petalwhimsy

05/26/2024

I had the privilege of creating special centerpieces for a special service . A simple request to make them colorful and to draw inspiration from the church's majestic stained glass windows that were painted by Marc Chagall. If you've never visited this church, I urge you to take a small tour. It's out of this world, a unique church that is steeped in history, a walk through time, and breathtakingly serene and beautiful.
I drew my inspiration from the Good Samaritan stain glass window by Marc Chaggall (last pic). I have to say it was so thrilling to create something with so much meaning and draw from such vibrant art. I'm grateful and humbled to have been given this opportunity.
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05/06/2024

Happy Monday! In preparation for the upcoming weekend (one of my personal favorites!!) I'm taking orders until tomorrow, Tuesday, for Mother's Day weekend delivery. Lilacs are in full bloom in my garden, amongst other pretty things. Let me make something beautiful for the women in your lives. Give me a call at 914-415-4355, or place your order on my website, www.petalwhimsy.com 🥰
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04/16/2024

The season of flowering branches is so darn fleeting. But I caught it this time around. My daffodils were coming up, the Forsythia was busting out, and my cherry tree was on full display, literally overnight. I ran out with sheers in hand frantically collecting new blooms and branches (before my encounter with a SNAKE, a post for another day perhaps, still getting over my hysteria/phobia). And this stayed in my living room for a week. That's what happens when the blooms are so fresh!!
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03/31/2024

Happy Easter!!
Before the food arrives and everything goes south, I love to capture the beauty and tranquility of what the table looks like before we all descend and fill it with deliciious food, noise and lots of food/wine stains😤.
I hope your tables will always be surrounded by loved ones, delicious food, wonderful conversations, and stains that can easily wash out🤣
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03/01/2024

PART 2 : Once I delivered my daughter's flowers, we went out for lunch and, of course, to complete our wonderful outing we had to finish with a bit of therapeutic shopping. I picked up this 3-legged bowl and decided to play around. I think this may become one of my favorite vessels. Spring is beginning this week in my dining room!
Little gem Magnolia leaves, branches from my Walking Stick shrub, early season Lilacs, Parrot Tulips, and Hellebores make up this homage to early Spring florals. Can't wait for spring.
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02/28/2024

Last week my daughter had a tough week at College. Not a fun week for sure. Sometimes life or supposed friends really pull the rug right from under you. It takes courage, a bit of trust in yourself and the universe to see the bigger picture and not get discouraged and persevere. Well, she picked herself up, dusted herself off, and persevered! Well done! You are off to great things with that attitude. I'm so proud of you. I made this little happy (how can Ge**er Daisy's not make you smile) arrangement for her. Got in the car and drove over. It definitely put a smile on her face and eased my overactive momma brain!
The power of flowers and a hug works wonders on almost everyone and everything!
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02/12/2024

And sometimes they're just soft, pretty, shy, and adoring! Another 2024 Valentine's Day hand-tied bouquet option. Cotton expression Roses, Secret Garden Roses, Stock, Viburnum branches, and frilly Plumosa. Flowers showcase so many moods and have so many personalities. Speaking through flowers is truly a love letter from your soul.

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02/12/2024

Valentine's 2024 as seen through Petalwhimsy's eyes. Sometimes love can be deep, brooding, complex, and passionate. A bouquet of Heart Roses, red double Tulips, soft pink Spray Roses, Blackberry branches, Viburnum branches, and frilly Plumosa round out this hand-tied Valentine's bouquet option.
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01/15/2024

A study in my leftover December blooms. Took all the holiday decorations down this weekend (well, my husband did, thank you Celio😘). The house lost all of its enchantment and magic in just 3 hours, it's so drab now. I took a look at my spent Poinsettias and my last few Amaryllis blooms and couldn't just toss them. So I grabbed some Arborvitae branches, bought some Gypsophila (baby's breath), and cut my Amaryllis and Poinsettias blooms and there you go, a little bit of December left over in my dining room. Keeps that holiday joy alive for just a bit longer. , , , ,

01/01/2024

And that's a wrap or a fresh beginning, depending on what you're feeling this late morning! Happy 2024 everyone! Wishing everyone a year ahead full of merriment, love, and beauty🎆💋

12/25/2023

Merry Christmas everyone! Hope you all made it on Santa's nice list🎅

06/03/2023

Well, Wow, holy, moly, I DID IT!!!
I just ran my first flower class at the with a group of physically fit, joyous, fun, supportive, and enthusiastic women!! I am so grateful to them all, for bringing their joyous and infectious energy, their excitement, and their fearlessness to try something new (they all made such beautiful and creative arrangements) and to listen to me prattle on and on and on!
I was so nervous, not sure if I was qualified to run these types of events but thanks to Jenn (owner and pilates guru of this beautiful and chic studio) who was so supportive and excited, and Dr. Carol Ann Killian who believed in me from the start!! I am beyond grateful and filled with gratitude and joy for this experience and these amazing people🥰
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05/23/2023

This Mother's Day, I went for the ethereal, romantic, gentle, and soft color palette. Reminds me of the love a mom has for her child, although, probably before the child turns into a teenager!
And I accidentally came across a rose, named ironically, Secret Garden, that has now officially made me a rose lover. The softness of color, the big head, and the abundance of muted pink petals make it simply ethereal and so, so lovely.
I paired it with my garden's, Brownie Tulips (they truly look like peonies), Stock, Freesia, Rice flower, and fern to complete the arrangement. This has become one of my favorite bouquets and color palettes that I've created in some time.

