kat flower

a la mode

2012-01-18T11:32:00.004-05:00

who knew red onions could be so charmants?
{image from here}

different kind of italian leftovers..

2012-01-13T09:36:00.002-05:00

you gotta be a ice-cold mf not to smile when you see a poppy.

leftovers from last saturday's wedding but i'm delighted for the bounty. have thoroughly enjoyed their irrepressible cheer throughout the apartment. poppies are the perfect reminder that even in the dead of winter, spring will be here soon.

scared money don't make no money

2012-01-11T08:06:00.000-05:00

i started kat flower to share my love of flowers. i have an aesthetic -- it's lush, romantic, loose, seasonal, textural, whimsical and i'm not afraid of color. i love greens and vines and going with a flower's natural movement. and though i can go simple, many of my designs have 15+ elements in it. it's not particularly inexpensive but it's what i like and what i do.

i work in new york, a market saturated with brilliantly talented designers. lots of choices out there, catering to different styles and budgets but guess what? i want to work with people that love kat flower. people that look at my body of work and buy into what it is i do. i don't want to be second choice. i don't want clients coming to me because they couldn't afford x or y. or clients that say they don't really love or care about flowers because i love and care about them. or clients with copious tears of another designer's work looking for me recreate it for their event. of course, i know that designers get booked and i very much appreciate when my colleagues refer business to me {i do the same} but once you come to me, you need to trust and believe in the work that i do.

another thing...pricing. i'm also completely above board about it and even include it on my website. so when you inquire as to my availability, i trust that you know what you're in for, both aesthetically and financially. time is a precious commodity and i'm not about wasting yours or mine. that's not to say that i don't do small events because i very much do...it just has to make sense for the both of us. this is after all, my business and livelihood, not my hobby or side-hustle.

basically the long and short of it is, in today's fickle economy, it would be easy, at least at first, to take every job that crosses my path. but i'm thinking long-term and big picture so i can't do that. i'll wait for the jobs and clients that are a good fit. and eventually, as i become more established, those jobs will find me. scared money don't make no money*. and i'm not scared, at least, not right now anyway.

*lyric by young jeezy. thanks sha for hipping me to it.

i'm ready

2012-01-03T08:32:00.003-05:00

it's 2012! yay! what's not to love about a new year, a fresh start, a global clean slate. it's a perfect time to do new things and the potential for greatness can't be ignored. it's already a bigger and badder year for me and kat flower and to that end, i thought i'd share some goals that will make this year off the chiz-art...

- get some plants. sad but true confession.

- keep my house tidy for at least a month. it's super clean now and i am loving it. staying in love enough to put my shoes and other crap away will be key.

- take better care of my skin.

- visit friends that live out of town.

- visit a new country. might be able to fold in the aforementioned.

- look up at the sky more.

- dream, laugh, cook, read, teach more.

- finally learn to knit.

- grow.

- re-upholster my sofa. it will be a total game changer.

- get a haircut.

- de-clutter.

- use every gift certificate i've received over the last, i don't know, three years.

- learn to smize, i.e. smile with my eyes. never too late.

- be loving, be gracious and be thankful. that one is a life resolution. always and forever.

happy new year buttercups. wishing you beauty, love, hope, peace and light this year and beyond. x

p.s. a reason to love winter -- quince blossoms. definitely one of my top 7.
p.p.s. already making progress on my list. feel free to share some of your goals below. might want to add some more...

reflections

2011-12-29T08:42:00.001-05:00

some more images from the gala i wrote about for the huffington post...

we're just a few days out from the year's end and like you, i've been reflecting on my 2011. it's gone by in a flash and all in all, it's been a great one for kat flower. i booked more weddings and events than previously {thank you again to everyone for choosing to work with us}, met some cool people, worked with and collaborated on some great projects with some very talented designers, artists and photographers with the promise of more opportunities to come, got great press, taught some workshops, launched my website all while doing what i love...creating and designing with flowers. i am truly blessed.

HUGE thanks to all of you for reading and following my escapades through this floral life. thanks for caring, for following, for commenting, for pinning and for supporting me and my little engine that can. it's been heaps of fun {and tres helpful} sharing my journey with you. 2012 is already going to be bigger and badder than ever so stay tuned for all the shenanigans. so in the indelible words of michael scott {because i've been streaming episodes of the office}, 'see you on the flippity-flip.' and yes, it's official...i've morphed into that guy that quotes tv and movies. please save me from myself.

i'm going to clean my house now.

x

{photos by michael seto}

huffington post

2011-12-27T13:58:00.001-05:00

my latest post on being an entrepreneur and running my small business is now live so check it out here. it's my own personal christmas miracle that i submitted it before the holiday but then again, 'tis the season.

anyway, because all of you who read le blog are so near and dear to me, i thought i'd share some behind-the-scenes thoughts and inside scoop about my behind-the-scenes article...

first, no b.s. but i got hired 12 days out from the event. not ideal but clearly doable. and the email came after midnight from a friend of a friend {who's now my friend too..just go with me on this} who's taken two of my floral workshops. fancy that.

the brooklyn floral design community is amazing. i admire and respect them all and yes, we are friends. shout out to sarah of blossom and branch, suzanne from coco rosie and sarah from saipua for referring these talented designers because my team was BOSS! sooz, jen, britt, liza, adriana, linda -- love you all and hope to have lots more work so we can kill it again. and that's a photo of the 40+ wrist corsages and boutonnieres we were charged to make. wowowowowow.

i've done weddings with bigger budgets. and so producing all that we had to produce and staying true to my aesthetic was very hard. and after flowers, supplies, labor, delivery, i had nothing. so really, why did i say yes? it really was to test myself and to explore galas and the like as a possible direction for kat flower. the verdict: definitely can do it so sure, i'll go back to my event roots...in calculated doses.

finally, the wonderful and talented parris wittingham. i met parris at an wedding industry event and he was kind enough to not only to check out my work but also called to let me know that he liked it. that's always nice, right? so when i decided to approach a photographer about shooting some behind-the-scenes images, he was at the top of my wish list. luckily for me, he said yes and he committed to the project. he sent me a questionnaire so he could better understand what i do and what goals i had set for the shoot -- thorough to say the least. he called it 'love at work' which perfectly summarizes what it is that i do. and as someone who hates being photographed, he exudes a warmth and calmness that immediately puts even the most camera-shy among us at ease. and because he was there, i have that beautiful image of team kat flower group hug.

pushing through and making it work indeed...

{photos by parris wittingham studio}

fierce drummer woman

2011-12-21T11:22:00.010-05:00

happy holidays sugar plums. happened upon this clip via a friend's fb page and it's too brilliant not to share with y'all. grace jones is everything and her outfit is totally appropriate for a children's christmas special, right? i can't. bonus: s. epatha merkerson pre her lieutenant van buren years. fair warning, this may be a series...
p.s. imagine if this package really went to the 1988 white house? hahahahahaha!

108 wycoff street

2011-12-19T08:24:00.009-05:00

'one day in 2001 i went outside and started gluing things to the front of my house. i have not stopped yet. my hope was to make a celebratory statement that would cheer and amuse.'

-- susan gardner, artist

stumbled upon this very cool home in boerum hill yesterday. reminded me of gaudi's parc guëll. and yes, i was very much cheered and amused. i love brooklyn.

q&a

2011-12-15T09:32:00.003-05:00

there i am on front street...
lottie of lotte & bloom, one of my favorite floral design blogs, has got this great q&a series featuring designers from all over. those brits sure are clever, aren't they? anyway, this week is my turn. check it out here and my apologies in advance for the bigness of that photo. whoa. x

new york magazine weddings

2011-12-12T12:04:00.004-05:00

oh happy day! kat flower is featured in new york weddings winter 2011 issue! it was late-breaking news about two months ago {the issue hit newsstands in october} but now that the images are also available online, i thought i'd share them on le blog.

the feature was all about monotone bouquets and as you can see, i designed two for the occasion. as you may know, magazines print about two months in advance so a floral designer's challenge is to create a bouquet in hot-ass july with flowers that will be available in the fall and winter for brides that may be getting married in the spring/summer. phew! but we all did it and i'm honored to be included among such talented designers.

to see the flowers used, click here and here. AND check me out in the vendor directory!

december so far

2011-12-09T14:30:00.025-05:00

happy december and happy friday y'all. started writing this post yesterday and fully expected to post this morning but been having blogger issues {mine more than theirs} and well, now it's afternoon. where the hell does the day go?

replying to inquiries, scheduling consultations, cranking out proposals for 2012 weddings, laying out plans for other 2012 activities. fair warning: get in where you can fit in cause the party doesn't stop.

