"Melody under the Tree" For Margaret Chapman

At first glance, it may not be much. But look closer, it's a piano. Margaret was an accomplished pianist, and I was told, she played right up until the day she died. She was a classic.

You know me, centimental- There are 12 large roses that make up the piano, she had 12 grandchildren. There are 19 white pom poms that make up the floor, for her 19 great grandchildren. Below- A little over-exposed, but you can see the "keys" here a little better. In the tree above, are Margaret (pink) and her husband Whitney (green), watching over their posterity. These orchids also spoke to me. They are cymbidium orchids, like $5 a head Wholesale! But they represent Margarets travels (she loved the tavel) and her final destination. Look at the orchids, don't they look like they have wings? So angelic.

Below is the explanation of the flowers I left by the arrangement.

See the wire notes hidden in the tree trunk?

"Welcome" Grandpa Eckersley's Funeral

If I haven't already told you yet, I love doing specialty designs for funerals. It can really stretch my creativity. And sometimes the flowers themselves guide me, I'm not kidding.
This was a design I did for Karen, for her father's funeral. Her only request was the larkspur and that it be by the guestbook.

Here is the shining star- Portea, neat little guy isn't he? Remember when I said that sometimes the flowers guide me. This is it. I kept walking past him at my wholesaler, and He kept telling me take him with me. I didn't understand why I needed this crazy protea pincushion, grandpa was a soft, sweet, warm and mellow gentleman. They seem to contradict each other, but I found out why later. Grandpa served a mission in Guatamala, and Karen said that he had mentioned that being some of the best years of his life. So here is our Guatamala spice.

Under the floral arrangement, I created this little memory in water. Every spring, the Eckersley's flood their year through and irrigation line. They invited all the grandkids, and great grandkids over the play in the water. I had been there for a couple of these annual events, and loved it. So that is why these poms are floating in water with the grass blades.