Because that means its over!

These last few weeks have been a whirlwind and I have so many blog posts waiting to happen. In my mind I have been sharing every detail of the last few weeks on my blog, but really its still all in my head. Well tonight is the night to open the floodgates! I prefer to write a separate blog post about each topic, which I will, but there have been many highlights (and lowlights) since the first entry on my new blog about the Emmy’s.

A quick recap – since the Emmy’s on September 21, we have had five weddings and a funeral (seriously), corporate events, parties, an anniversary, a fundraiser event, had a private Lit concert, designed flowers for Ellen DeGeneres and Portia DiRossi, booked new weddings, attended networking events and workshops, won awards, retreated to San Diego for a couple of days, and someone even ended up in urgent care. Its been non-stop action!

But here is why I don’t want to wash my face: not only do I look really good, today was one of those days that make it so gratifying and exciting to run my own business. I started the day with an overly ambitous 7am car service appointment that I showed up at 8:30 for… but I had a Starbucks in hand so that made it easier. I reviewed drafts of my upcoming ad campaigns from my graphic designers, consulted with a bride by phone from New York City, scheduled a creative meeting with the Production Designer and Art Director for a wedding movie I will be doing the set decor for, strategized the color scheme and linens for an upcoming photo shoot, booked a retirement party for next week, lunched with my boss from my last corporate job and was reminded of why I am so glad I left, had two scoops of ice cream , had my hair and makeup professionally done, was interviewed on camera for a business award I recently won, had a photo shoot with Joel from Studio EMP that was a mix of headshots, website content, “engagement” session with my husband (five years late that got a little racy!), and attended a Ladies Who Launch roundtable with Jen Sincero that finally got me started on my book proposal I’ve been wanting to do! What a crazy fun day after a crazy couple of weeks and there is no end in sight to the craziness… so stay tuned! So now I sadly have to go wash my face and go to bed, tomorrow is another day. I’m driving up to Carpinteria to do some research and a photo shoot at a VeriFlora Certified farm to add to my web content.

But since no blog post is complete without a few pictures, here are some from the Ceremony Magazine party for Southern California advertisers and wedding professionals that took place at Nixon Library in Yorba Linda a couple of weeks ago.

Shawni Hartman, Christine Saunders, Karla Flores, Dawn Hansen, Richelle Davidson

Marianne Lozano, Christine Saunders, and Sandy Shirgaokar

Christine and Darrell Saunders

Christine Saunders and Christy Sanchez

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When I moved into the studio in December, the property management had told me there were a few units that were used as rehearsal spaces for bands, but that they would be there on evenings and weekends so shouldn’t bother me. Well, I am usually here on evenings and weekends, and I LOVE that I get treated to private concerts every once in awhile! Its definitely a pick me up after a long day and gets my second wind going just when I need it. Since one of the units is directly behind me and shares the same driveway space, I have chatted with some of the guys on occassion, and they have even helped me unload heavy items into the studio when I couldn’t lift them myself.

Lit

A few months ago I was chatting with band member Kevin (on the far right in the picture), who in a strange twist of coincidence, was once my neighbor in Fullerton in 2002/03! Here we are, neighbors again, what a small world. Well, Kevin is the bassist for Lit, a popular band based here in Orange County, and I know you all remember their song “My Own Worst Enemy”, which you can play from their myspace page. They were rehearsing just last week when I was here late one night and was one of the best parts of a particularly long day (I’ll blog about the events of this last week soon).

One of the band members, Allen, was recently diagnosed with a brain tumor, the same kind that Senator Ted Kennedy is battling, and they were diagnosed the same week as each other. I’ve been keeping tabs on his progress and came across this article today in the OC Register about an EBay auction they are doing to raise money for his medical costs. Just thought I would share this with you all in case there is something you would be interested in bidding on, some of these things would definitely make a great wedding gift or one of a kind experience to share with your friends and family. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers and I will post any major updates here as well. Have a great week!

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I was honored that Architectural Digest Magazine invited me to return for an encore floral performance in the Architectural Digest Greenroom at the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards. I first spoke with AD100 designer Mark Boone in August, when he described the diamond aesthetic for the room in honor of the diamond anniversary of the Emmys. The palette was very neutral with silver, platinum, and clear glass that would accent the focal point of the room, a diamond chandelier! The flowers would be sitting on a “shattered” glass table directly below the chandelier, as well as accenting the cocktail tables.