got a fancy new printer, still putting away my summer clothes cause i'm totally rudy huxtable and want to wear summer clothes all the time. with a cozy knit, a tall boot, a scarf...in my mind, it works. recommitting myself to pilates {all the schlepping, standing and lifting takes its toll} and cooking superfoods and am finally learning some photoshop basics. the latter of which involves me enlisting the help of my bridge-climbing, iron-working, art school-educated friend and neighbor. photoshop tutorials for food. salmon and quinoa with kale, sweet potatoes, asparagus, butternut squash and walnuts. i'm okay with that.

took some snaps of these still beautiful despite being over a week old anemones on my window sill, which has become hospice for leftover flowers. resized them in photoshop. opening a whole new chapter of blogging. yay...i think.

gratitude

2011-11-24T10:35:00.018-05:00

the handwritten note. such a wonderful, thoughtful tangible gesture of thanksgiving. i teared up when i read it, not only because of the sentiment behind it but because it also perfectly embodies why i am so grateful.

this life of mine is an incredible blessing. here's some of what i'm thankful for today {not necessarily in order}:

my family. without them, i really would cease to exist, like poof, gone.
my grandmother. she's 94.
my brother. yes, i know that he's referenced in #1 but he really deserves his own line. he's a great man and good at everything he does, including being a brother. i admire, respect and love him. i would walk into traffic, a bullet or any other peril so that he would live. for real.
my immune system. it's pretty incredible and makes life so much easier.
the sun. after a few days of rain, it's nice that sunny skies are in effect mode.
kat flower. i am my own boss and my business is designing with flowers. that's pretty dope.
my body, particular my eyes, hands arms, back, feet and legs. lots of lifting, running, schlepping in this line of work and like my immune system, it makes life so much easier.
speaking of body, i'm thankful that my internal clock allowed me a few extra winks this am. so not the norm...
my friends. all special, all loved and appreciated by me.
nature. despite how much we abuse it, it continues. and it manages to produce such amazingly beautiful plants and flowers {with a wee bit of help}
that i have cereal and milk in the fridge. i eat steel cut oatmeal with blueberries most mornings but today, i want a quick brekkie.
kindness. i have been shown an inordinate amount and it makes my heart happy when i witness it. let it reign always.
music.
social media. le blog, twitter and yes, even fb, has afforded me the opportunity to communicate and share my work, my life, my journey with you. pretty self-indulgent but i am very grateful nonetheless.
extra flowers. gonna throw something together because i didn't cook and i can't go to thanksgiving dinner with long arms...
today. not just because it's thanksgiving but more so because it's another day that i get to participate in my life. every day is a blank slate, a do-over and another shot at getting it right. i love that and i am beyond grateful.

happy thanksgiving friends. love and be thankful. x

manic monday

2011-11-14T20:35:00.001-05:00

i never liked that song but since i find myself writing a post after 8pm on a day that started at 4:30am, it seems kind of fitting. and i don't mean manic in the crazy sense, not that there is anything wrong with crazy...okay, what the hell am i talking about? oh yes, monday.

i am working on not one but two events for this wednesday, both corporate, one big. i've planned many a big event but being on the floral side of things is a whole 'nother animal altogether. for reals. testing all my skillz but i'm reveling in the challenge so much so that i haven't had time to share the huffington post piece on me at the flea with y'all until now. okay, it only came out on sunday but usually i'm more on it. anyway, it was all about ideas for thanksgiving florals and the above is the 'kat flower special' {their moniker, not mine}.

these photos were taken last sunday. took the arrangement outside for more light and a photo shoot ensued. decided that i'd like to invest in a fancy camera for christmas. might also need to take a workshop or two. right now, all i do is hold the camera still and press the button...

i guess i should let y'all know that i'm taking thanksgiving flowers orders. let me try that again...I'M TAKING THANKSGIVING ORDERS! oh, that was loud. anyway, would love it if you made room on your bountiful table for a kat flower special. and it will be special for sure.

saturday at the flea

2011-11-07T09:40:00.006-05:00

happy monday groove bunnies. so this past weekend is always my favorite new yorker weekend as sunday was the annual new york city marathon! always an epicly gorgeous fall day full of inspiration, solidarity, community and fun. BIG congratulations to all the runners! but back to the matter at hand...

after a long hiatus, the flowers and i returned to the flea. again, it was a beautiful day and my blooming friends were in magnificent form. we're talking peonies, kumquats on the vine, anemones, ranunculus, amaranthus, garden roses, pincushions, bittersweet and more! AND as i've shared recently, i'm now blogging for the huffington post and they stopped by to shoot my booth for an upcoming lifestyle piece on simple holiday arrangements. anyway, here's what i was working with..

these mums scream fall...

ranunculus

peonies

pincushions and parrot tulips

anemones

garden roses

gomphrena

nandina, the star of saturday's show

bobby from the huffington post in action...

the outdoor brooklyn flea ends on november 19th and sadly last saturday was my swan song until 2012. but please continue to come out and support all the great vendors!
p.s. BIG up to the newest members of team kat flower, linda and adriana! thanks so much ladies! x

feeling fall

2011-11-03T10:11:00.016-04:00

i am. especially today. there is something about fall that is kind of fantastic -- dry and crisp air {my hair is very happy}, sunny skies, foliage, gorgeous saturated colors, the fashion {who doesn't love a tall boot and a yummy knit}, apples, squash, pies and of course flowers...

went to market this morning and after w.r.e.a.m. october, it was good to check out the goods without having a particular palette or flower in mind. just drank it all in.

sharing some photos of an arrangement i delivered this morning. i was given complete artistic license and felt very inspired by so much...kumquats on the vine, mini charlie brown cymbidium orchids, ranunculus, nandina, garden roses, amaranthus, spider mums of all things {i was all about the color} and this purple-tipped oregano.

i love when i can't wait to start making an arrangement. sounds corny and a bit contrived but i always to try to go with flow of the flowers. and i was really into making this arrangement. just felt right.

took it outside to see it in natural light and it became a photo shoot. i kind of love it. but parting really is sweet sorrow and all that...hope my client's wife enjoys it as much as loved making it.

UPGRADE me!

2011-11-01T10:14:00.000-04:00

so if you've been reading my blog since at least the summer, you'll notice that there have been some changes, like the new header, the name, the 'you might also like' suggestions, etc. but did you notice that handy dandy link on the upper left, the one that says visit MY WEBSITE?! well, ladies and gentleman {that means you daddy}, i finally have a site! yay! cue dancing muppets! it's been a long time coming.

building a site in this calendar year was definitely a goal {remember this post?} but i'm not going to lie, i wasn't sure where to even begin. enter you + me design. i met with miya and elizabeth, the dynamic and talented duo behind you + me design back in july to discuss it all. i'm a simple girl when it comes to these sort of things so i just wanted a place where people can see some of my work. my approach was akin to a photographer, i.e. the emphasis would be on the images -- after all, photos are my currency. and i've been fortunate enough to have worked with some really great photographers.

we worked very hard to make the site clean, beautiful and functional so pretty please, visit it frequently. and tell your friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, frenemies, the cable guy, your local barista...everyone! i want servers to crash, like when missoni launched on target, because y'all just can't enough of katflower.com! okay, i don't want them to crash per se, but you get where i'm going. so if you're curious, let your fingers do the swiping, typing and clicking. and as always, would love to hear what you think so please comment away!
{bridal bouquet from september wedding in nashville, photo by stephen jerkins}

definitely treat

2011-10-31T10:08:00.002-04:00

what it's all about...happy halloween groove bunnies. i'm planning on seeing two of my favorite little ones later today and stealing some of their candy. hahaha. i kid. okay, not really. {photo by margarita corporan}

update: one was a fire chief and the other was one of the british nicki minaj singing sisters. i can't...SOOO cute! and no halloween candy for me.

and...scene

2011-10-30T10:34:00.000-04:00

w.r.e.a.m. october came to an abrupt and unexpected end with saturday's freakishly early snowstorm. snow on trees that still have not changed color and snow on sidewalks littered with fallen leaves was on the crazy side of crazy. i was scheduled to be at the brooklyn flea saturday but due to weather, i had a long-time-coming day off. no complaints here! spent the day catching up on emails, finishing proposals, switching my closet {would you believe that i still hadn't retired my summer wardrobe?}, doing laundry and other household chores, visiting clothes i shouldn't buy on the inter-webs, watching food network and discovery and just having a normal non-floral designer saturday. not loving snow's premature debut as i feel like it's a scary harbinger of the winter to come {lord help us}, but was happy for the break...

as for some of my october weddings...

