I fear I am a wee bit late to the proverbial blog party with this post, but I couldn’t help sharing my ever growing collection of balsa wood flower images. 

I’ve been totally intrigued with these little beauties since I first saw them on JL Designs blog last summer and have been desperately looking for more information on them ever since.  Like, for example, where you can buy them!  My hunt turned up exactly zero wholesalers or florists on the east coast though you can order them online from SaveOnCrafts.com (they’re even on sale now…but I’m about to buy all of them for no good reason other than I want them)

They are remarkably affordable considering they are handmade from tapioca wood peel, also called sola wood, a naturally derived paper product.  And because they aren’t technically a live flower, they never die making them the perfect eco-friendly alternative to a floral bouquet.  Love that! 

But I think my favorite thing about these little beauties is their very chameleon-like ability to look equally at home in vastly different settings.  Case in point – when set alongside birch and cotton in a very organic setting, their tactile, “please touch me” quality is highlighted (see the genius designs below from Lauryl Lane.  Aside:  Is that not the best name?).  Yet they look equally gorgeous when that that same softness is juxtaposed against the hard lines of seashells and coral.  They even start to look a bit shell-like themselves in that setting I think.

In short, I’m in love and hope to see them popping up everywhere.

What do you think?  Great alternative to fresh flowers?  Or you’re not digging funky paper flowers for your wedding?

{Photo credits: 1st, 2nd & 4th row: JL Designs, 3rd row: Krislyn Custom Florals}

{Photo credits:  Jasmine Star with Lauryl Lane florals}

Last week I pulled together a few images of dreamy, ethereal baby’s breath to prove that this flower, while low in cost, can be high in style when celebrated for its simple beauty (ie, not as cheap filler).

Then as if on cue, I see a tweet from @prettychicky about this gorgeous Stephanie Williams winter wedding that features…what else…BABY’S BREATH! As if you needed any more convincing on baby’s breath’s prettifying power.

Check out the full wedding here including a seriously gorgeous gardenia and ostrich feather bouquet.  Loving everything about this wedding.

This image from the fab-u-lous Agnes Lopez for the latest issue of Jacksonville Magazine’s BRIDE makes me long for Spring somethin’ bad.  Is it the Easter egg colored balloons?  Or that too-perfect Lela Rose bridesmaid dress in that happy yellow?  Maybe all of the above?

*sigh*…3 inches of snow predicted for Raleigh today.  I’m so over it.

See more from this fun shoot over at Style Me Pretty including the CUTEST honey bear cake.

Baby’s breath.  The mere mention of those two words is enough to send you running with images of sad little grocery store bouquets in mind.  But I will never see these unassuming little flowers in quite the same way after pulling this post together. 

The trick:  use them in mass and solo.  Adding other flowers to the mix immediately downgrades them to “filler” status.  Using them alone keeps them the unabashed star of the show.  I love the idea of using mounds and mounds of them in a Winter wedding, all billowy and ethereal.  But these images prove they are equally gorgeous at a Spring affair. 

Look for it under its more “official” flower name of gypsophia (and bonus, it comes in other colors, though white is still my favorite).  Best of all, you can achieve a really lush, over the top look without killing your budget.  20 bunches are less than $200 and each bunch consists of 6-9 stems, more than enough for a beautiful, full bouquet. 

{Photo credits: Top row: Leigh Miller Photography, Second row: Christine Chang Photography via Style Unveiled, Third row: Stephen Karlisch Photography, Cinderella Project, Fourth row: Justine Ungaro, Fifth & Sixth rows: Leigh Miller Photography}

I fell in love with Nicki’s Cakes after seeing their work featured on a fabulous Style Me Pretty “Inspiration to Reality” challenge that showcased all North Carolina vendors.  You might recall, I blogged about it here? Yes, of course I’m biased but I have to say it was my favorite Inspiration to Reality feature they’ve done yet.  I just love the whole look of this wedding (kudos to the gals at Salt Harbor Designs!)

Today’s post is a all about the women behind the gorgeous cake in that feature, Nicki McRae of Nicki’s Cakes.   Nicki grew up in South Africa and moved to the States in 1985.  She’s a graduate of UNC Chapel Hill and has lived in Wilmington with her hubby for the last 15 years.  She was gracious enough to entertain a few questions which I hope will be helpful to all you planning brides-to-be out there still looking for a baker.  But first, a look at these beautiful cakes!

How did you get started baking?  Was it always something you loved to do?
Nicki:  “I started decorating cakes after taking a cake class at Michael’s craft store.  I loved it and ran out and bought books on cake decorating.  I would practice all the time.  I started making simple cakes for friends and slowly started working my way into wedding cakes.  My love of decorating came first and then the baking.”

And how long have you been in business?
Nicki:  “I’ve been in business for 5 years now.”

How many cakes, on average, are you doing a week?
Nicki:  “I do one or two wedding cakes per week during wedding season and  I work out of my home so I can spend time with my children after school.”

Do you have some favorite flavors that get requested again and again?
Nicki:  “My most popular flavors are plain vanilla pound cake and my chocolate fudge cake.  My chocolate icing is really good- it has ganache and Godiva liqueur in it and folks just love it.”

Lastly, I have to know…with all these cakes, do you have a favorite that stands out?  One you thought, “wow, I can’t believe how good that looks?” or a really fun request?
Nicki:  “I think for my most ‘fun’ cake request, I would say the surf board cake.  It was for a very cute couple who loved surfing and wanted to reflect that in a more original wedding cake.  I made a woody car toting surfboards and surrounded it with surfboard crowned cupcakes.  They loved it!”

And for your “favorite” cake?
Nicki:  “That would probably be my white chocolate ‘plastic’ cake.  It’s not really plastic of course!  It’s rolled out strips of white chocolate that I hand ruffle in layer upon layer upon layer to achieve this totally decadent and over the top look.”

OMG, all that chocolate!  That has to take forever!  Have you had any requests to make it again?
Nicki:  “Yes!  I’ve done it 4 times since the first one.  I think brides love that not only does it look unique and very special, but of course it tastes divine.”

Mmmm…and isn’t that just the holy grail of wedding cake aspirations?  I hate when a pretty cake tastes like cardboard…what a let down!

Thank you so much Nicki for sharing some time with White Thread!  I am absolutely in LOVE with the modern, minimalistic aesthetic that Nicki favors on many of her cakes.  They’re gorgeous without being gaudy, “about to crash under the weight of sugar flowers” creations.  And I also love that she’s still a small shop, giving personal attention to each bride and really focusing on every cake that goes out that door personally.  That kind of attention to detail is so wonderful to have.  One of those “must consider” things when picking vendors!

…and now, I’m starving!