Blue Geranium Flower Press: The approach of Winter

Blue Geranium Flower Press: The approach of Winter: Winter is almost upon us with December only 3 days away and already a chill has landed after the torrential rains we've endured for almost a...

The approach of Winter

Winter is almost upon us with December only 3 days away and already a chill has landed after the torrential rains we've endured for almost a week. Last night I witnessed a beautiful full moon that looked bigger than I've ever seen before and the night sky was shimmering bright, but freezing cold air deterred me from staying out to admire. Inspiration for Christmas is gearing up with a wild and wintery theme at Blue Geranium this year. Lots of foraged goodies like pine cones, berries, pruned branches of magnolia, larch, lychen smothered apple-wood and mistletoe are already starting to deck the halls of One Castle Street, which has been noticed by passers by.

The window displays are dressed with classical elements including a stylish Beswick lustre ware urn with a hand-tied bouquet of pheasant feather, nestled amongst moss and lychen covered branches on a period style Louis chair, framed by a gold gilted frame (a running them this year), complete with silver/pewter effect porcelaine birds, Victorian crystal glasses, pine-cones and crystal chandelier pendants.

Castle Street, Totnes

 


I'm sat on a chair (£20) found at Totnes market at my desk (£20) from Refurnish ("up-cycled" in the words of Kirsty Allsop - chair recovered with blue upholstery linen (£2) and desk painted Breton Blue to coordinate with the newly painted walls) in full admiration of what Don and I have achieved here at Blue Geranium in just under a year. I suppose we could have transformed the shop sooner, but we've been busy for most of the year and it's taken us time to think about how we wanted the space to look.

On Friday, 16th November, Paddy the Handy-Man (Highly recommend!) attached the wrought iron bracket (purchased on ebay for £48) to hang the swing board sign, which enables Blue Geranium to be seen from the High Street, looking North up Castle Street and South towards the High Street from North Street.

Castle Street - Looking North towards South Street

Castle Street - Looking South towards the High Street

Pressing Flowers

I know, there's always something pressing at Blue Geranium, but I really have been pressing flowers today. Why? Because I recently purchased 20 very beautiful handcrafted pressed flower cards for sale at Blue Geranium. I'm attempting to make some of my very own to sell in the shop. Pressed hydrangea petals, astrantia, clematis, fern leaf, oak leaf etc. How they'll turn out is another matter, but I'm keen to try all the same.

Busy, busy, busy...

Busy, busy, busy - Where do I begin to tell you about hectic Wednesday? The thought of trecking around TRAGO Mills, near Newton Abbot filled me with dread, but it had to be done and all for a good friend...NO, Great friend Jane Morrell of Green Fuse. On Monday Don and I paid a visit to the new Green Fuse base at Dart Mills, near Buckfastleigh and I must say it's fabulous. We discussed ideas that were required to soften the teaching/ceremony space. The view outside is beautiful across the muddy carpark, which looks out towards the tree lined banks of the River Dart, however the space inside requires softening with fabrics over the windows, which will be beneficial for making it more private.

My usual trip to the recycle centre and offload the green foliage waste was via Torquay and deliver a beautiful seasonal bouquet before trecking onto Newton Abbot recycle centre, then onto Trago Mills at Stover on the edge of Newton Abbot, near the A38. On arrival at the dreaded out of town shopping centre I notcied the car park was almost full and other shoppers were struggling to find a space to park. This dragged on for about 20 minutes when I eventually found a space only to be told by the old lady in the car next to me that there were plenty of spaces elsewhere and not beside her Jaguar. She seriously had me confused with someone who could care less (and I've been polite in wording that bit).

Trecking through the main entrance at my pace (much faster than OAP's and tourists) became a hazard and my stress levels rocketed as I crawled like a snail behind the dordelers (can't quit believe there's actually a facebook page for this - LOL!). I eventually located the fabric section and the exact fabric I set out to buy, an antique gold voile fabric. The fun starts when I had to que for 30 minutes in order to buy 26 meters only to discover that after the assistant unraveled the entire roll it actually measured 26 meters. I quickly departed after also picking up a spare tin of Breton Blue classic paint (just in case we need to touch up areas of Blue Geranium that require tidying).

On my way back to Totnes, I made an impromptu visit to Green Fuse at their new base. Jane & Hannah were there so I showed them the fabric and thankfully they liked it. A quick departure back to Totnes to buy the curtain poles so that we can hang the fabric this evening in the windows in time for their first training session in the new Green Fuse Contemporary Funeral Centre, held on Thursday, 8th November 2012.

Blue Geranium Flower Press: Lost on Dartmoor...

Blue Geranium Flower Press: Lost on Dartmoor...: Blimey! Saturday, 3rd of November 2012 was a very long day. Up at 3am to start work at Blue Geranium and complete the finishing touches ...

Blue Geranium Flower Press: Autumn transition to Christmas...

Blue Geranium Flower Press: Autumn transition to Christmas...: I've got that festive feeling in my tummy today, it's like butterflies and I suppose it started when Don felt creative and decided it was ti...

Totnes in a bubble

Autumn transition to Christmas...

I've got that festive feeling in my tummy today, it's like butterflies and I suppose it started when Don felt creative and decided it was time to indicate what's in store for Christmas at Blue Geranium. The transition from Autumnal window display in preparation for Christmas is continuing with what he does best and that's to keep it looking natural and wild in a sense. Incorporating the classical elements for props, like a Louis chair, gold gilted frames, silver urns and crystal vases, with kitch pewter effect porcelaine birds, mossy/lichen branches, pine cones and candles, candelabras and classical pedestals draped in gold and pewter organza and chiffon fabrics. The props are of course just that and are to enhance the product we sell, which is fresh flowers and arrangements like Christmas wreaths, table centre pieces, bouquets etc.

