Sending Smiles ~

Rutger's University:  Emotional Health With today's high-tech and fast-paced lifestyle taking its daily toll on our lives, experts advise exercise and other personal lifestyle changes to relieve stress. According to recent behavioral research conducted at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, nature provides us with a simple way to improve emotional health - flowers. The presence of flowers triggers happy emotions, heightens feelings of life satisfaction and affects social behavior in a positive manner far beyond what is normally believed. "What's most exciting about this study is that it challenges established scientific beliefs about how people can manage their day-to-day moods in a healthy and natural way," said Jeannette Haviland-Jones, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology at Rutgers and lead researcher on the study. Research Findings A team of researchers explored the link between flowers and life satisfaction in a 10-month study of participants...

Valentine's Day is February 14th - See what we have to offer this year Choosing a Valentine's Day gift can be a bit confusing because there are so many options. Our specialty is being able to deliver the gift for you. Imagine their face when a gift is delivered right to the job!! Although  Red Roses  is the traditional gift of love during the Valentine's Day holiday, we offer so many other options for you. Although red roses can get pretty pricey during the month of February, you are in luck because we have many options to choose from that won't break the bank. Here's just a few to help you decide!! We have to start off with a dozen (12) long stem red roses because it is tradition. These gorgeous blooms are going to be arranged in a 10" tall red glass keepsake vase this year. Although they are one of our highest priced items at $124.99, they are also one of the most dramatic designs we will be delivering. These are called our Valentine's Day Red R...

If you ask me what is one of the most stressful parts about running my business, it would be finding talented, hard working staff with a can do attitude. Honestly, we have been searching for someone for more than 2 years and then along comes Alicia who not only is the best fit but goes above and beyond what we could have hoped for.  MMF: Alicia, we're so happy to have you join us at Monday Morning Flowers (MMF). Tell us how you became interested in the flower business! Alicia: My career started as a cashier at a local supermarket but the floral manager asked me to help out in that department one Mother's Day and the rest is history. That was 3 years ago.  MMF: What have you been doing to further your design skills? Alicia:   I'm currently attending Buck's County Community College and taking classes in their AIFD (American Institute of Floral Design) Floral Design Certification Program. I've already taken basic and intermediate design classes along with...

Flowers are such a thoughtful way to brighten someones day. Take this adorable little floral design.... "my friend is feeling a bit down, can you create something to cheer her up"? Of course and so we made this sweet design. A cube vase filled with orange gerbera daisy, white stock, lavender daisy, hot pink roses, burgundy spray carnations, yellow sunflowers and silver dollar eucalyptus. The best time to send flowers for no occasion at all! To see this and all our custom designs be sure to visit our website !

Our days are busy and varied and this week was no exception. Our Sales Associate Alexis often designs but this was her very first casket spray. Isn't it pretty? We think she did a great job.  This week we have two weddings, including this one for Friday. Pink must be the popular color right now! We're thinking our bride "Lavender" is going to be so surprised when she lays eyes on this beauty.  Fabulous customer Anna from California contacted us via Yelp and said "Help", I need to send 60 roses and so here you go - who wouldn't be thrilled when this arrives, right?  Our Lead Designer Alanna was hard at work filling our cooler with gorgeous summer floral arrangements like this one. One minute it's in our cooler and then next it's leaving with a happy customer.  Can you send my wife a bright summer flower design to cheer her up? Of course we can. This pretty design includes mini calla lilies, roses, hydrangea, sunflowers and other...

Do you ever think, "I'm not going to buy flowers because they don't last long enough"? If so you are not buying the right flowers. At our shop we sell a mixture of unique and common blooms and some last longer than others. Here are a few example of flowers that can not only brighten up your home but will last 2 weeks or longer! Protea ~  considered a tropical flowers native to South Africa, these funky and fun flowers last for weeks and weeks. No only are they unique but they come in cool colors like yellow, orange and red! The cost per stem is a bit high but you don't need many to make a statement.  Carnations ~  before you think or say "No Carnations" you need to think again. Not only do these fluffy blooms last a long time, they come in amazing colors. Just a few in a short vase with fresh water every few days can last 2 to 3 weeks!  Daisies ~  now these are not your grannies daisies. These "Micro Poms" (as they are calle...

What is the trend you ask? Using lots and lots of Baby's Breath. Some folks love it, some folks hate but I don't think any wedding professional can say that using Baby's Breath wasn't a major floral trend in 2014, because it probably was the biggest trend all year. Personally, I love Baby's Breath and had a given that flowers with a natural and vintage feel were all the rage this past year, I was happy to provide my couples with the flowers of their dreams. That being said, some of floral designer friends became, shall we say, a bit bored by the use of so much of this flower . My feelings were probably a bit more neutral on the subject as I thought the simple look of this pretty flower is both affordable and timeless.  In the case of this wedding , the bridal party was quite large and that translates into heavy dollars to give each girl a bouquet. In the case of the Baby's Breath bouquets, they give a nice full look for a low investment.  Lookin...

This weeks floral design class was an intimate one but we sure did have fun! The ladies enjoyed "Shocktails" and goody snacks while they created Witches and Devil's from fresh flowers. As you can see, they love their teacher Alanna!  Once again, getting a bit rowdy!   Lots of laughter was the theme of the night.   There's nothing better than a few belly laughs! A little one on one time between students while they see what each other has created.   Martha starts her Devil Puppy!  Kathy shows off her little green witch!   Proud of their creations, the class poses for the end of the night photo!   Interested in floral design or just looking for a fun night out? Be sure to check out our class schedule on our website right HERE . Our next class is scheduled for November 12th - sign up today! 

