Page 145 - South Mississippi Living - August, 2022

flowers was all I needed. My hands just knew what to do.” She sought out every training opportunity she could find and trained with some of the world’s best designers. “I went from saying, “I do flowers” to “I’m a floral designer.” But
I will never stop learning,” she says. Butler is sharing her talents and creativity with her young daughter. “Clementine has been at the shop since she was a few weeks old. I love raising her in a hub of beauty and kindness among creative people. She’ll blossom into someone beautiful one day.”
In 2012, Butler opened a
small flower and gift shop
on Main Street in Bay St.
Louis. The French Potager is
a popular spot for residents
and visitors to discover something new. Now a Certified Floral Designer by the American Institute of Floral Design, Butler describes her signature “fresh garden style” as a look that suggests you just cut flowers from the yard and brought them inside. That “look” has brought her national attention and a loyal customer following. “I just like making people happy and I treasure the relationships that develop when you are there for all the momentous occasions in people’s lives. From celebrating the birth of a child, to all of life’s milestones, to bringing peace and comfort in the last days of someone’s life, I want to be there for them. It’s all about
what they need in those special moments.”
Butler relies on local flower growing businesses along the coast to support her floral design business. “With all the recent supply chain issues we have experienced in the last two years, our consumption of local flowers has doubled. I have developed relationships with farms that allow me to continue to meet the needs of my customers. My colleagues at La Terre Farm in Kiln, for instance, want to know what
I need, and they will grow it for me. And I can offer to my customers their floral goods, like wreaths and seasonal items that I don’t have time to produce. It is a terrific way to support one another. They
love flowers as much as I do and we both benefit.” That’s the beauty of small local businesses working together. Bringing beauty into your home and into your life is
Butler’s mission. “I don’t care if it’s a bunch of flowers from the grocery store or a fistful picked from beside the road, just put fresh flowers in your home! Flowers contribute
to our well-being,” she adds. “When I open a home and garden magazine, I always notice the florals first. Flowers have a profound impact on us. The colors, fragrances, and aesthetics connect us to memories and bring us joy. I can’t think of anything better than that.” Neither can we.
Holly Harrison has been a licensed interior designer for over 35 years. Shannon Stage has spent nearly 20 years in the giftware industry. Together they own Sassy Bird Interiors in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.
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