COME SEE ME

Come see a little bit of our live and fresh work this coming sat, january 5th 2008 at the grand america luxery hotel @ the bridal extravaganza. Our work will be complimenting the look and booth of the best invitation designer in state Pink Piggy Designs. Stop by and say hello!

A gift to studio stems ... Press!

MERRY CHRISTMAS STUDIO STEMS! This mag is yet to hit the shelfs but it is the first edition of this years UTAH VALLEY BRIDE. Studio Stems has a few featured brides and many pictures of my work throughout this years mag. I anticipate a few more mags to come out with my work as well. I feel overwhelmed and blessed by the success of SS this year. Its been an amazing year for which i am very grateful! What a huge gift press is ... you know what they say there is no bad press .. whatever i dont believe that but this is all good anyway!


Of course the Osmonds! this might have been the most fun and fabulous event of the year for me! Not because these two are somewhat famous or have a well known last name but because from the moment i met them we clicked and they have become life long friends who are involved in my life. it was fun for me to be such a big part of their day! and of course valerie allowed me the freedom to be a true artist and thats where my best work comes from.



Emma & Nate's wedding, two of a kind! black and white funky elegance! so much fun! In last years edition of this same magazing Emma's sister Carrie was a featured bride! i would like to thank this family for continued confidence in my designs and art! love you guys!





A few Images from Jen Osorio's event ... Jessie Evans wrote this great article, a fabulous client of mine who is an amazing journalist.



Even a few vendors chose pictures of our flowers for their adds ... this is just one


Last but not least i want to thank the amazing photographers in my life! For taking press worthy pictures! Rebekah, Darla, kate, Matt, Dustin, and Kenneth. Next some really amazing clients that made a successful and creative year for me ... just to name a key few, Valerie & David, Emma & Nate, Jen Osorio, Merilee Glazier, Andria Shaw, Amanda Scheline, Jessie Evans, Kelly Anderson, Krista, Karlee, Debra, Becca Robins,and Heather Anderson. I also would like to thank my top notch assitant NEENA ANDERSON, she will be greatly missed in '08 and did the most supberb job in '07 and just for you neena ... i will just note know that i have an ongoing spelling and grammer disclaimer!

Happy Holidays! & THANK YOU!

spring in the winter ....

Flowers from springs wedding this last wed.... look for better pictures at darla's blog the amazing photog on this wedding!

I actually never even met spring ... at testiment to how well i can design without in house consults. She lives in arizona so all consults happened via email or phone. she wanted something very earthy and natural but green and white with a little touch of curly willow brown. we used white tulips, bells of ireland, lily grass, white hydrangeas, white lizzy, and button mums. wrapped everything in twine of course and her centerpieces where arranged in mason jars! my lovely assitant neena finished this one out with the delivery and set up! thanks!

proof nothing is impossible!

PROOF!

andria @ eaglepoint golf course

Andria was one of the easiest most kick back brides i have ever been priviledged to work with ... i want to thank her for a fabulous experience! her colors were red, black, and white. we did trios of those colors for centerpieces. her bouquet was 7 bunches of white tulips all together wrapped in deep red ribbon with a black pearl line secure.

Chelse last minute wedding

the decor pics didnt turn out to well as a result of lighting in the country club but seriously where beautiful i hope that we get some images from the photog. anyhow the details of this rush order are still a little fuzzy but everything was carried out with no hiccups and smoothly, i loved a little bit of the christmas greens brought into this color scheme it really set the mood for the time of year but kept chelse's wedding hers instead of christmas's!

Davina Fear

Davina .... speechless .... this is an amazing photog .... the blog post "saylor" its a little bit about us!

Chelse ... last minute

Chelse has a story that i hear often from brides ..... i usually cant pull the magic rabbit out of my hat to help them ... but i could this time. Chelse is a good example as to why you SHOULD NOT depend on a family member, family friend, ward member, or someone otherwise relate who "knows how to do flowers" to do yours .... it never works out. it either falls through before or during ... either way its a bad situation to be in as a bride. Chelse's family florist quit on her 1 day before her sitting and 5 days before her wedding ... big bummer. glad we could help. this is her bridal sitting boutquet and pretty much what the suppliers had last minute early monday morning that worked with her style, colors, and budget. love this little mini fuji's called chromones, eggplant mini callas, black ones of course too, some xmas greens, dahlias, and white stephanotis with dark purple and black gems ... FUN!

thankful xmas time

I have wondered if any of you blog readers have ever wondered what a designer like me has in her own home ..... kind of arrogant i guess ... well anyhow this is my dining nook table centerpiece for the holidays, very earthy and very much my style.

