Sending Smiles ~

Escort Card Table , originally uploaded by Georgianne at Monday Morning Flowers . It's funny how trends change, things go in and out of style. Sometimes slowly, sometimes very quickly. One thing that I've noticed is that more bride are asking for lilies again. There for awhile, most brides I suggested them to showed a dislike of these pretty blooms. Last weekend we had three weddings and this particular bride used lilies in both her bridal bouquet and this piece that was created for her escort card table. What I love about lilies is not only their star shape but also their buds. This design included simple foliages accented with lily grass. Add a few pale pink Erica dendrobium orchids and a stunning display is born. Two weeks ago one of our clients chose all white hybrid lilies in tall rectangular vases accented with navy ribbon tied simply on the vase in a knot. The perfect centerpieces for the two young boys celebrating their holy communion, the mother said she was still g

Workaholic? Me? Yes, I admit it, I work a lot but the truth is I love what I do. Some people have hobbies but me, I don't need one, my work not only keeps me challenged but gives me purpose. Do I take time off? Yes, of course I do. Whenever time allows I love hitting up the local flea market, walking the local towns and business such as Princeton, Lambertville and New Hope. Local Vineyards are my favorite, especially during the summer because they force to me to be outside but allow me to indulge in my love of local wine. Meeting friends at Hopewell Valley Vineyards for home made pizza, a local band and wine... well, that's practically heaven for me. Stopping at the local farm stand is next in line on my list of favorites. Each Sunday during the fine weather Lawrenceville brings out all the local farmers including chicken farmers and cheese makers to sell their fresh product to the locals. How fun! Can I go every weekend? Nope, but when I can, I go. I encourage you, no m

Having fun with flowers! That's what our flower design classes are all about. Shop Coordinator Sheryl loves going out to different organizations and teaching floral design to children and adults alike and it's truly is gratifying to see how peoples moods changes once they get their hands on those pretty blooms. The photo at left was from a recent class held at the Lawrenceville Community Center and judging by the pictures everyone really had fun! "It's amazing to see how being around flowers has the power to make people happy" says Sheryl. "It just proves to me how powerful our product is". That's why as often as we can, we like to go into the community with our flowers and teach people how to arrange them. We love making people feel that flowers are worth having in their life. We especially love doing Brownie and Girl Scout troops because teach them to love flowers while they are young, and they are flower lovers for life. Flowers are very power

When you think about flowers at a funeral do they make you feel sad? Think again about attending a funeral and not seeing any flowers? Now to me, that would be really sad. Flowers are such a caring and thoughtful way to not only pay your respects but help to celebrate the life of the person who has died. This sympathy piece was delivered this morning for the service of a wonderful man sent by his Niece. I love this piece because not only is it very beautiful, it also shows the person in life, the way he should be remembered. The family said he was a religious man and what a wonderful way to celebrate his life and his faith. Colorful and expressive, the flowers really showcase the photo and I'm sure this piece will not only be admired by everyone in attendance but will be remembered by the family for years to come. Not sure what to send to a service? How about all white flowers in a clear glass vase? Another option that is a bit different is sending a plant or dishgarden. These ar

Ok, I know that I just wrote a blog yesterday but I'm catching up on some floral reading (Floral Management to be exact) and I came across some information that really got me excited. Recent studies (I know that sounds soooo boring) just revealed that those who send flowers, in comparison to other gifts, are viewed as successful, caring and emotionally intelligent people!! Ok, so that is not too boring, right? Wow, how can you be a florist and not be excited about that. As a consumer, isn't that awesome news? I know the power flowers have over people and there a  million reasons why the next time you need to send a gift, or let someone know you are thinking about them, flowers ARE a wonderful choice. Where else can you call in the afternoon and have a beautifully arranged, hand delivered gift arrive in the very same day? I'm sorry, I know there are lots of choices in gift giving these day and many are easy to order but dang, how much easier can it be!! It is our strength a

