STUDIO STEMS BLOG

blog moving needed a nip/tuck

2008-09-01T14:29:00.000-07:00

our blog is moving as of today! so please visit us here and change your bookmarks, links, memory etc...

in case you cant click on the here button www.studiostems.blogspot.com

under construction ... caution

2008-09-01T10:30:00.000-07:00

Its that time of year again ... the beginning of a new wedding industry year. weird i know! but the fall is when all advertising for 09 is due and thus comes any co changes that need to be made. we have new ads coming forth a new blog coming forth and some site changes so while we work on this be patient and know that our site is under CONSTRUcTION!

Whimsy floral design

2008-08-29T12:30:00.001-07:00

I have wanted to blog about Whimsy for some time now ... this is a local floral designer that i really really admire! yes she is my competition but to be honest i dont mind one bit loosing any business to her! why? well better her then the others that i just dont understand ... and because of the talent! oh the talent! not to mention that she is the first person i recommend when i am booked or taking time off! visit her site here and her blog here .. enjoy some of her art work!

utah bride mag

2008-08-23T19:43:00.000-07:00

photography by rebekah westover

sweet life in the valley

2008-08-19T18:46:00.000-07:00

today i got an email from april ... a fellow blogger featuring studio stems. thats always flattering!

www.sweetlifeinthevalley.com

thanks april!

mourning

2008-08-14T07:57:00.000-07:00

occasionally studio stems creates a mourning piece for a funeral. it doesnt happen much, mostly because we dont advertise that we offer this service or market the funeral industry, none the less we find this work just as rewarding as any other. heart and emotions run deep at studio stems and we know what it means to mourn with those that mourn and also to have others mourn with us. the heart wreath was something i created for a friend who passed away at only 23 years old from cancer, she was an inspiration of strength and courage to me, 2004. the two table arrangements where for others i knew by association that passed on and the last fall spray was for my husbands best friend who passed away of cancer at the age of 27 in 2004.

chelsea & chad ... funk & fun

2008-08-09T09:29:00.000-07:00

my infamous fountaining tree in black with wired cymbidium orchids all over it - a bold sign in arrangement

garden centerpieces wrapped in horsetail

the bouquet - very similar to her sitting.

reception was at chantilly mansion in layton. centerpieces inside were in our classic tall glass v vase with black rocks at the base a cymbidium stem inside the vase and alternating colors of giant pomander balls with black curly willow adorning the top. these were fun and funky for me as a designer and artist and i am so grateful that chelsea respects and admires me enough as an artist to carry out some funk and then love it in return. also the simple yet modern accents for the buffet table and her cake that had nothing to do with me but everything to do with the ultimate design made by cakes by dawna.

chelsea and her family have been an inspiration and support to me personally and i want to publicly thank them. i am so grateful for great clients who become part of who i am as an artist and also as a friend. chelsea's dad shared some eloquent words of wisdom with me at the temple while we waited for chelsea and i also wanted to thank him for being who he is and the kind of example to get me closer to where i need to be in life.

this ends events for me for a few months. no worries i will be back in the game for the latter part of the year. in the meantime i will post some old work, some work that inspires me and some other wedding related stuff so stay tuned.

lindsay & jonny - simple & modern

2008-08-05T15:30:00.000-07:00

a SPECIAL thanks and recognition to the talented mr. dustin izatt with digital izatt

lindsay & jonny's invites were custom designed by pink piggy designs

out of this wedding came many many good things. first and most importantly life long friends. Lindsay thank you for the sweet gift and card it means so much to me. Debbie in you i have found a soul sister, one who is extremely intune and spiritually amazing, i will forever be grateful that my talent has brought me such amazing gifts like friendship. it also brought me an opportunity to be my real artist self and express lindsay's style with complete freedom and few if any limitations. it was wonderful. this one goes down in my book as an all time fav.
PS see the discreet yet stunning and unique use of ping pong balls?

sneak peak ....anticipation ....

2008-07-31T18:31:00.000-07:00

invitation by pink piggy
colors: charcoal & saffron
oncidium orchids & ping pong balls

why is it my most anticipated event? its nothing personal its all about the design ... stay tuned its tomorrow!

christy's la caille event

2008-07-28T08:24:00.000-07:00

Christy's colors where light blue, navy, and orange. all her designs where kept simple with only a few types of textured flowers: hydrangea, roses, delphiniums, freesia, and dahlias. she wanted only hydrangea and roses in her bouquet (love the color of these gorgeous sunset rose and how they open!)as well as some lemon leafs, we wrapped in navy with a little twine center overlay.

this was a destination wedding and before sat i had not yet met christy, her fiance, or her parents. it was a true pleasure. they gave me some gorgeous natural rock earring's from coldwater creek as a thank you gift. again the feeling that makes being an artist worth it ... when its appreciated. it doesn't have to be appreciated by a gift necessarily but just communicated and that's one way. thank you christy and cheryl so much for the experience to be your floral artist and for your confidence and appreciation!

its not very often that i sort of just show it all sitting together ... so here it is, all her bridal party. bouquet, 4 bridesmaids, 2 flower girl clutches, petals, and 8 boutonnieres.

the two flower girl clutches (or jr bridesmaids whatever you prefer to call them) were so darling i couldn't resist getting a quick pic of them. didn't have much time for pics with set up and getting out of there, didn't take any at the studio either so enjoy la caille terracotta floor as background!

we did 12 centerpieces in lower yet wide vases full of garden style arrangements. 6 square and the other 6 cylinder. they turned out simply beautiful.

on the way out i could not resist a quick pic of what could be disneyland but is not its la caille out my window as we drove off. its beautiful dont get me wrong ... the manicuring of the gardens just reminds me of the precise manicuring at disney of vegetation. notice the carriage in the background made of flowers and the animal topiary also in the background. weeping trees are my absolute favorite ... they are so whimsical, makes me want to go run and be a pretend fairy for a moment. this ones are gianormous!

flashback friday

2008-07-25T03:54:00.000-07:00

so i thought while i am taking some time off (there are still 3 more events to come, also dont forget i am back at 'em in october,) that i would post a few flashbacks of work from the beginning, or middle days. just for fun!

Jessica's bridal sitting bouquet from about 6 or 7 years ago. something i for had not nailed yet .... photographing my work!

