Welcome, 2014!

  Here we are again, on the eve of a brand new year.  Do you have your resolutions ready?  Truthfully, I’m not a huge fan of these once-a-year declarations.  When you get to spend each day pursuing the craft you love, with those you love, every day is a commitment to my foremost goals: to be happy & fulfilled in all that I do. So many make these goals attainable (you know who you are) and for that I am so very grateful.

To that end, while 2013 was a banner year for us at Ideas in Bloom, we’re looking ahead to 2014 with more focus and creativity than ever before.  We’ll be booking only one wedding each weekend, ensuring every wedding has our undivided attention.  We’re known for our custom designs, but also for our unparalleled customer service and attention to detail.  We’ll never risk that level of quality for quantity, ever.  Not only do our couples benefit from this arrangement, but our families do as well.  Perhaps they’ll see a little bit more of us this summer than last!

So here’s to passion, balance and joy.  Cheers!  I hope the new year brings you happiness, fulfillment, and whatever else you strive for in 2014…

Happy New Year!

Foraging for Inspiration

 

Happy Holidays!

One of my favorite industry blogs, Flirty Fleurs, recently issued a challenge for designers to create a festive arrangement using only materials found within a 1 mile radius.  I was excited!  We just moved into our new home, complete with a beautiful, hearty hedge of holly out front - ingredient #1!

 

 

 

 

 

The other elements came together quickly on my morning walk with the dog through the trails just across the street…

 

I used a mercury glass piece that was an element in my Christmas mantle display, added a few maple branches, and presto…

 

Not only did I get a pretty holiday arrangement for my mantle, but this was a great exercise in design.  So often we create recipes and order exactly what we need for our various projects.  It’s always a great use of my creative energies to design a piece from a limited number of materials and even more fun to hunt them out from our surroundings.  Just goes to show that you don’t need summer blooms or a cultivated garden to create a great piece for your home.

Head on over to Flirty Fleurs to see all the designs from around the country - http://flirtyfleurs.com/winter-greenery-challenge/

Feeling inspired?  Take advantage of the balmy temperatures this weekend and create your own arrangement.  Send photos to me at kristin@ideas-in-bloom.com and I’ll post them on our Facebook page!

Remember, the rules are -

• Design an arrangement of foliages, berries, fruits, etc.
• All materials must be collected from your property or within 1 mile of your home.

Good luck!

Ideas in Bloom Featured on Borrowed & Blue

 

So excited to see Mary & Brian's intimate Portsmouth wedding featured on Borrowed & Blue today! Loved working with Laurel Events, Photography by KLC, Hippie Chick Bakery and CODO MakeUp to create such a special day for this wonderful couple.

 

Letter of Thanks

In the spirit of giving thanks, it seemed fitting that we write an open letter of appreciation.  We've had another banner year here at Ideas in Bloom and it's all thanks to the wonderful people we work with and those who have been our steadfast supporters.

Thank you to our wedding clients.  You welcome us to participate in one of the most important days of your lives.  We are always honored to be called upon to design for such a special celebration and appreciate the trust you have in our creativity.  You make it easy to love our work.

Thank you to our fans.  We are so lucky to have such a loyal and spirited fan base.  Your comments, "likes", and continued recommendations fuel our creative fire year after year.

Thank you to the amazing professionals we collaborate with.  Over the years we've created a network of such talented and kind-spirited colleagues.  Every event is a group effort and we so appreciate the work of our friends.

And the biggest thank you of all goes out to our families.  You tolerate our odd hours, the "shop talk" that creeps into dinner conversation, and our absence on weekends.  You volunteer as babysitters, assist with deliveries, and construct whatever we dream up.  You support our passion, allow us the space to let our creativity thrive, and are our biggest champions.  Thank you.  For without your support, none of this would be possible.

So happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.  We hope you have much to be thankful for this year as well.

Erin & Kevin’s Monadnock Area Wedding

 

Erin and Kevin created a thoughtful and love-filled wedding we were so happy to be a part of!  Along with a bevy of talented family and friends, this couple crafted details for their special day that emanated their personality and exemplified Erin’s attention to detail.  From the small town church to the completely transformed reception hall, this rural New Hampshire wedding was a stunner from start to finish!  Feast your eyes on these equally beautiful photos from the very talented Shannon Cronin Photography…

 

 

 

Sometimes I love a bouquet so much that I do what’s known as my “happy dance” when I hold the completed product.  Yeah, that happened!  Blush peonies, lavender roses, white stock, freesia, dusty miller, white veronica, fresh lavender and hosta leaves from the garden.