october 8th...arrived from paris late thursday night and went straight into production friday morning. no time for jet lag, no time to unpack {confession: my suitcase is still on my bedroom floor...shameful i know}. photo of the bouquet and the back of the ride as we head out to LI.

october 15th...fight with a pear branch. by the jagged pinky slice, i think it was a draw. probably could have used a stitch but my brother {dr. brother} was out of town so knuckle up i did. and another photo of the back of the ride as we race down the west side highway to the church.

october 22nd...small wedding so i rode solo to tribeca for this mission. bride was super sweet and almost, almost, made me tear up as she thanked me for her flowers. i love all my couples.

october 23rd...in the car as bouquets and i head to housing works bookstore. white anemones, particularly the ones with black centers, are on the early side so they'll get better later in the season but my bride wanted them and i made it happen. and i only just stopped singing purple rain.

sorry that i'm only able to share these less-than-brilliant iphone photos. honestly, i'm awful at taking photos on jobs so there it is. x

brenda starr

2011-10-27T09:35:00.004-04:00

it's been in the works for a while but this morning, it's official...i'm now blogging for the huffington post! late summer, they reached out to me about sharing my experiences as an entrepreneur and running a small business. my first post was published about an hour ago and i am surprised how happy i am about it -- i'm totally having a brenda starr moment and i'm kind of proud of myself. who knew that le blog would lead to such a brilliant opportunity...

anyway, check it out here and let me know what you think!

real wedding - erica & matt

2011-10-17T13:23:00.000-04:00

it's been a long time coming but i'm delighted to share some images from erica and matt's gorgeous may wedding at the ramscale loft, currently being featured on once wed.

erica and matt had a clear vision of what they wanted their wedding to be -- an intimate, west village celebration with close family and friends, great food, good music and dancing. their aesthetic was also definitive -- clean white space, neutral, flesh-colored palette, mercury glass, candles and white lights. and then there was erica's dress..

i rarely see the bride and groom on the day of but as luck would have it, i saw erica and matt in all their finery. the photos really do not capture how flawless and perfect they looked...so beautiful, so happy, so in love. wishing them every morsel of happiness this life has. x {photos by max wanger}

times are changing and help is needed

2011-10-11T08:10:00.001-04:00

dream of working with flowers regularly? have visions of floral masterpieces dancing in your head? can you lift water-filled vases and urns in a single bound? if you answered yes to any of these questions, then kat flower wants you...to be an intern.

w.r.e.a.m is in full effect and team kat flower needs your help! again, the ideal candidate should love to be around flowers in all its states, be intelligent, very dependable and proactive, in that order, be willing and able to sometimes work in the early hours of the morning and weekends. you should be quick, strong and coordinated, i.e. no awkward carrying of vases, centerpieces, etc. you must also like weddings, events, cookies, brooklyn, people, sweeping, sunshine, washing vases and changing vase water because you'll be doing all of that and more.

the position is unpaid, hence the careful use of the word intern, but i promise to teach you everything i know as well as feed you. you'll need to be available 2-3 {but more like 2} days a week, one of which will most definitely be a weekend day. if you're interested or know anyone who might be, shoot me an email at kathleen{at}katflower dot com with a brief resume and be sure to include internship in the subject line.
thanks very much in advance,
k x

living with beauty

2011-10-07T09:49:00.007-04:00

bonjour! i'm back. paris was lovely but exhausting. didn't have much time to do much but will share some snaps in a future post. in the meantime-between time, check out kalyn johnson of effie's paper and yours truly on the bride's cafe. i taught kalyn how to make a simple arrangement using readily available vessels in her home and the lovely mel barlow, photographer extraordinaire, was kind enough to capture it all. {photo by mel barlow}

w.r.e.a.m. october

2011-10-05T13:43:00.009-04:00

'weddings rule everything around me, W.R.E.A.M get the money, dollar, dollar bill y'all.'

groove bunnies, october is on and poppin'! leaving paris tomorrow evening and then it's wedding, wedding and more wedding! but back to paris for un moment...my friend and i ran into colette before they closed and as usual, it was rammed with people -- i wonder how people manage to shop there. just seems to always be full of people just hanging about, waiting and wanting to be seen, especially during fashion week. silly. but enough of that. after i sprayed myself with some regrettable eau de parfum {i don't remember the brand so i'm in danger of doing it again. i reek of it}, i quickly checked out the art and books. art i need to look into, books were nothing i can't find in the nyc. plus weighing down my 27+kg case with a heavy book isn't particularly ideal. taking photographs at colette is forbidden but i did manage to snap the one above {no time for composition so no judgment}. the movie opens in paris tonight but somehow, when i get back, in the midst of my october madness, i will check it out. love r.g.

on another note, i feel like little dragon's ritual union is october's soundtrack - this track in particular. i'll sleep when i'm dead, right?

seventies chic

2011-09-28T09:32:00.002-04:00

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i'm headed to paris tonight. been a minute since i've shared some music with y'all and think the moment calls for some dalida. back story: when i was wee, one of favorite things to do was look through my dad's records and i was particularly obsessed with the dalida albums. i just thought she was glamorous, beautiful, sexy {even i could see it at a tender age} and chic. other women with whom i was obsessed: my mom and aunts {her sisters}, lynda carter {wonder woman, duh}, diana ross, my mom's friend piper, maria from sesame street, irene cara, the solid gold dancers, but i digress.... i loved dalida's voice and i really didn't know what she was singing about with such intensity but i was altogether moved. this song is one of my favorites. when i was in paris in march, i heard it for the first time in years and totally had a proustian moment {sans madeline and tea} -- me sitting on the living room floor with the albums strewn about and my dad singing along. complete sensory memory down to the corduroys i was wearing...

anyway, it's paris fashion week so it should be a feeling. will try to post some photos while i'm away but i make no promises. à bientôt mes p'tits choux! bisous, kx

keep it simple

2011-09-26T12:08:00.004-04:00

created some centerpieces for a rehearsal dinner at new york athletic club in pelham last week. original plan was to use some of the club's trophies as vessels {cool!} but our plans were thwarted {drat!} and we ended up using glass cubes. sometimes, you just gotta roll with it...

you are the prototype

2011-09-15T09:06:00.000-04:00

just tweeted this for those of you following me but thought the blog deserved some sneaky peek love too. it's a prototype centerpiece for an upcoming october wedding. meant to take a proper photo with my camera but you know what they say about good intentions...we'll have to settle for this crappy iphone shot. oh, and the bride loved it! here's hoping all the above is available in a month...haha! {okay, not really funny}

munaluchi bride editorial shoot: brace yourself

2011-09-09T07:46:00.023-04:00

my editorial shoot for munaluchi bride is live on munaluchi's blog, kiss the groom and style me pretty! folks are often curious as to how this things happen so here's how it went down. it was a saturday night in june and i was leaving an event at the time warner center...check my phone and see a message from elizabeth messina, one of the most talented wedding and portrait photographers out there. she writes that she's coming to town to shoot a bridal editorial for munaluchi bride and is checking to see if i'd be interested in designing and styling all the florals. duh, hell to the yeah, i'm interested! if you're not familiar with elizabeth's work then GET INTO IT! she's brilliant, sublime, soulful and her work evokes romance, beauty, emotion, passion and sexy...she knows what she's doing for reals. and i worked with her on this shoot so i knew she would create magic.

munaluchi bride is a new bridal mag on the scene and they are making power moves! led by their fearless e-i-c jacqueline nwobu, their team couldn't have been more easy to work with or nicer. but before we get taken away by this ridiculously gorgeous shoot, i thought you can have a looky-loo at my very mediocre behind the scenes snaps...

it was one of those aggressively hot days and the shoot was outside. i was constantly bringing the bouquets to mist them and put them back in water...stressful.

the shoot was entitled sweet romance and as you can see, the images convey just that.

on set. staying in water until go time...

damn. some peony and maiden hair fern casualties.

so happy to share some of these images with you. it's a 24-page spread so if you want to see more, be sure to pick up a copy of the magazine or order it here. and my heartfelt thanks to elizabeth messina and jackie nwobu of munaluchi bride...this was a dream come true. i really, really love my job!

editorial credits:

photography: elizabeth messina

location: oheka castle

hair adornments: twigs & honey

suit: hugo boss for kleinfeld mens

gowns {shown here}: claire pettibone, vera wang, bhldn

hair: brian mann

makeup: dex new york

floral design: me!

fashion stylist: joy adaeze

cakes + desserts: palermo’s bakery

pushy season, major shoes

2011-09-08T09:24:00.001-04:00

fall seems really pushy right about now. i mean, technically it's still summer but the temps and weather in general are saying otherwise. i wore leggings and a cardi for the first time in a long time. sure i wore them with a bright summer t-dress but i wasn't really happy about it in the least.