Jolynn's bouquet from 2002

Finally i know

2008-07-18T14:02:00.000-07:00

For some time now some personal family medical issues have interupted my availability for the 08 year and i have waited months and months to have a definate date as to when i would be unavailable ... well that day came today and i know finally! SEE ABOVE FOR DETAILS.

i am posting bridal sitting bouquets for two of the most genuine amazing brides i have ever had ... .lindsey and chelsea. these two girls have just been so patient and understanding, they are also the two last bookings i am taking before my time off for my daughter. Girls ... your weddings will be nothing short of stellar and i am so excited to be working with you! thank you for all your love and support and also to the moms for your inspiring words and trust in me!

this was lindsey's sitting bouquet from last week (pictured below courtesy of digital izatt.) perhaps one of my favs for the year! her colors are saffron and charcoal. this broach makes this bouquet and i just love love love it! lindsey picked it out herself but when i envisioned the creation this is exactly what i wanted for her! feathers are misted gold and so was the lily grass with a modern simple yet striking set of callas.

this is chelsea's sitting bouquet from today! her colors are light pink, hot pink, lime green, and black. this bouquet is one bright beauty with two toned hydrangea, a few different shades of mini callas, cymbidium orchids, and hot lady roses! woohooo!

reconnaissance

2008-07-17T11:05:00.000-07:00

i have so much appreciation for the relations i have in this industry. oh how i love the photogs in my life for so many reasons! i appreciate the props to no end! here are some recent pics courtesy of digital izatt of lindsay's recent sitting. love those prada shoes and this bouquet turned out really cool if i do say so myself!

then there is this artist Rebekah Westover who shot these great pics from a wedding we did together last month ... amazing amazing amazing!

RECONNAISSANCE!

O.O.O

2008-07-13T23:31:00.000-07:00

Out Of Office

I will be out of the office for the entire week of july 14th -19th. I will have email access on monday, thursday, and sat but no phone access.

on sat july 19th look for a new and anticipated blog post on our availability for the rest of the 2008 year.

4th of july wedding bash

2008-07-08T11:46:00.001-07:00

Tracee & her hub celebrated their happy union on the 4th of july at wheeler farm. it was a country shin dig with a several shades of pink pallat. really fun and gorgeous. her bouquet was light pink regular callas, variagated tulips, varying shades of pink gerber daisies, hyp berries, button mums, some curly willow, and a little added bling!

the mason jar ... a studio stems staple.

Ashley 7.3.08

2008-07-05T13:24:00.000-07:00

Ashley's bouquet - trademark black mini callas and monkey tail, green hydrangea, white mini callas, white dahlias, white freesia, button mums, and stephanotis. Black satin wrap with a lily grass overlay and beadwork.

a few of the decor pieces.

alexia

2008-06-27T11:21:00.000-07:00

new music

2008-06-21T19:19:00.000-07:00

just a note to say a new collection of music is on our site for you to enjoy ....

Erin

2008-06-19T17:31:00.001-07:00

The insanely talented rebekah westover i am sure will grace us with much better images later down the road ....

so i am not a huge fan of all white bouquets. a lot of my clients want them though. its not that i dislike them but there are so many shades of white and a white dress and white this and then it seems sometimes the money spent just fades into itself. anyhow this is one of my absolute favs! its peonies, callas, akito roses, and cremones. what makes it stand out and set apart is this lily grass loop, and spike with a bit of hyp berrie collar. love it! thanks erin for letting me be part of your gorgeous event. stay tuned for more pics of it all!

gift

2008-06-16T11:03:00.000-07:00

not very often does this happen. some clients send thank you notes or emails, some tip, and every once in a while a client will give me a thoughtful gift to say thank you. Megan and her mom Kathy Hale bought me this gorgeous eucalyptus leaf bracelet ... i was speechless, still am! thank you ladies!

infamous 6.7.8

2008-06-13T13:16:00.001-07:00

Two brides: Angela & Amanda
Two locations: Johnsons Mill & Millcreek

Angela - something somewhat tropical looking with a sort of earthy utah flare in bright fun colors

Amanda - classic black, white, and red with a feather feel

megan hale 6.6.08

2008-06-10T18:56:00.001-07:00

the culminating piece ... me being the true artist within ....

before the chaos

2008-06-09T14:09:00.000-07:00

Before i get to posting the chaos of 3 events during the infamous 6/7/8 weekend i thought i would show pics from a wedding i got no shots of my own of ... sarah's! it was earthy, natural, white and beautiful. pics are courtesy of Kate Benson Photography ... only one of the best in the world! thanks kate

revisits

2008-06-04T15:27:00.000-07:00

This is "america's next top model" Erin! inside joke i guess ... really though this girl is gorgeous. this was her bridal sitting bouquet ... you know one of the ones i neglected to capture digitally before delivery. thanks to the most AMAZING Rebekah Westover i have these great images as well as the ones below of tara's gorgeous wedding and sitting!

glam

2008-06-02T11:59:00.000-07:00

this last weekend was amandas bridal sitting in prep for her wedding this coming weekend. she loves callas and so does her mom but she wanted a good white and black mix on a budget that screams modern yet vintage hollywood glam. loved the way this one turned out!

corporate

2008-05-29T17:57:00.000-07:00

this week was full of the unusual for me, corporate work. Mountain America Credit Union is having a grand opening at a new branch in murray this week, they rented our gold tree and ordered several fresh arrangements for the new branch. i like corporate work, usually it allows me great artistic freedom with in a budget and also is lower pressure than a wedding, not to say i dont love working in the wedding industry, i do!

next week is wedding week with 3 events through out the week, and also i have many many good pics from recent weddings that we have not posted on yet ... so keep coming.

boutoniere's wrapped in grass ... out of the office

2008-05-23T11:37:00.000-07:00

some little things from kara palsson's wedding. i will be out of the office for memorial day weekend. i will not have email access and limited phone service.

2008-05-22T15:15:00.000-07:00

this was my alarm clock this morning, mariels clean and simple renoir mini calla bouquet and boutoniere ... best of luck guys! just remember to put the toilet seat down!

