Creative Living : A week in the life of

I’m not if this is a bit mad, boring or indulgent but I wanted to write a week in the life…I saw one on a favourite Substack and thought I’d give it a try. If you’re reading this then you’ll know I felt brave enough to press publish!

There is a romantic notion to growing flowers. Idyllic images of gently wafting through fragrant flower beds wearing some kind of all white outfit often come to mind. The reality is always a little different (and much less photogenic!). There are hours unseen planning and physical work that go into each flower. What I share here on my website and on social media is the the tip of the iceberg. The absolute best. For me my everyday is a tangible mix of school pick ups, washing loads and managing the seasons. For this post I wanted you to see what happens behind the scenes in my floral work. It feels really exposing, so I ask you to read with kindness.

I’m proud of the world I’ve created but running a flower farm from your kitchen is not for the faint hearted.

For back ground. I set up my flower farm on a bit of whim during the 2020 lockdown – selling flowers over my front wall. The flowers took off and I knew I had found my ‘thing’. After leaving my corporate job when having children. I was looking for a job that fitted around family life. My husband works extremely long inflexible hours. Good or bad, it means childcare and everything else falls to me. Looking realistically at my situation when going back to work. I didn’t have a ‘village’ that supported the hours my old job required. What I did have, was an usual skill set I’d equipped myself working corporate jobs by day and writing and running craft workshops by night.  Flower farming combined everything I’d studied and worked for!

Grab yourself a drink – it’s a long post. I really hope you enjoy it. xx

Monday 31st March.

This week started with the clock change – making us all feel a bit groggy. However, our car needed a service so we were out early before school. I was exploited for pocket money as we had to detour to the mechanic on the way.  I do secretly love being out early, the extra journey gave us time to for a nice chat.

The morning was a mix of this and that. I don’t normally ‘work’ on a Monday. I use Monday’s to get my home straight, clean the floors and make sure we have food in for the week. After hosting Mother’s Day the day before, I didn’t need extra food. I used my ‘supermarket’ time to water the garden and make up and photograph March’s bouquet.

After picking up the car at lunchtime. I cleaned up the remaining leftovers from the weekend and started getting ready for Tuesday’s private wreath workshop. Before I knew it, school pick up loomed and it was time to change gear.

As my children have got older I find they need me less in some ways but more in others. After school they really need snacks (obvs) and downtime. I like to be around but not in their faces. I tend to use this time for housework. So I sorted washing and gave upstairs a bit of a tidy. I could of done with a sit down but got the dining room prepped for the workshop. Mainly moving stuff out the way and cleaning some more before cooking tomorrow’s cake and tonight’s dinner.

Dinner, homework and bedtime take up the last few hours of the day. However most Monday’s I head to the  gym after bedtime and come home for well earned bath!

Tuesday 1st April

Workshop day. A quick trip to the wholesaler for eucalyptus straight after the school run. Then spent the rest of the morning cleaning and setting up. You’ll notice a lot of cleaning happening. The downside of running everything from home means a constant switching of roles from my space. It works (for now) but I do find the constant clean up exhausting.

The private workshop was amazing. The ladies who joined me at the table couldn’t have been nicer – they could have stayed all day. Since starting workshops well over twelve years ago I have refined them so everyone feels welcome, able and comfortable. We made wonderful dried flower wreaths and spent a lovely two hours chatting. I do feel very fortunate to be able to do what I do.

Of course the school pick up swings by too quickly. I grab snacks and sprint to collect my children. Once home I tidy the workshop away and then crack on with dinner and homework.

After dinner I received the kindest feedback which made my day. I really appreciate it when people take time to give feedback. Working with flowers means I get a glimpse into all the good stuff people do. It’s taught me how important it is to go that extra mile in thanking others and just being a nice person!

Wednesday 2nd April

Bin Day! Every school day starts with breakfast at the table. For me it’s really important that we sit  and eat together, however brief. It’s a moment of calm before the getting ready for school chaos. We’ve been doing the same routine for years. Yet, EVERYDAY my children forgot how to put socks on and how to brush their teeth!

It was a big morning in the garden. There was lots to do before the school holidays my focus was getting the last of the seedlings into their beds. A delivery of flowers for funeral on Friday arrived mid morning meaning  I was outside longer than expected. I was hoping to get a blog post up. I’ve been learning that writing helps to bring in new customers. Regular posting here and on my Instagram page helps potential customers know I’m a real person. I have to schedule this into my week.

At school pick I knew something was off. Milly came home upset so I spent time talking with her. Something had happened at school making her feel not good enough. I know this feeling well and have really worked on this over the last few years. It breaks my heart when I hear her say it. As much as possible I try to reassure her and make sure we have space to go through these things.

