Florals with Ashley Woodson Bailey

Hello friends! The past month has been a whirlwind of school activities, fall travels, baseball games and various other commitments. My busy schedule left me completely exhausted and drained of creative energy. When my friend and talented designer, Ashley Woodson Bailey, offered a floral workshop in her new studio off the Marietta Square, I took the opportunity to recharge my batteries and my creativity.

I've been following Ashely's work via social media for a couple years now, even before her move from Texas to Atlanta. Ironically, her move landed her just minutes from my own home and shortly after, our paths began to cross. A few years ago, Ashley survived a horrific car accident that left her with a broken back and lengthy recovery. Her path was changed and while she always knew she would work with flowers, she wasn't sure where her journey would take her. Fast forward to now and Ashley is a budding entrepreneur, artist, floral designer and photographer.

She recently opened her new shop called 200 Mill where she displays her artwork, collaborates with other artists and hosts workshops. Ashley shared her skills and years of experience with us during the workshop, allowing us to create our own gorgeous floral creations. She gave us just the right amount of guidance without hindering our own creative process, which was just what I needed. I could have spent hours playing with the gorgeous stems!

Never in a million years did I think I could create a flower arrangement so beautiful! Yes, I MADE this!

It was hard to go wrong with the lovely flowers and stems Ashley had on hand for us.

Ashley let us make a mess of her studio, assuring us that most creative processes result in some mess. It's all part of the beauty. Even the clippings are stunning, don't you think? While we worked, Ashley shared her personal story, her love for flowers, how the accident changed her work and how she blossomed in the end. She says, "every stem has a story" and her story is certainly inspiring and hopeful.

After the design process, Ashley led us outside for a lesson on how she shoots and edits her photos. She can spend hours in this process, capturing the perfect shot or detail of a flower.  I am continuously amazed that she uses her iphone to create such masterpieces. After she's finished editing, the final images are sent off to a top notch printer and shipped to customers around the world. 

If you haven't discovered Ashley's work yet, be sure to visit her website,  http://www.ashleywoodsonbailey.com/  I also LOVE this recent feature on her via One King's Lane, where you can also shop her prints until Sunday, November 2. 

*photos by Amy Mikkelsen

Sid Evans for Southern Living + The greatest gardening book of all times!

Did you notice anything different about your latest issue of Southern Living magazine? There's a new editor-in-chief in town, Sid Evans, and he joins the magazine with a pretty impressive background. In his first letter to the readers, he writes, "If I'm doing my job right, you will have a sense of anticipation and discovery every time you open this magazine, and you will always find ideas in here that make you smile...I hope you find a little magic in this issue, and in many more to come." I've always found the magazine inspiring and look forward to a fresh perspective on tried and true southern traditions.

In other news from Southern Living, their Ultimate Guide to Gardening book is set for release in January 2015! This book is certain to be a must-have for any gardener and will certainly be tops on my Christmas list. Some of you may remember the previous version published in 2004 but the new guide promises more photographs, more organic gardening advice and introductions to plants that are new on the gardening scene. Sounds absolutely splendid, don't you think?

Flowering Container DIY by Southern Living Plant Collection

Have you ever admired the beautiful potted flowers gracing the magazine covers this time of year? Me too! As most of you know, I love playing in the garden but mastering the art of container gardening is still a challenge for me. It does require some planning and strategy! Last week, Carmen Johnston, garden expert for the Southern Living Plant Collection, invited me to a planting workshop at the local Home Depot where she shared a wealth of information. While I was digging in the dirt, I took some mental notes to share with y'all.

If you want to plant a large group of flowers, start with a large pot and be sure that the pot has drainage holes on the bottom. Also, use dirt that is specifically labeled as potting mix or potting soil. This dirt is mixed to produce optimum results and drainage!

When choosing flowers for your container, consider where your container will live and if you need to shop for shade or sun plants. This particular container is filled with shade loving plants.

When arranging the flowers, always remember the three T's... Tall, Thick and Trailing. For our "tall" plant, we used Caladium. For our "thick"plant, we used Heucherella. And for our trailing plant, we used three Creeping Jenny which will eventually spill out over the sides of the pot. We also added a flowering white impatient for color.

Carmen also advised planting the flowers in a loose triangular pattern. You cannot see in this picture but there is a third Creeping Jenny in the back which makes a total of 6 plants in this large container!

