Testimonial

Dear Joyce,

I wanted to let you know how extraordinary the flower arrangements were at our ceremony yesterday. The exceeded my expectations, and received many positive responses from the guests.

I am so happy Rosemary referred us to you — we will use your services in the future. Thanks so much!

Sandra T., Cedars Sinai Hospital

Spotlight Awards at the Music Center

This year’s Spotlight Awards, held at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion at the Music Center downtown,  was a fun and colorful event.

Focusing on up-and-coming talent in the areas of song, dance, visual arts and instruments, the Spotlight Awards drew 2,315 applicants this year. Of those, sixteen winners and runners up were chosen.

Working with their invitation design of colorful pencils submerged in bubbly water, we created alternating centerpieces in bright primary colors, accented with fun and whimsical “bubbles”!

Half the tables were done with greens, blues and purples, arranged with hydrangea, orchids, silvery Lambs ear and Lisianthus.

The other half of the centerpieces were bright yellows, oranges, and reds, with Gerbera daisies, roses, orchids, tulips and button mums.

A fun fact: Adam Lambert of American Idol fame got his start when he came in second place at the Spotlight Awards in 2000. (He’s better at second than first; he came in second on Idol, too!)

Party for Children’s Health Center at Cedars

Gerber daisies are bright, fun and playful, and great for any kind of children’s party.

For this event at Cedars Sinai Hospital, we worked with their invitation  colors and child’s play theme to create a bright and whimsical floral display.

On alternating tables, there were Gerbers in wheat grass beds, surrounded by satelites of floating daisies. The other sets were candy dishes filled with cavity-inducing treats.

Purple is the New Black

From palest lavender to deepest aubergine, the color purple is everywhere this spring.

And it’s no wonder; purple is wonderfully versatile. Equally at home at an afternoon tea or a black-tie event, purple can be dressed up or down, depending on the need!

As a result of its association with royalty and luxury, the term purple  is often used to describe pretentious or overly embellished literature. For example, a paragraph containing an excessive number of long and unusual words is called a purple passage.

Best bets for spring purples: anemones, freesia, tulips, sweetpeas, callas and the all-time favorite purple flower – Lilac!!

Lilac Season

Lilac season is officially here – and we’ve got some of the most amazing lilacs from a local grower.

Fragrant and plush, the lilac tree or shrub is native to Asia and Europe. A member of the olive family, lilacs are a traditional favorite due to their sweet, heady perfume and old-fashioned charm.

Pretty in Pink

Pink and ivory with crystal and gold; it’s a fairytale wedding!

Our bride was married in the rose garden at the Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey, which is a lovely spot for an outdoor wedding. Surrounded by greenery, rose bushes and a waterfall, the rose garden makes a very romantic and picturesque setting.

The bride wanted something very elegant and unique without being busy, so we stayed within a two-tone color palette for all the flowers. Tall taper candles on the centerpieces added a touch of drama to this daytime reception.

The bridesmaids bouquets were also kept simple and elegant. Using massed pink roses with touches of folded Lily grass, we created nosegays for all the girls that had a modern leaf-wrapped collar and black silk ribbon wrap.

The Power of Simplicity – Part Two

I was browsing through a few websites this afternoon (checking out the competition is always a fun endeavor) and realized that so much of what is beautiful in style and design is also very simple.

Consider the calla lilies shown here. Designed to echo the staggered pattern of the candles in the modern chandelier above, they are so much more effective as a single, stunning element than if this had been a mess of texture and color.

Another great way to avoid being “bland” when using a single color and flower type: repetition.

We usually like to keep things in odd numbers, but the dual mirrors above this console needed a counterpoint in flowers below. And — if we include the Buddha head — we really do have five elements on the table!

Another example of good design with restraint: staggered heights and complementary colors.

These glass toughs are filled with masses of fragrant butter yellow Hyacinth, which is a warm complement to the tones in the sofa, floor coverings and coffee table.

Finally, if you are using just a single element in a floral design, use something very unusual to make a statement.

Here we massed fresh green Lotus pods in a glass vase lined with Zebra leaf: only two elements, but the arrangement adds a zing of creative interest to the sleek, contemporary lines of the furnishings.

Absolut Launches New Flavor at Voyeur

To conclude L.A.’s Fashion Week, Absolut launched the newest addition to their flavored vodka line with Absolut Berri Acai, a blend of pomegranate, acai berry and blueberry flavors.

Held at Voyeur Bar and Lounge in West Hollywood, it was a very sexy event with burlesque dancers, feather boas, and L.A.’s hottest fashionistas.

In keeping with the fruit theme, we filled oversized vases with submerged pomegranates and blueberries and placed them at either side of the bar. We also created custom lighted displays for a grouping of mini bottles and a 19″ bottle that added alot of illumination to and color to the matte gold bartop.

The cocktail tables throughout the bar had mini gold bird cages with a feather accent, mirroring Absolut’s ad campaign with Zooey Deschanel swinging in a birdcage.

Click here for more photos from the event, created by GenArt.

Spring at the Flower Market

Spring is here, and so are all the best Spring flowers!

Ranunculus, freesia, daffodils, tulips, viburnum, blossoming branches…the list goes on.

Even purple roses were to be found at the flower market — though nature had nothing to do with this color.

Getting up at 4am on a Wednesday morning doesn’t sound like fun for most people, but we in the flower industry are all too familiar with getting to work before the sun comes up. On the bright side, we get to be surrounded by so much beauty!

For someone unfamiliar with the downtown L.A. flower mart, it can be overwhelming. Fortunately our buyer, Jay, worked for many years on the mart at one of the largest wholesalers. He has great relationships with so many wonderful growers who pick out the best and most unusual blooms just for him.

Don’t forget — studies have shown that flowers actually make people happy!

Incorporating Themes into Floral Decor

Plan your work and work your plan.

This might be a cliche, but when it comes to party planning, it can make the difference between a smooth operation and a total disaster, a memorable event or one that is forgotten as soon as its over.

Say, for instance, you’re in charge of organizing your best friend’s baby shower.  (Or bridal shower, or the dreaded party for a birthday ending with a zero. You get the picture.) What do you do first?

Make a plan, of course! First, decide on a theme; this makes planning details alot easier. What does your friend like to do? Travel? Collect Wine? Play tennis? Run naked on the field at sporting events?

Bingo! A theme is born. (To keep it clean, we’ll go with tennis for this one.) Plan all the decor around tennis; use tennis balls in the flowers, have a tennis player logo on the invitations, use crisp shades of white with green and neon yellow and add an element of playfulness and whimsy. We achieved this with Gerber daisies, which just scream PLAY!

People remember parties that are (1) different and (2) fun. How many weddings have you been to in your lifetime? And how many were really different? Check out how this couple made their wedding memorable:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-94JhLEiN0

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