Later in the morning this creation came out of me. its for Kara & prestons wedding and ultimately might file into one of my favorites. love the V lily grass wrap. the rest of the bouquet consists of 3 different colors of mini callas, green hydrangea in the place of blossomed viburnum, green hyp berries, orange parrot tulips, tiny closed green parrot tulips, fugi mums, sea foam statice, and of course the gem centered stephanotis.

megan @ sun river gardens

2008-05-17T12:32:00.000-07:00

Megan Blood's wedding was this last weekend and her colors where very obviously PURPLE, orange, and white. purple flowers used: mini callas, delphiniums, cornflowers, & anemone. White flowers used: freesia, lisianthus, and dendro orchids. Orange flowers used: ranuculus & fiction colored roses.

the bouquet: fictions roses, renoir mini callas, purple delphiniums, white lisianthus, white freesia, and orange ranucs. wrapped in royal purple swiss satin and some orange bling bling.

the reception was held in orem utah at sun river gardens nursery. not many people know that this is an option but it works out beautifully and you and your guests are surrounded by plush vegetation. we used 3 different designs for vases that megan provided for 12 tables. 1. a dendro/calla 2. delphinium/lisianthus 3. freesia/cornflower - a substitute for the purple ranucs that didnt make it in

below is a pic of the bridesmaids small clutches wrapped in orange satin ribbon. all white lisianthus and freesia with a few blue/purple anemone's for added measure. i wish i had gotten a few more pics of the bridal party flowers they turned out quiet well.

bridal sittings ... ahhhh tis the season

2008-05-14T15:24:00.001-07:00

enjoy the simple elegance and profound color in this tulip, mini calla lily, grass wrapped sitting bouquet. there were 3 sittings this week, as you know i am not always on top of photography, luckily the others are being photographed by trusted associates to be seen at a later date.

back in the office & cloud kissed

2008-05-12T08:47:00.001-07:00

back in the office .... tropical paradise was mostly cloudy and cold ...yet still the clouds sent me to the nines ... time alone with hub fantastic!

out of the office

2008-05-04T09:06:00.000-07:00

I will be out of the office with no internet access and very little cell phone usage from today until the 12th. please contact me then.

thought i would post how much prettier the tulips got ... from volumptuous to free and open ... so beautiful!

i dont mean to brag ... but i will!

2008-05-02T16:30:00.000-07:00

this issue of UVM just hit the stands this last week. on page 19 an article called "5 best made in utah valley" there is 5 sections obviously, book, film, product, food, & website. Studio Stems is the featured web site! i feel extremely honored and flattered! Press IS good! lol

i know a little (and what i mean by little is actually physical size girl is tinny!) bird put a buzz in some ears to view my site and consider it for this nomination .... thanks a million jessie!

tara & jeremy

2008-04-30T17:00:00.000-07:00

monday april 28th was tara & jeremy's wedding. i have never in my whole career (9 years now) done a wedding on a monday. this wasnt just any monday either it was my youngest's 5th b-day. but i took it, i had to! jeremy is one of my older brothers longest and best friends and when you meet jeremy & tara you cant help but just be happy to work with them! they spared no expense on their wedding it was gorgeous! local JSMB, photog Rebekah westover, cake carries cakes, florist .. me of course! these 3 vendors really pulled it out of the hat on this one!

tara loves texture and her bouquet had it thats for sure. parrot tulips, ranucs, roses, mini callas, dahlias, and a teeny tiny bit of oh so pricey lily of the valley!
there were 15 centerpieces, a fan series of 6 square vases at the head table, and one sign in table arrangements in the empire room where the dinner was held. all tall and large full of curly willow, amaranthus, hydrangea, wax, and roses. upstairs there were 3 more large arrangements, 2 for the alter and one for that sign in table. of course on top of that 10 bouts, and 8 corsages! yeah!

i had absolutely nothing to do with this cake but i couldnt resist taking a pic of this master piece! seriously check this baby out! done by carries cakes i was profoundly amazed by this piece of art! wowsers!

thanks tara & jeremy for just an amazing time! this wedding went off without a hitch and worked out perfect! thanks to two amazing kick back chill people with great tastes!

sara, justin, and once again a forgotten camera

2008-04-28T09:01:00.000-07:00

this last weekend was a great clients wedding at red butte gardens, sara geneser. but yet once again i found myself in salt lake setting up my work with no camera! dangit! gratefully one of my most prefered photogs kate benson shot this wedding so watch for pics in the future! thanks sara for a fun event!

then there was justins wedding reception. its rare that i identify work by the groom, most of the time i work with the brides right. well i know justin pretty well, he is a neighbor, friend, and industry vendor, a most amazing pianist. anyhow his bride was from sacramento and i had little interaction with her. they were married at her home town so that left a reception in white, yellow, & cream tones with aqua accents here in utah. i failed to capture their line arrangements and bridal party flowers but please enjoy what i did capture! clients are more important than my own photographs so if i forget myself then i guess thats ok.

had to add this pic of the cake - no offense justin but this is a no no in my artistic opinion. no fake flowers that arent done by an amazing pastry artist on the cake. i had in their contract fresh flowers for the cake too, so i was bummed when my assitant showed up prepared to freelance the cake and found this. it was done with love by a close friend and i suppose thats what makes it good.

tara & jeremy get married today so look for more pics later this week of their wedding.

plump, curvy, & volumptuous

2008-04-25T19:02:00.000-07:00

this week has come and gone by so fast. this pic above is tripy right? i love it! simple art! so i have been naughty, i hope you blog readers are not too disappointed in me. for once i have no images of my work from a wedding done. yesterday anthony mott & amberlie madsen wed for love! well no images .... it just escaped me sorry. non the less another great event designed and accomplished. not to worry there will be 3 weddings in the next few days! so more posts coming soon.

these tulips are on their last petal in our cooler, from a wedding a bit ago. they were draping over the bucket so gracefully that i couldnt help but be attracted. i heart tulips when they are full and plump, curvy and natural, and volumptous to end it all! i pose this question, arent we all most beautiful and perfect when we die? no matter when that is ....

danielle .... outside the box

2008-04-20T18:38:00.001-07:00

so why was danielle's wedding outside the box? well lots of reasons ... starting with she was an unusual bride for a utah wedding. she planned way way in advance and booked me clear back in early sept after a month of conversing back and forth for her april 19th wedding. so 9 months out is rare for utah clients. second because she picked a reception center that offers you know those boxed deals. the ones that you sort of one stop walmart shop. though this is convenient i cant say its high quality. danielle insisted upon bringing in outside vendors that better suited her desires, and they let her. she loved her local but not all the deals that came with it. she was well planned and knew what she wanted!

flowers used .... first off bugs and butterflies. ranuculus, roses, lisianthus, bells of ireland, and a few tulip varieties and colors.

loved this cake ... simple yet stunning. we decided on just one tone of color on the cake ... obviously orange, one of my favs! ranucs and tulips adorn this simple yet stunning freelance.

want a great photog?

2008-04-15T20:19:00.000-07:00

i am back from hiatus! yeah! we wont go into how it was ....

want an amazing photog look here .... roze photography! its high time i blog and feature some of the most top notch amazing associates i work with. darla is truly one of the best! much of her photog work is found on my site .... a few examples ....

so if your in the market for a wedding photog .... well what are you waiting for?

and if your not in the market for wedding photography ... darla is one of the most amazing children, maternity, infant, and family photographers i know ...

what are you not good at anyway darla?

tara & i am going on hiatus so excuse me please!

