Florida Vibrant Floral Print

It was 2016 and Brad told me we needed to consider moving to Florida.  I almost threw up.  For all of my life I had thought Florida was for crazy people and THE FLORIDA MAN and alligators and retirees.  The houses all looked the same and I knew I would die from heat exhaustion.  But I went out on a limb and looked into this town called Jacksonville.  Driving in it looked like freeways and streets and buildings and the occasional palm tree.  When we got off the freeway on Stockton Street and pulled into the parking lot of the historic building that hosted Bold Bean Coffee, I knew I had been wrong.  We drove through neighborhoods with Spanish moss hanging from the trees.  We saw architecture that I longed for like Spanish haciendas and mid century moderns and craftsmen.  Homes that had so much personality.  We found restaurants and shops  and parks.  We drove around and all I could think was “I have never seen another town that reminds me so much of Corpus Christi”-my hometown in Texas.  And as strange as it was and as unexpected as it was, I fell in love with the town of Jacksonville, and quickly all the Floridians that inhabited it.  Florida has more charm than I could ever expect.  Florida IS full of crazy people, and I am happy to be one of them.  

I have lived in many cities and states but I have not felt as at home as I do now, here in Florida.  We are putting down roots and I could not be more proud of doing so.  

I created this arrangement for the vivid, strong, beautiful, vibrant, loud, quirky and interesting people I have met in Florida.  From Steve to Robin to Kassia to Marchie to Tannahill to Tenley to Christine to Fitz to Christy, I fall deeper in love with this place and wanted to design something beautiful to honor that admiration.

Dyed blue fluffy ranunculus, dried pink palms, coral sweet peas, peach poppies, one stem of blue hybrid delphinium, a buttery anemone and one white tulip make up this beauty I have named FLORIDA.   

FLORIDA is for anyone who longs for a permanent vacation, quirky art, fascinating history, odd facts, crazy weather and all kinds of fun.