This past week had out designers hard at work creating amazing one of a kind floral designs! Which one is your favorite?  Someone was going to be surprised when this colorful designed arrived for her Anniversary .  The color purple is so dramatic. We especially loved the combination of these roses, hydrangeas, alstroemeria, asters and lily grass.   This fun design was styled to look like a gift package. The bright and vibrant colors were perfect for a birthday .   A corporate client asked us to create happy centerpieces for an event they were having. Needless to say, they were thrilled with these!   This tight and compact design was both modern but natural. The pops of hot pink spray roses along with the orange and yellow tea roses, purple statice and lavender stock made for such a pretty desk top design.   For someone feeling a bit tropical, this one sided high style design held a little secret. In the center sat a little bird...

Have you heard about our fun and informational floral design classes held at our Princeton Flower Store? We have quite a few scheduled for the summer, including one that will teach you all about roses ~ how to arrange them, how to keep them fresh longer and a little bit about their history.  For example, did you know that what we call thorns are technically called prickles?  If you want to learn more about these gorgeous blooms, why not join us on August 6th from 5:30 - 7:30 pm for a fun, informative hands on design class. This class costs only $40 per person and includes Rose Wine, Snacks and your design project is yours to take home. Sign up through our website at www.sendingsmiles.com or call us today! 609-520-2005

One of the best parts about being a florist is sharing the gift of flowers with others. Going out to Senior Centers and Schools are one of favorite things to do, especially at the start of summer. This past week Designer Alanna and Designer Alex lead a class of over 50 senior citizens at the Plainsboro Community Center. Each participant was able to create their very own floral basket.  Sharing the basic principles of design using hardy but colorful blooms, Alanna lead the group in making their own basket centerpieces. Using the colorful combination of daisies, baby's breath and mini carnations, each student took home their creation.   Interested in having us come out to your location to teach a class? Contact us at 609-520-2005 to discuss and we'd be thrilled to work with you!  Don't forget our next floral design class at our Princeton Flower Shop is June 25th from 5:30 - 7:30 pm. A few openings are still available so call today to reserve or click he...

Join us in our Princeton store for a fun and interactive class: Basics of Floral Design for Beginners !  On June 25th, enjoy a Wednesday night out meet new people, get crafty and create a beautiful floral arrangement to take home.  From 5:30-7:30PM enjoy wine and refreshments as you receive hands-on floral design instruction.  Learn all about proportion, balance, accent, focal point and more.  This class is only $55 per person! Held in our Princeton shop in Forrestal Village -  between CanDo Fitness and the Westin Hotel. 5:30-6:30PM : Enjoy wine and refreshments, meet new people and browse our exciting summer gift collection 6:30-7:30PM : Learn from our expert designer all of the basics of creating your own floral arrangement, and leave with your own design and skill to create your own floral pieces at home!

Don't you just love Sunflowers ? Here at our 2 flower shops, we sure do! Although we are able to bring sunflowers into our store pretty much year round we especially love the summer months when we can buy huge locally grown ones from New Jersey .  Sunflowers are such a joy to design with. Although they look wonderful with other flowers, they especially look nice just by themselves. Don't forget about wedding designs. They dramatic flowers look amazing in wedding bouquets and centerpieces, not to mention on wedding cakes, like the ones pictured below.  Looking to send flowers to cheer someone up? Nothing says "smile, I'm thinking of you" more than a bouquet that includes a sunflower or two, don't you agree?  What's your favorite Sunflower design style? We'd love to know!! 

Love Tulips?  Call today and sign up to create your own tulip arrangement and learn about different varieties of tulips!  Enjoy wine and refreshments while you receive hands-on design instruction and knowledge you will keep for a lifetime.  Our Tulip Arranging class if right around the corner, so call 609-520-2005 today or sign up online at www.sendingsmiles.com .  Join us on Wednesday, April 16th from 6-8PM for only $65 per person - this includes $10 of Monday Morning Money to spend however you like! And don't forget - today's $5 Friday Special is a fresh bunch of Tulips!  Stop in before 7PM to pick up your bunch before it's too late!  Give us a call and we will put a bunch aside for you :)

Designer Alanna shows you how to create 2 different arrangements with this weeks Fresh Ten Flower special. Available at our Princeton NJ store only on February 10th. American grown these lovely tulips will bright up your home or office for 5-7 days! Call to reserve 609-520-2005

Another successful class and with these gorgeous flowers, how could it not be.  The students began arriving and within a few minutes they were all friends, even if they had never met each other before. This class the students will be creating their very own Thanksgiving Floral Centerpiece.  The designing instruction begins with Alanna leading the class.   Martha tries to be serious while daughter Kathy goofs off behind. We did mention that we serve wine at these classes right?   The centerpieces are taking shape and all the students are working really hard.   This is Kathy's second class and she obviously had fun!  The ladies pose with their creations. They are all so proud!   Would you like to attend a future class ? We'd love to have you! Our classes are held at our store and production space in the Princeton Forrestal Village. Be sure to check out our facebook page or our website   for future classes.