The overall effect is to tie in with how we (Don & Phil) transformed the shop from Pure Hairdressing (previous occupants of One Castle Street) to Blue Geranium's classical taste. It feels homely here, where we spend at least 8 hours of the day. I sit behind a desk (£20) that we found at a recycle centre called Refurnish at Totnes, Don mostly potters away on a raised platform with a work station that was gifted from Green Fuse Funeral Directors. The previous occupants kindly left the large mirrors on both sides of the shop (where they styled their clients hair and chatted about the weather and holidays probably). We've retained the mirrors, which add depth to the space and additional light. Now that the shop has been painted with its classical tones of Breton Blue and Pressed Thistle, the ambiance of the space is very calming compared to the previous colours which I think were Mulberry and pale peach, with a wallpaper, which was once compared to as "grandma's".

Lost on Dartmoor...

Blimey! Saturday, 3rd of November 2012 was a very long day. Up at 3am to start work at Blue Geranium and complete the finishing touches for two weddings. One in Totnes at New Walk brasserie and the Royal Seven Stars hotel, the other at St Paul de Leon (Staverton) Church and Two Bridges Hotel, Dartmoor, Devon. I didn't find time to capture many images of the flowers for either wedding, so hopefully Vicky & Andrew and Jan Carter will forward some of the professional pictures that their chosen photographer's captured of their special day.

Packard's used for Vicky & Andrew Carrols wedding at Staverton

Avalanche rose buttonholes, dressed with steelberry, waxflower and moss, with freesia and spray rose corsages and the little flower-girl's posy of spray roses and waxflower.

En-route to Staverton Church I was slightly delayed at the level crossing due to a big beast of a steam train chuff-chuffing at Staverton train station as captured in the image above. I could hardly be cross with such a beautiful scene that is a favourite in the beautiful South Hams.

After delivering all wedding flowers, Don & I drove up to Dolton, North Devon to spend an  evening with friends Glen & Simon at their beautiful country home. That evening was also a very lively one with a good old knees up at the annual Winter carnival, which we've managed to attend for the past 5 years.

Dartmoor Pony in the bracken

The following morning (Sunday) we departed early at approx. 9am to collect Blue Geranium's classical pedestals & urns from the Two Bridges hotel. We failed to sort out a suitable route before we departed Dolton and tried using the google maps on our iPhone's (hilarious I know). Two Bridges, Dartmoor was located, so we followed the direction only to discover that we were lost on Dartmoor on the outskirts of a forest and the iPhone maps saying we were at the destination. It could not have been further away from the destination if it had tried harder. Lost on Dartmoor is not something I'd recommend, especially in freezing cold weather conditions as we'd also encountered by seeing this winter's first dusting of snow across the highest peaks of the moor. The only option at this stage is to continue driving until one sees a recognisable landmark, or name of a Dartmoor village. Ashburton was the first road sign after approx 10 miles from the forest. This meant we'd driven from the north edge of the moor to the South. Two Bridges is in the middle, near Princetown. We eventually found the Two Bridges Hotel, after approx. 25 miles detour. The scenery was truly wonderful with lots of famous Dartmoor ponies, cattle and sheep scattered amongst the heather and bracken.

After staring at the macbook screen posting comments on facebook for Blue Geranium, I looked up at noticed it was dark outside, not just dark, but gloomy and wet! On a brighter note I also looked around the shop and sighed with relief and warm comfort in my beautiful surroundings, which is my home for an average of 8 hours per day.

The shop is looking great I may say so and we (Don & I and Blue Geranium) have occupied One Castle Street, Totnes for 11 months today, 1st November. Christmas is almost upon us and for Florists this means we have an opportunity to showcase our best work and skills. We both feel inspired day by day at the moment to come up with ideas on how to display  WOW factor window for December and Blue Geranium's 1st anniversary at its new home.

Blue Geranium Flower Press

www.blue-geranium.co.ukA new season, a gloomy, damp and dark Autumn had begun, which in my mind meant let's change and create a space to be proud of and be happy at Blue Geranium as we approach our first year at One Castle Street, Totnes. We (Don & Phil) decided the fireplace at the front of the shop required a fire surround to embellish the flat brick design (nothing wrong with that, but it didn't give us much scope for demonstrating flower arrangements at Christmas and other seasonal dates). After browsing through the internet, like ebay etc, we pretty much had an idea of what we wanted. The style of the shop makeover started off with a classical feel to it, so we continued with this in mind. Just by chance Don had a look around a refurnish/recycle centre at Totnes and found a classical style fire surround for £10.oo (I know, a bargain). It's only mdf and painted gloss white, but I immediately visioned it in a much darker, more sophisticated colour like dark grey, or black. The fire place required a hearth to raise the fire surround off the floor, so I popped over to a diy store at Torquay and found a couple of slate coloured limestones for £2.50 each (bargain reduction from £7.50). Perfect for the job! I then decided to find a colour to transform the fire surround, which wasn't difficult even though the choice of paints available looked daunting. A small tester pot of Dulux - Timesless Classics (water based and odourless) - Breton Blue and Bowler Hat was picked. Arriving back at Blue Geranium I showed Don and we both decided on Breton Blue, which then sparked off a decision to give the entire shop a makeover with neutral tones. We returned to the diy store at Torquay and chose a coordinating paint called Pressed Thistle from the same range of Dulux Timesless Classics and more Breton Blue. The two colours work perfect together and show off the main focus of the shop and what we sell, which is fresh flowers.