Beth Bowman at Mitrebox

In a fortuitous pileup of our best lady friends, Beth Bowman's work will be gracing the windows at Mitrebox Framing Studio for the month of July. A talented Twin Cities painter, she is this month's featured artist at Mitrebox. Experience and have the opportunity to purchase her work at our hands down favorite frame shop (and bring that stack of 20x200 pieces that have been hanging out frameless for years, and let Mary and Sara give them the respect they deserve.)

Midway Contemporary Art Benefit Installation

Every once in a while we create something that wows even us. At the top of our list right now is an installation that we did for Midway Contemporary Art's benefit event we sponsored, entitled Judgement of Paris, recently held at Theatre de la Jeune Lune. This annual event is always a thrill for us to work on, as Midway is such an amazing organization and Laura Mullen is one of our favorite people with whom to collaborate. This year, in the midst of a super busy week, we pulled out all the stops and made something amazing (that actually made me shed a tear with pride and love for our wicked-good peeps.)

We've been caught up in the paper phenomenon for our wedding designs for a while now -- the lanterns, the pinwheels, the paper flowers, etc. We wanted to work with these elements, but in a less (and more) precious way, so we pulled out newspaper, parasols, bamboo, 6 foot fringe and about six shades of gold spray paint, and went to town creating an enormous hanging installation.

Flowerwise, we used a combination of soft shades -- spicy peach stock, fleshy parrot tulips, huge amber cymbidium orchids and gold James Storie orchids, all of which contrasted against ridiculous, but rad black lace covered vases for cocktail tables, a huge zinc vessel and dramatic lengths of contorted chestnut and French pussy willow branches as part of the center installation.

The result was kind of miraculous, and the piece received a lot of attention at the event. We also got the world's nicest and most flattering thank you note from the director of the gallery, John Rasmussen, someone we wildly respect:


Hi Liz and Heidi,

This is a little late in coming, but I wanted to thank you and your entire team for the absolutely unbelievable work you did for the benefit again this year.

I have had so many compliments on the floral and the ceiling centerpiece from guest that night.  It went so far beyond anything we expected and worked so wonderfully with all the other elements of Judgement of Paris. I'm not sure how to say this without detracting from the auction works, but it was right up there with the best pieces - we should have talked to you about auctioning it off! (:

We can't thank you all enough for all you have done for Midway over the past few years for our benefits and look forward to working together throughout the year!

Fondly,

John

Attention RePUBlicans!

 

Attention RePUBlicans, we're happy to announce that the lovely new RePUBlic at Seven Corners (formerly the infamous Sgt. Preston's) will be open for lunch starting TODAY! Come and join us on their lovely patio (amidst our jolly plantings) and have one of about a billion tap beers and some summery fish tacos. A don't miss is their two dollar petite desserts by our dear heart, the lovely and amazing Sheela Nammakal. They also have a great happy hour from 4-6pm. We'll see you there (we'll be the girls in dresses looking suspicious and digging in their planters.)

16,000 Square Feet of Endless Potential

Notably, this emblem, repeated throughout the space, symbolizes avarice.

Not for those with a fear of heights. Awesome(!) for those without.

This will remain and be turned into a rockin' mural. Each of these thousands of pieces needs to be tediously flipped by hand.

Yesterday we had the privilege of walking through CoCo's newest project in the Minneapolis Grain Exchange. Still smelling of stress, sawdust and type-A men, this historic space is being transformed into a non-traditional (and entirely brilliant) work environment for freelance professionals, small businesses and corporate workgroups. We're so thrilled to be involved with such a talented team in the creation of a lush new home, ripe for creation and collaboration. For more information about this project, check out CoCo's blog post here.

Our Favorite Things: Nurseries (or A Day of Running Around with Liz and Heidi)

Some days we do nothing but run around. Yesterday was hopelessly devoted to our foodie clients, Aster Cafe and Republic, for whom we are planting outdoor containers. After a quick trip to the Aster to size up the situation, we checked in on progress at Republic, where we found Billy O'Reilly pitching in on the painting. We heartily approve of how things are shaping up (and we daresay our paint selections are stellar in the space). After a quick stop at the Seven Corners geyser, we headed on to shop plants, including a stop at the lovely Tangletown Gardens for inspiration. 


As usual, we got gawked at at the nursery for our non-garish carts full of foliage plants. It's okay. We're cool with that. If you need smart and sexy container gardens, you know where to find us. We'd love to set you up.