the one thing that does excite me about the fall are all the amazing shoes. i know this a flower blog but like many girls, i LOVE me some shoes -- i'm sure i've mentioned it before. from the photos above, you can see that i am totally having a blue and burgundy moment. is that chrissie morris not perfect for a floral designer? i mean, there are petals blooming at the back of the shoe! {images from here and here}
p.s. yes, i've already tried on both and can pledge my undying love...saving my pennies as i write this.

on the road: close encounters of the flora and fauna kind

2011-09-06T12:07:00.016-04:00

happy september and day after labor day groove bunnies! hope you had a glorious holiday weekend. mine was pretty kick-ass and action-packed. i took my flower show on the road for a wedding in nashville, tennessee. yee-haw! lots of work {again, it's not the glamorous life} but i had so much fun. and check out my little assistant! we got him on his way... i tweeted some photos whilst there but hope to share some better ones soon.

the DIY flower workshop and thank you

2011-08-31T10:32:00.001-04:00

remember the blushing bride protea {first photo above} from my previous post? well, the metro article featuring my DIY flower arranging tips is live on kenya's style hunt, their international style director's blog and the print edition is still making its way around the world {so far, st. petersburg, moscow, montreal, toronto, ottawa...wow!}.

it is long overdue but i thought i'd take this opportunity to specifically thank all of my international readers. i cannot believe that people as far as saudi arabia, auckland and the republic of moldova have read my little flower blog...the interwebs is truly amazing. it seems that among many other things, we are all linked by our constant love for flowers and beauty. with that said, on to why you're here...the flowers.

dahlias, blushing bride, zinnias, cockscomb, scabiosa pods, weigela, veronica, jasmine...

baroness roses...

cafe au lait dahlias

again, whether you're reading from brooklyn, lyon, barcelona or louisville, kentucky, HUGE thanks and love to every single one of you for logging in and staying tuned to my journey in flora. you warm my heart. xxxox {photos by kashish das shrestha}
p.s. my workshops will be back this fall so keep reading for upcoming dates! x

flowers in the home, a preview

2011-08-22T07:34:00.033-04:00

a london-based daily interviewed me late last week about flowers and how to easily incorporate them into your home decor. in addition, i shared some tips on making some simple arrangements. so when i found out that one of their photographers was going to shoot me while i designed some arrangements, i decided to market i go! i was super excited to find blushing bride of the protea family {photo above} available. stay tuned for the arrangement i made with it.

but in the meantime...

i'm in love with this baroness rose, weigela and jasmine arrangement, made in a vintage silver pitcher. my apartment smells absolutely divine.

behind the scenes: love...brooklyn style

2011-08-21T18:30:00.004-04:00

what up brooklyn?

'twas hella hot and maysoon was on it.

scott at work

i really loved this bouquet...

when we spotted this tree during scout, we knew we wanted this shot..

as promised, above are a few behind the scenes shots from the inspiration shoot previously posted. it was an amazing day and i'm over the moon with the love the images have gotten from all of you. the choices that were made were very deliberate...the settings, the styling, the flowers and most definitely the models.

like magazines, major advertising campaigns, television, movies and other forms of mainstream media, wedding blogs share their lack of diversity, be it ethnicity, sexuality, age and race -- the bloggers themselves can speak on the reasons why. when i see a non-white, older or gay couple {imagine if it was all three!} not only do i take notice but i'm pleasantly surprised. and while i embrace the idea of a post-everything society, i know that until i stop noticing or reacting, in my mind, we're not quite there.

in addition, the blogs post these pastoral and idyllic wedding images...couples at a barn in the middle of nowhere or at a warehouse yet discovered...exchanging vows on a lichen-covered log under a hand-made canopy witnessed by their hipster friends...elaborate and perfectly crafted tablescapes, with gorgeous and full florals, creative bunting, mason jars, cheeky flags, striped straws and dessert stations {i'm exaggerating a bit but not really}, launching thousands of inspiration boards and pinterest accounts without giving any idea as to how much these weddings actually cost to execute. it's all kind of aspirational really. and need i mention that i'm a new york-based designer so a lot of these california dreamin' ideas are 1. feasible for a finite period in the calendar if at all, 2. more expensive than most brides are comfortable with spending, i.e way more than $500.

so instead of talking about it, i decided to be about it. and we figured we could kill two birds with one stone. share ideas for creating a simple but pretty, budget-friendly city wedding with rustic and vintage charm, all illustrated by a black couple. check, check, check AND check! x

spread love, it's the brooklyn way

2011-08-16T09:16:00.004-04:00

there are some projects that i get especially excited about and this is most definitely one of them. currently being featured on green wedding shoes, i collaborated with scott clark, who is as much of a love as he is cool and talented, to create a love story framed in our beloved brooklyn -- urban yet bucolic, vintage but modern, romantic with a little edge. we conceptualized an elopement -- the municipal steps, the ceremony in prospect park, the intimate celebration at a local mexican restaurant and everything, from the models, to the locations, to the clothing is inspired by brooklyn, as well as our own distinct style.

scott found that thicket of trees and we agreed that it was the most perfect location for the ceremony shots. i made the backdrop using three different fabrics, sewn on clothesline rope. as for the styling, i wanted a look that was romantic, vintage, in that one-of-a-kind way {who wants to have the same wedding dress as the next chick?} with some sexy thrown in for good measure. i got the dress from my fabulous friend joan, who sells drop-dead vintage at the brooklyn flea and except for the sweet gold bird ring, all the accessories are all mine. honestly, i dressed her as i would dress myself. and in lieu of a veil, i chose pink garden roses for her hair. scott got the groom's attire from travis, also at the brooklyn flea and lent him his own hat. we keep it in the family...

for the flowers, i wanted to communicate sweetness and seasonality with lots of color -- peonies, mountain laurel, scabiosa, pittosporum, chamomile, jasmine, blueberry and garden roses made the cut.

but before we got to the park, we needed that marriage license shot.

i've long loved that golden facade. remember i love the gold...

onto the celebration at a favorite mexican restaurant...

but not before a quick ride on the prospect park carousel...

most brides like to change into a party frock for the reception and this one was no different...

i called on my friend kumiko, who happens to be a pastry chef to make the cake.

she created this delicious, refreshing icebox cake, iced with whipped cream and topped with fresh kumquats.

this shoot was a labor of love and i loved every minute of it. it was hella hot outside but we had a blast. BIG UP to our kick ass team -- tara, jeremy, maysoon, linsey, joan, travis, chris and arturo at chavela's and of course scott for his brilliance, energy, enthusiasm and beautiful images.

will share some behind the scenes shots later on this week. and please click here for the green wedding shoes post and comment away!

--------
photography: scott clark photography
styling, floral design & ceremony backdrop: me
both dresses: van hees vintage, available at the brooklyn flea
groom's attire: travis sylvester, available at the brooklyn flea
hair and makeup: maysoon fara of face time beauty
cake: kumiko mitarai
locations: prospect park, brooklyn public library, chavela's

behind the scenes: rue magazine, july/august 2011

2011-08-15T07:46:00.002-04:00

don't know if you got a chance to check me out in the latest issue of rue magazine, one of the coolest digital shelter and lifestyle mags around. i designed florals for a summer dinner party in tribeca, masterfully prepared by chef and food writer julia turshen and styled by the lovely and delightful miya and elisabeth of you + me. to contrast with the clean, white lines of the loft, i was all about early summer, easy breezy, bright and happy blooms -- yellow tree peonies, chamomile, oregano, godetia, gloriosa lilies, coreopsis, scented geranium, asclepias, eremurus, spirea. some behind the scenes and outtakes from the day...

honestly, everything went so smoothly, it didn't feel like work at all.

special thanks to rue magazine for bringing us all together. and big up to trel brock for the gorgeous images!

{all images except 7, 8 and 9 by trel brock}

j'aime beaucoup

2011-08-12T08:00:00.004-04:00

loving so much about kate moss' recent wedding, featured in the latest vogue -- the flowers, the location,
the sweet bridesmaids and flower girls, the vintage rolls, the veil, the romantic simplicity and quiet glamour...it's all really, really good.

{photos from here}

here's to my new year!

