Photo Journal: Bodega Bouquet

"Mrs. Dalloway said she would buy the flowers herself."

- Mrs. Dolloway, Virginia Woolf

We asked our friend Karla Smith-Brown of Olivee Floral to show us the secrets to making your own flower arrangement at home with a few bundles of flowers & greenery from your local bodega / grocery.
You can watch the full tutorial here!

Join us in flowering at home! Or if you are in Brooklyn, swing by the Olivee Floral pop up this Valentine's Day at Sincerely, Tommy (343 Tompkins Ave, Brooklyn 11216)
Karla will be there from 10am to 2pm.

Hometown: Toronto, ON Canada

How long have you lived in NYC?

8 years!

How long have you been working with flowers?

My earliest flower memory is being in the garden as a child, planting flowers with my favorite aunt. I will always remember how free it felt to move my hands in the dirt. After deciding to take my love of flowers more seriously, I took a course with Stems Brooklyn and AVS Flower School. Then I began working at Edelweiss Floral Altelier where I truly learned the most about all aspects of the flower industry. Working in the shop was like a crash course with so many invaluable lessons on best practices when handling flowers, and helping clients, along with foundation design techniques. I really admire their work and feel honored to have been part of their team!

Where did the name Olivee come from?

Olivee Floral is actually named after my great grandmother, Granny Olivee, the powerful matriarch in my mother's family from Saint Elizabeth, Jamaica. I went back to Jamaica for the first time as an adult a few years ago, and my experience really inspired me to bring her energy and honor my heritage in my work. Olivee's wild, unyielding, natural style is a direct reflection of the lush, bountiful land in Saint Elizabeth and the resilience of its people.

Where do you look for inspiration?

Mostly contemporary art, specifically work that explores color theory and texture. Artists I love include Cassi Namoda, Chioma Ebinama, and Tschabalala Self.

What is your favorite flower? (Okay - what are your top five!)

It definitely changes based on the season, but right now I'm crushing hard on Poppies, French Tulips (especially Jonquieres Tulips), Japanese Ranunculus, Anemones (especially the Pink Tiger variety- which is featured in our Sassy Pink Valentine's Day offering), and Hellebores.

Describe your work in three words

Natural, Vivid, Refined

What are your favorite bodegas to buy flowers from?

Broccoli Farm on Franklin Ave, SoHo Garden on Prince Street, and Trader Joes always has some great options too :)

What's a good tip for extending the life of your arrangement?

Keep it clean! Change the water in the vessel every other day to prevent bacteria from accumulating and bonus points if you give your stems a fresh trim after changing the water.

In your opinion, what are the elements of a good arrangment.

For Olivee's floral's signature style, I believe it's important to use a variety of greenery to create texture, fullness, and choose blooms from different styles, gesture, and size to create interest and use bold complimenting colors with a focal pop to mark the clear star of the show!  

Thank you for joining us, Karla! Be sure to follow along @oliveefloral, and don't forget to buy the flowers yourself.

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