Hello Friends,
Welcome to my Keep Floral Journal! I’ll keep things brief with some short life updates, images of what I am working on, and some tidbits about what I am eating, reading, or listening to. I hope to get a bit better at this as time goes on but for now, I hope your end of summer is cheery and I hope to connect with you soon.
I am writing you from the comfort of my brand-new apartment in Denver. I moved this month! I spent the last four years boppin’ around but now that I finally have a tiny corner of the world of my own, I feel so happy. The couch is in - thank you to friends and family - and I am ready for visitors! Somehow I still found time to read some fun books and make peach crisp ice cream which has changed my life.
Work-wise, it’s been a whirlwind. I took 2023 fully away from flowers. Breaks are necessary and I am so glad life worked out in a way I was nearly forced to take a step back. However, because 2023 wasn’t for the flowers 2024 started with crickets. Instead of Keep Floral weddings I booked my calendar full of freelancing with Alli J Creative. Alli & I are just enough similar to read each other’s minds but just enough different that she keeps me on my toes. 3 of 5 August weekends I was Alli J’s lead designer for her double header weekends. We learned a lot & I’m tired! In addition to Alli J, I’ve been working for Stefanie at The Colorado Flower Collective. I think it’s my dream job. I love learning about the seasonality of flowers, I love meeting the farmers, and I love the community of florists I get to support. August is the biggest month of the year at the Collective which means long Tuesdays full of seasonal blooms!
xo, b
S E A S O N A L
D E S I G N H I G H L I G H TS
R E A D I N G & E A T I NG
You can wow all your friends with my peach crisp recipe! I used my crisp to make Peach Crisp Ice Cream and it’s now going to be an August Tradition. Many thanks to Emma Lea Floral & The New York Times for giving me the pro tips I need to make professional-grade ice cream. I have been thinking about a little Ice Cream Subscription for anyone within a few miles of me in Denver. Comment if you want to get on the list! I always have to turn my hobbies into businesses for some reason … In the meantime, my crisp recipe is below in case you also find yourself with a surplus of ripe western slope peaches!
Tried & True Crisp Recipe
3-4 Ripe Peaches
1/2 Cup Flour
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar (I sub maple syrup!)
1/2 Cup Cold Butter cut into cubes
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 Cup Rolled Oats
Dash of Lemon Juice
Salt
Mix all ingredients but the peaches in a bowl and mix - I use my hands! Sprinkle mixture over the cut-up peaches and douse with as much additional maple syrup as you see fit! I forgot the brown sugar this month and didn’t even notice. Bake at 350 until the peaches are oozing and the oats are starting to brown up!