2011-08-11T23:19:00.001-04:00

what's up groove bunnies? updating the blog a little late...yesterday i celebrated my birthday and anyone who knows me knows that i start celebrating about a week before with the crescendo being the actual birthday and then the fun starts to die down a few days later. this year was a great one, made especially awesome by this crazy beautiful post on THE elizabeth messina's kiss the groom. this adventure called kat flower has afforded me the opportunity to meet and work with some insanely talented and amazing people -- elizabeth messina is definitely waaayyyy, waaayyyy up there and to have her dedicate a post to little ol' me blew every molecule in my mind. i'm still pinching myself. this life, this year is going to be killer, if i do say so myself!
p.s. the photos {by elizabeth messina}are from an upcoming bridal editorial in munaluchi bride featuring florals by yours truly, hitting the stands later this month.

you're the inspiration...today

2011-08-04T14:17:00.010-04:00

i'm planning the decor and design for my next wedding and added this skirt to the inspiration board. yes, for those of you that don't know, i create personalized mood boards with all my design proposals...it's part of the kat flower experience. anyway, i don't just live and breathe flowers so my inspiration comes from everywhere...nature, fashion, textures, interior design, art, nail polish, the seasons, people, food. that skirt was one of my favorite parts of said board as it perfectly captures the overall plan for me -- breezy, summery, stripes, colorful, happy, effortlessly casual but most certainly chic. unfortunately it's sold out otherwise i would totally buy it and wear it as i design this wedding. it's good, right?

august

2011-08-01T12:36:00.005-04:00

the above seems to be resounding sentiment on the interwebs and the twitter. but the eighth month happens to be my favorite because after all, it's by birth month. august marks my new year and i take stock of where my life is -- what i like and what i don't, things and people i'm grateful for, the dead weight {we all have it and them}, what i can improve on, what i'd like to accomplish by the time august rolls around again and so on and so forth. this kind of introspection sometimes leaves me feeling a bit overwhelmed but my future seems pretty bright. as long as i wake up each day with the will to try {and lords knows i am nothing if not willful} then i've got a shot. happy august mes amis! {artwork by friend of type}

thank god it was indoors

2011-07-25T08:03:00.001-04:00

fire. that's what new york has felt like for the past several days. and if i'm hot, you know the flowers are on the edge. i find myself praying that they don't wilt or flat out die before i can arrange them, in the time they spent outside as we load them from the studio to the car then from the car to the venue. i mean it's stupid. thankfully, saturday's wedding was indoors, brooklyn winery to be exact and above is a sneak peek. looking good miss thing!

what i made

2011-07-21T17:40:00.000-04:00

portrait of wednesday's workshop arrangement

{photo by elsa mehary}

keepin' it wild

2011-07-08T10:15:00.003-04:00

workshop: all about summer's wildflowers!
wednesday, july 20, 6:30pm
sunday, july 24, 3pm

we're going to keep it seasonal {my raison d’être} and continue with summer's prettiest wildflowers -- think cosmos, scabiosa, coreopsis, yarrow, coneflower, zinnia, chamomile and other seasonal gems. as in the past, i'll teach you some basic principles and techniques of designing with flowers. and your take-home arrangement will be beauteous and for serious, the cause of envy everywhere.

and because i'm listening, i'm offering not one but TWO dates! both classes will be similar so register for what best fits your schedule.* either way, we'll have fun. and cocktails.

cost is $160 {includes all materials, instruction, frolic and good times, gorgeous arrangement, etc.}
each class is limited to six students to insure personalized attention. despite your feelings otherwise...

email me to register or for more information. and yes, feel free to spread the word to bffs, fiances, frenemies, co-workers, family and whoever else. the more, the merrier!

can't wait to see you,
k x

*final note -- i reserve the right to cancel a class if i don't have enough students. so if you're interested in a particular date, well then, posse up! just sayin'...

water beauty

2011-07-06T09:16:00.013-04:00

visited the brooklyn botanic garden yesterday for some inspiration and came upon this single sacred lotus flower blooming in lily pond terrace.

have you ever? i literally stopped and sat down to admire it for like fifteen minutes. so, so special! and i love how the trees reflect in the water...

saturday at the flea

2011-06-27T10:08:00.004-04:00

happy monday morning glories. hope you had a lovely weekend. mine was great and perfectly summer-y. so here are some quick snaps from saturday's flea. i was all about summer wild. and the last of the peonies. thanks to everyone who came by. x p.s. like my new tent?

lisianthus

oregano

godetia

chamomile

festiva peony

stock, coreopsis and cosmos

real wedding - anna & buzz

2011-06-21T10:16:00.000-04:00

photos of anna and buzz's april wedding at alger house. daisies are super sentimental to anna so i incorporated them as well as chamomile, duchess peonies, dusty miller, muscari, garden roses, tweedia, ranunculus, astilbe, lisianthus, white cherry blossoms, passion vine, hyacinth and more into the design.

photos by weddings by two

extra, extra! read all about it!

2011-06-16T13:46:00.000-04:00

i'm dishing out advice on wedding flowers in the bridal guide of today's metro new york. page 24. and because metro is an intermational newspaper, i'm in other editions too! above is a photo of the moscow and st. petersburg edition. this operation is going worldwide...

p.s. late breaking news! for all my non-new york friends, the article is now available online.

summer school!

2011-06-15T12:43:00.003-04:00

announcing the next workshop...summer entertaining with flowers!

lovelies, 'tis the season for sun, fun & outdoor entertaining! the next flower workshop will be all about creating an arrangement for the summer table. like the previous workshop, the m.o is the same -- we'll focus on seasonal materials, i'll teach you some basic principles and techniques of designing with flowers and once again, when you leave with your gorgeous arrangement, you will beam with pride when folks say, 'wow, you made that?!'

cost is $160 (includes all the materials, instruction and cocktails) and class is limited to six students. email me at kathleen{at}katflower{dot}com to register and/or for more information. and by all means, feel free to share with friends that might be interested.

looking forward to making pretty avec vous,
k x

p.s. for those that are interested elsa mehary, certified bach flower specialist, will offer individualized treatments using liquid flower essences {think bach's rescue remedy}. the perfect compliment to take home with your arrangement...

{photo by allan zepeda of mel & co.}

real wedding - charity & ari

2011-06-13T13:37:00.005-04:00

some photos from charity & ari's february wedding at the foundry, originally previewed here.

used white cherry blossoms, roses, ranunculus, dusty miller, stock, anemones, eucalyptus, lisianthus, geranium and ostrich feathers in my floral design.

load-in. sorry for the blurry iphone image

congratulations again charity and ari! wishing you a lifetime of love, happiness and magical, starry nights!

special thanks to team kat flower for all your hard work and loli events for day-of coordination.
{photos except 7 & 8 by ashleigh ide}

so much promise...

2011-06-10T11:11:00.000-04:00

the tag said thunderbolt and that's a powerful name if ever i heard one. i wanted them for a bridal bouquet. the color was perfect. sure they're ridiculously expensive but tree peonies are special. they say WOW and that center...full on gorgeous. the only thing that rivals their beauty is their fragility. got them back from market fine and immediately put them in the cooler so they can drink and relax until i needed them. but i guess the commute to the location was rough. while they appeared fine at first, when i went to arrange them, they fell apart. and there's no salvaging, no life support, no nothing -- just a petal-less flower.

i brought them home even in their less than perfect state. no one ever got to see how beautiful they were but i remember...

behind the scenes: vintage new york shoot

2011-06-02T11:07:00.002-04:00

some of my behind the scenes snaps from a recent photo shoot featured on style on pretty today...

the brief called for soft, romantic flowers in creamy neutrals, the softest of blush and peach styled with wedding gowns and tabletop by anthropologie. with that in mind, i chose, among others, peonies, anemones, lilac, ranunculus, euc, spray roses, geranium and one of my favorites, cappucino hellebore {not the color's official name, just by personal description}.

and here are some of my favorite images from the final edit:

loved everything about this shoot -- the incredibly talented team, led by katie murphy of aisle candy and kt merry, photographer extraordinaire, the location, the gorgeous dresses, the brilliant styling, the beautiful watercolor dinnerware, the delicious almond croissants at craft services...

BIG thank you to all my colleagues! the images are beyond. click here for the full post.

------

photographer: kt merry

location: the metropolitan building

event design and styling: rock paper scissors

tableware: anthropologie

cake and macarons: nine cakes

calligraphy: love jenna

dresses: bhldn and gabriella new york

hair accessories: preston & olivia, jennifer behr and jannie baltzer

jewelry: bhldn

hair: takahide tokuyama for patrick melville salon

makeup: hiro yonemoto for MAKE UP FOR EVER

models: click models

classic for a reason

2011-06-01T11:03:00.000-04:00

i meet lots of folks that hate on roses. and i assume that they're referring to the roses that line so many of the corner bodegas. well groove bunnies, i dare you to visit a proper rose garden and not fall in love. one of my spring highlights {yes, people, technically it's still spring} is to visit the brooklyn botanic garden's rose garden and bask in their company. some many colors, varieties, shapes...they just take my breath away. perfectly. and consistently. there is a reason why this flower is a classic, inspiring poems, odes, songs, art, names and love in all its permutations and variations.

told you...

i just want the box

2011-06-01T09:36:00.000-04:00

from here. perfect for my jeweled bits and pieces.