So if you havent noticed the bloggin has been a bit slow. i have taken some time off to take care of and do some family things and slowed down the amount of clients i take on .... at least for a few months .... none the less studio stems has had a great year! thanks to all of our clients, past & present! Want to thank especially the clients who have become friends and made what i do worth it! many many industry friends that are greatly adored ... rebekah westover, darla roze, kate benson, pink piggy, digital izatt, enizio, and the list goes on .... I also have been able to work with the best assitant yet ... Neena ... she has become a best friend, a confidant, a sister, and an artist! i have been so blessed this year with many opportunities and growth! thank you all for being a part of studio stems 07 and a part of me!

TIPS 10,11,12

10. think about where you would like to place floral arrangements at your venues. there is no point in an elaborate arrangement at the entrance if your guests will only see it once, or is there? first impressions are crucial .... whats important or better yet where is important to you?

11. Be creative when it comes to reusing your flowers for different stages of your event. aisle pomanders or cones can easily transfer to hooks for the entrance of your reception. alter arrangements easily double as buffet centerpieces etc...

12. Having different color schemes for your ceremony and your reception can work. soft and demure for the ceremony, bright for the reception in honor of celebration!

lindsay & 7,8,9

Lindsay Jane Photography just moved into a new studio and open house was yesterday, lindsay wanted some cool arrangements to compliment her new studio for this occasion and i was happy to supply!

Tips 7,8,9

7 - give your florist plenty of inspiration so that he or she can imagine what your day is going to be like. this should include swatches of fabrics for attire etc...

8 - Trust your florist - chances are they know more about flowers than you do. If they think something wont work its best to listen!

9 - If you love a particular flower but it's on the pricey side, still use it sparingly in important places, like your bouquet. It will be close to you all day and will appear in most of your pictures!

I will be out of the office from Nov 17th through Nov 26th. i will be accesible via email and cell phone but there are no consult apts available during this time and please dont call me unless you really need me! thanks!

4,5,6

4. tear pages from mags of flowers you like. its important to be able to show a perspective florist what you are looking for. its also helpful to gather a few pictures of things you dont like and want to avoid

5. if flowers are important to you, allocate at least 10-15% of your overall budget to them

6. Keep an eye out for anything that inspires you. If your wedding has a vintage feel, inspiration might come from your favorite pair of shoes, while a contemporary hotel might provide ideas for a modern look. share these insights and samples with your florist

20 ways to wonderful flowers

All pics from Andria's flowers for her bridal sitting today .... all white tulip bouquet adorned with red satin ribbon, a matching white tulip boutineer, and a big bright beautiful red dahlia for andria's hair. thanks andria you have been one of my most laid back and easy to work with brides of 2007!

i will be posting "20 ways to wonderful flowers & floral perfection" in the next several weeks a few pointers at time ... lets start with 3

1. find a florist that can work within your ideas and more importantly your budget! The right florist will listen to what you want and will be able to make suggestions or help you figure out what you want if you dont know.

2. if you are struggling to find the right florist ... ask for recommendations from recently married friends in your area, your venue location, photographer, or other wedding vendors.

3. be realistic about what you can afford and what will work with your venue. its far better to use your budget wisely than to splash out on flowers you love but dont suit your venue or theme.

its finally time to meet the artist ... thanks to rebekah westover!

this has been a long time in the making. no bio pic on my site ... why? cause i am the least photogenic person on this earth. i think there are like 2 pictures of myself from birth to now that i actually like! i realize that i am my own worst critic but seriously i am not photogenic, and not the most gorgeous girl in the world. ok enough of that! look how great this pic is! rebekah westover is amazing! i thought no matter who the photog i wouldnt be happy with me and i am, i am shaking with excitment! thank you rebekah your so so so amazing! i have enjoyed every last minute of working with you this year and all our continueing friend moments, i love you!




check out this great vintage family picture! love it love it love it!

oh christmas tree

want your tree proffesionaly decorated? know anyone that does? studio stems can and will do this for you! in a week or so we will have a few done for viewing if you would like to see samples, just call or email to set up an apt.

there are several levels of service in regards to this special seasonal service ...

1. we can help you decor your house and tree with items you already have, maximizing their potential. we charge an hourly rate for this ....

2. we can help you determine a theme or style and purchase decor for you with a budget given to us from you and we will charge an hourly rate for consult time, shopping (and yes you can come too,) design time, and arranging decor. (this is a good option if you are considering a new type or style of tree or have a great tree but would like all new decor!)

we also do office trees! spread the word!

fall into me

want more of fall into me? fall into me on my site

quiz your floral style

so here is a simple quiz that can tell you a lot about your floral wedding style. answer them honestly. email me at info@studiostems.com with what you are mostly ... ex. mostly A's etc... i will email you back a short description of your style and most likely floral choices. you can still do it if your interested even if your married.

