Deck the tables! Flowers for the holidays

Dear sated fans and readers,

We know that you've all been so patiently waiting for our second issue to finish, so thank you so much for your patience and continued enthusiasm! We were planning to push out the issue in time for the holidays this year, but with our small staff size, set-backs, though often avoidable, are unfortunately inevitable. As Creative Director, I'd like to personally apologize for the delays. To make up for it, over the next few weeks, we'll be publishing some holiday-related articles and features from the issue here online! Then, our issue should appear in January, in time to provide some color to an otherwise grey month. Who says you can't have a longer holiday season, anyways!

For the first holiday feature, I'm so pleased to introduce our collaboration with Farmgirl Flowers, a San Francisco-based flower company that focuses on arrangements made with entirely local-grown flowers (and then delivers them via bicycle messenger around the city!). Christina Stembel, the founder and master flower arranger of Farmgirl, put together six bouquet arrangements that are perfect for holiday tablescapes, focusing entirely on using what's available locally, in flower marts, in our own kitchens, and our backyards. Here are the arrangements, and tips from Christina on making your own at home.

(Acknowledgements also to Kate Shaughnessy, for interviewing Christina and passing on these tips!)

in the above arrangements: kale, adonis, eucalyptus, pomegranate, scabiosa stellata, dahlia,
rosemary, echinacea, fig branches, broccoli hydrangea, amaranth, rose hips, scabiosa atropurpurea

Christina's tip #1: When seasonal flowers are limited, keep it simple! Pick one or two flower types and pair with fun foliage: in autumn, reddening foliage adds color, and for winter pine branches add unexpected pizzaz.

sunflower, adonis, 'backyardia' leaves

Christina's tip #2: Think beyond flowers. Herbs like rosemary and mint, greens like kale, and seasonal fruit add surprise and fun to your favorite stems.

lisianthus, belladonna, rose, dusty miller

Christina's tip #3: Go in your backyard and see what you have out there. When I run out of greens, I go back to our yard, and I use the magnolia tree foliage! Anybody who has access to any foliage at all can make it work.

rose, hypericum berry, dahlia, eucalyptus, pine, kale, broccoli hydrangea, lisianthus.

Make sure to watch for our interview and feature with Christina in the second issue. Farmgirl Flowers is one of my personal favorite SF start-ups, so I was really excited to work with them for this feature! For more information about Farmgirl Flowers, including ordering information and the availability of seasonal flowers, give their website a visit.

x, Stephanie

(P.S. In the meantime, our first issue is still available! Make sure to order it in time for Christmas!)

(photos by Stephanie Shih; arrangements by Christina Stembel; writing contribution by Kate Shaughnessy)