Mandy Maxwell - Bloomin' Blog

Florist Friday Recap 11/24 – 11/30: Winter Is Coming

November 30, 2012 by Mandy Maxwell Leave a Comment

You can very obviously see how close we are to winter through today’s Friday Recap. It’s almost split down the middle: half winter designs and half fall arrangements. Most people have started putting up their Christmas and holiday decor already, and the first day of winter isn’t even until December 21st! I don’t know about you, but I’ve got my tree up! Now, let’s get on with the pictures…

Winter Flowers

Holiday Bling by Crossroads Florist, Mahwah NJ

““Holiday Bling” Red satin covered cylinders are adorned with diamond wrap and hanging crystals and support arrangements of spider mums, lilies and ostrich feathers.”

—

‘Holiday Delivery’ by The Lady Bug Studio, Olds AB CA

“‘Holiday Delivery’ Outdoor Planter”

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Floral Design Tagged With: Facebook Friday

Celebrating the Winter Solstice

November 29, 2012 by Mandy Maxwell Leave a Comment

Bring out the Yule Log… it’s time to celebrate the winter solstice! What? You don’t celebrate the winter solstice? You’re not alone. In our modern lives, we’ve moved past celebrating holidays that are closely attached to harvest time.

The Winter Solstice The Sun will appear at its lowest altitude above the horizon at noon and it is the shortest day and longest night of the year. After the solstice, the nights will become shorter and shorter as the warmth of the sun returns.

While this may not seem significant today, in the past it was of the utmost importance. People relied on the sun in every aspect of their lives. This holiday has been observed, in someway, by almost every culture in every part of the globe for as far back as we have recorded. You’ve heard of Stonehenge? It was created as a calendar to mark the summer and winter solstices.

(Do you know how your ancestors traditionally celebrated the solstice? Might be a fun project to look up!)

In more recent traditions, the winter solstice is celebrated much like Christmas. Homes were decorated with a Yule Tree (Christmas tree), Yule log, Yule wreath, boughs and garland and cozy fires. If it sounds a lot like Christmas, well, it’s probably where many of our holiday traditions come from.

Get back to your roots, check out this post for ideas on celebrating the winter solstice:
Holiday Celebrations Ideas From The Past: The Winter Solstice

Your local florists would love to help you create some very unique and festive decorations for your winter solstice celebration. Check out the article linked above for some very great ideas you can use in your own home to pay homage to your hard-working harvester ancestors.

Filed Under: Holiday Info, Seasonal Ideas Tagged With: Holiday Flowers, Holiday Info, Winter Solstice, Winter Solstice Traditions

10 Easy New Years & Winter Marketing Ideas For Florists

November 28, 2012 by Mandy Maxwell Leave a Comment

The holiday season is a very busy time for florists. However, there are a few quick and easy things you can do that will make a big impact on your last sales of the year. Keep these tips in mind as 2013 draws near.

1. Let customers know about special holiday hours by using your website/Facebook

If you’re closing early or will be closed during normal business hours, it’s a good idea to let customers know by doing more than taping a note to the door.

2. Use holiday-themed profile pictures

The branding of your business is important, but if you’ve got time, add a Santa hat or snowflake to your logo to make it more festive for winter. Don’t forget to change it back when it’s time to!

3. Host a photo contest with giveaways

Consider hosting a sunshine-themed art or photo contest to chase away the winter chill. Your customers can bring entries by your store or share them with you online. 1st Place gets a cozy winter-themed arrangement.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Florists Only, Marketing Tips Tagged With: Florists Only, Marketing Tips, Winter Marketing

Bright Hues Cure Winter Blues

November 26, 2012 by Mandy Maxwell Leave a Comment

There’s something about the winter that makes us a little blue. It could be the shorter days, the chill in the air, or maybe the end of the year that get’s us down. This is why it’s so easy and so important to chase off the winter blues before they get you down.

Did you know flowers have healing powers? While not strong enough to cure acute illnesses, they can help boost your spirits and lift you up out of the dreary winter funk. How is this possible, you ask? Think of it this way:

Light is a nutrient to living things, just like food. Our bodies need light (the sunshine vitamin), just like plants need sunshine to grow. Well, we all know light is energy, but did you know color is light? That’s right! Color is simply light vibrating at different frequencies. So, if light is energy, and color is light, than that means color = energy!

There is growing evidence that humans respond, both physiologically, mentally and emotionally to different colors. Simply seeing these different colors can be therapeutic, also known as chromotherapy. Read more about chromotheropy.

So you can see, a colorful bouquet of flowers for yourself or a friend is a great way to cure those winter blues! Think about having them on your desk in your office, or some other place at work where you would see them often. Maybe in the kitchen to get you through making all the holiday meals this year. Put flowers wherever you need to feel a little pick-me-up.

Click here for more great ideas for get well flowers!

Filed Under: Flower Suggestions Tagged With: Get Well Soon Flowers, Winter Flowers

Florist Friday Recap 11/17 – 11/23: Floral Thanks

November 23, 2012 by Mandy Maxwell Leave a Comment

It’s Friday! Boy was this a busy and short week for florists, just like the rest of us. Not nearly as many photos shared with us as our usual Friday recaps, but still very beautiful fall arrangements that deserve your attention. Very colorful and beautiful designs this week – mostly Thanksgiving themed, so check it out!

