Big news! I've started a wedding blog for nature inspired brides. Sweet Violet Bride will showcase real weddings, DIY ideas, inspiration, and resources! I feel this blends perfectly as I continue to build my line of woodland bridal hair accessories!
Violets have a special meaning to me (I was picking violets when I decided I wanted to marry my husband), and I also like their meaning.
Sweet Violet (Viola odorata) also known as the wood violet, can be deep violet, or white in color. It can mean faithfulness, love, virtue, affection, and ‘lets take a chance on happiness.’
I just love weddings and want to provide a place on the web where brides can be soak up the inspiration that I search for each day. Be sure to check it out!

Birch bark is one of nature's most versatile treasures. It can be used on just about anything; book covers, baskets, boxes, tags, toppers, and even jewelry. When it comes to nature inspired weddings, it makes for a woodland chic theme that you and your guests will never forget. I used birch as an inspiration for my own outdoor wedding. The beautiful natural paper was used as the cover of our guestbook, left on natural birch log candle holders, as a cover on the favor boxes (which held wildflower seed!) and our cake was scuplted to look like birch bark.
I can't seem to get enough birch, so I've started a board on Pinterest (you can follow me by clicking the link in the right sidebar of my blog). Here is one of my favorite finds, by Elizabeth Scott Designs (esdesigns).

Vintage labels, especially those from old french perfume labels, have really caught my attention lately. Many of them have been an inspiration to me as I prepare for the new Violette Bath & Body line. Here are a few I'd like to share (you can tell I have a thing for the violette labels!), that induce a sweet longing for spring and everything pretty ; ) And, a little idea for brides who happen to love the way these look: What about designing your invitations in old label style!?

Attention all you earthy brides! I must share one of my favorite "woodland" books, 'Woodland Style: Ideas and Projects for Bringing Foraged and Found Elements Into Your Home' by Marlene Hurley Marshall. This is one of the books that influenced me to start Nature Inspires in the first place!
It is full of beautiful projects using natural elements such as twigs, vines, roots, pinecones, acorns, seedpods, moss, bark, flowers, and stones.
With the turn of every page I am inspired with ideas for wedding ceremony and reception decorations. From masks and hats made of moss and seeds (perfect for a woodland masquerade!) to wreaths and baskets of birch bark, and magical moss-covered tables. Marshall shows us that the possibilites with foraged materials are nearly endless. I would love to see someone make one of the twisted vine structures like the one artist Patrick Dougherty makes, perhaps into an archway at a wedding ceremony site!
Take a look. You won't be dissappointed with this book.
Happy foraging!

For a long time now I've been meaning to write about one of the designers that most inspires me. Claire Pettibone, even her name sounds delicate and beautiful. Her couture bridal designs are more than stunning, it is as if they have been plucked right from the garden or the meadow. Her use of floral details is endlessly amazing to me and she never neglects the backside of a dress. Often the backs are just as suprising, if not more than the fronts.
 Of course, I'm also partial to the fresh-from-the-forest-flowers often seen in the hair of her models. If you are seeking an elegant, natural look and love flowers you should take a look at her designs, and then consider completing your look with one of my woodland hair pieces ; ) Her new spring 2012 collection is as refined as ever.
http://clairepettibone.com/bridal/?cp=lookbook/2012

In early 2012 my new line of luxurious at-home spa items will become available. Violette Bath & Body is inspired by vintage French labels, herbal tinctures, essential oils, and violets, one of my favorite wildflowers, and favorite colors! It is also inspired by the story of my great grandmother, Marcella, who was born in France and sold cut flowers for a livng as a little girl. These lip balms, bath salts, soaps, floral waters, and perfumes will feature real botanicals and lots of beautiful floral scents.
To make room for Violette, all of the items in the www.naturesbotanicals.etsy.com shop are ON SALE through the end of the year! And don't worry, I will be keeping a few of the customer favorites, such as the rosemary mint lip balm.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS from Nature Inspires!

~Naomi