Sending Smiles ~

Who says a floral design has to have tons of flowers to be memorable. Take this floral design as an example. Created using 1 stem of purple butterfly aster, 4 stems of lavender daises, 1 rose, half a hand full of foliage and purple moss with 3 simple butterflies and there you have it. An adorable floral design that looks super cute, is a nice size and is sure to bring a smile. The retail value on this design is just under $30 but imagine this being used on a buffet table for a party or even as a centerpiece. Know someone who could use a lift, this design is sure to bring a smile and make them feel loved. Birthday flowers for your favorite young lady? This will do it, don't you agree? The next time you need flowers , don't assume you have to spend big bucks to make a big impact. Just give your favorite florist some free rein and let them create something special just for you! Remember to keep it local ~ please order your flowers from a local independent business owner an

Are you ready for Spring ? Here at the shop we certainly are! The best part about late February and Early March are all the spring floral arrivals ~ it's at this time of year that the Tulips, Daffodils and Hyacinths are available again. Not only are these flowers gorgeous to look at but they small amazing.  After the winter we have had, we certainly deserve to bring a little cheer into our lives and don't forget, having flowers in your home or office lifts your mood. We're not making that up, studies show that when we live with flowers we feel better and are happier.   Don't forget to spread a bit of cheer to those having birthday's or who are ill. Flowers make a great gift and our designers do a fabulous job creating one of a kind floral designs. 

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 perched on some lily grass.

We love holidays here at the shop, not only because they can be a very busy time for us (which means business is good) but we love what our flowers "bring" to these special days. Even as florists we love having and sharing our floral designs with family over the holidays. Take my niece Mary Ann who absolutely adored this "bunny" floral arrangement. Not only did she carry it around but she was seen petting the "bunny" many times in the course of the Easter celebration. How gratifying it was for me to provide her with this first floral experience.  The holiday dinner table wouldn't be complete without a floral centerpiece and gauging by how many Easter centerpieces we sold this year, our customers felt that same way. Who says kids don't appreciate flowers? My nephew carefully staged this display which include not only the floral centerpiece but also his Transformer and his Enterprise model. :)    If you didn't have flowers on your din

Every now and then we get a customer call us who is throwing themselves are party and here's one that we just loved! After realizing that no one was giving her a retirement party, she decided to give herself one. A lover of all things pink, I'm pretty sure she got a kick out of these centerpieces we created for her. An assortment of flowers in shades of pink such as spray roses, gerbera daisies, hydrangeas, tea roses and mini calla lilies all arranged in these pretty silver containers, they looked amazing on the tables. The moral of the story is: don't wait for someone to throw you a party when you do something wonderful, throw yourself one and don't forget the flowers! 

Like a kid in a candy store, we all gather when the flowers arrive, especially our Dutch shipments. Above, these gorgeous mini callas are such a pretty pink. They are so perfect, they look fake, don't you think?  We love dahlias and it's the season for them. we love getting them in assorted colors so that we can really play!!   Lotus pods are so cool and are fun to design with. Not an inexpensive flower but long lasting and super cool for those looking for something a bit different in their floral design. Most folks are used to the dried ones but they are green when they are fresh. Craspedia or also called Billy Balls , we love designing with the little yellow balls on a stick. They are super cute in wedding designs, especially boutonnieres! To see these and more of our flower designs, be sure to check out our website at www.sendingsmiles.com

Hallie's Bouquets , originally uploaded by Georgianne at Monday Morning Flowers . It's hot and so are the flower colors this season. Last weekends wedding for Hallie was so much fun to create and this weekend we have lots of orange and hot pink tones going out of here again. The temperature is over 100 and what better way to compete with the blinding sun but infusing amazing color into your life? Can you imagine the look on someones face who receives a flower bouquet in these bright colors!! Did you know that flowers physically make people happy and color has a lot to do with? Well it does. Bring flowers into your life, bring some home and send them as gifts. As Martha says "It's a good thing"! To see more of our flower selection visit our website at http://www.sendingsmiles.com/ !