The world of flowers - a breath of fresh air on a dreary day. Is there anything more satisfying than being a  florist who is able to slowly unpack these lovely flowers? Today, these little "blooms in fire" arrived to many Ohhhhs and an Ahhhh's from myself and the staff. Gloriosa lilies, commonly known as the climbing lily, arrived to our shop via Japan. Yes, from Japan and these are unusually spectacular. Native to South Africa, they are truly a work of art. Long, thin vine like stems topped off with these gold tipped gems. As the blossom matures, the petals elongate and wrinkle and gradually arch backward while sequencing through a spectrum of color from green to yellow to scarlet. A most unusual and exotic flower, the gloriosa lily is a crimson and yellow vision to behold and if you receive a flower delivery from our shop - you just might have one of these beauties in your arrangement!!

In most cases, bigger is better, right? That being said, when you get an engagement ring, you'd like it to be a nice size, right? When you get a new car, it would be nice if it was roomy enough to fit you comfortably. It's nice when you go out for dinner and there's so much on your plate that you can take a doggie bag home. I personally love leftovers - no cooking the next day!! Whoo hoo! Well, I guess the same can be said about flowers. It's super nice to receive a gift of flowers but you have to admit, getting a big and showy floral display to the office is enough to put a smile on your face for the whole day. Kevin and I recently put together these three arrangements, at three different prices to make that point to our sales staff. All three arrangements are gorgeous and all three have very high quality blooms but the one on the right really says - WOW ! Sometimes you need to send a "little" something and sometimes you need the WOW factor. My lesson to t

Everyone knows that making a purchase, no matter how big or small is partly about the experience. Yes, sometimes you shop because you have to but isn't it true that you shop where you have the best experience? Ok, I'm going to get on my Florist soap box and shout my usual mantra of floralisms. Hm, is that a word? It is unclear to me at the time but on with my rant.... Flower Purchases are About the Floral Experience!! As a Florist I understand that people may be coming into my shop for fresher flowers than they might find at the Supermarket. They may be coming to us for flowers for their wedding. They may be coming in to have flowers delivered to a friend but chances are, if they are coming into my flower shop to buy flowers they are here for the Floral Experience. What, pray tell, is that? It's the wonderful experience that they should have of coming into a clean, organized, well stocked place of beauty. They are coming in for the selection, the freshness, the customer s

Well, it's official. I will be serving on the Advisory Committee for Floral Management Magazine. Floral Management is a fantastic trade publication that has been my "bible" over the years and is created by the Society of American Florists, of which I am a member. In case you did not know, SAF is the only national trade association that represents all segments of the U.S. floral industry. Our 15,000 members are the industry's top retailers, growers, wholesalers, importers, manufacturers, suppliers, educators, students and allied organizations. SAF is the face and voice of a strong, unified floral industry! I'm so honored not only to be a member of SAF but to be asked to serve as an Advisor to a publication that I admire....well,  let's just say 2010 is starting off on a wonderful note for me!! Thanks SAF for everything you do for Florists and I promise to "advise" to best of my ability!! For more information on this wonderful trade organization vis

Well, here it is, the day before the day before Thanksgiving and I'm stealing a bit of time away from the sales and design floor to do another, much anticipated "Scenes from the Shop". What? It's not much anticipated? Well, regardless, I'm not offended, nor am I bashful about posting some pics!! hehehehe Shop Coordinator Sheryl surprised me with fantastic Winter Themed windows when I returned from my Jamaica vacation. Now that I think about it, was she just rubbing it in? I'm not so sure! Welcome to the North Pole! This year the Holiday Theme at the shop is relaxed and fun. Stuffed animals, Santas and other less formal products seem to be our trend this year. I hope the shopping public agrees!! Kevin walks the coolers before the begin of the busy day while I snap some shops of the new decorated tree. Snowmen, santa, moose and other cuddy toys welcome shoppers into the store! The candy bouquets all lined up and ready to go! Melissa did a great job w

