We were lucky to catch up with Alexis Rose recently and have shared our conversation below.
firstName}, thank you so much for agreeing to talk with us about a deeply personal and sensitive topic. Postpartum depression affects so many in the community and hearing from someone who has overcome PPD might help someone who is going through it right now. For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience
When I was 21 I had my daughter who is now turning 6.
I’d been working in the floral industry for a few years at this point and I was faced with having to keep up with the physical demand of working while also being faced with single motherhood.
I worked in my mother’s flower shop so I had help and assistance where others would not have and for that I’m very thankful.
My water actually broke while I was putting together a bouquet at the shop. It’s a really funny story that I look back on now as I felt horrible at the time for the sweet couple that was in there buying those flowers.
When I had my daughter I found it very hard to transition from working constantly and having my own independence in life to being a mom and having a little person who needed me every minute of every day.
I was very lucky to have the chance to work in a family run environment. Rather than take maternity leave I chose to go back to work and bring my daughter with me to the shop.
During that time I struggled hard with PPD and the loss of my sense of self and what the future was going to look like. I found that jumping right back into work and surrounding myself with flowers and the job that I loved really allowed me to heal and process everything that was happening while also getting to bond with my daughter.
When the pandemic hit shortly after that I was again faced with continued PPD symptoms and I made the decision to work from home in a home studio environment where I could continue to be with and thrive with my daughter while also working with florals and some incredible clients in my daily life.
It’s 4 years later and my business is thriving and my daughter and I share a love of flowers together and I love that I’ve been able to push through all of the trials that come with PPD and even though those feelings may never leave, they aren’t as hard to cope with in my daily life.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I launched Designs by Alexis Rose in 2020 as a result of the pandemic and as a way to keep working in the floral industry while also staying home with my very young daughter.
I met my partner in 2019 and we moved to Trenton in the fall of 2021 where I continued operating with a home floral studio and do to present day.
My business centres around event design and curation where I do a lot of weddings and parties as well as workshop events where I teach basic floral skills to clients and give them a chance to peek behind the curtain at what the floral industry is like.
I continue to do weddings and workshop events regularly and I’ve always got something on the go for clients to get involved in. My socials are always the best way to see what we’ve been working on as I find it very important to show my clientele what it’s like to work in my industry and I find that flowers are a simple thing that can really brighten someone’s day just by seeing them.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I think the three most important things that impacted this journey were my background in botanicals, my passion for art and creative design, and my work ethic.
I grew up with a grandmother and mom who loved gardening and florals in general and I think that showed me what a gruelling process that botany and horticulture really can be. So much work goes into just one bloom and to be able to work with hundreds or sometimes thousands at a time is a very humbling experience.
My artistic and creative background was also rooted in how I was raised. I always loved art, whether it be painting or colouring or drawing I always wanted to be making something pretty with colour or shape. Floral design is very much an industry that relies on colour theory and basic elements of artistic design that allows for your pieces to be pleasing to the client purchasing them.
My work ethic is from being surrounded by people who worked hard and didn’t have a lot but were thankful for what they’d accomplished. I have a family that I want to support and being financially stable was always something I wanted to have as an adult. I love to work and I value sore muscles or a tired brain at the end of a long day because the work I do always had a beautiful finished product. It’s rewarding to see that my hard work goes into having something tangible at the end of the day.
How would you describe your ideal client?
My ideal client is someone like minded to the artistic side of what I do and coupled with understanding that what I do isn’t always “affordable.”
I am never one to turn a client away based on budget as I know flowers aren’t a necessity to daily life. But they are something that bring joy and are impactful to others.
When I find a client that loves flowers as much as I do and trusts me to be creative and make something for them that they will visually love and that brings them joy. Those are the people I love to design for because they truly value what I do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.weddingwire.ca/wedding-flowers/designs-by-alexis-rose–e59969
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/designsbyalexisrose?igshid=1bp211qjqbsv9
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/designsbyalexisrose/
- Other: http://www.tiktok.com/@designsbyalexisrose
Image Credits
1. @earthlymama 2. @hollymcmurterphotographs 3. @deannawayphotography 4. @samanthadeckphotography 5. @marymargaretmagyar 6. @brooke.mos 7. @designsbyalexisrose 8. @deannawayphotography
