By: Juliana Pires Johnson
We first discovered Amelia and her incredible Floral Design Studio, Birch & Bone through one of our most creative friends (hi Blake!). We pulled up her IG account (@birchandbone) and seconds turned into hours of browsing through some of the most beautiful, colorful and creative pieces we have every seen. Amelia’s designs speak to all of your senses and sparks incredible joy. We naturally started hiring Amelia for all of our high-profile events. When COVID hit, events put on pause and Amelia was able to start offering at-home floral delivery, we signed up. Honestly each arrangement purchased brought such life and bliss into our homes each week and made our work from home days so much brighter. We’re so happy to bring her to all of your because Amelia is just like her arrangements – a delight and inspiration.
Q: How did you transition from being LA’s most popular sustainable butcher to LA’s most colorful and creative florist (in my opinion)?
A: Aww thanks haha! I have actually been working with flowers for 24 years (minus 5 years of butchery!) I left my fancy florist job in NYC to go train with master butchers in upstate NY in 2008- then moved back home to LA to open Lindy & Grundy. It was an amazing, wild 4 years of butchery- and when it ended in divorce and the dissolution of the business, I took a much-needed break for a year to find myself again. I was drawn back to my first love- flowers! I launched Birch & Bone in 2015! I learned so much about business, success, failure, my strengths and weaknesses during the Lindy & Grundy days- it gave me the confidence that I can do ANYTHING! 5 years later I am in my stride and so happy!
Q: What skills did you take with you that apply to both?
A: The ability to let go of complete control, so that I can delegate my work to others and lift them up in the process. It’s so important to be able to relinquish some control as a business owner- don’t spread yourself too thin! Let others help you.
Q: What inspires you? Where do you find inspiration for your gorgeous pieces?
A: I am inspired by art, architecture and design. I look to artists for color palette inspiration, and to architecture and designers for texture inspiration.
Q: Biggest lesson being a business owner living through the Covid the pandemic? What have you gained from 2020 and you’re bringing into 2021 and what are you leaving behind?
A: The biggest lesson for me has been to continue to take risks. In March 2020 every single event on my books got cancelled for the year, leaving me with 2 options: pivot to retail deliveries or find a new career…I chose to fight for the business I have worked so hard to build. I chose to pivot so that I could save my business. So many floral designers in my world are hyper focused on what 2021 weddings and events look like- I am focused on growing the retail side and launching products. Pre-Covid, I was strictly events, but I am not really taking on any weddings these days as everything stills feels up in the air- I am choosing to focus on growing my ecommerce platform and when the BIG events come back I will be ready for that too, but for now it’s just all about ecommerce for me.
Q: How does working with florals affect mood and helped (or didn’t help) you through this past year?
A: I am incredibly bored if I am not designing at least 4 days a week. Physically creating floral pieces and being able to lift other people has been a true blessing during Covid, but I will say- it’s been challenging to always come through with fresh inspiration this past year. When the world is in panic mode, and Covid deaths raging, politics and the election, protests, economic devastation – all of those factors have been at the forefront of my headspace for a year…so it’s hard to just compartmentalize trauma and depression and stress and just create art. This has been the hardest year of my life (of all of our lives I am sure), and I have been easy on myself- sometimes just showing up and putting pretty pieces together has to be enough. Everything doesn’t have to be a masterpiece in my eyes, I am not competing for the best in show here, I am surviving , keeping a roof over my head, and holding onto my livelihood as best I can.
Q: Tips to help someone put together a quick and impressive arrangement from the home with supermarket flowers?
A: Grab 2-3 bunches of any variety of supermarket flowers…then go to your yard or for a walk with some clippers (not other people’s yards obviously, but public spaces) and snips some cool textured pods, some funky greens or palms you can immediately add whimsy and texture to any simple flowers from the supermarket.
Q: Any wellness rituals/ practices you lean into for mental health?
A: ALONE TIME. Not easy to come by for people who have families or partnered people- but finding an hour a day that is just yours is so important- I take that time in a long bath while listening to a podcast, or solo walks with my dog to get some outdoor time.
Q: Favorite flower?
A: SO HARD. Right now, sweet peas. Next week, anthuriums…yesterday…tulips!
Q: Favorite meal/drink?
A: My favorite meal – a lobster roll from Broadstreet Oyster Co along with a crisp Pilsner, hanging along PCH.
Q: Any quotes/ sayings that you live by?
A: Don’t compare yourself to others, just focus on your own grind, your own unique hustle. Don’t worry about what the others are doing, focus on YOUR OWN WORK! It’s crippling to doom scroll on social media and get yourself all worked up comparing yourself to others- YOU are EXACTLY where you are meant to be.
Q: Other female businesses who you want to celebrate and give a shout out to?
A: Nicole Rucker of Fat and Flour – a huge inspiration and great woman! So talented and hard-working, I really adore her. BEST PIES IN LA. Period.