miss you mommy bloomer

What to say...today marks the 5 year anniversary of our Mommy Bloomer's passing. It was a big year, lots of emotions with the two weddings, birthdays, announcements and odd daily musings that make you pick up the phone to share with her before you realize she is gone. 5 years is a long time, but there still hasn't been a day that has gone by where she was not in my thoughts and I am forever grateful for this ability to keep her so close. Whether its a pillow I bought at West Elm that reminds me of one that she had on her couch, the way I hang the blanket over the armchair with the same purposeful carelessness, the certain spice I know she added to her lasagna and the way I find my hand curled on my lap exactly like the way hers did...she sneaks into my thoughts and my every day life keeping her memory always alive.

For the weddings, both completely different but both completely wonderful, she was definitely a driving force in most of the design choices. At the circus wedding we used the antiques she collected and lovingly finished throughout her life, the collection of doilies that rivals no other, and the part of the property to get married on by the gardens and trees that she planted with weddings in mind. And then the Israeli beach wedding, covered with bougainvillea - her favorite flower - and the colours "aqua and orange" which are just a modern way of saying "seafoam and peach" which was definitely her favorite colour palette as you could attest to our family home before our recent re-design! She was definitely as close as she could possibly be on those days and I am so grateful she left so much of herself behind for us to feel close to.

Once I wrote to Oprah and Nate asking how to re-decorate our house without losing the essence and memories we cherished most about her. Sadly, it didn't happen, and as much as we would have welcomed Oprah and Nate to our home, I know we learned more in the process of doing it on our own. We learned more about her, created new memories with her and learned how to keep her as close as possible in our every day lives. I guess we have more to offer Oprah in the future so I'm glad we didn't have our Oprah moment yet!

We don't get the chance to talk to her any more, to curl up on a couch together and laugh about the silly things that made our weird minds tick, but we still share that love for beauty, design and her ability to always swim against the current. She is definitely the Original Bloomer and we look forward to many more years of keeping her memory alive in our work.

We love you Mommy Bloomer! Thank you for everything you taught us...we will make you proud.

happy birthday momma

Today is our mom's birthday. She would have been 62 today. Every year on her birthday, one yellow rose comes up in our garden, and today there are two, which is extra special. So in Dody's honour, us Bloomers are asking you to eat a yummy cupcake, or a chocolate chip muffin, or if you're on a diet, buy yourself some lovely fresh flowers for her or go for a nice walk. She would love it if you treated yourself.

And just the other day, I remembered a song that she loved so much by Jewel, and we used to sing it at the top of our lungs all together, especially when she was sick. I think she really lived by this philosophy of living a life uncommon, and I think she raised us Bloomers to live this way too. Shayna Bloomer's vintage circus wedding is truly an example of a leading a Life Uncomon - one that is untraditional, 100% personal and breaks all expectations and boundaries. Here's a clip to the song, and the main chorus mantra which I think we should all live by:

Lend your voices only to sounds of freedom

No longer lend your strength to that which you wish to be free from

Fill your lives with love and bravery

And you shall lead a live uncommon

Happy Birthday Momma Original Bloomer - here's to a life uncommon!

remembering dody

I want to take a moment and share with you the woman who taught us to appreciate all things lovely, to stop and smell the flowers, to notice the funny little details that are always lurking around the corner, to love the intricacy of nature, to put the nice napkins out for yourself and your family, that every surface is a blank canvas for a whimsical design, that a beautiful smile goes a long way, that there is not one right way to do something in this world, that you don't have to drink milk to be healthy, that there are alternative forms of healing out there, that your gut will tell you a lot if you listen to it, that we never really die and we will always be there in some way for the people we love - in a dream, in the flicker of a light, in a smell and in a tiny touch we can just almost feel.

Everyday I think of you sweet mommy and I will be remembering all the beautiful gifts you have given us and all the breathtaking surprises still to come. I forgot to light a candle for you yesterday but please know that you are never more than a second from my thoughts and heart.

Four years ago on Monday you became our angel. Looking at pictures of you today made me realize that you truly were an earth angel. I am grateful for the short time we had together that has provided me a lifetime of love and teaching. I Love You.