I’m a flower girl from way back. As a missionary kid growing up in Latin America, I spent many, many hours traveling by car through everything from lush jungles to dry deserts. My parents indulged my early passion for flowers by stopping the car and allowing me to pluck any interesting blooms from the roadside. Typical trips found withered petals and scattered weeds on dashboard and trim. Later, periodic trips to Mexico City in order to renew passports always included stops at a market where my parents would allow me to select and bring home armfuls of agapanthus, roses, or callas.
There are countless pictures of my siblings and me, faces buried in a flower, my father instructing us to take a deep sniff as he clicked the shutter. No doubt a love for flowers was fostered early on.
At 19, I began answering phones at LaSalle Flowers in Chicago, Illinois. With the generous support of owner Margot Sersen, I was soon putting stems to vase, and being encouraged to use my natural inclination for design. I began arranging full-time and never looked back.
Eighteen years of experience later, I live with my husband Mike and four children in Northwest Indiana. Flowers have now become a family affair. Mike and I work as a team, loading deliveries, planning for the future, and managing family life with floral life. I encourage my children to bury their faces in blooms and “take a deep sniff” as I take copious amounts of pics on my iPhone. The kids all help with various facets of flowers and design. You can find the youngest helping me process flowers before and cleaning up after events. My two daughters help with deliveries. My eldest is showing a real talent for design and a love of all things flower, much to my delight.
My style is fresh and modern with an unconventional elegance which prioritizes local and seasonal varieties. Whether I am using flowers foraged locally or testing a new variety from my grower, there is always something unusual in my bouquets. I love using eclectic pieces found at tag sales and thrift stores as containers, preferring to reuse and recycle whenever possible.
My small-scale approach to weddings and events assures personal attention to detail, ensuring that each event, occasion, or bouquet will be singular and unique.
There are countless pictures of my siblings and me, faces buried in a flower, my father instructing us to take a deep sniff as he clicked the shutter. No doubt a love for flowers was fostered early on.
At 19, I began answering phones at LaSalle Flowers in Chicago, Illinois. With the generous support of owner Margot Sersen, I was soon putting stems to vase, and being encouraged to use my natural inclination for design. I began arranging full-time and never looked back.
Eighteen years of experience later, I live with my husband Mike and four children in Northwest Indiana. Flowers have now become a family affair. Mike and I work as a team, loading deliveries, planning for the future, and managing family life with floral life. I encourage my children to bury their faces in blooms and “take a deep sniff” as I take copious amounts of pics on my iPhone. The kids all help with various facets of flowers and design. You can find the youngest helping me process flowers before and cleaning up after events. My two daughters help with deliveries. My eldest is showing a real talent for design and a love of all things flower, much to my delight.
My style is fresh and modern with an unconventional elegance which prioritizes local and seasonal varieties. Whether I am using flowers foraged locally or testing a new variety from my grower, there is always something unusual in my bouquets. I love using eclectic pieces found at tag sales and thrift stores as containers, preferring to reuse and recycle whenever possible.
My small-scale approach to weddings and events assures personal attention to detail, ensuring that each event, occasion, or bouquet will be singular and unique.