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

Flowers are fun. There's no two ways about it and what's more fun than teaching little girls about floral design. Not much, if you ask Shop Coordinator Sheryl Perry. This past Monday, Sheryl went out to Quarry Hill Elementary School in Yardley, PA to work with the local Brownie Troop. The girls had a ball. Each girl made three different arrangements and then finished off their session by drawing their favorite flower for us to post at the shop. Afterwards the girls would be donating them to a local nursing home to brighten their facility. It really feels good to get out into the community, especially during the holidays to help spread the "floral" cheer!! Thanks to all the girls who participated and especially to Sheryl who always does a fantastic job representing Monday Morning Flowers in the community!!

My designer Gaby and I were talking the other day about the poor flower industry. Have you ever noticed how often other types of business's will put down flowers just to say that their product is better? Society of American Florist spends so much of their time letting other business's know that it's not cool to put us down to make their product look good. It's amazing how those that sell jewelry, candy, chocolates and goodness knows who else use flowers as a point of reference when saying their product is better. Yes, flowers you send today may be gone next month but is that what it's all about? What about the beauty of flowers or the way they can be personalized? What about how special they make people feel or how they physically brighten their mood? Does everything have to be about the long term? In a society of "let's collect as much stuff as possible" doesn't it make sense to bring a thing of beauty into your home that won't be collecting

Have you ever had a bad day and just wanted to buy something that makes you feel better? Sometimes it's treating yourself to something as simple as an ice cream cone or even buying a little plant to put on your desk. I've noticed over the last few weeks at the flower shop that many people are coming in for a "little something" that brighten their day. Yes, we still get the usual customer coming in for a quick housewarming bouquet of little plant to take to a friend who's feeling blue but it's always fun to help a customer who is treating themselves to something. I guess with the economy the way it is we may need a little pick me up but need to keep the $'s in check. What's easier than picking up a fresh bunch of tulips or even daisies or a tiny violet plant for the window sill. It's amazing how a $10 bouquet of fresh flowers can lift your spirits. Just remember that you deserve pretty things in your life, even if it's not your birthday!

A new hire that recently came on board got me to thinking about Continuing Education. In our industry our education comes in the form of floral design seminars, conferences and sometimes even floracultural schools such as community colleges. It even comes from keeping up with trends via magazines and websites. Some are floral and some are not. Inspiration can come from something as simple as a "Pottery Barn" catelog! Our industry is one that is always changing and evolving. What was "IN" last year might not fly today. Colors, styles and flowers used change with your clients desires. Did you know that floral trends usually follow home decor trends? Well, they do!! The colors that are popular for us to carpet our homes or paint our walls, also affect what types and colors of flowers we want to both send and receive. About a year ago I returned from a Floral Conference and was so inspired by many of the instructors but one in particular stood out to me. In addition

Well, it's that time of year again where Assistants, Secretary's, Admins and Support Staff of all kinds will be expecting to be taken out to lunch or a delivery of a gorgeous flower bouquet! Administrative Professional Week is this week and the shop is a buzz with hundreds of deliveries go to all our local offices. Need to send flowers? Save 10% now with promotion code prof9 at www.sendingsmiles.com.

Don't know what to send for Thanksgiving? Check out our selections at http://www.sendingsmiles.com ! Don't want to send flowers? How about a pretty mum plant or dish garden. Plants always make a nice gift and help to bring the outdoors in. What about sending a snack basket? Goodie Baskets are perfect gifts for those who eat out for the holiday (no left overs, oh no) or have small children in the house. Whether you shop us online or phone, receive 10% off by using promotion code NOVEMBER. Shop us online or call us at 215-493-1400 or 609-520-2005. Let us help you send them a smile!! Our sincerest wishes for a warm, healthy, happy thanksgiving from all of us at Monday Morning Flower and Balloon Co.!

Family Time. What is that exactly? I know most people think in terms of mothers spending time with daughters, fathers with sons, brothers and sisters getting together, the whole shebang but to me Family Time means spending time with people who are important to me. You hear a lot about Family Time during the holidays and those of us with shrinking or small families, it can make us feel a bit like an orphan. Anyone who has read my past blogs knows that I find most holidays to be stressful and sad. I've tried to figure out why that is and I guess it comes down to the fact that a lot of the people in my life that were important to me are no longer living but it's more than that. With down time so hard to come by combined with proximity being an issue, it seems like it gets harder and harder to spend time with the people that I care about. Then comes the pressure of trying to find time to see all these important people during the holidays, it's enough to make any florist weep. L