Links to love: October edition

An English garden in BLOOM.

I have pet and studio ENVY.

This is a FUN idea. But before you go out and buy a whole new wardrobe, THIS should be compulsory viewing. Succinct facts from the film by +1 Million Women HERE. Everyone should THRIFT.

I have nothing to say about THIS except, swoon! And some MORE!

THIS satire account is so on the money, it's scary. SO good!

Such pretty WEDDING INSPIRATION.

I am drooling over some of the furniture in this HOME. That bedside table...magnificent!

I could move into THIS SPACE tomorrow!

MASTER FLORISTRY at its finest.

 I would spend my life scouring flea markets and vintage stores if I could get a set of mis-matched dining chairs as wonderful as the set in THIS HOME.

Crushing on this WEDDING DRESS.

The anthropologist in me loves THIS.

A gorgeous BOHEMIAN STYLE elopement.

STYLING TIPS I am trying to employ in my 'fake it till you make it' approach.

ADORABLE.

What an ADVENTURE.

This is making me want to play about creating WREATHS.

I love this PLAN BEE seed idea. So important. So clever.

A RECIPE to try.


Kate  x



Styling & Photographs by M o s s & V i n e

How old is your soul?

"My soul is from elsewhere,

I am sure of that,

and I intend to end up there."

-Rumi

Kate  x

Photograph by Moss & Vine

Links to love: May edition

May is only eleven days old. But i've fallen in love with so much over those beauty-packed days. Here are some links to some of my new loves.

The Mrs Box has a new collection of HEIRLOOM VELVET RING BOXES. I still absolutely adore my green "Gardener" ring box (pictured above), but my new favourite colour has to be the stunning HUGUENOT. 

I recently discovered and fell in love with the King of aesthetic perfection STEVE SINCLAIR who owns and executes SINCLAIR AND MOORE EVENTS with his wife. Their daily life is an exercise in beauty. Read more about their life and business HERE and get a taste for their attention to detail HERE and HERE. Not only does Steve love interiors and decor, he is a self taught floral designer, designs and styles weddings and events, and makes his wife DRESSES FROM SCRATCH. He even made her WEDDING DRESS. If I could clone him for myself, I probably would.

I stumbled upon the website for POLLON flowers and was instantly taken aback by the innovation of floral designer Nicholas Minton Connell. There's always something new to learn in floristry. I love that it is an industry driven by trends and ever evolving design influences. Check out the wedding gallery on the Pollon website. And the 'PRESS' link is something else. Talk about vision and talent. 

My current flower crush is less of a specific flower and more of a colour palette. Plum, burgundy, deep-purple. I'm in love HERE and HERE and HERE.

My current foliage crush is weirdly left-field: OLIVE TREE FOLIAGE. I don't enjoy eating olives but I sure do admire the silvery-grey quality of olive tree leaves. So versatile.

I was never an admirer of DISBUD CHRYSANTHEMUMS, but having just been slammed working the Mothers Day rush in the wonderful, busy, florist shop of my home-town (COOMA FLOWER SHOP), I have a new appreciation for the huge, soft, fluffiness which characterises this amazing variety of the humble chrysanthemum. 

Currently in love with: 

VELVET RIBBON,

this Justin Alexander WEDDING GOWN,

 this Jesus Peiro WEDDING GOWN,

 these ANEMONES from Bathtub Gardens,

and THIS instagram account.

Also, my uber talented BROTHER now writes frequently for Rolling Stone Australia. HERE is his latest piece. 

Enjoy the sheer exquisiteness hidden behind these links, until next time,

Kate  x

Styling and Photographs by Moss & Vine

A never-ending list

I know, I know, I already gave you the somewhat definitive list of my favourite flowers HERE, but it turns out there were some notable absences. Like I said, it's a difficult list to contain.

Lilac

Hellebores

Freesia

They all deserve a loud and enthusiastic shout-out. It is a constantly evolving list as I learn about new flowers, handle new blooms, and continue to peruse on-line wedding flower inspiration. My current favourite sources? WE FELL IN LOVE and THE KNOT. *Swoooon* worthy, indeed!

Today I came home with a much needed bunch of sweetness in the form of hyacinth. Sydney has been experiencing biblical amounts of rain recently. And the perfect antidote to that is the heavenly scented, cheerily pretty, spring hyacinth. So that's one more to add to my list of favourite flowers.

World Hyacinth Day is celebrated on March 7th, when hyacinths are blooming in abundance in the northern hemisphere. According to the Victorians, hyacinth means: constancy, sportiness, impetuousness, and "I am sorry". They truly smell uplifting. Better than any perfume you could buy.

Kate  x

Photograph and Styling by Moss & Vine

Small packages

Are most definitely the best packages!

