Can you smell the flower yet?!?!

How fun, how fun...  my floral design classes are getting closer.  I am so excited to share 

with people some flower secrets. 

 There are so many you know...  they have lots to tell us... pretty little scented offerings 

of wisdom and beauty!  

We will play with lots of different styles over all the classes.

In some you will learn how to do this...

And in some classes you will learn how to do this...

or what about these!

1

How about all one color with loads of texture and details!

Or what about a dreamy Moroccan table feast!

Or a woodland fantasy!

There is just so much to share with you!!!

I love that we get to play not only with flowers but with magical settings too.

I adore creating beautiful places for people to celebrate!

Do come and join in the fun!  We will have yummy treats with wine and herbal teas, a lovely garden setting along with loads of flower secrets! 

I wouldn't be surprised if the faeries made an appearance too... only if we're good though...  maybe an offering of elderberry wine and some cake...

Here's the info...

Email me for the particulars   triciafountaine@gmail.com...  and yes I saw the typos...  That's how you know I am artistic...  cause I can't spell worth a    *&!#*!$!#*

Blessings to you!

Tricia Saroya

Helloooooooo Out There!!!!!

Hello my blog friends, that is if you haven't given up completely...  First thank you to so many of you who contacted me wondering if I had shuffled off this mortal coil.  Your concern touched me deeply.  I am happy to say I am alive and well.  My story follows below...  you may want to get a cup of tea, it is a long tale indeed.

Life has been quite a journey for this last, almost a full year.  Many a twist and turn with some beautiful destinations and also some hair pin turns along the way.  Most of the journey has been beautiful, just so full that I find myself jet lagged though I've not been near an airplane.   Without much notice I had to move from my magical home to another location on this ranch that I love.  Of course my business had to go too with all my myriad props and supplies.  Trying to accomplish this in the middle of designing weddings every weekend added to the character in my face and greying hair.  This took place about 2 weeks after my last post.  My new home is just as magical as my old one although it took some work and is itsy bitsy faerie tiny!  There is a dilapidated greenhouse on the grounds that I turned into a prop house so I was able to organize and stow all my treasures, thank goodness!  I also dragged my workspace down and set it on the grounds as well.  That was a story in itself.  It and my beautiful large picture window made it without breaking I am happy to say.

I had to start over with the garden which was both daunting and also delightful.  As I watered I discovered that there has been what seems like an herbalist here before me.  Many wonderful surprises popped out of the ground and now I feel like an old wise woman with an apothecary's garden. I must study herbs while I am here!  I have added to my secret garden in spades so that now it is overflowing and beautiful!   Pictures soon to follow.

One of the unexpected destinations on my last years journey was a lovely gentleman that I am happy to say I now call my sweetheart.  He is more of a match than I thought possible.  He is many wonderful things, some of which are musician, jewelry maker, painter, avid gardener (he has been hugely responsible for the changes in our yard!), farmer, deeply spiritual and also has the honor of conducting Native American inspired ceremony.  I feel like I have come home and oh so blessed!  We have been together for 10 months now, which also explains my absence (insert a knowing smile).

Here we are dressed in Steam punk attire for a wedding I designed.  

Here we are just before a graduation ceremony that I was honored to be in.  That is another chapter in my exciting journey which I will post more of soon.  In brief I have become part of a wonderful women's program called Woman Within.  It is an organization that has its roots in ancient feminine rights of passage.  They offer many experiences with the first one being an initiation weekend.  I found myself connecting with deep parts of my self, forming bonds with other women and together reclaiming our power.  It is a beautiful group that is international so if you are interested there may well be an initiation weekend near you.  They also have a male counterpart called The Mankind Project which holds the same purpose for men.  They truly work miracles in men's lives helping them to find an emotional connection with them selves and their brothers.  These men come out transformed and it is a gift to witness.  My sweetheart has been involved with them for many years and introduced me to Women Within.  They were founded by a husband and wife team over 30 years ago.  Truly organizations of sacred alchemy!

Here are some pictures of my home... below is the before.  I will post some after pictures in the next few days.

 Not much of a garden to speak, who would have known all the sleeping beauties that were going to poke their heads out soon. 

Above is the old greenhouse my girlfriends and I turned into Aladdin's Cave.  

(Above )This was the magical sight that greeted me on the day I moved in.  Peacocks all over the roof.  I took it as a blessing and moved in with a light heart!

Here you can see the front of my little house.  It used to be the old store for the ranch when they grew Christmas trees.  I love the old writing and the western style.  It feels as if I am in an old movie! Again in this picture the Peacocks are welcoming me home.  This land is so magical!  From our front door all day long we hear the exotic call of these beautiful birds.  There is also a family of Hawks that live in the tall Eucalyptus trees nearby.  They soar right over our house and cry out to one another.  Just visible in the distance is an majestic old train trestle bridge with the ocean just beyond whose waves we can hear crashing on heavy surf days.  Sometimes I can't believe my blessed life.   

There has been a few challenges along the way.  Somewhere, it appears, I came into contact with that enemy of immune systems... the dreaded MOLD!  As a result I have managed to catch everything that has been going around for several months running.  Just recently I contracted 3 separate viruses with the result that I have been covered in blisters for the last 5 weeks!  The bitter with the sweet I guess.  I am working with a Natural Path and taking so many vitamins that if you shook me I would rattle.  One benefit is that I have no need to fear any vampire as I am eating 10 plus cloves of raw garlic per day to beef up my immune system.  Fortunately my man likes garlic!  I am hoping I am on the mend, I know all the emotional energy, both the bad AND the good have taken its tole on my system as well.  I try and rest as much as I can these days.  That part is nice though I am getting antsy!