{via matchbook mag}

thanks j.crew!

2011-05-31T09:22:00.000-04:00

j.crew bloggers visited the flea a weeks ago and snapped some photos of my little flower stand. check out the full post here.

and don't forget to follow me on the twitter for all breaking news!

{photo by morgan milner}

goodbye spring

2011-05-30T10:40:00.000-04:00

it's not official yet but new york temperatures seem firmly entrenched in summer...already. always enjoy citrus on warm days like today.

{photos from here, here and here}

for my sister

2011-05-26T07:01:00.001-04:00

truer words could not be written. you are beauty. happy birthday kerry. love you.

fade to pink

2011-05-25T12:59:00.003-04:00

my gorgeous fuschia peonies are no longer. only diamonds are forever.

parlor dinner

2011-05-24T07:53:00.025-04:00

earlier this month, i served as one of the hosts of an intimate and elegant dinner party at brooklyn winery in williamsburg.
the evening was a coming together of wedding planners, editors and vendors and i was charged with the decor details.

our theme was a rustic, vintage speakeasy and the venue's parlor room, with its beautiful wood, exposed brick, aged iron and barrels was the perfect space. because of the darkness of the wood, i thought i'd inject a whole lot of color. with spring blossoms popping everywhere, i was drawn to azalea, coral sunset peonies, garden roses, ranunculus and one of my seasonal favorites, lilac {that they mimic grapes on the vine was not lost on me at all}.

two paper dolls designed the very cool menu cards and placecards and jillian of 100 layer cake styled it all with charming mix-match plates.

in addition to the florals, i filled the room with vintage bottles with dripping candles and repurposed cordial glasses as votives.

radish created our gorgeous family style meal. two words: ramp butter. they also have the sweetest brick and mortar shop a block away from the winery where you can carry out lunch AND dinner. fresh, organic, seasonal and simple -- my kind of food. btw, never thought of roasted tomatoes on the vine with the vine. it made for a beautiful presentation.

last but certainly not least, we are all entertained by the talented musicians of elan artists.

'twas a perfect evening. i saw some friends and made some new ones. big thank you to all my co-hosts -- honored to work with you on this amazing event.

-------

venue: brooklyn winery

letterpress menu cards and place cards: two paper dolls

china: props for today

catering: radish

entertainment: elan artists

photography: mel & co.'s finest, allan zepeda

perfectionism

2011-05-23T02:30:00.001-04:00

in case, you didn't know, i'm a bit of a perfectionist. not such a bad thing given my line of work but from a small business owner perspective, it's not so bueno.

i've got big dreams and big ideas. i get fixated on doing things a certain way {in my head, the right way} to the point that i can't think beyond that way. and i won't do anything until i can do it the way i want. in my head, it's me not settling and it affects everything i do. case in point, i lived in my apartment for almost three years without a tv. big deal right? it's not that i didn't want a tv, it's that i wanted an armoire to house said tv and i was committed to live without one until i could afford to buy the perfect armoire.

so you're probably wondering how this pertains to the blog and the business in general. well, with the absence of a website {i'll get to that in a minute}, this blog is my primary marketing tool. a lot of thought goes into the content, etc. and with it being wedding/event season, things at the flower factory are popping. while i am waiting on some images, i also have enough to share with y'all. just trying to figure out in what order to do that.

as for a website, in my mind, i envision the most perfect site for kat flower -- one that communicates who i am, what i've done and can do, is visually arresting and beautiful, all helping me grow the business. it's a million dollar site and in my crazy head, i want to wait until i have that million to get it done. uh, wrong. need a site now.

there's so much more to this business than just designing flowers. there's branding, marketing, publicity, production, logistics, social media, finances, administration, retail, hr, etc. lately, i've been feeling a lot of pressure about it all and so i decided to focus on the part i love and can control...designing flowers.

anyway, thanks for letting me go on and on and if you didn't read the above {totally fine, i would've skipped it too}, the above subpar, grainy iphone image is an arrangement i made using the excess flowers from this weekend's events. will share more {and better} images of my adventures with flowers later this week. stay tuned. x

meet preston & olivia

2011-05-10T14:07:00.002-04:00

preston & olivia is a brand-spanking new gorgeous line of wedding accessories designed by fashionable southern belle now new yorker dara kent cobb. in dara's words: "this collection is filled with nostalgia for the place i left behind (my home state of louisiana) but is only a preview for the wonderful things that are to come for preston & olivia."

i had the distinct pleasure of designing flowers for the debut collection's shoot. inspired by dara's vintage sensibilities, the fabric and palette as well as her southern roots, i used juliet and yves piaget roses, dusty miller, mimosa, eucalyptus, ranunculus, hellebore and yes, cotton to create designs that would complement the collection and the styling. it was a great shoot and it's always a supremely fun to work with talented people.

one last, albeit, important note. the collection was lovingly shot by wedding and portrait photographer extraordinaire, trent bailey cobb, who happens to be dara's mr. {hence my use of the adverb lovingly}. talk about power couple!

the shoot is also being featured on 100 layer cake which includes a giveaway! click here for more details.
----
photography: trent bailey photography
styling: merci new york
makeup: facetime beauty concierge
suiting: billy reid
wedding dress: gabriella new york
venue: the green building

saturday at the flea: mother's day edition

2011-05-10T13:16:00.005-04:00

{exhale} it was a flower-palooza the day before mama's day and petals were flying as i furiously made pretty bouquets for all you motherlovers. luckily i had tons of flowers on hand to help with the task. if you didn't have a chance to stop by, here's some of what you missed...

libretto parrot tulips. one of my favorites

pin cushions. one customer bought them all for his grandma.

lilac. one of the three colors.

lisianthus

no mother's day bouquet would be complete without peonies. had jules, red sarahs, coral charms.

poppies!

another look at my displayed arrangement. love how dramatically coral charms fade...

it was a gorgeous weekend and i hope you all had a wonderful one celebrating your favorite moms. i adore the beauty and charm of flowers but theirs pale in comparison to my dear mother's. she is more perfect and more lovely than the most lovely of all blooms. love you mommy. x

your mom called. she desperately wants flowers this weekend.

2011-05-05T11:19:00.000-04:00

so does your sister, nana, wife, aunt and best friend. and lucky for you, i'll be BRINGING it at this saturday's flea. for serious. we are talking peonies, peonies, peonies! and whatever other pretty offerings are available at market. you love them and they love flowers. so don't front people. place your order asap. i got you. see you at the flea on saturday. {photo by clay williams}

romance at the surrey

2011-05-04T12:02:00.007-04:00

photos from my fabulously chic shoot at the posh surrey hotel are up on style me pretty now. and it was raining that day as well. for full post, click here.

{all images except the last were lovingly shot by missy photography. the last one was a behind-the-scenes snap by yours truly}

saturday at the flea

2011-05-03T10:43:00.005-04:00

happy tuesday darlings! hope your week is off to a great start. mine is nice and action-packed -- actually every week feels like that as of late, what with wedding season being in full effect mode. but no wedding this past saturday so i was at the brooklyn flea. it was a beauteous spring day and true to fashion, the blooms and blossoms were stopping traffic. as if we expected anything less...

larkspur

craspedia aka billy balls

lilac

rice flower and pittosporum


'tis the season for cherry blossoms

ranunculus. the colors were in. sane.

the holy trinity of peony -- jules, coral charm and festiva.

can i say how much i love that spring is finally here? just keeps me in great spirits every day! fyi - though i hope to do a special post later this week, i'll be back at the flea this saturday with all manners of beauty for mother's day! stay tuned...

blossoms!

2011-04-29T14:47:00.001-04:00

no wedding this saturday so i'll be at the brooklyn flea with my flower friends! and in honor of this brooklyn botanic garden's sakura matsuri cherry blossom festival this weekend, i'll have cherry blossoms for sale. will also have some gorgeous lilac, peonies {coral charm, festiva and jules} and ranunculus. so after you check out the gardens, come on by! x

new york weddings part two

2011-04-22T06:45:00.000-04:00

photos from aretsky's patroon restaurant's table at new york weddings, florally styled by moi.

it was a spring bounty -- peonies, riceflower, anemones, carnations, ranunculus, veronica, tulips, berzellia, spray roses, hyacinth, hellebore, godetia, stock, garden roses, daffodils and the kitchen sink...

dogwood branches...

many thanks to sofia negron for the lovely photos.