Thanksgiving Flowers

Thanksgiving flowers by Libby’s Flowers & Gifts, Elberton GA

“Flowers, feathers and turkey inside a wire pumpkin for a Thanksgiving table arrangement”

—

Cornucopia Design by Rittners School of Floral Design, Boston MA

“It’s Thanksgiving… Cornucopia Rock!!”

(See more of their cornucopia designs here)

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Floral Design Tagged With: Facebook Friday, Floral Design

Happy Thanksgiving From FSN!

November 22, 2012 by Mandy Maxwell Leave a Comment

We hope you all have a SAFE and happy Thanksgiving!

There is so much for us to be thankful this year. We hope you all count your blessings on this day of “Thanks!”

Filed Under: FSN Announcements Tagged With: Thanksgiving

Last Minute Thanksgiving Centerpieces & Flowers

November 21, 2012 by Mandy Maxwell Leave a Comment

Whether Grandma’s house is across town or across the country, thousands of faithful family members make the trek each and every year at this time. No matter how far the journey, don’t show up empty handed!

Your casserole may not hold up for the trip, so stop by the local florists’ for a lush bouquet of fall flowers. From a small centerpiece to a magnificent cornucopia, most local florists will have extras on hand even this close to Thanksgiving! Simply stop by and pick one up! Not only does Grandma get to enjoy them for Thanksgiving, she can keep them long after you and the family have headed back home.

(Learn the differences in Thanksgiving flower styles here.)

Need Help Finding A Florist?

If you are traveling to a town you are unfamiliar with, you can always use Flower Shop Network’s handy florist finder to find a real local florist anywhere in the US and Canada.

Above all else, have a wonderful and SAFE Thanksgiving holiday.

Filed Under: Flower Suggestions, Holiday Info Tagged With: Fall Flowers, Flower Shop Network, Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Flowers

The Creative Process Of Local Florist – Blossom Shop

November 20, 2012 by Mandy Maxwell Leave a Comment

Take a peek inside the creative mind of a florist as they design something truly unique for a special someone. This is a story shared with us by Blossom Shop in Strasburg CO.

I got a wire order over the phone from another flower shop. I was pleasantly surprised to get a very good budget for a sympathy arrangement and no specifics other than they would like a nice fall arrangement if you can do that otherwise…

So I got to thinking, I wanted to do several matching pieces, something really large in a basket. I just knew I wanted it to be creative, but not something they might dislike being too interesting.

Getting Inspiration

So I took a tour of my shop a few times, front and back, to see what sizes and different containers that I might want to use. Some of my best-liked arrangements come from me finding something I can’t seem to get rid of (container wise) and making it beautiful with flowers. So I found these square wreath forms that I’ve yet to sell; one, because they have structure in the middle for placing a picture or something of the like, and two, they are a big size. I have yet to convince anyone to let me customize the center or pay enough so I could do something “interesting”.

So I grabbed one on those bad boys and got the wheels spinning. I used the leaf-looking ribbon to cover the back. To make that interesting I wove 10 lengths of that ribbon and covered all that maché and the center structure. After soaking it I laid it flat to start my designing.

Bringing It All Together

I covered the center structure with fall-colored, preserved leaves. Then I did the four corners, each with a different type of green to add interest, and then filled in with beautiful fall flowers. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Floral Design, Florist Spotlights, Funeral Flowers Tagged With: Colorado Florists, Floral Design, Florist Spotlights, Florist Stories, Sympathy Flowers

Thanksgiving Is Just Around The Corner…

November 19, 2012 by Mandy Maxwell Leave a Comment

If you haven’t decided what you’re bringing to the family or friends get-together… your local florist still has you covered!

Click to see more ideas for Thanksgiving centerpieces, arrangements, and cornucopias.

Thanksgiving is the time of year for making family memories. What do you remember from early Thanksgivings with family? Grandma’s dressing and desserts, or was it the hustle and bustle of family coming together to laugh and love with each other? Probably a good mixture of both. These memories we make during Thanksgiving last for a lifetime. Make sure your extended family takes away special memories of food, family and the beauty of the fall harvest.

Whether this Thanksgiving is at your home, or at a family or friends, you can help share the beauty of fall through flowers – always tasteful. Flowers make a wonderful hostess gift to bring.

Your fall decor is a tradition from long ago when our ancestors where still closely connected with the changing of seasons and a bountiful Thanksgiving meant security for the upcoming winter. Celebrate what you have to be thankful for; all of the bounty in your life.

Just remember, show your thanks to your community by shopping local this holiday.

Filed Under: Holiday Info Tagged With: Hostess Gift Ideas, Sending Flowers, Thanksgiving

Florist Friday Recap 11/10 – 11/16: Floral Romance

November 16, 2012 by Mandy Maxwell Leave a Comment

Fall romance is in the air this week as most of our florists’ contributions this week are of their beautiful wedding design work. For those of you who don’t follow our blog, every Friday we do a recap of all the beautiful flower arrangement photos shared with us on our Facebook page by local florists all across the US & Canada. Without further adieu, let’s get on with the pictures!

Wedding & Event Flower Pictures

Outdoor wedding flowers by Libby’s Flowers & Gifts, Elberton GA

“Overhead Swag for wedding at Lake Lanier Islands.”

—

Wedding bouquet by Alma Blooms, Alma WI

“Close up of a bridesmaid bouquet.”

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Floral Design Tagged With: Facebook Friday, Fall Flowers, Fall Weddings, Flower Pictures

Winter Flowers

Thanksgiving Flowers

Need Help Finding A Florist?

Getting Inspiration

Bringing It All Together

Wedding & Event Flower Pictures

Follow Us