I've been all about the little things these days. Things like my morning cup of coffee, walks with my husband, calls with my family, reading a good book on a Friday night--those things have become so special and have played an essential role in keeping my spirits high during these changing times.

One thing that has been a surprisingly huge mood booster for me is having fresh flowers on my desk. Before quarantine set into place I traveled frequently, usually every other week but sometimes weekly. Getting fresh flowers wasn't always practical since I wouldn't be able to enjoy them but they have been an essential addition to my everyday during these times. 

I find myself staring at them periodically, in awe of their beauty. Especially tulips! As I sit and make dainty necklaces or work on my jewelry to-do list I watch as they unfold their petals as time passes and then how their stems take on a willowy look. It's like a daily performance art piece right before my eyes. 

Above is a picture of my at-home office set up: a couch for when I need to take a break from the computer, a gallery wall that brings me back to my Michigan roots and reminds me of my trips to Paris, my iPad playing smooth jazz from my favorite Spotify playlist, a new book by The LadyGang and front and center a stunning bouquet of light pink tulips.

Below is an absolutely stunning photo from Jo Rodgers of fresh garden roses perfectly placed in a white ceramic vase. I love watching her Instagram Stories and getting a sneak peek inside her garden in London, England. 

After reading a Vogue article about how flowers make you feel better I realized I wasn't the only one who was feeling the wonderful effects of flower power and I had an epiphany that my love for flowers goes way beyond just bouquets. Almost all of my bath and body products are infused with flower fragrance (my favorite body scrub and face oil), I have flower candles throughout the house and I follow a ton of flower accounts on Instagram. 

Each and every one of these makes me SO happy and boosts my mood. 

As you can see in the above photo I have my essentials for the work day: a beautiful bouquet of bright blood orange tulips, dainty gold filled chain for making new anklets, necklaces and bracelets and my ink pad + rubber stamp for hand stamping the jewelry boxes and bags for your orders. 💛

While fresh flowers may not solve problems or finish off my to-do list, they give me energy and feed the soul. As cliché as that sounds, it's true. They're a subtle reminder of the beauty in this world and the amount of times I've smiled because of them reminds me of one of those credit card commercials, "Flowers: $15. A smile from those flowers? Priceless." 

Whether you take a moment to admire the flowers on your daily walk, grab a bouquet from your grocery store or pick some from you very own garden, I hope their beauty brings you a sense of calm and happiness now and always. 

They're also the perfect Just Because gift, way to say thank you, Birthday present or treat for yourself. Add in a dainty gold piece of jewelry and I'd say you have the essentials for a perfect present.  

Oh and if you do get a bouquet from a grocery store, make sure to take off the petals on the lower half of the stems and cut the bottom of the stems at a slant before placing them in your vase. This will help them drink up lots of fresh water. If you have time, changing their water every few days and giving them a fresh clip at the bottom of their stems will make them last longer too! 

 XOXO, Katie