{photos 1, 4-6}

real wedding: a preview

2011-04-20T10:13:00.000-04:00

a sneak peek of the february wedding that kicked off this year's wedding season. woot woot! will share more once i get the official images from the photographer. fingers crossed that it happens soon...{2nd photo by tara purnell}

hellebore

2011-04-19T06:44:00.000-04:00

snapped at the brooklyn botanic garden. love how shy these flowers are.

saturday at the flea

2011-04-18T09:34:00.000-04:00

saturday's new flea space

good morning lovelies! hope you had a good one. so my flower friends and i braved the weather and set up at the brooklyn flea on saturday. sure, it was overcast, windy, cold and a downpour was imminent but we had the first of the local lilac! doesn't that make everything better?

lilac is one of my absolute favorites {y'all know i'm a sucker for tree blossoms} and you don't know about it, get into it!

folks were mad for them and they sold out before 11am!

poppies. the wind was not kind to them...

love libretto tulips

veronica and a little purple lisianthus on its left

more lisianthus

scented geranium

the sarah bernhardt peony

stock

protea. stellan, the cutest little boy, picked one for his room

ranunculus. i never leave without out them...

and if you're wondering about these gorgeous photos, well wonder no more...wesley, my lovely and delightful brand spanking new apprentice shot them with her fancy camera. she'll be helping me with all manners of kat flower -- the flea, weddings and events, blogging, etc.

the rain eventually came down like it was mad at everyone and me, wesley and the flowers had to save ourselves and scurry for shelter. but we got there. and what else was there to do but go out for french fries and beer?
p.s. have a wedding this weekend so i'm back at the flea on saturday, april 30th. not sure where i'll be in the market but saturday, i was between rick's picks, social eatz and across from kumquat cupcakery. i'm not mad at that...

finally...

2011-04-14T12:25:00.003-04:00

a wedding that i attended and absolutely loved is featured on a wedding blog. remember my virginia is for lovers post back in august? well, kenya and matthew's gorgeous wedding was featured on style me pretty last week! the above images perfectly capture the wedding for me. {1} the bespoke rings, designed by matthew and his jeweler friend. a black diamond engagement ring, a single black diamond in kenya's band and what tucks my heart strings every time, her name etched in matthew's band. i remember looking at his ring at the reception and my eyes just welling up. and i looked at it again in paris. so perfect. {2} us girls with the bride. it's true that the bride is a little bit of a celebrity and all eyes are on her and never was it more true than with kenya. what i love about her and the whole feeling of the wedding is that it was a fun, beautiful summer party with friends and family. so here we are, some of the friends of the bride {she's with the roses in her hair}, posing for a photo, really happy to witness and celebrate the beautiful day. check out all the images here.

sos: desperately seeking intern...again

2011-04-14T08:25:00.000-04:00

{this is a re-post} yup, wedding and the outdoor flea season is upon me and i need an intern or two like yesterday. again, the ideal candidate should love to be around flowers in all its states, be intelligent, very proactive and dependable, in that order, be willing and able to sometimes work in the early hours of the morning and weekends. you must also like weddings, events, cookies, brooklyn, people, sweeping, sunshine, washing vases and changing vase water because you'll be working with all the aforementioned. the position is unpaid, hence the careful use of the word intern, but i promise to teach you everything i know, feed you and get you a metrocard. you'll need to be available 2-3 days a week, one of which will most definitely be a weekend day.

if you're interested or know anyone who might be, shoot me an email at kathleen{at}katflower dot com with a brief resume and be sure to include internship in the subject line. thanks very much in advance.
k

p.s. i forgot one thing...you must be coordinated and strong. no we're not dancing but i find that strength and coordination go hand-in-hand, i.e. don't want you awkwardly carrying vases full of flowers and water 'cause that would make me nervous.

paris revisited

2011-04-13T11:18:00.001-04:00

april in paris...rainy days like this remind me of my other favorite city. i forgot to share photos from my march adventure other than the flower shop pic...the reason being there aren't many to share. i was truly working {fashion week} with no time for leisure and tra-la-la'ing. but i felt really parisian -- getting dressed in my little efficiency flat on rue st. honore, walking along rue du louvre to jardins des tuileries for work, walking back to the flat and changing for dinner with my colleagues at a random bistro, taxi or walk home to repeat next day. anyway, here are some random {very} snaps from my time there. so random that some of them were taken from the taxi on the way to charles de gaulle. how's that for travel and leisure?

lila, the belle of the show. she was fashion every day!

moroccan restaurant for dinner. view from our cozy, sexy loft above the main dining room.

french scaffolding is cool

kenya & matthew. they make perfect sense.

showroom was robespierre's former home and where he was arrested. hand-painted doors in the parlor.

funny to see the french ranunculus i get in new york as local

how's this for gangsta? the french owner of this restaurant spent time at the mcnally restaurant empire, i.e. balthazar, pastis, morandi, lucky strike, brits that are credited for redefining the parisian bistro in new york. well dude returns to paris with the concept and improves on it {in my opinion}...the location, its authenticity. needless to say, the new yorkers among my group felt right at home. and our meals were lovely.

the trees were blossoming

i could live there...

so ubiquitous they hardly seem special...i lie.

back to the states...a bientot!

thinking about where i'll head next. with wedding season and the flea upon me, nowhere no time soon. but i always manage a quick jaunt somehow. right now, i'm craving sunshine and heat!

new york weddings part one

2011-04-07T09:28:00.002-04:00

i had the pleasure of designing flowers for loli events' table at last week's new york weddings event. lauren, i.e. loli, gave me complete creative license and i'll be perfectly honest...i sometimes struggles with that amount of freedom. when designing weddings, the couple gives me a palette or theme and it's up to me to translate that florally. when i design my own projects, with the parameters being so wide open and the possibilities being endless, i'm not always sure where i'm going to go. and many times, i don't have the luxury of time to figure it out. but without fail, one element emerges and i build from there. for this particular design i was all about watermelon and coral poppies.

maybe it's because poppies are not around for a very long time that i want to play with them every chance i get. maybe it's their insane color. maybe it''s their ability to be quirky, individualistic, charmant and pretty. maybe it's because they seem in motion all the time. maybe it's all the above but poppies are definitely having a moment with me as of late.

for a brief second, i thought that perhaps i should work within a palette that is popular with brides. sure there is beauty in neutral, muted palettes and while i like working with all combinations, this is a table at a trade show and i needed to a. draw you in and b. represent myself as a designer. so color wins! in addition to poppies, i used ranunculus, peonies, spray roses and jasmine -- some of my favorites.

do you see how gorgeous those hellebore {on the left} are? i heart.

i also created some bud vase vignettes. i love how clean the vessels are and how they add lightness and delicacy to the table.

hope to share images of my second styled table soon. totally different but still kat flower!

{special thanks to missy photography for the lovely images}

saturday at the flea

2011-04-05T14:07:00.000-04:00

what a perfect start to the brooklyn flea's outdoor season! i was super excited to kick off my return to the blacktop and the day did not disappoint...it was pretty perfect. a sunshine day is always best spent outdoors and with spring definitively in the air, it seemed like everyone wanted flowers and i aimed to please...so much so that i forgot to take photos of the display before i started selling!

hyacinth

anemone

ranunculus

hellebore

poppy

parrot tulip

quite a few of my customers and friends from my former brick and mortar came by to say hello and i also made so many new friends. i know i sound like a broken record...the flowers bring me so much joy and i love sharing that love with y'all. looking forward to great run!
p.s. have a saturday wedding booked so won't be back at the flea until april 16th. x

opening weekend

2011-04-01T06:39:00.002-04:00

{phew} it's been a banner week over in these parts and the party doesn't stop. saturday, the brooklyn flea returns to its blacktop roots and i'll be there with blossoming bells on! excited to kick off a new outdoor season, especially with all the gorgeousness that are spring flowers. spirea, hellebore, daffodils, peonies, lilac {soon}, magnolia, cherry blossoms, poppies, dogwood, hyacinth...like i said, the party doesn't stop.

wedding season is about to be in full effect mode so i'll be at the saturday flea about twice a month. be sure to follow me on the twitter or facebook so you know when i'll be there. can't wait to see you! x

be there or be square

2011-03-29T07:12:00.001-04:00

it's not late to get tickets to one of the best wedding events. i'll be there and so will my flowers -- styling tables for loli events, the most charming full-service wedding planning company and aretsky's patroon, the classic and polished new york city restaurant. super excited about it all and even more excited to meet all you brides-to-be. i'll be between both tables so if you're coming, be sure to stop by and say what's up. and if you still want to buy tickets, click here.

candyland!

