Weekend Moments: Tea, flowers and fans

Have you had an amazing weekend?! I did! It was a long weekend here in Hobart, Monday being a local public holiday because of the Hobart Cup and Regatta Day. I didn't go to either (I don't support horse racing and I'm a little old for show rides) but what I did do was a rare treat - I was home alone for the weekend! My lovely man was off to Melbourne for a bucks weekend, and so I happily did my own thing for a couple of days.

When was the last time you had some time at home on your own? Can you remember? I know that for some people the idea of being home alone, especially overnight, can be a bit daunting - and maybe for some people they wouldn't know what to do with themselves without partners, kids or other people in the house - but I highly recommend spending some alone time at least a few times a year, because its amazing! You can work with your own energy levels, do exactly as you please and appreciate the peace and quiet. Of course if you have cats like I do, company is never too far away anyway, but I just love flitting between this and that, balancing housework with hobbies, sleeping with the curtain open so I can see the stars and watch the trees in the wind...

Now I don't want to turn this into a food blog (it's on my list of what this blog is not about - food!) but I'm making an exception for Pollen Tea Room. Have you heard of it? If not I'll tell you all about it later in the week - the image in the top left of my weekend moments box is of a lovely organic earl grey I had there.

Also, I can't wait to show you some photos of the amazing flowers I purchased from the farmers market!

Plus, I was lucky enough to come across an amazing market find in the most unlikely of places. More on that later too. 

Anyway I hope you had a magical weekend! Don't worry, by the time my lovely fellow was due back I was sick of my own company and ready to share my space with someone again - no ideas of batcheloretting it up for me that's for sure (which is lucky seeing as we just booked in our wedding in February 2016! Eeeeee!!)

Creating a Living Wreath with Kate at Botanical

Botanical is at 139 Macquarie St, Hobart

Did you know that there is an amazing new florist open in Hobart?! The first I knew about Botanical was driving past on my way home from work, I couldn't miss the stunning window display which instantly reminded me of the florists and flower shops I've admired in Melbourne. I knew straight away that this was something different. Of course this meant my daily drive involved checking out the window to see what was new, because every couple of days the display changes! Wire cage Edison bulbs, terrariums, hanging pots and of course abundant blooms spilling onto the pavement, I had to know more!

Thankfully Botanical has a beautiful website and after reading all about Kate, her business and seeing the beautiful photos of her flowers, I was so excited to find Kate hosting workshops right in her lovely shop! Luckily that very day I needed a gift to celebrate the birth of my best friend's first baby, a perfect excuse to call in and sign up for the last spot for the Living Wreath workshop and collect a very cute succulent terrarium on the way.

Saturday couldn't come around quickly enough! What better way to spend a Saturday afternoon than with 8 lovely ladies, creating something amazing among beautiful gift ware and the heavy scents of hundreds of flowers.

Kate's passion is infectious! Her style is organic, natural, simple and classy, allowing the flowers to be the star of the show - no leery cardboard boxes or glitter spray here! During the class Kate told us, "Do what you love. If you don't love what you do, you won't succeed" how true is that?!

No doubt like you, I've seen living succulent wreaths online, including how to guides. I've probably pinned quite a few but like a lot of these sorts of projects I've just never gotten around to actually making it happen. Plus why try and work your way through hard to follow online instructions when you can support an amazing local business and learn from their many years of skill?

Kate shows us how!

So the next few hours were spent getting our hands dirty, digging in to moss and peat and dirt all under Kate's careful guidance, upon rustic recycled benches with Tasmanian bubbly in hand.  We selected succulent cuttings from a huge range and arranged them where they will hopefully grow and look lovely for a long time! Kate has no hesitation in sharing her tricks of the trade, and happily provides all the details so you can go home and create more of these amazing wreaths, even offering ideas on collecting succulents for free!

I love my wreath! Now I have to wait a couple of weeks for the roots to attach, and then I will be able to show you a picture of it hanging in all its glory!

Needless to say I am so very pleased I went along to this workshop, and highly recommend them to anyone and everyone! Well done Kate, your shop is amazing and I can't wait to see how Botanical grows and evolves in the future.

Be sure to "like" Botanical on Facebook (especially now as she has a great competition on!) and head to her website, www.botanicalhobart.com.au, clicking on 'Workshops' to find out what's coming up. Or better yet, head on in, experience the lovely shop and grab yourself a stunning posie!

*Obviously, all views on this post are mine, and this isn't sponsored in any way - I simply just want to share stuff that I love, and you might too!*

The small joys of spring

I couldn't resist picking some of the gorgeous blush pink blossoms from a wild apple tree at the start of my road today. Aren't they just the sweetest thing? Nothing says spring more than fruit blossoms, delicate and soft against the crooked rough branches and deep green leaves. Apparently my Nanna Norma, who I never had a chance to meet, loved filling her house with apple blossoms, so I feel particularly special about this little row of blooms in the sweet teal bottles I couldn't resist from Typo on a recent Melbourne trip!