MEET SHANNON MAHONEY OF THISTLE AND HONEY FLORAL DESIGN

SM: One of my favorite parts about this job is that the day to day duties are ever changing. I am not the type of person who could sit at the same desk from 9-5 every Monday through Friday! My typical day consists of waking up to the sound of my chickens, ready and eager to start the day. I let my pup out and take her for a walk. Then I answer emails, make trips to the wholesaler, meet with clients, compose estimates and contracts. On other days I get to do what I love, and that is arrange flowers and make a big, beautiful mess.

TBC:  Describe your client?

SM:  My client is someone who appreciates nature and has an eye for good design.  They may be a little bit bohemian, but still want something that feels elegant.

SM:  The San Francisco Flower Mart! I am so lucky to have such an amazing resource close to my home. Even though it’s a bit of a drive for me, it is so worth it. I feel so lucky to be able to go browse fresh, local flowers
to choose for designing.

TBC:  Where do you find inspiration?

SM:  Most definitely from nature. I have grown up and lived my life loving everything to do with ‘the great outdoors’. Everything from lichen covered branches, to broken bits of seashells scattered in the sand, to my
neighbors overgrown garden inspires me.

SM:  That’s a tough one!  All in all I try to advise my clients to try to steer clear of trends in general to ensure that they will have designs they can look back on for many years to come. Trends are popular for a reason, and
it is hard to not let them influence your decisions. Try to be true to yourself and choose flowers and ideas that are what you love!

SM:  Garden-like. I like things to feel a little wild but still with intention.  I go crazy for unusual elements and trailing tendrils and I love mixing big beautiful blooms with textural elements like berries and foliages.

TBC:  To date, what has been the highlight of your career?

SM:  In the spring of 2013 I took a Flowerwild Workshop from Kate Holt in Calistoga that absolutely changed my life. I met so many lovelies ladies from across the world all with a love of flowers – be it arranging,
growing or both! It really inspired me to take the leap into following my passion.

TBC:  What was your ‘big break’?

SM:  To be honest, I can’t say that I have had one ‘big break’. I have worked hard and taken a lot of baby steps to get to where I am. So I am still waiting on that one 🙂

SM:  The overall feel of the event, the season, and her personality.

TBC:  What’s your favorite part about weddings when it comes to the florals?

SM:  Seeing it all come together on the wedding day!  You spend so many countless hours meeting with the couple, working on the proposal, fine tuning the order, designing, lugging, and scrubbing. To see everything at the venue in all of its glory and to know that you just contributed something beautiful to that, is surely one of the most important days of the couple’s life is truly gratifying.

SM: Follow your dreams!  But don’t think that all this job entails is playing with flowers. There is a lot of hard work involved and a LOT to learn.  Focus on both learning to design and learning how to effectively run a business. You can not succeed without the balance of the two. There will be a lot of stress, a lot of naysayers, and a lot of learning curves, but living out your passion makes it all worth it.

SM: Oh! I love to light candles too. But I can’t say that it would be considered a ritual because I almost always have them lit. I mostly prefer to design in silence, while sipping coffee. But depending on the occasion I do enjoy some music to set the mood!

SM:  Assuming the wedding is on a Saturday, the whole process generally begins on Wednesday. This day is dedicated to picking up the flowers and cleaning them. This gives the flowers a chance to acclimate and flourish. Thursday and Friday are spent designing, saving things like boutonnieres and flower crowns until last so they will stay fresh. Saturday is for the tetris game of fitting everything into the car, setting up, and sometimes waiting to strike the event once it is through. Sunday is for laying around in exhaustion and starting at the mess you’ve created, and are too tired to clean up! Luckily for me, my friends and family typically get to participate in the madness with me.

SM:  Please don’t make me! But I guess if I HAD to, I would love be a farmer! I love to watch things grow and I love animals. Combining the two would really be a fulfilling career.

TBC: Describe your personal style…what are your favorite stores to shop at? Personal as in your fashion style or your home.

SM: My style is simple, I love neutral colors mixed with the occasional print. My favorite stores for myself are H&M, Old Navy, and Anthropologie. I am not a huge fan of shopping. I wish everything could just magically appear in my closet! My home is a little more funky than my personal style. I shop a lot at West Elm, Anthropologie, and antique stores. Sacramento has a great Antique Fair once a month that I have to limit myself on frequenting because I could come home with enough stuff to decorate my whole block!