Frocktails Featured on Secrets of the City

 

Summer of Dresses, which I helped to start last year is back for it's second season of prettiness. The kick off Frocktail party is tonight from 5-8 at everyone's favorite, Aster Cafe. If you're someone who prefers 'dapper' to dresses (or just wants to surround yourself with scads of pretty ladies), you are cordially invited to join us! Follow Summer of Dresses on twitter to get your fix of eyecandy. More info can be found in Secrets of the City's feature, too.

Midway Contemporary Art Benefit Art Auction Sneak Peek

Today we are beginning to set up for the magic that is Midway Contemporary Art's Annual Art Auction Benefit event. Titled The Judgement of Paris, this 7th Annual event for them will be held on Friday, April 29th, 2011 at the totally cool and slightly creepy Theatre de la Jeune Lune. We scoped out the cavernous space weeks ago, and immediately climbed for the rafters (into which we are now no longer allowed to go). We can't wait to suspend "cool shit" and help to transform this amazing and underused space in the Warehouse District. Here are a few pics from our first mission:

Thumbs up for new Blu Dot desks

We've been searching high and low for the perfect desks for our office. As if on cue, our hometown favorite Blu Dot is conveniently having a brilliant event. They are holding an online swap meet where people offer up their talents and/or first borns in the hopes of trading for a sweet piece of furniture. At risk of overkill (I also have a strut table in my library) we've got our eyes on their medium strut tables. A pair, back to back, makes a perfect 56" square, which satisfies us to no end.

We're offering a swap for a season of weekly flower arrangements (and we're cautiously optimistic that they'll go for it -- Lord knows that we are their people, and vice versa.) If you want to help our cause, please follow the link and give our offer a "thumbs up" and then check out the other propositions ranging from wildly awesome to downright creepy. Better yet, give 'em your best offer!

Radar Favorites

"Best flowers ever" are how we are described by Jen Knoch in her virtual concierge service, Radar's, What's the Deal listings. Check out her recommendations for other great local and independent Valentine's Day events, ideas and retailers including our friends at pH OREM, Mitrebox Framing and Chowgirls.

Bastian+Skoog Sponsors Raccoon Rally #boysbikesyay

We're superproud sponsors of the Raccoon Rally, an alley cat race through Minneapolis, created by Greg at Urban Bean Coffee. Sign up and ride! The event is on Friday May 7th, and ends at the 30 Days of Biking Party, an event not to be missed.

*Note: 30 Days of Biking was inspired by my 30 Days of Yoga. They get all the glory as there were only three of us who did yoga (fistbumps to @MissHQ and @cevono) vs. about a million who are biking, yet we coexist peacefully and have made a lot of new friends in the Twin Cities biking community.

26th Annual Art in Bloom

Check out our "goods" at the Minneapolis Institute of Art's Annual Art in Bloom. This splendid spring celebration highlights the talents of Bastian+Skoog as well as more than 160 floral artists, whose work will be on view next to the works of art that inspired them. You're invited to sample the fragrant scents in the museum, enjoy a lecture or demonstration, attend a party or free docent tour, and browse in the Art in Bloom Shop. The event runs Thursday, May 30th through this Sunday, June 3rd.

P.S. The last image is not our design. But you probably guessed that...

Mrs. Liz Gets Married

Our bride, affectionately nicknamed Mrs. Liz, married her groom on the breathtaking Endless Bridge at the Guthrie Theater. The Lace/Hanky lassies created some beautiful photo eye candy with the amazing architecture and lovely view of the Mississippi River and the Stone Arch Bridge. We love Linda's non-traditional orchid-hued wedding dress -- so grown up, so big city, so very Mrs. Liz.

ARTCRANK 2009: A Poster Party for Bike People

Our wheels are spinning as we plot something fabulous for ARTCRANK 2009
The show opens on Saturday, April 4 at One On One Bicycle Studio, located at 117 Washington Ave. N in the Minneapolis Warehouse District. You'll find foxy posters from the likes of Seventhsin, Aesthetic Apparatus, Joanne Grobe, and Adam Turman, The irresistible Millions Billions will make you shake it (not that there will be room to dance). Oh, and did we mention apps by Chowgirls Killer Catering and free beer? Woo hoo!
We were in earlier this week and, escorted by the always charming Charles Youel, we got to dig through the bowels of the one on one basement to scavenge for bike bits. If you haven't been, you really need to go, but make sure to tell someone where you are -- otherwise you could be lost for days... and a tough girl/greasy metal/lush swampy fresh floral installation from us will make you wish it were (really) spring.

Vote for B+S!

