Lesleigh Kowalski Frank, PhD, OTR/L

Researcher | Clinician | Mother | Alaskan

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bloomsbury blooms: the cutest florist in alaska

Activities, alaska

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Earlier this year, I was on a quest to find a local florist with a modern yet bohemian vibe and was thrilled when I discovered Bloomsbury Blooms. Located at 706 West 4th Avenue, it is undoubtedly the best and cutest flower shop in Alaska! Dallas Wildeve owns the shop and she is just as lovely, inviting, and interesting as her stunning creations. She artfully combines locally grown, foraged, and imported blooms to create beautiful arrangements for any occasion: weddings, parties, holidays, just because, etc. She always puts her creations in equally stunning vases that are both interesting and complimentary to the arrangement. She delivers in the Anchorage area and now offers a flower subscription! Flowers automatically delivered each month? That is my dream. (There are few things I love more than having fresh flowers in the house.)

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The other week, I had the lovely opportunity to spend an afternoon at Bloomsbury Blooms with Dallas and her assistant, Kaisa, while they made arrangements. I loved browsing around the shop, which is cleverly decorated in a “there’s so much to look at” kind of way without it feeling cluttered or overwhelming. Basically, it’s that chic bohemian vibe I never could quite master. It also has the best selection of Rifle Paper Co in Anchorage, so head there if you need pretty papers.

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I would’ve been happy to take everything home. We chatted about blogging, what brought us to Alaska (both for fellas), her craft, and the evolution of Anchorage’s downtown scene. I picked her brain about flowers, why my succulents always die, business, and how in the world she gets everything in her arrangements to stay in place. Read on for her thoughtful answers!

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Me: What made you decide to start Bloomsbury Blooms?
Dallas: I am not sure if I was born an artist or cultivated into one. My mother and Stepfather are both artists and I grew up surrounded by art. My Mother is also an amazing gardener and flowers have always been part of my life. I had created in many mediums, but when I started working with flowers I knew I had found my perfect medium. Every aspect of flowers brings me joy, planting them, ordering them, arranging them, and seeing others enjoy them. 
 
Me: What does the name represent to you? 
Dallas: The Bloomsbury Group was an influential group of English writers, artists and philosophers including Virginia Woolf, E.M. Forster and John Maynard Keynes who lived and worked in the early part of the 20th Century in the Bloomsbury area of central London. They were known for their unconventional lifestyles and attitudes and searched for the meaning of the good, the true, and the beautiful.  For me the name is represented in creating floral art that is a bit different than traditional flowers and challenging what might be the mainstream idea of beautiful flower arrangements.

Me: Your job sounds like a blast. What is the best part?
Dallas: There are many aspects of my job I love, but the best is seeing how much joy my flowers bring to others.  

Me: What has been the biggest hurdle with starting your own flower shop? 
Dallas: I sometimes dream of being a florist in a place like California as it would be so simple to go to a flower market daily to source flowers. Shipping and the weather are the biggest hurdles! I had to learn what can be sourced locally and what can survive shipping. 

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Dallas created a beautiful arrangement for me to take home. Her masterful eye and sense of design was evident as she skillfully made my centerpiece. She worked in what appeared a seemingly effortless manner, chatting and surveying her work, gathering, adding, taking away, tweaking. I was in awe! (I was also desperately yearning for a wedding re-do so she can style all of the flowers.) I’ll be sharing that arrangement next week as well as Dallas’ tips for creating stunning holiday centerpieces at home. Stay tuned!

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If you live in Anchorage, make sure to pop in for a pre-made wrapped bouquet to take home, a tiny takeaway vase (only $3!), to pre-order a lovely arrangement, or just to browse the adorable shop. Or if you’re really lucky, to sign up for one of her exclusive classes to learn how to create large arrangements in her foraged yet fresh style.

Thanks so much to Dallas and Kaisa for their time and supporting pearls on a string!

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