If you are a regular reader of Moss & Vine, firstly thanks, secondly you'll know I've been lusting after the beautiful velvet ring boxes from The Mrs Box for quite some time. You will also know from this post that it was my birthday last month. Some girls drop hints to their men about jewellery. I dropped hints about the vessel jewellery is traditionally presented in. 

I didn't want a ring. 

I wanted a ring box. 

A velvet ring box made from French velvet estimated to be between 40 and 100 years old, just to be precise. He's a switched on man, this man of mine. Actually, I wasn't overly subtle about my desired birthday present. He'd need to be really quite dim not to have grasped my hints outright requests for my very own Mrs Box.

I think it must be the most beautifully tactile object I own. I can't stop looking at it, turning it over in my hands. It is stunning.

If you're getting married, you should put your wedding bands in a Mrs Box for the wedding ceremony.

If you're planning to propose, you should do it with a Mrs Box.

If you already have a cherished ring, you should have a Mrs Box to put it in when it's not on your finger.

Shout out to The Mrs Box for dreaming up and producing such an exquisite thing!

Kate  x

Styling and Photographs by Moss & Vine

'The Gardener' Mrs Box from The Mrs Box

26 nectar moments OR comparison is the thief of joy

 It's my birthday! I am 26 years old.

 My twenties (so far) have been more wonderful than not. I am healthy, educated, fiscally fit, and happy. It is more than many people get in a lifetime. But there has also been an abundance of self-doubt, and harmful comparison of my life with other "more successful" people that I know. I am gradually realising that it is far more useful to focus on the things you have accomplished, than to always look to the things you hoped to have already achieved.

Have you heard of the Nectar List?

It's the opposite of a bucket list. It's fun, and if you do it right, it breeds a feeling of satisfaction and, even more rare, contentment.

So for my 26th birthday, I sat down and wrote 26 entries on my very own nectar list.

1. I've photographed the rooftops of Paris from the Eiffel Tower

2. I've had a brilliant view of New York's Central Park from a plane window

3. I've had a bonfire in my garden

4. I've watched the new year fireworks beneath the Sydney Harbour Bridge

5. I've had jewellery bought for me at Tiffany, 5th Avenue

6. I've lived in a multi-generational household

7. I've climbed to the top of St Paul's Cathedral, London

8. I've swum in a muddy dam

9. I've swum in an infinity pool

10. I've fed the monkeys at the top of Murugan temple, Kuala Lumpur

11. I've dined at Rockpool

12. I've dined at the Auckland sky tower revolving restaurant

13. I've lived abroad

14. I've seen the Olympic torch being skied down a mountain

15. I've rode on the back of a camel on the beach

16. I've walked The Mall, Washington DC

17. I've felt euphoric with the realisation that there are empty seats next to me on a long-haul flight

18. I've perused Degas' famous works at The Met

19. I've been brought to tears by music

20. I've been brought to tears at a wedding

21. I've chopped my hair off with reckless abandon

22. I've seen Girl Reading by Renoir (one of my favourite paintings) in the Musée d'Orsay

23. I've held the soft-cover, published work of my brother in my hands

24. I've bathed by starlight in a hot mineral spa on the edge of Lake Rotorua

25. I've watched the sun set over the Indian ocean

26. I've planted a herb garden

Of course, there is far more to my life (and everyone's life) than those 26 simple things. I could probably write a list of 260 things and still not be done. 

I'm hopeful that my 26th year will bring more nectar to my existence. 

Let's eat cake!

Kate  x

Flowers, Styling and Photographs by Moss & Vine

Formal

Formal season is in full swing.

It is such a nice thing to be able to create for family. This is last nights wrist corsage.

I hope it was a stellar night for them despite the stormy weather.

K xx

Wrist Corsage, Styling and Photographs by Moss & Vine

Say yes to thinking outside the trends

I pursued floristry because I was all about the flowers. Now that I am a florist, I am all about the wedding flowers. Wedding floristry is what I am most excited by, by a long way. But strangely I've seemingly become all about wedding details across the board. Like I've hinted at in previous posts, I spend a great deal of my spare time on wedding blogs. A great deal! Predominantly my focus has been on the flowers, and then the decor and wedding photography as secondary interests. But lately my brain space is being consumed by wedding dresses. I have no clue why I'm interested, but I am. And like any arm-chair expert, I have fervent opinions. In the last three or four weeks I have watched an embarrassingly large amount of Say Yes to the Dress and I Found the Gown and Don't Tell the Bride.

Don't judge me too harshly.

Whilst these shows are fun, they don't quite satisfy my fascination for wedding gowns. And I think it's because they lack variety. Apart from the odd statuesque and overly self-assured New York bride who confidently picks a structured, art-deco inspired gown, the majority of the dresses walking out the door at Klenfield and Bridals by Lori are white, strapless ball gowns, with sweet-heart neck lines. Even the consultants in the bridal stores concede to camera that the majority of the off the rack dresses fit this precise formula. Why? Where is the choice and variety?

