful occassion, it really doesn't get any better than a piece of Pyrrha jewelry.

                
                       We have a great selection at Passionflower right now with lots of new pieces.
               

 

   

And here's a link   to a sweet interview with the founders of Pyrrha should you like to know more about this jewelry line which has proved an enduring best seller because, well, because people know really truly beautiful things when they see them.  It has been a pleasure to see the ways in which so many folks have claimed these pieces and gave them their own very personal meanings. 

And should you wish to get a feeling for how they make these beautiful pendants

check out this great video -



Susan Goodwin Jewelry at Passionflower

We are really looking forward to our visit from the amazing Susan Goodwin......First Friday in May from 3 -7....Susan will be up from her home in the Santa Cruz mountains to share with us the latest creations to spring forth from the creative well that is her genius.  Just when I think it's all been done, and how many ways can one really design with a single pearl, Susan will show me that the well is deep.  We'll also be unveiling work from her new collection Signs and Symbols. 

To whet your appetite for all things Susan, click here and to see an old post from when Becky & I visited Susan at her studio in Seattle click here.

Image courtesy Susan Goodwin

Gypsy

                           
Looking for a little color to spice things up?  Finally got my Gypsy bracelets.  Handmade in Istanbul .   They're one of a kind and when they're gone, they're gone.  So consider yourself warned.  No whining about how you really loved them and should have bought them when you first saw them and why can't I get more.

Star Gazing

I must say, I don't usually go in much for celebrity watching but I was completely charmed  when I read about Kate Moss getting married and having 15 bridesmaids....fifteen young girls all in white with simple white hair crowns walking down a country road accompanying the bride. How positively festive and romantic. 

I pulled this photo of Kate's bridesmaids  from a site that had no attribution to the photo...

Every Now and Then

Someone comes to the store selling something that is just right.....

And we say, "ooh" and "ahh" and "yes" and "please and thank you"...

Holiday Bling Jewelry

We fell in love pretty fast and pretty hard with this jewelry line called Gypsy, as we are always on the look out for that high holiday bling jewelry piece. (Remember the time before bling was a word? I do.)

Then we saw this big pomegranate pendant (below) and found out the line was made in Turkey.....and all of a sudden we were re-enacting the underworld of winter and eating pomegranate seeds with Persephone.....well that was pretty much it and next thing we knew we were putting in a big old order.

And some of their jewelry can be seen in the movie The Other Boleyn Girl....and we think that's pretty cool too.

But if that's all a little too much bling for you....never fear... because we've got some beautiful understated pieces too......

Like this great vermeil necklace from Brooklyn jewelry design house Swallow......they call it their mother/daughter piece. Lots more to see in the jewelry cases. Find a perfect piece for yourself to wear this holiday season or a gift for a loved one.
We pretty much can't think of anything we'd like to do more at Passionflower than try on jewelry with you. Yes it's the adult version of playing dress up.
To see more of our great jewelery click here.

My New Obsession

For your viewing pleasure..........I've been spending way too much time putting collage photos together but also working hard on photos for the new shopping site....shoppassionflower dot com.....coming soon......so here ya go....a little preview of our jewelry cases.....

My favorite photo collage above .....

From top to bottom: Cast bronze Hermes Medallion, Gopher Jawbone Necklace, and Carved Mammoth Bone Cherub.

\ A little holiday bling.

And we haven't even made it to earrings and bracelets......