First look

Boutonnieres of thistle and fresh lavender

    Down the baby’s breath lined aisle.  This church in Wilton is the epitome of small town charm!  The bride’s parents and grandparents were married in this very spot, making it that much more special.Married!

My first attempt at hand lettering on one of our chalkboards

Favors made by the couple

Ceremony decor reused at the reception

   This ceiling installation was a group effort.  Fabric and lighting by the couple and giant hanging baby’s breath spheres from us.  So gorgeous!

 

Congratulations again, Erin & Kevin.  It was a pleasure!

 

For a full album of their wedding day, please visit our Facebook page.

Photography – Shannon Cronin Photography

Ceremony - First Unitarian Congregational Society in Wilton, NH

Reception – Monadnock Country Club

Catering – Northeast Cafe (former Ideas in Bloom couple!)

Preview from Stephanie Wales Creative Imagery

While I’ve been neglectful in my blogging (I know, I know…), Stephanie of Stephanie Wales Creative Imagery is making me look even more behind by posting about Kristin & Phil’s November 8th (!) wedding at Church Landing already.  You put me to shame, Stephanie. 

Having always admired her clear and dramatic signature style of documenting wedding, I was so excited to learn we’d finally be working together on an event.  Check out these stunning images (and touching personal comments) from Stephanie…

Happy Tuesday!

Vendor Spotlight – Artxchic Cake Toppers

We love coming across new ideas in the wedding world, and it’s even more exciting when you know the person behind it!  Meet Hannah – talented artist, former study abroad schoolmate, and wedding cake topper innovator.  I first some of Hannah’s family back when I was a teen working as receptionist at a hair salon.  Fast forward to college and we found ourselves just down the hall from one another in the stone towers of Cambridge University in the UK during a summer study session. 

Hit the >> button again and here we are.  Hannah recently started Artxchic Cake Toppers and even more recently created painted shadow boxes that allow you to display your toppers long after your wedding day has come and gone.  Her landscapes have always caught my eye and I can’t think of a better way to display these keepsakes.

 

Your name:  Hannah McLaughlin

Your business name:  Artxchic Cake Toppers

Your location: Manchester, NH

How did you start your business?

I started it by opening a shop on Etsy after I made a set for my cousin and his now wife.

How many years have you been in business?

I’ve been doing this for about 1 ½ years

What makes you stand out from others in your field?

My cake toppers can come with fully customized pet or child which was new to the field when I entered into it.

What's your favorite part of the work?

I love working with people who are so excited and happy about their upcoming wedding day.  It’s really a pleasure and adds a nice balance to my day job of working as a school counselor.

Are you seeing any trends emerge for the next season?

I’ve started incorporating custom shadow boxes as a way to display the cake toppers.  It helps make them more of a keepsake and something you can look back at and remember your special day.

What's the single best piece of advice you can impart to a newly engaged couple?

Don’t sweat the small stuff. 

Pricing Information:

My cake topper sets range in price starting at $60.  Each pet or child is an additional $10.

If you have any spare time, how do you spend it? Or some other personal tid-bit you don't mind sharing.

When I have a free moment I typically am on the golf course :)

Contact Hannah:

Order your toppers on Etsy - www.etsy.com/shop/artxchic

Follow her blog - www.artxchic.weebly.com/blog

Follow her on Twitter - www.twitter.com/artxchic

Find her on Facbook www.facebook.com/artxchic

Email - artxchic@gmail.com

Featured on Flirty Fleurs!

 

It’s always a pleasure to share our work and we recently had the opportunity to do so with many of our designing peers via the amazing floral blog Flirty Fleurs!  I try my best to fit in a quick visit to read Alicia and Chuck’s posts daily. Such inspiration!

 

Check out some of our designs in the following two posts from this week:

Favorite Fall Flowers & Foliage

Eye Candy – Floral Crowns & Halos

 

Thanks to Flirty Fleurs!