Shopping for plants can be overwhelming even for the most experienced gardeners. Did you know Home Depot's plants are marked with a QR code that you can scan and quickly retrieve information on that specific plant? I LOVE that! Y'all have got to try it out next time your perusing the garden center. It's so much fun. If you see some crazy lady endlessly scanning plants in Home Depot, it's me.

I also learned that you can join the Home Depot Garden Club for promotions, offers and additional expert advice and it's totally FREE! 

A big thank you to Home Depot, the Southern Living Plant Collection, the farmers at Pure Beauty Farms  and Carmen for sharing your tips and love of gardening with us. I'm looking forward to creating many more flowering containers in the future.

If you decide to create your own flowering masterpiece, be sure to share it with Carmen on social media by using the hashtag #southernlivingplantcollection I know she and the team would love to see your containers too. Happy planting fellow peaches!

Meet me in the Garden: April 2014 blooms

Can I share a few photos of what's blooming in my yard as of a week ago? I like to keep a photo journal of my yard for three reasons. Number one, I can go back and look at the pictures for pure enjoyment. Number two, it's helpful when I want to divide things later in the season when things are not in bloom. And number three, I love photographing flowers! Even before I discovered my passion for food photography, I was snapping pictures of flowers.

I wasn't born with a green thumb but over the last several years, I've learned so much just by trial and error. If you're new to gardening, or want to experiment with it, rest assured that most flowers and plants are so forgiving. Most of what you see here, I consider to be very low maintenance varieties. And of course if you have any questions, I am happy to help where I can! Also, at the end of the post, I'll be sharing a special invitation from Home Depot and Southern Living so please scroll down and enjoy the beauty!

The bearded iris are gorgeous this year!! They love cold winters and Georgia gave them one this year. I've got a variety of bulbs that my sister gave me when she divided her yard a few years ago. The bearded iris are one of my favorite spring flowers because the blooms last a long time and they make great cut flowers for gifting. You also don't have to bury the bulbs very deep so they're easy and quick to plant.

This is one of two peony plants that I have. These can be a little trickier to grow in Georgia but it's absolutely possible. Just be sure to give them enough afternoon shade and good soil. Like the iris, they love cold winters so the I they have lots of blooms this year. This article will give you more tips and tricks for growing peonies in the south. 

Salvia..the bees love it and I do too! It's such a tidy compact plant that also has a long bloom time and makes great cut flowers.

If you don't have a few knockout roses in your yard, RUN to the closest nursery and pick up a few. I know some people find roses to be a little too common but I adore them. This knockout rose variety blooms all summer, grows quickly and is so low maintenance. I like to prune and fertilize mine early in the season (around March) and then sit back and watch them GROW!

I also have two Lady Banks Rose bushes (one white and one yellow) blooming out back. I planted them last year to help disguise the chain link fence on the back of our property. This is a very aggressive rose bush so be sure you have lots of space for them to run and prune them regularly. They are stunning on fences and arbors!

These hostas (3) have been moved several times around the yard but I think they've found their final resting place in this shady corner with some creeping phlox. The bright lime green really brings life to an otherwise dark spot in the yard.

And finally...this is my sweetest little garden helper who loves to play in the dirt with me. And yes, my hair has looked like this far too often lately. 

Okay, here's the invitation! If you live in the area, Home Depot is cordially inviting you to the "Spring Made Simple"garden party this Saturday (May 10) from 10-4pm at their Acworth, GA location. While you're there, you can check out the new Southern Living plant collection  and pick up a variety of gardening and planting tips from the experts. I attended a few weeks ago at the Atlanta location and it's tons of fun! Happy gardening fellow peaches.

Meet Me in the Garden: Fall Gardening Checklist

Fall is right around the corner and while I love pumpkins and cozy sweaters as much as the next girl, I can't  deny that being in the garden is also tops on my list when it comes to fall favorites. There's something so therapeutic about preparing for winter and planning for spring. And being outside when the temperatures start to drop is just heavenly. A few days ago I got together with my sister and a friend for our annual gardening meeting which consists of breakfast at the coffee house, pouring over gardening catalogs and placing a bulk order of bulbs to share among us. After leaving the coffee house, I quickly made a fall checklist to do over the next month. Now, let's just hope the weather cooperates! 

Plant spring bulbs - These bulbs need to get in the ground before it gets too cold. Be sure to spread a thin layer of mulch over top to keep them warm all winter. There is nothing more thrilling than seeing little green tips of tulips, daffodils and iris peeking up at the first sign of spring!

