Puni Petals
Q What do you do?
“I create flower magic inspired by colors, stories, and your wildest dreams.”
From daily deliveries to your most special celebrations, I'm here to add some blooms to your life! Come to me for photosets, celebrations, events, brand launches, workshops and so much more. You got an idea? I can help you do just that, but with ~*flowers*~
Q What steps did you take to get to where you are now?
As a girl with a million creative hobbies, this was the one that stuck and fitted perfectly with the lifestyle that I wanted. I was working in social media and content creation but doing this on the side, giving myself $50/week to go to the DTLA Flower Market to buy and design arrangements. With some encouragement from some of my favorite florists, I started @puni.petals, putting photos of my work up on Instagram, thinking "What the heck, why not?!" When there was interest enough that people wanted to pay REAL money for my florals (whaaaat!), I would wake up at 6am, go to the flower market, rush back to my apartment, process them, and hop on my first 8AM stand-up meeting for my full time job. Then, I would make my arrangements and delivery them during my lunch break.
This would go on for months and I never, EVER got bored. No matter how many early mornings I had to do. I guess the moral of the story is: Give yourself $50/week to consistently do something that is speaking to your heart, you're not going to that yoga class anyway so use that money to expand your soul instead! 🥹
Q How do you stand out in your field?
My floral designs are one-of-a-kind sculptures that incorporate a lot of color theory, experimentation, and most importantly, play! I create my best work when I'm allowed to get creative and play without restraints, that's when the magic happens *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
Q What are you working on right now?
I'm currently working on my 2023 Late Winter/Early Spring brand events and a handful of special weddings, including my very first destination wedding in Mexico! Siiii! I'm super excited because I'm working with people that fully trust in my vision and has worked with me before so it's been such an honor to have amazing clients like them.
And psssst, I'm also working on so many Puni Petals merch! Coming so soon 🌸
Q What’s your style?
Honestly, I'm still learning and growing every single time I design! I don't know if I have a specific style yet but I do love a challenge and trying something new all the time. I'm constantly inspired by things I see, people I meet... literally anything, even vegetables these days are so exciting. I'm currently writing this while visiting my home country and I'm playing around with arrangements that include things I find from the fresh market like long green beans, rambutan, starfruit and other florals and faunas I don't often see in USA.
Q Out of all your slashies, which one do you wish you could do more often?
In my past life, I was a social content producer. I really want to tap into that again and get back into creating beautiful, high-end content that is more editorial leaning, which is another area I would love to explore more in floral design. I would love to make a coffee table book or a zine one day, but first I have to take time to properly take photos of my arrangements first!
Q What is frustrating you right now?
Taking care of myself! Floristry is such a labor intensive job, most people don't realize that. I've developed some serious chronic injuries from overlooking that part of the work and it has been immensely hindering my work flow. Because of this, I would love to prioritize planning my human resources better, I'm super lucky to be working with so many talented freelancers but I definitely need to book them wayyy longer in advance so I don't get in trouble in a time crunch. They're all too amazing, they're getting booked too fast!
Q If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?
Deliveries! Omg, I need someone to help me drive around LA and deliver flowers so badly. This is the *most* important thing that I really have to stop doing myself as much as I love dropping off my arrangements and seeing my clients, I need drivers! Please hit me up if you're down to be the bearer of florals and happiness. And oh! Organizing the studio and cleaning equipment and vases. And mechanic prep! Like cutting up chicken wire and putting together the skeletons for installs. But first, floral delivery...
Q What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?
Communicate! Be clear with your boundaries! Don't wait until the very last minute to tell clients what's on your mind just because you're scared of confrontation! Trust that you will find a middle ground with the clients and the longer you wait, the weirder it gets. You're a business, woman! You 👏🏼 Got 👏🏼 This 👏🏼
Q If you could talk to an expert to gain more insight on something, what would it be about?
I want to know how to expand my businesses with intention authenticity--One day I would love to see Puni Petals be more than just a floral design service, but also an outlook and a lifestyle or even a place for education and community! The possibilities are endless and I'd love to connect with people who are passionate in growing a brand beyond one vertical.
Q What kind of opportunities/projects are you looking for?
I would *DIE* to flower for a photo or video set. Please, please, please let me do a wonderful floral set design for your next music video or album cover shoot or fashion editorial. And also hospitality! That is seriously my dream to flower for my favorite local hotels, galleries, cafés, bars and restaurants.
Q Describe your ideal job/client/collaboration.
Sooo many! As I mentioned before, I'm exploring what is possible in the Puni Petals Universe and really seeing how I can think out of the box. Puni Petals Candles? Puni Petals Perfumes? Puni Petals Coveralls? Puni Petals Community Dinner Parties partnered with local creatives? I'm open. Let's goooo!
Q What is your rate?
For deliveries, I have sizes S, M, L and XL available on www.punipetals.com starting at $165 + deliveries and fees. You can expect insane quirky blooms and a full range of color palette depending on how I'm feeling at the market, or you can make a color request as well!
For brands, it depends on the scope of work and vision, I could really do just about anything from influencer gifting campaigns, brand dinners, photo installations, product styling etc.
For weddings, I have a $7500 minimum though if I do come across an idea and a couple that I really enjoy and align with, I'm happy to chat more. Email me!
I also host workshops and little floral parties as well. Those usually run about $95/person and is seriously such a blast and everyone gets to take their creations home with them.
Q How should someone approach you about working together?
For fun ideas and collaborations, email me your wildest dream at punipetals@gmail.com
For deliveries and special events, fill out a form on www.punipetals.com
Q Who is a creative you admire?
I've recently worked with some seriously cool set designers, they're so legit! @theninjaatelier and @ratttgirl and also amazing florist that never cease to amaze me is Alice from @a.l.basa
Q Oh! and… how do you stay creative?
Play! Get messy! Make something beautiful out of this mess you made! That's the only way to live life! And with lots of unapologetic exclamation marks!!!
This member profile was originally published in January 2023.