The Language of Flowers :: DIY Love Spell Bouquet

I have always been fascinated by the Victorian language of flowers. By the idea that a bundle of fragrant Narcissus left surreptitiously on a doorstep meant unrequited love, while a single sprig of Oleander was a clear warning that the recipient should be very cautious. Acacias were for friendship, Melianthus for secrets, Hyacinths to beg forgiveness. Red Roses only if you were really serious about someone.

In an era when courtship was largely relegated to calling cards and chaperoned dances, flowers provided a covert way for lovers to make their true feelings known. And though the Victorian's obsession with floriography played a major role in it's popularity, they were by no means the first to attribute symbolic meanings to different plants. Many ancient cultures, including the Greeks and Egyptians, documented complex systems and symbols associated with the flora around them. Even Shakespeare was fluent in the language of flowers, as we see time and time again, most notably in Ophelia's famous speech, "There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance. Pray you, love, remember. And there is pansies, that’s for thoughts...There’s fennel for you, and columbines..." (if you haven't read it, she goes on to slowly unravel while dancing with flowers and it's pretty much my favorite scene in all of Shakespeare.)

So for this year for Valentines, I teamed up with the wonderful Melissa Emily of Earth Within Flowers to create a conscious and intentional love token. Melissa sources all of her flowers from local farmers in the summer months, then dries them by hand for winter bouquets. What a lovely and earth-friendly alternative to the standard cellophane wrapped blooms we so often see piled into supermarkets this time of year. 

We wanted to create an arrangement that held layered messages and deep symbolism. Something that was thoughtful and seasonal. A floral love spell, of sorts. Each of these plants was chosen for it's heart opening and protective properties. A secret message of love and protection for your parter / mom / lover / kids / sister / bestie / self. ❤

Please note that even though we used dried blooms, you could easily create a similar arrangement with live flowers if that's more your speed. Just look up the traditional meaning and symbolism behind each stem to create your own secret love spell. 

Step 1 ::  Start by creating a horizontal, rounded shape with branching foliage. Here we used eucalyptus and locally foraged juniper, which are both believed to provide protection.

Step 2 :: Next, add in your filler flowers. Anything that has sprays of multiple buds on the same stem works beautifully for this. Try to fill in the gaps between your foliage.  We incorporated local yarrow for courage, lavender for serenity + devotion, and white larkspur for lightness + laughter.

Step 3 :: Next, pop in your focal flowers. We chose these sweet little peach and pink spray roses for love + desire.

Step 4 :: The final step is to add in your "sparkle" flowers. These are pointed or uniquely shaped blooms that add interest and texture to your piece. Here we chose tulip pods, traditionally associated with declarations of love, and poppy pods for magical dreams. And that's it, dear ones! All that's left is to bundle up your floral love spell with a simple ribbon and handwritten note with the symbolism of each bloom.

So much love and gratitude to Melissa of Earth Within Flowers for sharing her magic with us. Be sure to visit earthwithin.com to order something lovely and learn more about her eco-friendly-flower mission. 

Wishing you all my love today and every day.
xoxo,

Setting the Table :: the Art of Everyday Ritual

As we retreat into the darker days of winter, I find myself deeply drawn to daily rituals. To simple acts like steeping and sweeping and setting the table. Making the bed. Stirring a pot of simmering soup. Perhaps it's the long dark nights, or the primal need to cozy in and hibernate. To turn inward. To retreat into our little burrows. Whatever it is, my homebody tendencies are off the charts right now. 

It's a little ironic that in this season of rest and retreat, it's so easy to get swept up in the cult of busy. To rush from place to place, laptop and presents and to-do lists in tow. To convince ourselves we don't have the time or space for slow living. I'm constantly reminding myself that all it takes is a little intention to transform daily chores into personal rituals. It doesn't need to be anything fancy. Quietly meditate while your tea steeps. Focus on clearing negativity as you sweep the kitchen floor. Light some candles on a weeknight. Start a gratitude journal. It can literally be anything. Whatever it looks like for you, finding ways to incorporate a little intention and ritual into daily habits can be a lovely way to stay nourished and grounded during the holiday bustle. 