Downtown Journal is having their Reader Raves contest. If you happen to have time and you happen to like us, would you be so kind as to fill out their ballot and vote for Bastian+Skoog as your favorite florist? It's a great opportunity to support and promote your other neighborhood businesses, as well. The deadline for the contest is this Friday, the 13th of February, so be quick about it!

http://www.downtownjournal.com/index.php?&story=13178&page=65&category=105

Big thanks from your girls at Bastian+Skoog,
Liz and Heidi

Congratulations to our web design heroes, EightHourDay, who just finished their new website and identity, which is, of course, a triumph. We still are completely enamored with our new Bastian+Skoog site, and they seem to like it, too, as they are featuring it on their selected works page. There really aren't enough good things to say about EightHourDay -- incredible designwork, eternal patience and hand holding, and they're really, really nice kids. Check out their site to be humbled by their coolness.

The super foxy Dowling Studio

Attended (and did the flowers for) a holiday party in the Dowling Studio at the Guthrie Theater on Saturday. Wow. Fabulous. Gorgeous. Perfect. A totally dramatic and flexible space with black walls, black floors, black linens, disappearing walls, amazing city views and INCREDIBLE lighting. This is simply the hottest space we've seen in a long time. Hot boys not included (big thanks to our unwilling models, Homme and Dave).

Oh, and did I mention the food? How I love thee, Cue.

Dance Party Alert (sleep in on Thursday)

Our pally Jake is doing it again: Transmission @ Club Jager. Come dance with us, Wednesday, November 26, 2008 at 10:00pm. Here's the scoop from the horse's mouth:

Hey friends,

As the tagline reads...it is the biggest, busiest and best TRANSMISSION of the year! It's a night where everyone lets it all hang out as most can sleep in the next day and not have to go to work.

www.myspace.com/transmissiondj

If you generally have to skip TRANSMISSION on Wednesday nights due to the work week, this is your chance to come and shake it to the sounds you won't hear at any other club in town...especially the new wave and "alternative dance" songs you loved from high school and college...with a few guilty pleasures mixed in (George Michael anyone?)

It's truly going to be one heck of a night this year with great music prizes to give away and drink specials all night!

There's free parking, and the club is off the beaten path in downtown MPLS so you don't have to deal with all of the drunken folks at the cheesy bars in the heart of downtown.

My only advice is to get down there early to find your spot for the evening as people have lined up outside the doors to get in on previous years, and the club is only so big.

I can't wait to provide the soundtrack & play some early MTV vids you haven't seen since Martha Quinn was a VJ!

Cheers,

Jake

Just a taste of some of the artists you may hear. Just don't spill your drink on the floor and make the movers & shakers slip!