2008-04-09T16:49:00.000-07:00

This is tara's bouquet for her bridal sitting with rebekah westover so stalk that blog here to see better pics hopefully within the next week. this bouquet was fun for me, tara gives me a lot of creative freedom within the feel we are trying to create ... that being a vintage european feel with rich colors and creams and whites. tara loves lily of the valley but ... by the time we placed order i couldnt get them in time for the sitting so i supplimented the look with white wax. other flowers used, dahlias, eggplant mini callas, orange ranucs, white ranucs, orange/yellow parrot tulips, vendella & leonidas roses. wrapped in some of my most fav color of ribbon and a bead pearl design. thanks tara for being so chill and trusting me!

as of tomorrow morning i am on hiatus ... i need to do this now and then to refresh. i will not be answering co emails or calls until tue april 15th. if you are an existing client that needs me emergently, for some odd reason (i am pretty sure all your files are in stable places) call me and leave a voice mail i will check it periodically. thanks & so long till tue.

PS wanted to thank all those that leave amazing comments on my blog! so here is to clients, friends, and admirors that keep me going! loves.

Signature designs & true Designers

2008-04-08T15:48:00.001-07:00

not long ago i posted about some of studio stem's signature designs ... see one of our most sought after accent posts here
in case your too lazy to look (i would be!) this is monkey tail and its airbrushed (not painted) black. we often airbrush monkey tail and our signature black callas, its something studio stems is known for. painting or airbrushing takes serious skill to turn out a high quality product that LOOKS natural and doesnt chip, bleed, or stain. i have noticed as of late that a few new designers have popped up on the utah scene. it seems that they think this profession is easy and anything can easily be created, copied, or duplicated and the title designer comes with just the movement of lips and not experience. i am hoping that you get what you pay for with these new "designers" and that their prices match their quality. there are more than a few designers here in utah with serious talent and experience to pick from ... studio stems, whimsy, petals & blooms, stella posy, m&k designs, and roots.

melanie

2008-04-05T17:20:00.001-07:00

Melanie's colors where black, white, and teal.

ok so i am a feeling rather reluctant about posting this pic ... first cause its a terrible pic in terrible lighting and i am not a pro photog, i usually can do better than this though .... but i did post it cause i think its kind of interesting that the ribbon on this cake corsets down. interesting design. i believe melanie found it in a bridal mag and took it to macy's to duplicate it for her. to bad corset isnt as straight as it should be though ... tried to balance it out with the flowers and i think it helped, at least it took the attention away from just the corset.

compliments ...

2008-04-02T15:12:00.000-07:00

over the years i have received many compliments and thank you notes from clients ... they make doing what i do all worth it. and on occasion i get a compliment from another designer and this makes my heart flutter! the other day i was checking my stats (and honest something i dont do often) and i realized i was getting hits off my site from a blog of someone i dont know .... so i went there to check it out and THIS is what i found. lets just say artistically my head got big for a few days but i have calmed down now. i really appreciate being seen as an artist and recognized for my work. amazing to me that someone i dont know and doesnt know me thinks this of me, kind of overwhelming. i didnt used to be so good at taking compliments, they are hard for me to believe but i am getting better at it i think! thanks.

5 posts in 1

2008-03-30T18:07:00.001-07:00

so mixed in with all the craziness of GTU and the show was a wedding. Tamara's colors were hot orange, pink, and green. i only took images of just this one sign in table arrangement. why you ask well because i just had no time but i didnt want to miss a pic of this piece you see its special. heather my new assitant is learning so fast and really this is the first thing i put all in her hands without mimic - ing me or giving her much more than just do it instructions ... she did a gorgeous job and i just love having her work for me! great job heather!

A gold wishing tree and the bridal show. oh the tree .... k so wishing trees are for your guests to sign their wishes on and hang, doubles as decor obviously! great for dinner type receptions and also a good alternative to a book. the show was great, i want to thank all the new clients and potential clients that stopped by and also thank megan at pink piggy design for a great day spent with a great friend!

Enizio .... they just know! that is how to work with associates! they have created mini portfolios on their site for associates they work with including me ... Brilliant! i will follow suit sometime soon i think! cynthia the owner is just stellar at what she does so if you are looking (and you should be if your a bride)for makeup and hair you must contact her! you must!

Ranuculus are some of my most favorite flowers and especially in orange .. i heart orange! got a few for the whole soup can thing and today they were so open so i couldnt help but take a simple pic of a simple love ....

on a very personal note ... my personal life seen through the eyes of davina fear

soup cans & bridal shows ...

2008-03-28T13:47:00.000-07:00

for those of you who watched me on GTU this morning these are the soup cans we took on the show! this was a really fun idea for me and a good DIY project. so easy just really really cleaned out soup cans wrapped in great paper! PS click on the GTU icon above to see the clip ...

i will be at the grand america bridal extravaganza tomorrow from 11-6 - the first 4 brides to come and tell me these two words can take a soup can of flowers home with them! the words ... dancing monkey. cant wait to see you there!

where the good things are ...

2008-03-27T13:43:00.000-07:00

tomorrow this is where i will be showcasing studio stems and the bridal extravaganza ... just remember i am 10 lbs thinner then i look!

paying tribute

2008-03-26T17:19:00.001-07:00

its pretty rare to see a funeral flower post on this blog .... i am no funeral florist but my skills come in handy when it comes time to pay tribute to one i love that has passed on, its very healing for me to create art in tribute to someone i admire. My grandfather passed away this last sat ... just after the tragic wedding ended (which by the way i just found out that bride still left saying this was the most beautiful and best day of my life, way to go girl, bring that good attitude home!) my grandpa and i actually had some time to discuss funeral flowers and he said pee weed would due just find and make it traditional and something your grandma would like ... did the best i could ....

aubrey

2008-03-24T14:36:00.000-07:00

this may have been the most tragic wedding i have yet to be involved with .... and i see a good 30-50 weddings per year. aubrey is a friend of mine so this made things all that more emotional.

the caterer's health failed him just mere hours before the reception and as he was rushed to the hospital i rushed home to get a change of clothes to help out with the food when the floral decor was done. shortly after my arrival i found my friend aubrey distraught ... her grandmother and 2 aunts had been t-boned and pushed into a house on their way to the reception her parents witnessed the whole thing as they were driving just behind them. then the groom ate the wrong layer of cake, the one he was allergic to ... what next right? needless to say the event looked amazing! an asian theme green, white, black and dark eggplant color scheme. the bride looked amazing even as distraught as she was and she did an amazing job holding it all in! this is just a sneak peak ... i know we will get pics from the photog down the road a bit ...

personal challenge ...