1.what is your idea of a romantic evening?
A. a candelit dinner at a cozy restaurant
B. a few games of pool at the local sports bar
C. renting a movie and cuddling on the couch
D. sipping organic tea at your local earth shop
E. checking out a local gallery or art show

2.Okay now you have found your prince charming but if you had to choose ....
A. Orlando Bloom
B. Jack Black
C. Chris Martin
D. Al Gore
E. Billy Corgan

3. what is your favorite reading material?
A. romeo and juliet type
B. if you must read, let it be a comic strip
C. your trusty cookbook
D. anything by Al franken
E. black and white photography

4. which dessert would you choose
A. strawberry cheesecake
B. hot fudge sundae
C. warm homemade apple pie
D. vegan chocolate chip cookies
E. dark chocolate anything

5. When you go out for a night on the town you always wear
A. your little black dress
B. fishnet stockings
C. night on the town? what is that
D. cruelty free cowboy boots
E. a necklace with chunky geo shapes

6. your ideal vacation
A. paris
B. vegas
C. traveling across country in your own motorhome
D. camping in a tent
E. new york city

7. on a cold winters night you prefer sipping on
A. hot cider
B. irish coffee
C. hot chocolate
D. green tea
E. something with alcohol in it

8. your breath freshner of choice
A. after dinner mints
B. bubble gum
C. hard candy
D. raw mint leafs
E. breath freshning spray

9. a good mantra for your life would be
A. follow your heart
B. born to be wild
C. there is no place like home
D. recycle, reduse, reuse
E. art imitates life

aka betty

the long awaited pictures from the great and fabulous dustin of digital izatt photog of amandas wedding have arrived! they are now a featured gallery under "aka betty" why you ask, amanda - she is soooo gorgeous! such a betty! check her out! amanda seriously was in the top 3 for most favorite clients of the year! i had a blast doing their wedding and i am so glad i met them and became a forever part of their lives!

thanking your vendors

so today i got an email from a client whose wedding was last week, a darling country fall affair for rebecca smith. this email included a heartfelt thanks - i receive these on occasion and i just cant say enough about how much i appreciate this! it really is why i conitnue to do what i do and it makes it so worth it!

then later on today i was doing some research, as i often do, and reading INSIDE WEDDINGS nov 07 issue. (i cant tell you how many wedding mags i have bought over the years all while already being married and nearly every time i buy them the clerk asks me if i am getting married. usually i have at least one if not all kids in tow!) i found an article on page #228 that is entitled "adopt an attitude of gratitude" i loved the 'thanking vendors' section and thought i would post what this mag writer suggests. i am taking things at a minimum these days for the fall season for family reasons but during this time i really wanted to post some things that would be informative for clients and interesting to read. i have a stack of topics. so lets start with this since its fresh on the brain:

"THANKING YOUR VENDORS -Vendors are the backbone of a successful event. The wedding industry may be a billion dollar business, but its spread out over millions of small business owners who do what they do because they enjoy lending their talents and creating meaningful celebrations for others. it takes a unique sense creativity, patience, and profesionalism to thrive in this industry. Giving your vendors a written note of thanks for all they have done is a wonderful way to acknowledge the impact they have made on your day and your lives. .... This can often be the best way to show your gratitude for your vendors' hard work."

that being said .. i know this seems biased on my part, of course i would want to blog this. well once in a while a wedding vendor must be selfish i guess. hope this has been helpful and a big shout out to rebecca who made my day today and made what i do worth it! thanks!

Neena knows where Neena goes ...

My lovely, talented, trusty assitant knows where she will be serving her mission ..... drum roll please .......

capetown south africa!

how cool is that! i am soooo proud of her and way excited for her to embark on this amazing journey!

she leaves feb 28th. sigh of releif this means i wont be looking for a new assistant until the beginning of january. there are a few people i am considering as of now but if you are interested watch for a blog post detailing what i am looking for sometime in january and contact me at that time.

NEENA - YOU GO GIRL! I LOVE YOU!!!!

country fall

this last friday was rebecca smiths wedding and it was pure country fall! centerpieces were arranged in mason jars. we added twine details to everything! brown ribbon adorned all the bouquets. flowers were orange lilies, yellow and orange mini callas, red and orange mini gerbera daisies, red roses, lemon leaf, amaranthus, and alstromeria.