Where is the antique lace in off white?

Where are the high neck lines?

Where are the delicate buttons as an alternative to corsets?

Why has everything been embellished with crystals masquerading as diamonds?

And for the love of all things chic, where are the sleeved gown options? 

Below are some links to dress inspirations that don't fit the cookie cutter bridal aesthetic from Wedding Sparrow.

25 Best wedding dresses for the fine art bride

Blue wedding dress inspiration

Blush pink wedding dress inspiration

Black wedding dress inspiration

And yes, I know I just dissed the sparkles, but below is an example of chic, show-stopping embellished dresses.

Sequin wedding inspiration

But at the end of the day, if a white, jewel encrusted, strapless, cinderella-type ball gown rocks your socks, then wear it. There must be an abundance of them for a reason, even if I don't recognise it. Don't let anyone dull your sparkle, least of all me. I just want to see some variety!

K xx

Styling and Photographs by Moss & Vine

Photographed open magazine spreads are from Hello May magazine and

Bride to Be  magazine.

Wedding photograph is my own Nan at her 1950s wedding.

Ocean + Bush

My weekend bride adores flannel flowers. That was my brief...

Flannel flowers.

What a wonderful brief.

Below is a pre-view.

Boutonnières

Father of the Bride, Father of the Groom, Brother of the Groom

Boutonnière

Chest corsages

Mother of the Bride, Mother of the Groom

Boutonnière

Groom

Posy bouquets

Ring bearers

Bathroom Arrangement

Flower Crown

Bride

The Bouquet

A thousand times, congratulations!

K xx

Flowers, Styling, and Photographs by Moss & Vine

Pink loads of pink

Mix and match:

paper daisies,

carnations

&

david austin roses

K xx

Styling and Photographs by Moss & Vine

Coastal Wedding

22/11/14

It's a wedding weekend for us! 

It's my favourite kind of wedding too. 

I get to be florist and guest.

My Friday will be filled with bouquets, boutonnieres, corsages and flower crowns,

before a Saturday of 'I do's'.

K xx

Styling and Photographs by Moss & Vine

Love beautiful things?

Me too.

So, I will share with you some pretty// gorgeous// beautiful// stunning// exquisite things.

The Tenth Meadow is the kind of life I dream of living.

Ginnyau has a near perfect aesthetic happening. Her images are blissful. If I could style images half as well as her... oh my!

And whilst we are admiring aesthetics, we must stop by Pearl & Godiva.

Here is Snippet & Ink paying homage to The Mrs Box. And rightly so.

How about the stunning website design at Flannel Flowers?

And here is photographic proof that roses are simply exquisite, no matter what stage of their life they are at.

So much beauty in the world.

K xx

Styling and Photography by Moss & Vine

Dapper

I hope you are all enjoying Cup day!

K xx

Flowers, Styling and Photography by Moss & Vine

Eight// Octo-ber in review

Fun fact: October was once the eighth month of the year, before Julius Caesar gifted himself July. And whilst he was in the mood for rearranging the calendar, he posthumously presented Augustus with August. *

So the Octo in October makes little sense anymore. Come to think of it neither does the Dec in December.

Eight has been a bit of a theme for me this October.

It has been eight months since we left Sydney. I am happier for having made that decision. Life is pretty grand. We love our new city. I love being a florist. And things are only looking better and better.

It has also been eight years since I went on the first date with my boyfriend.  

Eight years ago he bought me pizza. He's a tad more sophisticated these days.

Whilst I was busy styling some photographs of the new (old) ring, I thought I'd try my hand at styling an emerging trend. Recently i've been seeing the 'bed of moss' look appearing in more and more wedding photographs. Don't know what i'm talking about?

Moss ring box on pinterest. Always a good place to get your head around trends.

Or, try here.

What else had me excited this October?

Max Gill Design

How to display flowers in your home

The Mrs Box

Silk & Willow

Bash Magazine

We fell in love

Ben Adams Photography

K xx

Styling and Photographs by Moss & Vine


*I stand corrected on the whole calendar thing, my painfully intelligent Brother sent me the following:
'The Senate named July after Caesar, in recognition of his achievements. And Augustus was JC's grand-nephew, so August was not named for him posthumously but inter vivos, by the Senate, some time after Caesar's death.'

So, there you go.

Bows and pearl pins

You are not a florist unless you have a large stash of ribbons and pearl pins. 

Ribbons are fundamental to floristry.

I have just spent some time organising my own ribbon station. Colour coded, of course.

Cream, pale blue, lavender and twine, these colours are must haves. 

But you never know when a bride is going to ask for neon orange and sky blue. Together.

Some weddings are all about colour!

My current ribbon crush is this ebony + ivory striped ribbon.

It's a classic look.

I am also lusting over the stunningly beautiful plant dyed silk ribbon from 

Silk & Willow.

K xx

Styling and Photographs by Moss & Vine