Hello and welcome!
This journal is a space for flower lovers, artists, gardeners, and anyone who loves to live, love, and learn to the beat of their own drum.
If you drive your friends and family crazy by taking frequent stops to take photos of flowers or love to tuck a wildflower into the pages of a favorite book just to keep the memory of a Tuesday afternoon alive—you're in the right place.
I, too, have a library collection of blooms tucked in between photos of friends and family, and I love taking these moments of inspiration from life and creating it into art for our home.
Whether you are a hobbyist floral preservationist diving into the "secret of the press," a DIY bride inspired to preserve your own wedding story, or a thoughtful gift-giver who believes the best presents are the ones made with heart and hands, this journal is for you.
The heart behind Orchid & Pine Studio
My own journey has been one of a woman, constantly growing and evolving with life's ebb and flow.
I’ve lived in many homes throughout my life.
I've learned to survive adversity while managing my personal health growing up in a humble, countryside home in the Philippines. I've run a fledgling fashion business while raising two young children living in a San Francisco flat. Later on, as my children and my career as a working artist grew, I moved into a suburban Victorian in Palo Alto, where I never felt like I quite fit in.
At each of these homes, I always attempted to grow things, some things flourished, like the lemon trees and the sage, while others did not.
And now, my life journey has led to a hexagon-shaped home nestled in the forest, a beautiful treehouse on a ridge where I'm blessed to watch the sun rise in the east and set in the west.
I'm grateful to have lived through a diverse experience of alternate realities.
With each home, I’ve changed with the seasons, just like the flowers in the garden that I grow.
I’ve navigated beginnings and endings. Raised children. Therapied my way through challenging relationships. Learned to manage my mental health and physical well-being, and all the while discovering that beauty and love can always grow even from the most unexpected soil.
My story
Creativity has always been my compass. From an early career in fashion design to teaching yoga and now to floral preservation, these experiences have taught me that growth isn’t just about what we make; it’s about how we cultivate ourselves along the way.
Over here, you'll find me writing more than just about how to grow and preserve flowers as I love to weave in the philosophical with the practical. But I am all about sharing generously, as those who paved the way to teach me all that I've learned have been so generous with me.
In this journal, you'll learn:
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Insights from the Press: Practical guides, techniques, and professional tips for getting the best result for your botanical art.
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Creative Inspiration: Practical, creative crafts that you can do from the ease of your own home.
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Stories of Resilience: Garden musings on the value of letting go, being kind to yourself, and learning when it's ok to start over again - all inspired by the flowers and the seasons.
My hope is that these pages inspire you to make space for all your floral dreams, pick up a bloom, and celebrate the tiny, poignant moments that make your life uniquely yours.
With love,
Charina