Can't Hardly Contain Myself...
Hee hee. Obviously a blog post about vases would be titled with a container pun. I love puns - not always that great at them, but I love them. AND I love my new containers! I really want to play with some different styles and bring unique rentals to my Winnipeg brides, and though my collection is small right now, there are some exciting things in the works.
First up, ceremony arrangements! Couples will often go for a couple of big, beautiful statement makers at the front of their ceremony, and I have three of the most lovely, natural-inspired ceramic container options. Don't let the size fool you - these suckers hold a LOT of flowers.
Up next, centrepieces! Those little bronze urns are heartbreakers. I can't wait to do them up with some jewel-toned blooms and they're only about 5" tall, so they're perfect to pop on a table. The silver compotes are SO gorgeous - classic, elegant, with a dainty twist. And last but not least, this collection of stem vases is amazing. They're just detailed enough to bring visual interest, and they're a refreshing excursion from the vintage bottles that have been floating around for a few years. A trio of stem vases at the centre of a table is never a bad thing. And finally, way at the bottom, this is a glamour shot of the most beautiful little votive holder that you ever did see. It's rimmed with gold, you guys. GOLD. Only the most sought-after metallic for weddings these days. I can't wait for these little babies to light up some tables, starting in December!
Introducing the Stone House
I've been so excited to share this post with anyone who wants to read it. When planning for Stone House Creative, it was very important to me that my company be an authentic representation of myself - you know that quote "Be yourself - no one else is better qualified"? Today I am so happy to share with you a little bit about where I came from.
This is the house where I grew up. My mom's ancestors came to Manitoba from Scotland in 1814, and eventually settled at our farm near Stonewall in 1873. This beautiful home (the image above is from our wedding day) was completed in 1904 by my great great grandfather. All of the stone needed for the walls was gathered from the nearby fields, and a stonemason from Scotland was hired to build it. Many generations were raised here, passing from one to the next. My grandma grew up just down the road on another farm, and in 1954, she and her husband took it over from her uncle. In 1965, when my mom was a little girl, the house burned and the entire inside was completely gutted. It was re-built with much help from the neighbourhood, but those stone walls remained strong. My parents then took over the farm and the stone house in 1983.
Along with my brother and two sisters, I was raised inside these beautiful, thick walls. My mom, an amazing gardener and a lover of beautiful flowers, had a crafting and quilting business aptly named "From the Stone House." Though my dad claims I owe him royalties for the name of Stone House Creative, I could think of nothing better to represent where I come from and what I love than these words that reflect on how and where I was raised. My husband Chad and I were married on the front lawn, my childhood birthday parties were spent having hot dog roasts in the bush, and I will argue until I'm blue in the face that I grew up in the best neighbourhood, on the most beautiful road, in the entire world.
Tying all of this together, I'm so happy to share my official branding with the world! To create my logo, my dear friend Ashley of Ashley Nicole Design worked with a pen drawing by a family friend, the late Gerald Folkerts. Gerald was an amazing artist and we were so lucky that one day he had a whim to draw the house - I couldn't imagine anything better to represent Stone House Creative. I hope that you feel the sense of history and strength that lays within this home.
And to round this off nicely, I asked my friend Brittany Mahood to take a headshot of me featuring these beautiful stone walls. I'm so proud to call this place home!
Hello!
Hello! I am so excited to kick things off with Stone House Creative. After being in the wedding industry for years in various capacities, I've played around with so many different ideas in my head as to what my future would reveal for me. I've always known I wanted to stay and work and play in the wedding industry, and the combination of flowers and wedding design is truly the best thing I can imagine. I'm so excited to work with brides and grooms to help them create one of their most important days in their lives, whether that be with flowers or event design or planning
Photo by Heather Payne Photography, taken at Team Flower Workshop
I am indebted to several people for their encouragement, their work, and their assistance in seeing Stone House Creative become a reality. These include my awesomely supportive husband Chad, my dear friend/absurdly stylish and talented graphic designer/long time co-worker and co-conspirator Ashley Nicole (who is working on a lovely logo for me!), my super cool photographer friend Brittany Mahood (whose work graces this site and who I cannot wait to work with on a portfolio shoot a little later this summer!), my flower friends at Academy Florist and Team Flower Workshop, from whom I have learned so very much and had an amazing time doing it, and of course, an amazing group of friends, sisters and sisters-in-laws, and family members who are always challenging me, getting annoyed with the high number of flower and wedding pictures I post, and still managing to love me. I also have to thank my ancestors, who built the most amazing stone house in the country over a hundred years ago, and giving me the opportunity to grow up within its beautiful walls.
So with that, I hope you'll stick around and check out Stone House Creative as it grows! And of course, if you are or if you know an awesome couple who's tying the knot, well, you know who to get them in touch with :)