designing with my dog…

Posted by Diane on February 5, 2012 in Blog, Portfolio | 4 comments

Did I tell you that I’m picking up weekly donations from Trader Joe’s ?  On Saturday and Sunday mornings, when I get there, Sara, who organizes and inventories all the flowers and plants, has everything  ready to go!

 So the task begins- each weekend my living room is turned into a series of “sorting areas” and a design table! I separate the similar bunches of flowers, cut off the plastic sleeves, put the flower ‘food’ packets in a bucket, and proceed to go thru the blossoms. Each bunch has something to salvage. Flowers and foliage are cut short (to last longer) and go into miscellaneous vases. After all the bunches are sorted, I cluster each bundle of flowers, cut to size and bind, drop in to mason jars- perfect for a bedside table! Simple, right?! It can be a bit overwhelming unless you’ve got a system down!

Oh, and did I mention I have a little helper?! As pictured above, my dog Owen is a great assistant. Throughout the process of sorting and designing, he reminds me when to take a break- a vital survival tip in the life of a floral designer! Whether it’s letting me know that someone down the street sneezed, or “look at me, I’m the cutest dog in the world”, or that person who delivers the mail is almost here, or “hey, it’s time for a walk” ! All the antics remind me to take a moment and stretch out my legs, or sit down outside for a breath of fresh air. Owen is my constant reminder of taking time to enjoy the day! He celebrates every nuance of life, and wants me to notice all the precious sights, sounds and smells with him!

Just a note about pets… lots of studies have been done on the therapeutic benefits of being around animals. Those fortunate enough to have a few furry members of the family know these facts to be true!! I continue to find articles and blog posts about quality of life linked with the unconditional love that comes from our animals or thru pet therapy programs across the nation. Recently I came across a story that touched me deeply, a video from the perspective of Denali, Ben’s dog…  http://denali.littlethings.com/denali-dog-love-story/?utm_source=LTas&utm_medium=Facebook&utm_campaign=animals. If you have a few minutes, grab some Kleenex and check it out.

For now, I have my Owen, reminding me to live life more fully… and as I write this post, guess who is sitting on my lap?  Owen is sound asleep, after another big day…

dedicated to Kim and Bruce’s Maddy.