My original thought was to use ‘Amnesia’ roses, which are a beautiful silvery gray, mixed with dusty miller and lambs ear. About a week out I found out that I wasn’t going to get the roses I wanted from a VeriFlora certified farm. I desperately started calling and emailing the VeriFlora certified rose farms in Equador to confirm that I could get three sets of 100 ‘Amnesia’ roses over a 10 day period for the three installations I have to do to accommodate the filming (last Friday), press day (Wednesday), and the actual Emmys (Sunday).

I wasn’t able to get them for Friday’s installation and used ‘Sterling’ roses instead, which are much too lavender and didn’t work well enough with the room. Later that day I scoured the flower market looking for at least one bunch of ‘Amnesia’ to take back to the Greenroom to test the color, but its not a common rose and was nowhere to be found. I must have looked a little crazy as I was walking the streets of downtown LA asking the vendors “Do you have Amnesia?”

In my enthusiasm in calling the farms to get the ‘Amnesia’ roses I needed, I ended up with two sets of the order from two different farms! Then we made a last minute decision to go another direction altogether and use ivory roses. I am so glad we did, as you can see from the slide show below. Finally seeing the diamond chandelier was simply breathtaking, how exciting to have the flowers I designed underneath something so spectacular! I have also included the press release that has more information about the AD Greenroom, and of course watch the Emmys on Sunday. I really hope Mary Louise-Parker wins Best Actress for Weeds, I am certainly addicted!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Christine Saunders

September 19, 2008

714-632-6885

christine@thespiraledstem.com

ROSES AND DIAMONDS: QUINTESSENTIAL HOLLYWOOD GLAMOUR IN THE ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST GREENROOM AT THE 60^th PRIMETIME EMMY® AWARDS

Sustainably Grown Flowers and Conflict-Free Diamonds to Shine Brightly on Emmy® Night

Anaheim, CA – September 19, 2008 – In an encore appearance, The Spiraled Stem Floral Design has been selected to create the floral arrangements for the Architectural Digest Greenroom at the 60th Primetime Emmy Awards, which airs Sunday, September 21, 2008 from 8:00 to 11:00 pm (ET/PT) on ABC, live from the Nokia Theater L.A. LIVE in downtown Los Angeles.

Architectural Digest AD100 designer Mark Boone was inspired by the diamond anniversary of the 60^th Primetime Emmy Awards to combine the romantic and sculptural qualities of the rare mineral with the glamour of high quality sustainably grown roses. The focal point of the room is a spectacular Hearts On Fire® Diamond Chandelier, made with over 3,300 perfectly cut diamonds from conflict free sources totaling 1,000 carats.

Resting just below, on a “shattered” glass table, is a sparkling white floral centerpiece, designed by Christine Saunders, featuring more than two dozen VeriFlora Certified Sustainably Grown ‘Amelia’ roses, lisianthus, and tulips in a clear square glass vase. Hydrangea, freesia, and snowberries complete the monochromatic color scheme while seeded eucalyptus, scabiosa pods, lambs ear, and dusty miller add just a touch of silvery green to the palette. Accent floral pieces abound on top of Mimi London’s cocktail tables fashioned from reclaimed walnut wood.

Christine Saunders, owner of The Spiraled Stem Floral Design, is a leading expert in green floral design and uses environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional products, materials, and practices available in the $20 billion floral industry. A cornerstone of her green practices, she sources VeriFlora Certified flowers – grown, harvested, and handled using practices that improve farm working conditions, protect eco-habitats, conserve water and energy, and yield fresher flowers – which help to protect the environment for generations to come.

“We’re thrilled to be working with Christine Saunders to develop the floral concept for the Greenroom,” says designer Mark Boone. “Christine’s floral designs add elegance and romance to the space. Diamonds and roses are an irresistible combination!”

The 60th Primetime Emmy Awards, produced by AEG Ehrlich Ventures LLC, airs live on ABC on Sunday, September 21, 2008 at 8:00 pm (ET/PT).

About The Spiraled Stem Floral Design

The Spiraled Stem Floral Design specializes in environmentally sustainable floral design and offers Green Flowers. Available in Every Color™. Owner Christine Saunders’ dual passions for floral design and sustainability were recently merged when she decided that The Spiraled Stem would “go green”. She uses organic and eco-label flowers, eco-friendly containers, alternatives to traditional floral design tools and materials, and more efficient office and studio practices. Christine has quickly become a leading expert in green floral design, and has been featured in Florist’s Review, Plenty, OC Metro Business and Orange County Home magazines.

Press Contacts

The Spiraled Stem Floral Design

Christine Saunders

714-632-6885 christine@thespiraledstem.com

60th Primetime Emmy® Awards/Academy of Television Arts & Sciences

Robin Mesger, The Lippin Group

323-965-1990

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