If I’ve had a physical day in the garden. I try and have a ‘break’ once the school run is done. Today I had a quick cup of tea and read of Substacks. Then more washing – why so much? and of course dinner and homework.

My husband was out for a work thing so bath and bedtime are on me. Once done I had enough power to finish editing photos for my April cutting garden post. Normally I stop once bedtime is done but I’m trying hard to stay on top of photos and posts this year. I did switch off about 30mins before bed and watched a home makeover programme. I love anything with a rotting ceiling and big transformation!

Thursday 3rd April

Today was always going to be busy. After the morning school run I headed to allotment to water last weeks seedlings and pick narcissi and hedgerow for Friday’s funeral. I was there longer than planned as I got talking. Listening to some WONDERFUL stories about roses and kindness fuelled me for the rest of the day. Even though I felt behind with my plans. I managed to get home and get an hours writing done. Letting my Saturday ‘Quickies’ know the details for the weekends workshop and writing my April Cutting Garden post.

A quick stop for lunch then onto funeral work. Normally I make funeral sheafs, this time I planned a casket spray. It took an hour to work out the mechanics to sustainably support the flowers. Once happy the base was sturdy, non-slip and keep the flowers hydrated. It was time to start adding flowers until it was time for school pick up number 1.

My son had a school disco. After school it was a mix of more funeral work and cooking an early dinner. Once we’d eaten and my son changed. We headed back to the school. I carried on with my funeral flowers until the last school pick up at 7.30. I put my son to bed and then gave the house a quick tidy as it had got out of control. I went to bed exhausted!

Friday 4th April.

My husband leaves for work at 5am – ish. Some days I sleep through but today I briefly woken as he left for work. My alarm went of at 6 as I hoping to do a final check for the funeral flowers before the children woke up. The clock change has thrown them so we were all up at 6! I sorted the days school uniform had 15 min with the flowers and then breakfast. My Brother-in-Law takes the children to school on Friday’s so I get an extra 45 mins or so. I used the time to finish the funeral flowers and get everything ready.

I really love doing funeral flowers, they are such a privilege. The family wanted me to dress the coffin. I spent about 45 mins adding ivy around the coffin at the funeral directors. Making sure it was well secure and blended into the flowers on top. The funeral directors were so lovely. They moved cars and the coffin outside so I could take photos not in the prep room. I really appreciated that.

Back home and time to collect the weekly vases I supply to Food, Leigh-on-Sea. I normally collect the day before but there was no time yesterday. The flowers were already cut and ready to go. All that needed to be done was a vase clean, refill and then dropped back. Lovely!

I make sure I get to the gym twice a week. I don’t normally make a lunchtime session but squeezed it in. My legs ached from the day before and I really didn’t want to go but knew it’d make me feel better. It did of course.

Then time for the last school pick up of the term. Hooray! Still no time to stop as I had to get ready for swimming lessons and also do something to mark my husbands birthday. I cleared the dining room table for the hundredth time, wrapped his present and fashioned a birthday cake from a cheesecake someone left in the fridge on mother’s day!

After swimming. I cooked dinner. My husband was late home so we didn’t eat until after 7. I’m glad I was able to make it a little special.

Saturday 5th April 

It was a beautiful day for a Quickie Workshop. I normally get my workshops set up the day before. If you’re still reading then you’ll know its been a full on week. I had to drop my eldest to a party and try and buy some more scissors. Which was harder than you’d imagine!  I was home by 11:30 and quickly set up the days workshop. We were using the remaining dried flowers from Tuesday’s workshop. I’d kept everything downstairs making the set up fairly straight forward.

Of course (wink), the workshop was fantastic. I had ten wonderful women at the table making Spring wreaths. I feel like I have found my groove with workshops. Keeping them light and using up what I have is making such a difference to my creative flow. I love the challenge of coming up with a new theme every month. I also love, the personal challenge of doing less and still being enough.

I can’t remember what happened after the workshop! I’m sure it involved more clearing up and making dinner!

Sunday 6th April

Nearly there! I switch all social media off on Sunday’s to give myself a proper day off. Taking Instagram off my phones is always my first job. The boundaries between work and life are blurry, I find that I need a break from being online once a week. It lets my mind settle and I can get lots more done!

We were off to York for a few days so I started packing in the morning. We met up with my husbands Mum and Brother for lunch to celebrate their birthdays. I was grateful I didn’t need to cook.

When the family had gone, I finished packing. It was bath and bed as usual before I fell asleep on the sofa!

This week had been a mega one. I took me a while to process how much I’d managed in terms of childcare and developing my business. I don’t think there will ever be a perfect balance so I don’t strive for it. I always aim for flow and rhythm. Trying to enjoy both the busy and quiet times.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this post and feel like you know me a little more.