Sending Smiles ~

MMF Staff Favorites: Alanna Alanna is our Customer Care coordinator and has been with the company for 5 years this Spring.  When I came out to our showroom Alanna was already holding this cool terrarium made by our newest colleague Jeneen . "Terrariums are fun because they are a little ecosystem you can have right on your desk, and the cover makes it even easier to care for because it holds the condensation." Did you know we have European style hand-tied bouquets available at both our locations ready for you to choose and take with you in a hurry? Alanna liked this one highlighting Protea from South Africa and Freesia. Spring is almost here and we have been getting in some amazing flowers. Alanna (and the rest of us) loved this lavender Sweetpea! We get in new flowers from local sources and all over the world on a daily basis, stop in to see what goodies are available today. :) Thanks Alanna!

This week’s fall flower of the week is the unique and funky pincushion protea!  This flower has incredible texture and adds a special element of beauty to any arrangement.  Protea comes in red, orange and yellow, and is normally used in tropical style arrangements.  As you can see here, it looks gorgeous in Fall arrangements as well (which is why I picked it to be the flower of the week!)  With its completely original look, the protea is always appreciated for its funky style.  Its tones are perfect for autumn, and it makes a beautiful gift for the less traditional flower lover.            Stop in today to pick up an arrangement to include the gorgeous protea we have in the store , or send to someone you care about.  Call us today at 609-520-2005 or search “protea” on our website to see some of our online arrangements.

Imagine these cool, tropical flowers added among more common blooms for your wedding. Are you daring enough to do it? I say yes, go for it! Imagine a bouquet of two toned orange and yellow roses such as "Circus" hand tied together with these textured beauties. Looking for something cool to float for a summery wedding, how about a cube with river stones and single Protea head? Tuck them into the reception napkins or even multiple of these tied off with raffia or streaming ribbons for the brides maids. Dot in yellow billy balls for added texture or even pair them with Mango Mini Callas for a modern, funky feel. Loops of lily grass for a structured modern look or curls of curly willow for a for a natural vibe. Love them or hate them, they can no longer be ignored!! To see some of our wedding designs visit our website at http://www.sendingsmiles.com/

Recently a wedding expert asked me for my ideas on some "Non-Traditional" wedding flowers that are nice to use in wedding designs. Of course, I feel that I'm lucky as my brides are so varied in their design tastes, I rarely do the same thing twice. Being floral bored is not in my vocabulary! That being said there are some flowers that come to mind that are fun to use in wedding work and a little out of the mainstream. That brings me to the picture at right. These lovely flowers are pincushion protea. Talk about drama! Later on this year we will be combining these interesting textures with mango mini callas. Can't take credit for the idea to combine them, my bride brought me an inspiration picture and boy is it going to be memorable!! I almost jumped for joy when she whipped out that picture! Orange continues to be a popular wedding color this year and these large flowers really add a lot of "Pow", "Zing" and "Pop" to wedding designs. Wou