From Seeds To Blooms
One creative person can create a source of income that supports them and their families from the labor of their own hands and ideas from their own mind. This is truly a thing to admire.
Over the summer, my dearest friend, Mirna Brousseau, was busier than she had ever been. Her wedding planning business was booming and her floral designs were growing in scope, each event more elaborate than the last.
She asked me to help, one week when she needed extra hands. She put me to work in her home floral studio prepping flowers by stripping and trimming for literal hours. I could not believe how much work it was just to receive and prepare these living objects, not to mention, keep them happy until it was their destiny to be chosen for their perfect arrangement, transported to their location and installed in elaborate displays via chicken wire and all sorts of other construction.
What I witnessed as her assistant for a day, was the true magic of a small business. Raw materials, planning and preparation, labor, true customer service and a happy client on their most important day.
One creative person can create a source of income that supports them and their families from the labor of their own hands and ideas from their own mind. This is truly a thing to admire.
And admire her, I do. She has found a way to grow her skills as a logistical wizard, expert communicator, and gifted designer all while keeping her personal balls in the air, motherhood, family, and more. She planned my birthday weekend and our friend's baby shower in the past few months alone.
What's most exciting, she's just getting started. The day we took these photos, she went to visit a small retail space. A few days later, we were clinking champagne glasses when she signed her lease! The location in the Church Hill neighborhood of Richmond, Virginia will provide a larger studio space where she create ever grander floral projects. I get to hear her daydream about workshops, gatherings, and other creative ideas. This is a new seed that is just being planted and I cannot wait to watch it bloom.
All images courtesy of Sofia Owen