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Episode 120: Francoise Weeks                                

Recap of the Francoise Weeks Woodland Workshop in Austin: Day One

My posts this week will be a little out of the norm. I hope you don’t mind. The last 2 weeks have been full of designers, flowers, traveling and experiences that I want to share with you. The adventures began with my trip to Austin, Texas for a Woodland Workshop with Francoise Weeks (hosted by Brooke Howsley of Pollen Floral Art). As a blogger and a floral designer, the experiences of the last 2 weeks were as much about the relationships as it was about the flowers so I’ll be sharing both.

On Monday afternoon, I arrived at Mercury Hall to find Francoise and her students already lost in a woodland wonderland. It’s amazing how quiet designers become when they enter “the zone”.

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Earlier in the day the designers had created hanging floral cones that would work beautifully as pew ends or as personal flowers for a flower girl or bridesmaid.

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Leah Werner (Texas)

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Linda Riggins (Texas)

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Charlotte Warren (Texas)

In the afternoon we worked on woodland centerpieces…choosing elements from tables of gorgeous flowers, lichen covered branches, hives, cotton, succulents, veggies and plants.

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Front & back view of the same centerpiece by (help me remember!)

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Linda Riggins (Texas)

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Jana Mayfield (Arkansas)

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Sheri Jentsch, owner of Blumen Meisters Flower Market

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Leah Werner (Texas)

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Botanical Brouhaha

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Rachel Maguire (New York)

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Kathy Maguire (Texas)

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Charlotte Warren (Texas)

When the workshop was over the first day, Francoise and I were welcomed into the home of Kathy & Dave Maguire for the remainder of our stay in Austin. Incidentally, Dave photographed our work at the conclusion of the workshop.  The generosity and hospitality of those in the flower community astounds me. I had never met the Maguires prior to the day I arrived in town for this workshop yet they took care of me and treated me as if I were an old friend.  Their daughter, Rachel, flew in from Brooklyn for the workshop and it was a pleasure getting to know her and hearing her travel tips about my ensuing trip to NYC with the Chapel Designers.

To be continued…

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  1. jeri says:

    These are wonderful! I can just imagine the thrill it must have been for you! Keep the joy coming!

  2. Linda Riggins says:

    Thank you so much for posting this! I loved re-living our special days together. This one (the one with the tiny orchids):

    “One more I need help on! Who made this?”

    Is mine! Linda Riggins

  3. Everyone of those is exquisite.

  4. Alyssa says:

    Beautiful work! And I have actually been in that same building for a wedding! Fun!

  5. Tricia says:

    I use Francoise’s mechanics all the time. She is amazing and patient and super to be around. I get the most compliments from my work when I put those skills to use. If you have not taken her workshop? What are you waiting for?!

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