2008-03-20T09:48:00.000-07:00

so when your a floral designer and a mormon you often must use your talents to benefit the sista's in your ward! tonight is our RS b-day party and who else would be called upon to provide centerpieces on no budget .... this kind of stuff is hard for me to come up with .. i need to have a better attitude its just way hard to get into for some reason. so i decided to challenge myself ... i needed to get 8 centerpieces done in 30 minutes out of ONLY stuff in my work room. here is what turned out ... i am actually proud of what came out the other end of the challenge and it was much funner!

laynie & kyle revisited

2008-03-15T17:22:00.000-07:00

pics courtesy of Lindsay Jane - sends me tons of biz! that is MUCH appreciated!

when i see these two i just smile! they were so cool and so perfect for each other! despite the centerpiece complications i really loved working with this couple!

lucky ducky

2008-03-13T12:00:00.000-07:00

the other business arm of me has been focused a lot on marketing and advertising my moms new custom baby and children's boutique .... pantywaist & co ... and its almost launch party day!

be one of the firsts to place an order and pick a duck from the bucket ... its yours to keep and if your lucky, your ducky will have a discount on it to apply to your order. there are only 24 ducks though so come early!

SATURDAY MARCH 15TH 10 AM - 3 PM @ NOAHS IN LINDON, 644 N 2000 W

EVERYONE IS INVITED BRING ALL YOUR FRIENDS AND COME HANG OUT!

all our products already produced will be for sale ... first come first serve! but take it at the end of the day because they are samples for custom orders ...

just a taste of what we will have there ....

darling michael miller fabric rockin guitar/stripe boy crib set that includes - sheet, skirt, bumpers, quilt, and pillow!

another darling bright and fun circles, dots, stripes, and solids michael miller fabrics for a fun spirited baby girl crib set includes sheet, skirt, bumpers, quilt and pillow

grocery cart covers that are fun and unique and fight those germs! can double for a public high chair cover. works on both and has many fun accessories to store those little things your little one needs

samples of nursery hardware that are irresistable and can be dropped shipped right to your door!

fun VW bus free spirit fabric tee-pee's for play time along with many other play time funs!

there will also be all in stock bolts of fabric for custom orders to choose from!
here are a FEW fabric samples for a sneak peak.

there will also be darling aprons for moms and tots too!

not to mention an amazing maternity and children's photographer! darla roze! & another amazing artist megan with pink piggy custom designed invitations and announcements!

so all you studio stems blog stockers please come and bring your friends too! want to make me super happy, blog about it!

Laynie

2008-03-09T19:54:00.000-07:00

Laynie's flowers were as gorgeous as her! she wanted bright, fun, and textured. we used mokara orchids, asiatic dragon lilies, yellow freesia, curly willow, calla lilies in several colors, hydrangea, cymbidium orchids, anemone, and berzilia throughout the wedding.

what is not having a headache worth? i think knowledge is excedrin and i am going to use this wedding as an example of what happens when a client chooses to provide some of their own supplies rather than rent. first off i want laynie to know what a kick back cool bride she was and how well she took things in stride! she was and is a great client! and for the clients out there who still insist on providing their own product thats fine we will still take you in most cases but be warned the migraine is coming on!

laynie wanted centerpieces in the same style as a wedding we did last year "osorio". tall fluted glass vases filled with gold fish and flowers. her family happened to fall upon similar shaped vases and thought it might save them money and hassle to buy them and provide them themselves. i am not aware of what they paid for them so i cant say that our rental price underbid their buying price but i am willing to bet! we rent those vases in tall for $10 each and xtra tall for $15. when i received a sample of the vase to design with it was about half the size of our medium ones. this changed things a lot. they also thought they might provide their own goldfish. goldfish, the feeder kind, are quiet cheap at some places only 10 cents a piece. so why pay us to provide them? have you thought about who and when they will be aquired on the day of? even if you have a plan this is an added stress in the day. have you thought about how to treat the water and acclimate it so that the fish live through the reception? there is no time for me to do that if the fish just suddenly arrive at the reception ready to be dumped in vases. this makes for murdered fish. is it not worth the headache to pay someone to do this? one of the profound effects of the osorio's vases was how many fish where in the vase, we were not able to do this with laynie's vases because they were much smaller and fish need space and oxygen to breath, the ratio wouldn't work. last but not least the vases arrived unopened and unclean and some where broken. now what, too many flowers not enough vases? is it not worth not having a headache i ask you? some clients dont think a headache is too much to handle. whats difficult for me is that in the end who does this reflect on? more than not people need someone to blame or place identity on and its usually me in cases like this.

in the end her centerpieces were still soooo gorgeous and looked amazing in the orangerie at red butte gardens! it worked out beautifully, it most often does if you have great vendors who can problem solve and problem solve fast!

aubrey .... my other name

2008-03-04T18:00:00.000-08:00

yesterday was aubrey's bridal sitting. and yes i get called aubrey quiet often. in fact my hub called me aubrey for our first few dates, i ignored it and pretended he was right cause he was just so dang cute! aubrey is an aquantance of mine who has become a pretty good friend through all this planning of wedding business, we have even spent several days boarding on the slopes together, we have very similar personalities. her colors are mostly green & black with some cream and white's as well as a touch of eggplant. her bouquet was white hydrangea base with white mini callas, eggplant mini callas, & of course our signature black mini callas. dont forget the super green roses and a ti leaf color, black swiss satin wrap with pearl line. classic studio stems. i guess thats why she picked me! sometime in the near future i am sure we will have pics of how this bouquet looked with this stunning bride from dustin izatt!

season has begun at studio stems

2008-03-03T19:21:00.000-08:00

arent those shoes just killer? this is laynie, this is a shot from her bridals a few weeks ago, courtesy of lindsayjanephotography. her wedding is this week and also begins a rush of much. our season has begun there are few luls from now until i take time off in august. so i thought i would rush this darling pic in on the blog before it got too crazy. today was aubrey's bridal and hopefully tomorrow or wed i will have pics on the blog of her crazy beautiful bouquet!

life is complicated

2008-03-03T13:06:00.001-08:00

this past weekend presented me with a interesting opportunity... on a personal note .... about 4 years ago my husbands best friend passed away. we have stayed very close to his wife and family. he died very young at the age of 26 leaving behind a young wife and kids. today his wife got remarried to a brilliantly perfect man in the same situation, his wife has too passed away. this was a bitter sweet thing for me. and i found myself emotional for both joyous and sorrowous reason, very strange but beautiful. it pushes you to places that make you stretch and grow and for that i am grateful! life is complicated ... that is what i thought about today as i watched a couple in love try to blend new and old in laws. it was a small very private and intimate thing and of course my gift to this friend was whatever flowers she wanted ... turns out her new love of her life gave her pink tulips the first time he gave her flowers and she wanted to keep it simple. pink tulips only ... with a little studio stems artistic wrap and flair. i hope this new couple knows how much i love them and support them!

gateway .....