Let's face it, if money was no object everyone would love to have flowers in their house. Having fresh flowers in your life doesn't have to break the bank and with a little care you can enjoy them for days or even weeks. Buying Flower Tips: Look for flowers that look hydrated but are still closed or just beginning to open. This one is a biggie. Flowers that are fresh from the farm as just beginning to open and bloom. Blooms often open in order from top to bottom. For example: Lilies. They are multiple buds. The ones at the bottom open first and then as they expire out the higher ones open. Buy them with the buds are either closed or just beginning to open and you'll get two weeks out of your flowers. Other tips are to look for fresh looking foliage. Stay away from leaves that are yellow or even brown. Remember, there is always going to be a certain amount of imperfections in flowers, they are real and not fake but try to find ones that truly look fresh. Le

Something you may not know about me is that I actually have a degree in Management. How hysterical is that? Anyone that knows me knows that I'd rather be your friend than your boss but that being said, they don't call me a slave driver for nothing! Just today, in my usual floral orchestrating way, I had at least 6 employees running here and there doing this and that. Is that what being a boss is? I guess so, if the goal is to get stuff done. Of that, I'm the Queen. Even when I used to work for others you often heard "Hey, give that to Georgianne, she'll get it done quick". In an instant, I can formulate in my head multiple things that need to be done and best determine the way to not only get them done but get them done in record time, with as few physcial movements as possible. You may laugh but if you've ever been in the shop to see me in action, I can walk around the shop doing 10 things at once, all while just doing one big loop. They don't call

Can flowers be a symbol of success? I say a resounding YES! Have you ever been to a beautiful restaurant and noticed that they have fresh flowers on their front counter or even at every table? Those flowers need to be replaced at least once a week but each week that restaurants pays for them for their space. Why? Simple, people love flowers. Flowers are a symbol of freshness and success. Businesses having trouble paying their staff, rent or other bills don't  buy flowers. Let's be honest, all businesses would love to have fresh flowers in their lobby but not all can afford them. In that way, flowers are a sign of financial success. I remember reading a statement made by Carley Roney, Co-Founder of TheKnot.com which was "with flowers, you get what you pay for" and boy, that is so true. Case in point, this weekend we had 8 weddings and various other parties that we were hired to create floral centerpieces for. We had every price point from $30 to $125! Wow, what a di

Today, after meeting with a bride and groom in the office,  I ran down to the Princeton shop to see the window display that Sheryl was creating. I knew she had been waiting for our Wizard of Oz containers to arrive from Teleflora and wanted to decorate one of the windows with them. Anyone that knows Sheryl knows she loves the Wizard of Oz!! She also loves her job of keeping our windows seasonal and updated for both of the shops. I love the thought that she puts into these windows, even working from home as she did creating the "yellow brick road" for this theme.  As usual she did an outstanding job and I was anxious to get a couple of cute photos showing her handy work. While I was taking the photos, two young boys came riding by on their bikes. As they rode by, they obviously noticed the "Oz" window display and prompty (and quite alarmingly) applied their breaks!! Actually, they scared the .... out of me. How cool was that? Here were young boys, probably about 10

As you may know by now, I've recently purchased a new camera. Oh my poor staff. I hunt them down and photograph them all day long! One of the things I'm really enjoying about my new toy is the ability to get really great detail shots. I know that I'm a florist, yes, true but I am also a lover of anything beautiful and flowers are beautiful. Those of us that get to work with them day in and day out are extremely lucky. As floral designers we get to touch them, smell them, look at them up close and how awesome is that? Yes, flowers eventually die but so do all living things. What an amazing gift to enjoy them when they are here. Yes, wedding flowers are for the day but they will be forever immortalized in both photos and memories. Yes, your house may be nicely decorated but isn't it wonderful to have lovely, colorful flowers as accents here and there. Bring living "things" into the home transform the air and the mood. Yes, I may be a florist, and yes I'm on