Pulp, Stereolab, Interpol, Charlatans, House of Love, La’s, Beatles, Ocean Blue, Velocity Girl, Ladytron, Roxy Music, Ramones, Buzzcocks, Stereophonics, Broadcast, Nick Drake, Lightning Seeds, Bertrand Burgalat, Zombies, David Bowie, Who, Small Faces, Ivy, Magazine, Wire, Gang of Four, Curve, Rapture, Manic Street Preachers, St. Etienne, Teenage Fanclub, Suede, Blur, Wedding Present, Cinerama, Fall, Electronic, New Order, English Beat, Specials, Astronaut Wife, Rolling Stones, Searchers, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Kitchens of Distinction, Unrest, Farm, Wannadies, Strokes, Hives, Jellyfish, Ian Dury, Lene Lovich, Ultra Vivid Scene, Medicine, Lush, Altered Images, Yardbirds, World Party, Byrds, Posies, Darling Buds, Echo and the Bunnymen, Smiths, Sleeper, Gorillaz, Badly Drawn Boy, Elastica, Placebo, Tourists, Moose, Divine Comedy, Komeda, Magnetic Fields, T.Rex, Radiohead, Supergrass, Oasis, Super Furry Animals, Ash, Space, Autumns, Cocteau Twins, U2, Jam, EBTG, Dubstar, James, Sugarcubes, Pale Saints, My Bloody Valentine, Ride, Stone Roses, Inspiral Carpets, Gomez, Air, Bis, Joy Division , Depeche Mode, White Stripes, Ok Go, Dandy Warhols, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Future Bible Heroes, Apples In Stereo, Fountains of Wayne, Psychedelic Furs, Happy Mondays, Madness, Belle and Sebastian, My Favorite, Human League, Bill Nelson, Birthday Party, Howard Devoto, Material Issue, Japan, Menswear, Them, Kraftwerk, Clinic, Clash, Velvet Underground, Fischerspooner, Blondie, Beta Band, Ultravox, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Madness, Rialto, Jake Rudh, Modern English, Jesus and Mary Chain, Big Star, Cardigans, Catatonia, Libertines, Babybird, Kinks, Squeeze, Komeda, Gene, Peaches, Sex Pistols, Chapterhouse, Liars, Placebo, Cibo Matto, Elvis Costello and the Attractions, Cure, Close Lobsters, Laptop, Beach Boys, Chills, Teardrop Explodes, Robert Fripp, April March, Hooverphonic, Serge Gainsbourg, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Morrissey, Le Tigre, Yo La Tango, Duran Duran, Spoon, John Foxx, A Certain Ratio, Wall of Voodoo, Nina Hagen, Hot Hot Heat, Gary Numan, X, XTC, Echobelly, Faint, Cornershop, Cast, Red House Painters, Talking Heads, Barry Gesmo Experience, Status Quo, Boo Radleys, Spiritualized, Paul Weller, Idle Hands, Sundays, Mercury Rev, Snowpony, His Name Is Alive, 12 Rods, International Noise Conspiracy, Shadow Box, My Vitriol, Teenage Fanclub, Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, Ray Wonder, Grays, Hang Ups, Magnolias, Husker Du, Matthew jay, Wire Train, Cardigans, I Monster, Redd Kross, Linoleum, Ropers, Spongetones, Wedding Present, Lyres, April Showers, Emitt Rhodes, Felt, Helen Love, Bertrand Burgalat, Taxi Girl, Aislers Set, Catherine Wheel, Tahiti 80, Hot, Creation, Dandy Warhols, Doves, Donovan, Stooges, James Taylor Quartet, Panthers, Starsailor, Straglers, Jan, OMD, Magnetic Fields, Shoestrings, Pink Floyd, Free Design, Electrlane, Jacques Dutronc, Plimsouls, Primal Scream, Riverside, Shack, Embrace, Start, Talk Talk, Dodgy, Icicle Works, Barcelona, Martina, MC 5, Auteurs, Club 8, Birthday Party, Salad, Mansun, Yardbirds, Icicle Works, Von Bondies, Sahara Hotnights, Felt, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Selecter, Chameleons, Hellacopters, Runaways, Cramps, Ocean Colour Scene, Psychic TV, A Certain Ratio, Donnas, French Kicks, Cinnamon, Devo, Silver Sun, Tindersticks, Momochrome Set, Durutti Column, Squeeze, Clean, Adorable, Ocean Blue, Death By Chocolate, Dauerfisch, Monograph, Verve, Gentle Waves, Flamin Groovies, Gene, Datsuns, Go-Betweens, Pretenders, Built To Spill, Quasi, Ladybug Transistor, Essex Green, Falling Joys, Flatmates, Ultra Vivid Scene, Jason Falkner, Muse, Venini, Sea and Cake, Electric Soft Parade, Spearmint, Bettie Serveert, Noonday Underground, Sloan, Four Corners, Radio 4, VHS or Beta, Monaco, France Gall, Turtles, Czerkinsky, Momus, Etienne Charry, Blue Aeroplanes, Jazz Butchers, Pale Fountains, Marine Girls, Mazzy Star, Lightning Seeds, Mellow, Lunar 9, Cranes, Aztec Camera, Adorable, and just about any other modern rock band from the 60's - today (does that even make sense?)

And of course a healthy dose of Steely Dan, Little River Band, Michael McDonald, Christopher Cross, Boz Skaggs and/or Hall & Oates. No, I'm not kidding.

One Word: Waiver

The Soap Factory will again this year open up it's doors and welcome you into the bowels of its seriously scary basement. It's so bloody frightening that a waiver must be signed in case you fall and can't get up, have a heart attack, need a lifetime of therapy once you escape, etc. The Haunted Basement runs from October 17th through November 2nd, nightly from 6pm-12am ($15. Not kid-friendly. Not adult-friendly, for that matter). Buy your tickets in advance, or you'll never get in. Greet our Lindsey when you're there. She'll be helping to make your stay more enjoyable...

Oh how we love the 112 eatery

It's high time to sing the praises of the 112 eatery, where people are welcome to eat at a civilized time (late), the service is always impeccable (thank you, Marcus), and the food is, well...perfect (the sea scallops with oyster mushrooms, the mind blowing 112 cheeseburger with brie on an english muffin.) Last night we had an impromptu celebration when my dessert (tres leches cake) arrived with a candle in it. I'm still not sure why, but then again, why not?