2008-02-23T19:10:00.001-08:00

a few arrangmenets to add some flavor to the booths of a few friends at the gateway show this weekend.

pantywaist & co

2008-02-18T16:44:00.001-08:00

check out pantywaist & co products ....

custom crib sets

grocery cart and high chair covers to fight the germs!

amazing lighting for the little tykes rooms

the most darling glass furniture hardware in town ...

quiet play time fun!

and of course some of the most darling custom boutique children's clothes around!

the models are darling as well .... LOL well if you havent figured it out by now, audrey the owner of studio stems has her hands dipped in this co too! check out the site here .... the pantywaist blog here ....
and if your thinking about hosting, think no more ... you want to! our hosting package for our launch party on march 15th 2008 @ NOAHS in lindon from 10am-3pm is incredible! you will have to do little more than mail out your invites and in exchange you will receive a 5% credit on all orders that come through you! cant beat that. email audrey @ info@pantywaistandco.com or call her at 801.836.3089 or of course you can also reach her through studio stems contact info! hope to see some of you studio stems associates and clients there!

darla w/roze photography will also be part of this launch party see her work here as well as megan w/pink piggy design view her work here ... both of which can assist in shower invites and the the most amazing baby announcements seen yet!

valentines day

2008-02-14T17:04:00.000-08:00

valentines day for me is interesting. my hub cant buy me flowers, doesnt make sense! and i am not a flower shop but on V-day i get a lot of calls! i am a designer though so what i have to offer is interesting and not your run of the mill v-day flowers. i can depend on the men in my life calling me today also to ask for flowers for their women. so here is to my brothers!

bird of paradise

2008-02-13T17:20:00.000-08:00

i have been in LA for a few days this week, i passed this bird of paradise bush in bloom in long beach and couldnt resist capturing an image of this magnificent creation. what an artist the almighty creator was! serious think about it!

wrap me in apple green ... or teal

2008-02-09T14:05:00.000-08:00

today i was just really enjoying the simple elegance and beauty of swiss satin ribbon & black pearl head pins!

bridal sitting season has officially begun with two today. pictured above is melanie's sitting bouquet. her colors are black and teal. she wanted something simple for today so we went with white regular callas, airbrushed black mini callas and a teal wrap with black pearl head pin line.

this is laynie's wrap for her sitting bouquet .... she is for sure one of my fav brides of the whole year, i can tell already, way kick back, allows me a lot of creative freedom, gorgeous, and super sweet! her colors are apple green and black but we are doing really colorful flowers. as shown below, fuego alstromeria, green cymbidium orchids, yellow freesia, leucodendron, & of course eggplant mini calla's. we hope that her wedding day bouquet will have added yellow mini callas, pink anemone, and the exotic gloriosa lily.

visit spring ... some of us need it anyway

2008-02-04T19:59:00.001-08:00

so my kind and amazing and generous photog friend darla is the master behind these pro pics of a wedding we did not to long ago, (you might remember the post with my pics) this is springs wedding, something some of us are waiting on, not me! i am thoroughly enjoying the powder, but for those that need it, enjoy a wiff!

confectioners wonder

2008-02-03T17:25:00.001-08:00

These are chocolate favors ... need i say more? woodhouse

not a newspaper but a CAKE! wowie! this grand piece of confection art was custom made for a couple who met over a newspaper. cake design is a wedding art that i appreciate almost as much as my own. i cant fully appreciate it simply because i cant do it nor would i ever even attempt to but the art that these designers can produce simply amazes me! this particular sculpture was produced by cakework an LA based designer.

hold that card

2008-02-01T07:22:00.000-08:00

some new, exciting, and better yet informative posts as promised. i wanted to post some ideas for things that brides often ask me about. a few of those things have been table place card holders, seating assignment options, book sign in options, and favors. so here are a few of my favorite ideas, studio stems can provide these for you, but in utah's friendly crafty market why not do these yourself? we know you want to anyhow!

this wishing tree is one of the best new ideas out there for a new spin on a "book" but can also be used as seating assignment. have your guests write a personal message on provided cards and hang on the tree for a unique piece of decor that doubles as a book. or place your guests names of cards w/seating info and hang for them to take as they walk in the door.

beach themed? shells shells shells, easy! easy! easy! another beach or tropical theme, place card suggestion are drink umbrellas carefully marked and displayed. both of these ideas are displayed in a minature table sand box, sand options could vary from your run of the mill play sand, special sand from your favorite beach (something meaninful is always a +!) or colored sand from the craft store. these apples also make darling place card holders, any fruit about would ....

simple great idea for the bride, groom, or wedding designer, handy with graphic design. to the right an alphabatized list directing you to your table # and a beauitful designed floor plan showing the way and the seat.

of course my favorite ways to display place seating cards of course incorporates some sort of organic floral design. this darling wreath can be displayed flat or hung and also could be made out of a plethura of "stems." carnation bed tent display is a good way to bring in color and uniqueness, carnations are used minimally at weddings for obvious reasons but are fabulous cost effective flowers when used right, like here in this bed, or in pomanders etc... another place card bed that is effective is a flat of grass, earthy and organic and perfect for the right venue!

these two last ideas are on the dish sort of deals. this potted herb is a darling gift or favor and doubles easy as decor and table & place seating assignment, nothing like killing 3 or 4 birds with one stone, thats herculian!

many of you brides box favors for your guests, if yor having a luncheon or formal dinner with assigned seating, double purposing your favor boxes is a splendid idea and its easy ... put a name on it!

little black book live

2008-01-31T15:59:00.000-08:00

little black book

some changes

2008-01-25T12:15:00.000-08:00

some things have been changing around here ... a new site in our signature colors of black and green prompted me to lighten up on the blog colors. i get bored way to easy and need change along with opportunity to be creative.

next you will notice new lists on the right side of our blog, i expect they will grow rapidly as well. one is other floral designers that i admire all over the world and here locally, yep you heard right ... here locally. seem a little odd? thought it might to a few, but what it really comes down to is that i really admire and enjoy the work of my peers. being competitive about business is not the studio stems way, art and the enjoyment of it is!

there is also a new list of sites or blogs that might help you potential clients in your planning, or just wedding related places of some sorts. beautiful and creative sites and blogs i love. including style me pretty ... a gorgeous site! we will soon be listed on this site in the

i am quiet excited to be handpicked by abby to be part of her creme de le creme of designers ... she is picky and i am flattered! this site and co also has the seal of
non other than ....

who can go wrong with that?

also look for new and exciting informative posts!

new site - happy birthday!