Store tender bulbs - If you live in cooler climates or further north, you may need to store tender bulbs like dahlias, cannas and callas. I actually do not do this here in Georgia because it doesn't really get too cold and they've seemed to survive thus far.

Divide and cut back perennials - Fall is a great time to dig up and divide perennials like hostas, iris, black eyed susan and lilies. Here's a helpful guide to dividing perennials if you've never conquered this daunting task. One of my favorite things about doing this is sharing with friends! My sister and I love visiting each others houses and looking at all the perennials we've traded over the years.

Plant trees and shrubs - If you're dreaming of planting new trees and shrubs, now is the perfect time. The plants have time to take root before the harsh winter and will later enjoy a gentle spring before the scorching summer. 

Clean out rose beds - Fallen rose foliage can be a haven for diseases that set in next spring. Give roses a healthy start by removing this debris now and laying down a fresh layer mulch.

Top dress garden beds - Now that I've removed much of my summer vegetable garden like my tomatoes and cucumbers, I plan on adding some compost for the next season. Last fall I didn't have much luck with my garden but I'm gonna give it my best try again this season and hope the animals don't host their Thanksgiving dinner at my expense!

How do you prepare your space for cooler weather? 

* image credit 

DIY: Flower ART

My aunt was hospitalized several weeks ago due to a stroke and is still recovering. Unfortunately she is miles and miles away, so a visit is just not possible right now. To send some cheer her way, the kids and I made these bright flower collages to decorate her room. Although we sent live flowers when she first became ill, I wanted something that would stay with her a little longer while she was recovering. Plus, there's nothing more drab than a hospital room! All the kids (my nieces and my boys, ages 3-9) enjoyed putting these together and I couldn't help making one too. They are so pretty and there's really no way to mess them up.

First, we cut out flower images from old gardening catalogues that were waiting to be recycled. Then we simply glued the images onto plain paper, trying to cover all the white space, emulating a floral wallpaper. I can't wait to talk to my aunt this week and see how she likes her abstract flower art. Who wouldn't love these pretties adorning their walls? Wishing everyone a happy Monday!

Stacked Summer Salad

As you can tell by my blogging schedule as of late, we've been keeping things pretty simple around here for summer and this salad is no exception.  My garden is only doing okay but it's finally starting to yield some tomatoes which was my inspiration for this masterpiece.  There's something about a stacked salad that I really like.  It's simple yet elegant.  Yep, you're gonna need a fork and a knife to eat this one! It shows that you put some thoughtful consideration into the salad instead of just throwing it all together in a big bowl.  It's food.  And art.  It's pretty awesome.

Here's how I made this stackable sensation.

// Ingredients //

1 medium/large tomato
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
1 tbsp. feta cheese
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
Maldon sea salt flakes to taste (seriously, worth the investment)

// Instructions //

Stack ingredients carefully, alternating tomato and avocado slices.  Then, sprinkle the top of the salad with feta cheese.  Whisk together olive oil and vinegar until combined and drizzle over salad.  Season with salt flakes to taste.

Life at its Finest

In case you haven't heard, school's out for summer!!! When Luke transitioned from preschool to "real" school last fall, no one warned me about May...the end of the year.  ( I can see you seasoned moms nodding your head.  You know what I'm talking about.) The past month has been unreal.  One blogger (I forget who) referred to the month of May as "the mom olympics" and it's the truth!  Award ceremonies, music programs, field days, birthday parties and end of the year parties crammed into a two week time period that seriously spent my head spinning.  Nevertheless, we made it and I couldn't be prouder of my little graduate.  Here's a few snapshots of life lately and I look forward to resuming my normal blog schedule soon.  Hope y'all are well and preparing for the lazier days of summer too.

My little graduate who also happens to be loosing teeth on a daily basis!

Baseball was also a huge time commitment for the family this spring.  Lots of fun but exhausting too.

We celebrated our best friend's daughter turning two.  How cute are these bee cookies?

And these precious honey bears for the guests!

My niece turned nine and opted for a camping party with six friends spending the night. My sister is really brave.

And pretty hilarious when it comes to potato sack racing too... I hope she doesn't kill me for sharing this picture.  It's pretty awesome.  The boys had a blast.

Despite the chaos and busy schedule we're still trying to savor the little things like tiny little flowers.

And my pretty purple iris outside of my kitchen window.

Enjoy your weekend fellow peaches and have a very safe Memorial Day!