2011-03-28T07:43:00.004-04:00

it is a very happy monday for kat flower! this morning i'm featured in daily candy's new york city spring 2011 wedding guide! i've held onto this secret for two weeks and while i was a veritable vault, keeping mum has been killing me. i barely slept a wink last night {also because i dropped my iphone in the toilet so i was afraid of oversleeping}, nervous with anticipation. while i gave the dc editors information about me and supplied some images, i had no clue what they would select to use, if at all. i'm not too cool for school to admit that i'm over the moon excited to be included among such great and talented wedding vendors. feels good. god bless you daily candy and a billion and one thank yous! {photo by missy photography}

brooklyn renaissance

2011-03-22T08:47:00.001-04:00

home design, bright colors and brooklyn -- i'm all in! last monday, i co-hosted aphrochic's celebration of their second collection, brooklyn renaissance at fabrica, one of my favorite home furnishings store. the collection features bright, colorful watercolors by samantha hahn, named after different brooklyn neighborhoods, and all translated well to flowers as i created arrangements inspired by the collection.

limited edition 8x10 print by samantha hahn. still for sale.

it was a lovely evening and i met so many great talented members of the brooklyn design community. thanks to jeanine of aphrochic for inspiring me and to everyone for coming out. looking forward to more events! also big up and thank you to scratchbread for donating the delicious goodies and the ever-talented jami saunders for the beautiful images.

what happens when you've got a brilliant photographer behind the lens...

2011-03-21T09:27:00.000-04:00

your work lands on the cover! kat flower and b magazine! thanks again to the incredible team i had the good fortune to work with {see below}. xo
-------

photography: elizabeth messina

gown: delphine manivet via lovely bridal

styling: jacqueline weppner, merci new york
hair: michelle lo conte, pink comb salon
makeup: lauren iavarone, expert makeup artistry

peace out winter...we're SPRINGing!

2011-03-20T08:18:00.000-04:00

it's the very first day of spring! hallelujah and amen! i'm at the brooklyn flea again today with my beautiful friends. there's no better way to celebrate than with fresh flowers, in my opinion at least. here's some what i have...

daffodils of course

mums

ranunculus = gorgeous

coral-y, sunset-y carnations

anemones

poppies! they're stopping people in their tracks!

wasn't planning on selling my decor but someone had to have them...

i'll be there from 10-6 or until i run out of flowers. looking forward to making something pretty for you! x

hope springs eternal

2011-03-18T09:10:00.011-04:00

it seems like spring is knocking on the door and i am SO eager to let her in! i sure have missed her. in celebration of her immiment and auspicious arrival, i am selling flowers at the brooklyn flea tomorrow AND sunday, or until i run out of blooms. poppies, anemones, lisianthus, ranunculus, godetia, eucalyptus...come by and pick up something pretty! looking forward to seeing you. x

my happy place

2011-03-17T08:32:00.003-04:00

this shop was across the street from my flat on rue st. honoré. in fact there are flower shops all over paris so naturally i fantasized about moving and opening up kat flower there, eating pain au chocolat from the patisserie and boulangerie next door {yes, i was awakened by the distinct aroma of butter, chocolate and fresh bread for seven days - sweet torture}. but no, not now. maybe when i retire. and maybe it would be in another french city. i don't know, i'm rambling. don't know what my point is except to say i'm back on the the block groove bunnies. wedding and event season is upon us and i stand at the ready. work is coming down on me like a friendly bag of hammers. for serious. but it's all very exciting. so bring it!

bienvenue a me!

2011-03-03T09:32:00.001-05:00

speaking of paris, i'm back in the city of lights for a quick spell. hoping i make it to musee de l'orangerie to see the monets. last time all i could do was take this photo. {le sigh}
update: i didn't make it. didn't even pass by it although i was at les jardins des tuileries every day. my sigh has turned into a soft whimper...

love is life

2011-03-03T09:00:00.000-05:00

says diane von furstenberg. been itching to spend for a while now and this little sweater appeals to all of my sensibilities -- blue and white parisian chic, a knit that will transition well to warmer temps and i love its declarative mantra. how can i resist?

it's his party too...

2011-03-02T09:14:00.002-05:00

i had the pleasure of collaborating with the lovely ladies of you + me lifestylists on this tablescape for brooklyn bride . the inspiration was a chic and festive gender neutral party. with so many wedding celebrations being focused on the bride {not that it's a bad thing}with a whole lot of pink and girly details to boot {again, no judgment}, you + me created a palette that says 'hey {insert male figure here}, it's about you too!'

the concept was modern, bright and my palette was the full range of yellows and vibrant greens. the mercury glass vessels were provided by you + me. i used ranunculus, astrantia, cymbidiun and oncidium orchids, berzellia, fritillaria, green trick carnations {the fluffy green tufts pictured in the center image}, bupleurum and scented geranium to create happy, cheery, sunshine day arrangements for this tapas table.

i love the blue fabric on the furoshiki wrapped favors. so lovely. BIG thank you to you + me and brooklyn bride for having me -- for the full brooklyn bride post, click here. and yes, you + me is available for weddings and all manners of celebration. {images by angela gaspar photography}

page 205

2011-03-01T08:23:00.002-05:00

happy march lovelies. there i am, or rather there's one of my bouquets, in the spring/summer issue of brides new york.

thanks brides! delighted to be featured among my talented colleagues.

{image by 1 art beauty life: jenny ebert photography}

who wouldn't want this?

2011-02-26T11:06:00.004-05:00

recently met with a bride who's marrying on a north fork vineyard. she and her fiance want to incorporate vintage touches and props in their wedding decor. think the above is a gorgeous example. {image by elizabeth messina}

martha and me

2011-02-22T08:37:00.001-05:00

remember the big photo shoot i mentioned way back when? well, it was for a martha stewart collection spring advertorial! i made four arrangements total -- an arrangement of astilbe for the bedside and three for the dining table, using martha's new housewares line. you know how i love to re-purpose vessels...

anyway, i was excited when i was designing the arrangements but to see it all together...well, it's a little surreal. it feels good. so if you happen to be at macy*s shopping the latest martha stewart housewares or bedding collection, you'll see my work! x
{photos by andrew eccles}

flea recap

2011-02-21T11:00:00.000-05:00

as you know, i was at the brooklyn flea {my one hanson place debut} the day before love day hawking flowers. i know, valentine's day was a week ago but valentine's day + photo shoot + deliveries + saturday wedding = tired and tardy bunny. using the day to catch up...

ranunculus

poppies

peonies

allium


the arrangement again...

future florists?

yves piaget roses. the day's favorite.

the talented trent cobb of trent bailey photography picking flowers for his love

i may make another appearance at the indoor flea in march but i will most definitely be back at the outdoor saturday flea, starting in april. the flowers like it outside. hopefully you do too! x

work it winter workshop photos, part two

2011-02-21T09:41:00.000-05:00

some more photos from the january workshop for your viewing pleasure. it's like flower porn.


juliet and darcy roses. i will never tire of staring into the lovely labyrinth center of a garden rose...

everyone had the same materials {12 total!} but as you can imagine, each arrangement was strikingly different. some more closeups...

lisianthus. i'm in love with the color.

you know how i feel about ranunculus...

who took these photos you ask? well, the brilliant chani todd was one of the students and lucky for me, she brought her fancy camera.

everyone who took the class told me they had a great time. they loved how relaxed and intimate it all was and liked the freedom to do what they liked with the elements they were given. i'm gearing up for the next one, in march or april {or maybe both} so stay tuned!

{photos by chani todd}

happy valentine's day

2011-02-16T14:18:00.005-05:00

yeah, i know i'm not one but two and a half days late but we celebrate love here EVERY day at the kat flower. and no, that's not an excuse for my tardiness...okay, maybe a little, bitty, tiny one. i've been a busy bunny lately. valentine's day at the brooklyn flea {will post images later this week}, valentine's day orders, wedding consultations which lead to wedding flower proposals, photo shoots and collaborations, market runs, flower prep, deliveries, life...it's been a bit hectic. no complaints though. i've resigned myself to falling asleep on the couch. it's like i live in a two bedroom, right?

anyway, i made the above arrangement for my display at the flea {there it is at my bedside} and i'm still enjoying it. the ranunculus, in particular, are blowing my mind.

i hope y'all had a lovely valentine's day. a good friend shared this oscar wilde quote with me -- 'to love oneself is the beginning of a life-long romance.'
preach oscar. so my wish for you is a most happy valentine's life.
love, love and more love,
k xxx