2008-01-24T12:43:00.000-08:00

this morning i woke another year wiser ... and i woke up to find my new site propagated or whatever. great present! same site address or if you have never visited do that NOW!

NEW SITE

2008-01-21T16:48:00.000-08:00

its coming soon, you heard right! studio stems will have our new site up in a matter of days. in the meantime our old site is still visable and usable please continue to visit but watch out for something new and fresh for 08!

does studio stems own a monkey?

2008-01-12T15:23:00.001-08:00

So studio stems got their hands on some monkey paw this past week ... just for fun! its not a highly sought after floral accent for events, none the less really fun and exotic. Monkey tail is used more widely and often airbrushed to be the perfet color for a client. thought some of you might wonder if we are keeping monkeys or something .... well we are and they are jumping on the beds!

actually we have more than one monkey ... how else would we provide so many of this amazing detail for all of our clients?

Monkey paw and an eccentric bed of fugi spider mums ....

Close up of monkey paws

Grand Brides

2008-01-06T22:22:00.000-08:00

Pink Piggy's booth at the grand show this last weekend. Studio Stems was fortunate to provide florals for megan's booth and hang out with her for the day. There were a lot of brides, more than i have seen at any one show in a while, and they came out in not the best of weather, so thanks brides for stopping by, getting some great ideas and checking out the local vendors! Thanks to those that expressed special interest in my designs and set up consults. we are booking up fast!

The best invitation designer at the show ... in her booth! Gorgeous!

'07 ends on a high note

2008-01-01T17:22:00.000-08:00

The last wedding of '07 was Merilee Glazier & Devin Killpack and it ended our year on a high note. It was a fabulously artistic and creative wedding thanks to great clients with great tastes, great attention to detail, great vision, great appreciation for my art, and great confidence in me! this event was GORGEOUS! I also was able to work with some of my fav vendors, Rebekah Westover (pictures courtesy of her! she is amazing! thanks bek) and A perfectly catered event staff!

Colors were white, creams, sage green, and blacks. We went with a glass and ice theme and a lot of decor was ice sculptured by chad at swanavations. Gorgeous ice vases complimented some of our flowers for a few centerpieces, other centerpieces included a few trios and some large submerged arrangements. every vase had lighting in it, gems, or some other details including our famous buckles! and oh the tea light vases and candles, finally a client who understands that there can never be enough of these! they were mostly square with a few rounds in specific locations and in the end i think we lite more than 100!

Bouqet was hydrangeas, callas, tulips, stephanotis with white pearls, freesia, roses, and of course wrapped in black swiss satin! bridesmaids were a deconstructed set of the brides bouquet, boutineers were roses, tulips, and of course mini calla's.
centerpieces included a few more additions to add some romantic greens, like amaranthus. I just want to say thanks yet once again to all my clients and specifically the glaziers for a wonderful year and another wonderful event!

COME SEE ME

2007-12-31T21:02:00.000-08:00

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!

2007-12-21T07:57:00.000-08:00

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 ....

2007-12-13T09:42:00.000-08:00

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!

2007-12-11T13:44:00.000-08:00

PROOF!

andria @ eaglepoint golf course

2007-12-07T09:20:00.000-08:00

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

2007-12-04T16:01:00.001-08:00

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

2007-11-30T15:06:00.000-08:00

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

Chelse ... last minute

2007-11-27T20:11:00.000-08:00

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

2007-11-24T22:00:00.000-08:00

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

2007-11-18T08:21:00.000-08:00

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

2007-11-13T15:31:00.000-08:00

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

2007-11-10T18:52:00.000-08:00

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!

2007-11-01T19:40:00.001-07:00

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

2007-10-31T10:13:00.000-07:00

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

2007-10-29T20:15:00.000-07:00

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

quiz your floral style

2007-10-24T16:28:00.000-07:00

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

2007-10-19T19:41:00.000-07:00

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

2007-10-17T20:33:00.000-07:00

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 ...

2007-10-15T12:10:00.000-07:00

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

2007-10-14T17:35:00.000-07:00

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.

karla revisited ... back in ... sort of

2007-10-12T08:45:00.000-07:00

Pics from the fabulous KATE BENSON have arrived. check out the new site colors .... i get bored way tooo easy! karla's wedding is also a featured category in the gallery/portfolio section. the pictures are amazing as they always are with kate! i loved this bouquet toss pic cause man oh man does karla have an arm, check out the height on the bouquet!

so i am kind of back in the office, easing into work a little. be cautious and careful about booking conults so i am still out a ways on that! it was hard to predict what i could handle and what i coudnt with saylor being laid up. not making any sense, my youngest child had surgery this week. i do have a small wedding this weekend, rebecca smith, its a fall country feel and gorgeous so be looking for pics soon!

i also want to take this oportunity to thank all my existing clients and potential who understand that family comes first!

boo! out of the office

2007-10-08T14:09:00.000-07:00

check this spooky centerpiece out. something i just did for us. i love this time of year. made out of deep red mini callas and of course some signature black ones too, red dahlias, and mums. in a classic black urn with fake spider web stretched out over it! This is my version of a martha halloween classic!

i will be out of my office from mon october 8th until monday october 16th. i will have email access but may not respond until i am back in the office, and cell phone access i ask at this time to please be limited to clients who have weddings in the next few weeks that have already booked and are currently working with studio stems.

oops!

2007-10-06T17:57:00.000-07:00

Ashley's bridal sitting bouquet. Thought i would share how sometimes things just dont work out, no matter how hard i work! Ashley called me only a few weeks ago to do her bridal sitting bouquet only (she is getting married in hawaii at christmas time.) we ordered flowers for a bouquet she found in one of my books she really liked. we did this about 3 weeks in advance which usually is good time for most flowers, but we knew this would be iffy since she wanted special brown orchids to go with sahara roses, a very vintage unique bouquet. about a week before the sitting the wholesale supplier called to tell me we would not be able to get the orchids and that they had exhausted all resources to get them. so we fell back on a back up bouquet that ashley already had picked out that we knew would be readily available even at short notice, red roses, eggplant misted red callas, green hyp berries, and green cymb orchids with a ivory and brown satin wrap. she added a single white orchid to her order for her hair.