One of my favorite personal rituals is setting the table. I love to weave in a little symbolism. To play with herbs. Light a few candles. Maybe break out the nice napkins. It's my way of creating sacred space for dear ones to gather. An altar to honor togetherness. This winter pomegranate and eucalyptus tablescape is admittedly much fancier than I would normally attempt on a weeknight, but hey, it's the holidays. Pomegranates have long symbolized the decent of Persephone into the underworld and the seasonal transition into winter. They are associated with abundance and prosperity. Eucalyptus is believed to ward off arguments and clear any negative energy. Grey candles promote balance. Magnolia leaves for relaxation. A secret spell to bless our table.

Sending you all love and light and lots of hygge today (and everyday.) I am so grateful for each and every one of you. 

xo,

DIY :: Bay Laurel Eucalyptus Wreath & the Dark Days of Winter

For thousands of years, the approach of winter was a dire, fearful time for humans. It meant famine and illness and death were on the horizon. That the world would be plunged into relentless cold and darkness and that not everyone would survive. It was a time to huddle together. To batten down the hatches. To hide away and hold on till spring.

December (and the winter solstice specifically), marked the pinnacle of this desolate season. But many cultures also used this as a time to celebrate life and light in the face of the encroaching darkness. To gather with loved ones around the fire. To feast and sing and share what little we had squirreled away. To celebrate the simple fact that we were still alive. Now don't get me wrong, humans have plenty of flaws, but I think there is something deeply beautiful about that. That on the longest, coldest nights of the year, when all was quiet and frozen and bleak, we shined our flickering lights into the vast darkness and found joy. 

I love that you can still find remnants of these ancient rituals in our modern holiday traditions. Little echoes of forgotten customs. We still hang lights in dark windows. We feast and sing. We bring in evergreens that don't mind the cold. Perhaps one of the most ubiquitous of these symbols is the humble wreath. There are many theories on the origin of this tradition, but my personal favorite is that the hearty evergreens and circular shape represent eternal life in the face of winter. We hang them in our doors and windows to remind our neighbors, "It's alright, friends. Even on the darkest days of the year, something green remains." What a lovely thought.

I made this simple wreath with bay laurel and eucalyptus and an old embroidery hoop. Nothing too fancy. Just simple supplies, a little time and a cup of peppermint tea. It felt good to slow down and breathe deep and play with plants for a while. A nice slow segue into the bustle of the holiday season. 

Happy December, dear ones. Here's to sharing and celebrating and shining our little lights. So much love to you. 

Supplies

- Hearty greens (I used branches of bay laurel as my base. They hold up nicely and smell amazing)

- Smaller greens & berries for texture (I used gunny, blue and seeded eucalyptus as well as a few dried pepper berries)

- Embroidery hoop of any size

- Floral wire

- Ribbon

Instructions

1. Start by cutting your bay laurel branches into more manageable lengths. I cut mine into roughly 1 foot sections. The size of these will depend on the size of your embroidery hoop. I set aside a few small sprigs to fill in any sparse spots later.

2. Play with the natural curve of the branches to find where they want to lay on the hoop. Word to the wise: don't try to fight the natural curve of the branches. Let them lay how they want to lay and work around their natural shape. Bay laurel lends itself beautifully to a circular wreath. Using segments of floral wire, begin wrapping the branches in segments around the hoop. It's okay if the wire is visible or there are some bare spots. You can cover these will smaller greens later. Use small lengths of wire to attach each branch in 2 - 3 spots.

3. Once you have your base greenery secured around the hoop you can start playing with the smaller greens. I wove in blue and seeded eucalyptus to fill in bare spots and cover any exposed wire. I also added a few more sprigs of bay laurel here and there. Even some pheasant feathers would be cool. There is no right answer here! Have fun and play with finding the right balance. I tend to like things a little more organic and unfussy so I left mine a bit wild. You can easily tame it with some additional floral wire if thats more your style. It helps to hold the wreath up to the wall now and then to get perspective and make sure the weight is balanced.

4. Tie a pretty ribbon or twine around the top of the wreath. You can either use this to hang it, or if you have a wreath hanger you could opt for the traditional bow. As a finishing touch, I wove in a few dried pepper berries left over from our Thanksgiving table. Those little guys last forever. 

5. Hang and enjoy! You can definitely hang these little loves outside, but I couldn't bare to be parted with the spicy, earthy aroma of the bay leaves. I opted to display ours in our front window so it can be seen from the street, but we can still smell it in the house. Everybody wins.

xo,

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