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Last Saturday we had a great Airplant sale!  So many folks came out to buy airplants, make airplant terrariums and branch designs and chat it up with us at Gorgeous and Green.  It was a fun time all around and I hope to offer more opportunities to get the community creating! Many people brought their own glass jars and containers to make airplant homes.  What a great way to give new life to old things:

And of course some of the best creative expertise came from the young people who participated:

 

Thanks to all that came, and don't hesitate to get on our email list if you want to hear more about our quarterly events. In Green and Fun, G&G

Hi all I frequently update on our lovely floral designs, but I tend to leave out so much of what is actually beautiful and lovely for sale in the Gorgeous and Green boutique.  If you've been to the boutique, you probably know about all the lovely tillandsia we have and the great cards all printed on recycled paper, but there's always new items and small changes, almost on a weekly! We always have locally hand-blown tillandsia terrariums or what I like to call air-iums,  (since they float in the air and hold airplants).  The local glass blower and I like to work on new shapes that will work for the plants and add a new element of design.  I recently started offering a few flat glass terrariums for the airplants to live in, one of which you can see here:

These flat terrariums allow it to rest right up against the wall, so you can hang it from a nail or hook in the wall. I have a new collection of locally made pottery designs from the artist Anna Vaughn, who's eye for color, texture and ornate designs go well with the delicate but very earthy style of the shop.  Her art pots continuously sell very well in the boutique, so get them while you can!  They take her a lot of time to create!

I also recently started carrying lovely, vintage and sustainably made jewelry from local artist Jessica Fein.  Her beautiful and sometimes big rings and earrings make quite a statement, and also great gifts.  The pieces I hand select for the boutique are from her vintage collection, so they are often in short supply.  Here's a pic of some of the rings we have nestled in an old silverware box I repurposed:

And here's a pic of some of the orange and yellow local, non-sprayed and even some organic flowers we have outside, I love all the brightness that has come with summer, that's now finally here!

In Green and Health, G&G

The boutique is taking up a good amount of my time these days.  But that's not a bad thing, mostly because I've been trying my hardest to create and find event more vintage and recycled goodness that fills the heart and shares my design sense with customers and onlookers. I have been producing a few items for Valentine's Day that I will share with you shortly, but first, I'd like to show you a few of my latest Tillandsia Gardens in recycled glass bottles. I love Tillandsia, because I can tuck it in nifty places and wire it to things, and it adds such a natural flavor and great lines.  These little bottled guys are available in my shop and cost between 19 and 35 dollars, depending on the bottle and amount of plants.  These plants were grown not far from Fresno, although they are native to Central and South America.

They are really cute.  Because they are in a bottle, they need special care, but I can give you the shpeel when you come in or (soon) when you order them off the website. In Green and Health, G&G

Photos courtesy of Corduroy Media I recently shared some pics and some thoughts with the Allison Beck, an editor of a website in NYC called The Daily Meal.  They showcased some Thanksgiving themed centerpieces that my assistant Celia and I worked on for Gorgeous and Green.    I also answered some questions about sustainable arrangements and Thanksgiving.  Take a look at some thoughts I shared in the article: When creating centerpieces for Thanksgiving, what inspires you? Pilar: With any of my arrangements, I always look to what is locally in season. Follow the seasons around you to find colors and themes; in the fall to use browns and yellows and reds, because as plants and leaves die, we get to see some magnificent colors. Squash is also prevalent, so we see the use of pumpkins and gourds and squash in a lot of displays and arrangements. Pilar, what about creating stunning centerpieces, without breaking the bank? In a lot of my arrangements, I use vintage and reused containers and items that a lot of people may have around their house but never thought to combine with flowers or plants—I love unique containers. Sometimes an old gravy boat, candy dish or an old bird cage make for a stunning display. Plus, it's all about reusing and reinventing and that means it's also eco-friendly. Pilar, what are some "green" floral decorating tips that people should remember when purchasing materials? In addition to reusing and buying local/in season, it's also important that people pay attention to pesticides, organics and fair trade as well. As with food, flowers can be sprayed with a lot of toxic chemicals that affect everyone involved, from the cultivators of the flower to those who cut, sell, arrange and end up enjoying its beauty. I try to use as many growers as possible who don't use sprays, so that we can have fewer toxins that affect our people and the earth. Fair trade is also important to think about, and is directly linked to the health of communities and the environment. Hopefully, when you buy local or fair trade, you are supporting businesses who can then support and pay their employees fairly. Hopefully if you are going to celebrate Thanksgiving this year, you can remember to show your thanks in the many actions it takes to put something like a dinner or gathering together, and all the people and the planet that is touched by our actions, every day. In Green and Health, G&G