day of sitting arrives and ashley calls to inform me that they have moved the sitting time up a few hours and hoped i could also adjust. i bend over backwards a lot of the time for clients and this seemed to be just a little back arch adjustment .... initially. later in the day when she was supposed to be at my house picking up her flowers she called to tell me she was running short on time and wouldnt make it to pick up the flowers and wanted to know if they paid for delivery if i could bring them to her at thanksgiving point. so now reaching a little farther, i have 3 kids just home from school and realize that i have to go now in order to get it to her by the time she gets there to start her shoot before the rain coming in hits her. so i load them all, the bouquet too and hit the road, making phone calls to asjust my schedule on the way. we drive the 20 min there and just as i pull in the parking lot, i have a light bulb moment that drops by heart and my stomach, my clients and their events mean a lot to me! i had forgotten the single orchid bloom for her hair. OOOPSS! well i am human but honestly i try hard not to bed when it comes to events. i know how intense weddings are for everyone and how one shot these things are. i felt so aweful. so i go find ashley and tell her and her mother how sorry i am and that i will waive the travel fee. i was happy to go back and get it but knowing that there and back would be 40 min, thought her sitting would be nearly over. but they wanted me to, so i spent the next hour of my packed day now rearranged in the car driving home and back to TP with one single orchid. what a day! hope Ashley and her mom are not too mad at me. bouquet turned out gorgeous not too tropical but between the bouqet and the hair orchid i think it was uthawaii!

little pink bling

2007-10-03T09:38:00.000-07:00

Laura baker's wedding was this last weekend. Laura's story is special and dear to me. she married the love of her life, jacob, despite his severe disabilities. having a daughter that is disabled makes this job very special for me. i hope she loved her flowers! bouqet was white regular and mini callas with a little pink bling on the petals, airbrushed pale pink mini and regular callas, white hydrangea, curly willow, white cymbidium orchids, wrapped in brown satin ribbon with the classic white pearl line. bridesmaids - hydrangea base with pale pink mini callas and curly willow, boutineers were pink and white mini callas with hydrangea leafs, throw bouquet was several white cymbidium orchids tied together. best wishes laura and jacob! thanks for opening your lifes to me!

natacha revisited

2007-09-30T19:52:00.000-07:00

Just got pro pics back from the amazing rebekah of natacha's wedding from the beginning of sept. my work always looks better in the eyes of her camera! thanks a million girl! Natacha's colors where slate blue, orange, and white. might seem strange to you potential clients out there but serioulsy the oddest color combos usually make for the most unique and amazing floral designs. the ladder shots are from bridals and the bouquet was sort of vintage modern and unique in color and texture. her wedding day bouquet was captured beautifully by becky from every angle possible it seems. a very different bouquet requiring unique tastes but as an artist one of my favs!

tiny perfection

2007-09-28T15:37:00.000-07:00

rebecca wanted a small bright red mini gerb bouquet for her rustic country girl bridal sitting that also included red boots! darling. i loved that she wanted short stems and a country look. thought this wrap was perfect, red satin ribbon with twine and a cute red tie. cant beat my homemade rustic dishwasher food vases from trader joe products, some of my favorite things!

kamilla ... like pamilla

2007-09-27T10:18:00.000-07:00

when i first met kamilla i really struggled with her name until she said like pamilla with a "k" now i wont ever forget her unique name. this bride had great taste in color and they were .... eggplant, green, and white. her bouquet was made of green cymbidium orchids, (everyone seems to want these latley so i have been posting a lot of them!) white akito roses, super green roses, and eggplant mini calla lilies.

pro bono

2007-09-24T15:54:00.000-07:00

what positive words are associated with pro bono other than "free"? well i hope charity, giving, considerate, empathetic and a whole lot of other attribute describing words that i might want to be. every once in a while i feel inclined to help a client out that is struggling financially but suits studio stems otherwise. this does not mean that a million or even 5 brides should call and ask if i can help them, i rarely do this and pick them based on spiritual intuition. pictured above is tiffany's bridal bouquet and bridesmaids bouquets. the bridesmaids bouquets were simple but splendid. regular calla lilies, (only 3 of them which makes for a budget friendly bouquet,) collared by mag leaves, (some of my favorites,) and wrapped in deep red satin ribbon. gorgeous! and fallish which is my favorite time of year ... well almost. the brides bouquet was very textured with white mini callas, eggplant mini callas that were given a deep red spray, red ranuculus (which so many of you brides love but keep in mind how very seasonal these flowers are with short spring seasons and even shorter fall seasons,) deep red dahlias, green cymbidium orchids, cushion mums, and mag leafs.

emma

2007-09-22T08:43:00.000-07:00

Middle of this week, wednesday, was emma toblers wedding. extravagant doesnt begin to describe this unusual utah event. most brides here dont put on weddings of this nature so i was excited to yet again be involved in one more tobler wedding. pictures are sort of posted backwards. sorry!

starting with this awesome cake that i had nothing to do with but couldnt resist photographing and adding to the blog isnt it killer? carries cakes are the proud creators of this masterpiece. and it was sooo good too!

next is emma & nate's getaway vehicle, not a car, not a bike, not anything less than over the top, of our heads that is. a helicopter. it was this amazing color of orange and beautiful itself. this was emma's gift to nate and was a surprise for him. (at least i hope it was! so many people talking about it who knows!)

boutineer - white calla, lemon leaf, and stephanotis.

this was emma's bouquet from the ceremony,(stayed the same for the reception i just freshened it up and added feathers,) white steph with black centers, white tulips, white calla lilies, white casablanca lilies, and black calla's. simple black wrap with white pearl pins. short in stem length.

this white plate adorned with black rocks big and small with one large football mum and a tiny stephanotis bloom was a modern sleek cab table centerpiece.

the other centerpieces were similar to the enormous trees at the ceremony (pictured below) black manzanita branches in a gorgeous clear vase with black rocks at the base, adorned by streeming orchid leis flown in from hawaii the night before as well as lilies hung to add texture. the looked exceptional looking at them all in a row. unique and modern just like emma.

the ceremony was adorned by huge black aspen trees in black pots filled with the same rocks we used at the reception. these trees had 10 orchid leis and 20 lilies per tree. they were the perfect backdrop for their beautiful ceremony. studio stems provided the perfect black chairs for their small intimate amount of guests attending. at each row there were black river rocks and single blooms of orchids at the base.

tobler weddings are always unforgetable, different and amazing. i am so grateful to be their chosen designer and for the experiences. kenneth linge was the photog and i have hunch this one will be featured. its exotic, different, and expensive how could it not be? matt with living art digital was the video man of the day and i just love working with him, he is the best i know!

sneak a peak

2007-09-18T10:22:00.000-07:00

sneak a peak at these cool designs form amanda's wedding. why only a sneak a peak ... well dustin izatt was the photog at this one and i trust him to get amazing shots for me and i hear he stayed all night so i cant wait to see the whole wedding on his site. (plus i didnt get many shots of my own for some strange odd reason) anyhow i would really like to thank amanda & steve and amanda's mom kim for one of the funnest and best client relationships i have had in all my career. amanda you are just darling and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of working with you!