You gotta love the summer. There is nothing like being able to take a little time off from work (if you are lucky enough to do so), sit back and relax with a good book. I read three books this summer, which is a lot for me being I did not get to take a formal vacation this year. I love girlie books that are not quite romance novels but they are the kind of books that get made into movies such as "Bridget Jone's Diary" and "The Shopaholic". A few of us at the shop ended up swapping books back and forth, which made it even more fun because we could talk about the books together. It became sort of our own Book Exchange. That's when I got the idea to start a Book Exchange within our Yardley shop. For anyone that has been to our PA location, you can see right away that has a "home town" feel to the environment and customers become friends. The Town Center has all the hometown trappings such as a cleaners, wine store, pizza place, a hair salon and of cou

I laugh at myself as I write that title but it's funny how every time I have a "grand" revelation (and I use that term loosely) I think - "Wow! I have to write a blog about that"! I'm sitting here wondering when did my life turn into a blog? And the bigger question is, does anyone care what I think? I'm not so sure but boy, I really do love putting down my thoughts knowing that someone just might read it. Last week, one of my employees commented on my writing because she really loves my blogs. She innocently asked me if I got good grades in school for my writing skills. I nearly laughed out loud but, of course, that would not be very Presidential of me. I very nicely told her no, I was never good at English or writing. I was completely honest and told her that I had to take Junior English twice, as I failed with a big fat F! I don't know the difference between a verb and a noun and thank goodness for spell check! I'm a florist for heaven sake, no

I guess most people would think that all the flowers for a wedding come in on Friday and get delivered on Saturday. There could be nothing further from the truth. Luckily for us, flowers take time to hydrate and open but also the process of designing is a much longer and labor intense one than most people would realize. The flowers above have just arrived for our bride Erin, who gets married this Saturday. Stock, delphinium, roses, hypericum berries and hydrangea will all be masterfully arranged into her bouquets and centerpieces! A team effort is definitely necessary and most weddings take about 2 or 3 days to create from start to finish! With three or four weddings each weekend, it's necessary to plan our time efficiently! Designer Rocio is doing the next step to the centerpieces which is adding the lovely assortment of greens such as seeded euc, geranium, ruscus and mint. These centerpieces are already gorgeous before even on single flower gets added! Working in assembly line

I hear that all the time! "Someday, when I retire, I want to work in a flower shop and be a floral designer". Well, you won't hear anything bad come from me because I love my career and my heart goes out to anyone who does not truly love what they do for a living. That being said, right now we are have two floral design interns at the shop. Both are learning the art of floral design for different, personal reasons but both appear to be learning because of their love of the flowers. I hope they continue to feel that way as their journey of the industry progresses. Our internship is a 4 week program that runs one day per week for 4 weeks. Each week covers the basics: how to prep flowers, correct greening, creative floral insertion and touches on aspects of being a designer, from a business point of view. I'm very excited to be hosting these interns because I feel that it's a vital part of keeping interest in our industry. Going to college for Floral Design is time

Friday night some friends invited us to a restaurant for a Clam Bake followed by a concert. All took place at Rats and Grounds for Sculpture, two of my favorite places. The food was fantastic and we got to make some new friends. We even got to see Christopher who recommends our shop to brides and party planners. After dinner we all walked thru the Sculpture Gardens to the Concert and right away, I heard the group and loved them! They are called the "Alice Project" and their lead singer is, of course, Alice! Our friend Dave told us she was originally from Princeton and when he was a radio DJ, he played her often on his station. Anyway, I absolutely loved the music, her voice, her song writing. So to the title of this blog - Invisible Man. One of her songs was inspired by a visit to a restaurant where she sat and noticed that ever single person around her was quickly served except for her. Talk about feeling invisible! We've all had this experience, and I'm sure, some