The end of 2011, the beginning of 2012, and flowers in our muddy back yard...

Happy New Year! I am so excited for 2012 to unfold.... I have this feeling that it is going to be an amazing year, filled with giant strides down many different avenues of life!

To celebrate the final week of 2011, Eli and I went offline (no computers, no working, no obsessive thinking about work... you get the picture) and had a wonderful "staycation" at home. It was filled with lots of sleeping in, long walks, great conversations, amazing meals, visits with dear friends... it was such a wonderful way to spend the end of the year, and gave us a chance to truly unwind, recharge, and spend some really good time together. It made me realize my tendency to go head first into my work, sometimes forgetting to enjoy all the little moments that actually make life so meaningful.

And so, I am starting 2012 with the resolution to maintain a level of sanity, peace and rest in my life, even as I voraciously pursue my creative and business endeavors! I am excited to live this year with a balance of work and play, activity and rest, boisterous times and quiet times. I am committed to finding a balance that honors the true centers of my life: family, health, creativity, community, nature and sharing.

I have many more thoughts about resolutions and goals for 2012, but I am sure they will spill out in posts throughout the year.

And so, without further ado, a few photos to kick off the New Year!

Have a bouquet! This one was made with some leftovers from Christmas arrangements: anemones, stock, dusty miller, privet berries, queen anne's lace and berzilia berries.

Or deck yourself out in a nice, oceanic boutonniere! These were made for Eli and his two bandmates for their final performance of Wisemen, a brilliant, original musical comedy- definitely one of the highlights of 2011...

Berzilia and Privet Berries...

And finally, if you're really looking to start the New Year off right, place one lily petal behind each ear and start making funny faces:

Guaranteed to make you (and/or the people around you) smile :)

Lichen

Lichen-covered twigs are my new best friends: very pretty color; very unique texture; very, very, very my favorite thing to put in arrangements right now.

I love the blue-grey-sea foam color of the lichen against the ivory roses and privet berries... to me this is a very soothing color palette- it reminds me of the ocean.

Don't you think that lichen looks a little like seaweed???

I like the challenge of trying to arrange with seasonal elements in the winter, when there is little blooming, budding, or otherwise showing off in wild color.

I feel like it opens my eyes to less common elements, and these are so often what makes an arrangement really special.

Keeping my eyes peeled for unique winter treasures! Have you found any that you would like to share???

Winter Offerings (Part 2: LOCAL, LOCAL, LOCAL!!!)

I am so thrilled to offer two winter arrangements/gifts using local, seasonal flowers, plants and materials! They can be purchased by clicking here.

The Enchanted Northwest Narcissus Forest:

A forest of blooming and budding paperwhites hover above an understory of evergreen branches, pine cones, pebbles, and mossy woodland twigs.

If you look really close, you might even see a little fairy dancing around in there...

And, the ever-so-sweet, Teacup Terrarium:

These little guys are so flippin' cute, I can barely stand it.

  

Well there you have it- Botanique's 2011 Winter Offerings. All can be purchased by clicking here, with delivery to Seattle available. If you would like something custom, please just ask! We would love to make you the arrangement of your wildest dreams!