Of course I have done many a wedding and photo shoot over the last year.  Here is a sampling.

This picture above is from an amazing shoot I did with Elizabeth Messina and Twigs and Honey.  I took the above picture, sort of a "behind the scenes"shot.  Elizabeth's picture is below.   We used my styling, props and vintage clothes and Twigs and Honey's incredible hair adornments.  Myra Callen the owner and designer of Twigs and Honey is so talented and also a beautiful soul.  It was a pleasure to work with her!

 Here are some more...

These pictures below are again from Elizabeth Messina but the shoot was for Shop Ruche.

I was one of the stylists and also did all the florals.  So much fun!

Below is a flower wall I made.  Super luscious but a TON of work!!!

Below is a tantalizing picture from a shoot I did with Shirlie Kemp.  I won't show you any more as I am hoping to include it in a magical book.  Another project I am working on.  Oh those faeries...  they do like to keep me busy!

Well I think I will leave you with that for now.  There is much to report which I will do over the next few weeks.  Many a new project is being born, especially as I rest.  Ideas are hatching faster than I can keep up.  I so hope you are all well and thriving!  I am soooo happy to be back!

Blessings to you always and forever!

Tricia

The French Country Wedding and.... African Drumming?!?

Hello my blog friends.  It has been a while since I last wrote.  My wedding season has kicked in and then add some photo shoots and life in general and I have been a busy girl.  I have enjoyed being super creative lately.  In addition to everything above I have been painting too.  Goodness but it is good to find me after all the heartache of the last year and a half.  I am discovering parts of myself that got left behind years ago.  I am amazed at how I slowly changed over the years of my marriage, and not really for the better.  I wasn't asked to change, it just sort of happened.  I stopped nurturing my dreams and inner creative voice.  I stopped living fully.  I lost myself in the marriage and lived through my husband more that through and for me.  Definitely not a healthy way to be and not good for my marriage!!!!  Well, I am happy to say that is no longer true!  In the last 6 months or so I am truly expanding into my own sense of self...   of who I am and what I love.  I am remembering activities that I used to love and discovering new ones.   I remembered that I adored painting and I am making sure that I paint regularly now.  I am careful not to allow the days weeks to just waist away.  I try to live fully...  right now... this very minute...  creating often, trying new things and just having fun!  I forgot how much I love music.  I had let that part of me go too.   Now I have the stereo on all the time and am dancing through the house.  I also really got crazy and started drumming!  I have always loved the sound of African drums since I was a little girl, they stir something deep inside of me.  I found an amazing group of dancers and drummers that have been a part of Santa Barbara for years.  They are called Panzumo and every year they are a huge part of our local Summer Solstice parade.  Well, yours truly will be one of the drummers in the parade banging away on my Djembe African drum.  I cannot tell you the thrill I feel hearing the sound of 20 or so drummers all on the same rhythm giving it their all as the dancers get lost in the beat.  I could go for hours and not get tired.  I think it is part of our genetic code and triggers ancient memories.    It is incredible!  Well, anyway suffice it to say that I am having a blast living my life.  It is GOOD!

So today I will show you all the pictures of the French Country Wedding shoot that was recently published in French Country Magazine.  The photographer is my friend Shirlie Kemp who is truly a gifted photographer and artist.  It was a pleasure to work with her and her daughter Harley Moon and her friend Haley.  All of them are superb photographers and such fun!  I blogged about this shoot earlier here but now I can show you the rest of the pictures.  There are tons so get ready!  It was all shot in the Avocado orchard right next to my house.  The models if you can believe it are all my neighbors that live on the ranch (except for the flower girl who is a friend of my BFF and lives in Santa Barbara).  Almost all the props are from my Vintage Vignettes prop business.  The table, chairs and some of the dishes are from Town and Country, a great party rental company!  The flowers were generously donated by my wholesale flower company called Florabundance.  They are absolutely lovely and make my weddings and shoots so beautiful!  So many beautiful goodies...  Enjoy!

The check in area where the guests would get their table assignments was set up like a French Laundry with old galvanized containers stuffed with flowers and vintage whites hanging in the trees.

Below is the "guest card table" where they got their seat assignments.

Their names were attached to French milled soaps set in a bed of lavender.

Above, vintage lace table cloths.

French toil quilts in a vintage laundry bin.  Great to have available so the guests can spread them out on the ground for late night cozy visiting.

Our little French ring bearers.

Can you believe all these beautiful people are my neighbors!!!???  This is truly a magical ranch!

Above is the ring bearer's bucket.  So much more masculine that I pillow I think.

Above, The bouquet had Scabiosa pods, garden Roses, Wax Flower, and Thistle.

The bridesmaid's bouquet was a bundle of blue Muscari surrounded by grass that was blunt cut.

Below is the appitizer table with French baguettes, cheese and fruit, and iced lemonade-tea.  After the shoot we scarfed it all down  : )

All these pieces are my props from Vintage Vignettes.  

Above, In addition to the soaps that the guest's names were tied to, the party favors were small bottles of Olive Oil.  The label said in French "Cook with Love".

The table was set in one of the rows in the orchard.

The chairs, linens, silver ware, the white plates and all the glass ware were from Town and Country, an absolutely wonderful party rental company!

The benches and sofas are mine from Vintage Vignettes.  The red toil dishes are also mine.

The napkins were dish towels wrapped with yarn and a sprig of Lavender.

Well thank you for sticking through all the way to the end... that was a lot of pictures!!!

I will be back before too long with several shots of recent weddings.

Blessings to everyone!!!

Tricia