05/14/2023

Happy Mother's Day to all the precious moms, from my garden to yours. Hope you take a moment to realize how priceless and monumental we are and the job that we are entrusted to do. We raise humans who go out into this world empowered, self-assured, loved, supported, and nurtured from the moment we find out we have been blessed with this priceless gift. Congratulations and enjoy this day❤️

05/08/2023

And it begins anew! Brought in a couple of weeks ago my garden's Tulips and Lilacs. These rich yellow and orange Tulips are exquisite but for the life of me can't figure out their name ( my notes are chicken scratch at best), oh well, I will try for better record-keeping next spring 🤣

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04/14/2023

It's been a very, very long winter for me and my family. As most of you know my dad passed unexpectedly. So hard to find the joy and beauty in things these days, especially the things I'm passionate about. But my dad lived an extraordinary and very full life and he would probably kick my .... for wasting such precious moments of my own. I'm so very grateful that I had him for as long as I had, I was his and he was my "mapa". He passed down laughter, curiosity, joy in living and so, so, so much love to all of us. I'm sure I will be reunited with him again....this was not our last life together! But until then I will try each day, to smile, see the joy and wonder in every moment, crack a joke and give as many "eyeball" kisses to his granddaughters as possible simply to keep his legacy alive.
And if you scroll through you will find a cameo appearance of my father's other favorite family member. His last action on that faithful day was to take our beast (Dante) for their usual hour-long walk.
I'd like to end this post by simply saying thank YOU ( my dear friends and extended family in Italia). Words aren't enough to express my gratitude for your compassion, friendship, kind words, and deeds. You are the little lights that carried me (and continue to) through this darkness.

09/21/2022

My mantle series continues into Fall...took the dog for a walk the other day with my trusty shears in my back pocket!! Came across Ampelopsis Glandulosa (say that fast 3X😅), the green creeper with beautiful blue berries, it was growing wild and untamed. Did my civic duty and pruned it back a bit.
Here it is, the foundation for my garden's Heirloom Zinnias and Brown Sugar Dahlias.
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09/14/2022

Last weekend I worked with on a baby boy baptism garden luncheon. These soft petit arrangments of blue Hydrangea, white Roses and seeded Eucalyptus in Mason Jars fit perfectly for a special outdoor celebration.
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08/30/2022

So feminine and soft. Sheer elegance! Love when the P*e Gee and Limelight Hydrangeas are blooming and ready to be cut. A perfect canvas and backdrop for any flower.
Here a backdrop for the pink Lisianthus, pink Celosia, pods fron my Lace flowers and my favorite Apple of Peru greens (which surprised me by coming up again in my garden, love those little gifts) , , , ,

08/16/2022

So I seriously wanted to highlight my first Dahlia of the season (the dark red flower), named: Brown Sugar, but my P*e Gee and Limelight Hydrangeas simply stole my attention and spotlight! I love using them, "garden elegance" to its finest!
There's something about the Hydrangea that reminds me of soft clouds and dreamy, warm luxurious afternoons.
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06/27/2022

My FLORAL MANTLE series continues with (I'm calling this one) THE DOWNTON ABBEY LUNCHEON commission. Very romantic, elegant and ethereal!
All flowers shown here came from my blooming garden: Hydrangea, Rhododendron, Hosta flowers, one Foxglove and yarrow

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06/03/2022

This composition kicks off my "FLORAL MANTLE" series.
The mantle isn't for Christmas decorations only!
All flowers you see here are currently blooming in my garden. Sometimes mother nature throws me a bone and the bloom times coincide perfectly. Didn't need to supplement from any other source!

Native Mountain Laurel, Iris, Peony, garden Rose, left over Helebore and Spirea.

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05/24/2022

There is something about the color combination of creams, whites and soft oranges that bring elegance and grace to any arrangement. One of my favorite color combinations.
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05/16/2022

Happy Monday everyone!!
Still on my theme of my DOGWOOD inspired creations. I loved this commission, a brother and sister wanted to celebrate their mom! "Create something that represents us both"- they said.
Well, within the DOGWOOD, (which represents rebirth and new beginnings) there lies Brownie Tulips, Black Parrot Tulips, and Shimmer Roses representing the son. The other side, once again nestled in the DOGWOOD are Avante Guarde tulips, white Ranunculus, Anemones, and Mondial Roses representing the daughter and her two children. Heirloom Hydrangea hold the precious flowers together representing Life. Picture simply doesn't do it justice!
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05/08/2022

Happy Mother's Day to all the beautiful, vibrant, enchanting, priceless, powerful mothers. We are all unequivocally different but nonetheless we are all the same when it comes to being mothers. We nurture, we love ( even though it's darn hard at moments), we celebrate, we lift up, we support, we proudly walk behind and we are the shelter, the rock, the safe (non judging) place that they feel comfortable in BUT most importantly we are their HOME.
Enjoy this day and enjoy celebrating you💋!
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05/03/2022

05/03/2022

05/03/2022