Flowers make me happy. And you know what else makes me happy, the lady behind this flower blog. Meet Holly Hipwell. She's a full time flower enthusiast, flower arranger, flower smeller, meeting maker and owner of The Flower Drum. She's funny, quirky and I recently just did one of her flower bombing classes where I chatted with her to find out all things going on in The Flower Drum world:
When I was a kid I wanted to be...
A flight attendant
How did The Flower Drum start?
I have always wanted to be a florist, but it just never really happened. I started visiting the flower markets a lot, became really addicted and I thought, this is it, I love this so much, I'm going to start doing this! I went around to so many flower shops offering myself for work experience and they all said no. That made me so mad. I was offering to sweep up leaves for FREE?! How could people not want me?
So I just started my little flower drum blog, people started reading it.... Then people started emailing and calling me for weddings and events. I didn't really know what to do, but I just worked it out. And now here I am with my own shop, great clients and I am teaching other flower enthusiasts how to make Flower Bombs at The School!
What's on your bedside table?
Lots of cups, I drink tea in bed a lot. A huge amethyst rock, an industrial lamp and a Cire Trudon candle. It smells so beautiful even when it's not burning!
Describe your style:
It really changes, sometimes I want to get super dressed up and just go out to get milk. Sometimes I want to be comfortable, and sometimes I just don't think my outfits through at all.
On flower market mornings I literally get dressed in the dark. And by 8am I look down and think, seriously? Why am I getting around in this outfit?! One day I will wear a stripe dress with a stripe jumper and look like a human packet of lifesaver lollies and sometimes I will wear black jeans and a t-shirt that's reasonably clean that I've found on the floor.
I love printed jeans, high waisted skirts and plain charcoal t-shirts. I have been known to get around in top to toe leopard print. The more prints and patterns the better!
My necklace was given to me by my dad over 20 years ago. He had it made for me when he was on a trip to Dubai. I've lost it, broken it, fixed it and found it. It's usually safer just to wear it!
The picture on my bag is the Cana of Galilee. I picked it up from my very special secret favourite flea market for five dollars. I had to give the stall holder my phone number so he could "call me if they found anymore." It's beaded with hundreds and thousands of beads and it doesn't really have a handle but I love the colours in it, it goes with everything and nothing.
How would you spend your last $100?
I would go to the nail bar and get so much nail art, and on my way there I would buy a strawberry milkshake. That leaves me with about $37. So, I'd probably put another $20 of petrol in my car so I could drive out to the flower markets and spend my last $17 on flowers!
Most exciting project so far?
I have been really lucky to work with some great clients and also sharing some great collaborative efforts with friends. I think the most rewarding project would have to be the flower bomb heads I made for the Alannah Hill stores around Australia. I was holed up in my tiny apartments making ever lasting flower bombs night after night. It was so much work, and it literally took control of my whole living area and life! But when I walked by the window of Alannah Hill and saw my hard work dazzling in the shop front, I was truly so so pleased.
Current obsessions:
Nail art, that's never-ending really. I will love nail art for ever. And ever.
Watching tv series (I just finished watching all of Weeds) and anything glittery!
Favourite place in the world?
My dad was a pilot so I was lucky enough to travel to so many beautiful places in this world.
My favourites, by plane - Cebu, in the Philippines and Split, in Croatia.
My favourites by car - The Wendy Garden in Lavender Bay and the flower markets in Flemington.
I always love coming home to the Northern Beaches though.. it's the best!
If not flowers, then what?
Well, if I never took the opportunity to move to Sydney, I might have still been a helicopter hostess. If I wasn't into flowers, I'd love to get a job that involved eating snacks. Or maybe, I like writing too... maybe a restaurant reviewer! If I didn't do that, then no doubt I would have opened a shop and every six months the products would change. Half the year it would sell dresses and the other half of the year it would sell chocolates. Up until recently, I had spent the best part of six years working in marketing and public relations too, that was always plenty of fun!
For more blooming goodness and all things nice, head to
theflowerdrum blog.
Photographs and collages by me.
Collage images from the flower drum blog.
