Sending Smiles ~

Every year Kevin and I sit down to make up our holiday gift list for our own customers. Talk about a long list, as we are lucky enough to have many wonderful customers! This year we decided to do a combination of chocolates and poinsettias. I love to have fun with our corporate gifts as a way of showing our clients some new and unusual things. Of course red poinsettias area always popular but this year we sent out some white ones, like this one and also some Cinnamon colored ones that were almost a copper color. What raves reviews we received too! We also have done in the past large red poinsettia trees and once again, folks really loved getting them. The biggest compliment we get to a gift is when someone calls to thank us and then asks us to send the same thing to their client. The holidays are a busy time for us, but we really do try to take the time to show our customers how much we appreciate their business!! Tis the Season!!

Yes, the funky peacock feather bouquet was ours! I write that line a bit tongue in cheek because one of our bouquets has become famous and known as the "Funky Peacock Feather" bouquet. I posted a photo almost 3 years ago onto my Flickr account and did not watermark or protect it in any way. Almost 10,000 views later that bouquet seemed to have caused the most buzz. I've seen it used so many times (mostly without credit to our shop - no worries, I'm not angry about that) in blogs and online. I thought it would be fun to show some of the other photos from that wedding. I often get asked if we really did that bouquet. Yes and here's the proof! The bride was Stephanie and the photographer was Jeff Tisman and the bride came to me very close to her October wedding date. Why? Because she was afraid that the florist would talk her out of using peacock feathers in her wedding. That was before she knew me and found out how much I love doing, not only what the bride wants

Here's the Yardley shop all decorated for the season. We started early this year because just after Thanksgiving our business ramps up for the holidays, leaving little time to decorate our own spaces!! The wreath that hangs on the front door of the Princeton Forrestal Village was created by designer Norman. A tree at the Yardley shop holds all kinds of sweet holiday gifts. Each of the Yardley staff have their own stocking, hung with care - of course! Don't forget about our free book exchange. It's completely free and we have over 350 books to choose from! This year we brought in a line of silks for the holidays. Perfect to decorate the home, wreaths and we even use many in the custom grave blankets we decorate. A newly decorated wreaths awaits delivery to a lucky family! Wreaths make nice gifts! This year we have added line of chocolates. They are made for us by a local chocolatier and have for both Hanukkah and Christmas. They have been very good sellers so far! As alwa

My last blog talked about the importance of the Escort/Place Card table and that got me to thinking about the gift table. Is it worth decorating the gift table at your wedding or other event such as a shower or birthday party? My answer is a definite "Maybe"!! Is the table in an area that will be seen all night? Does it need a little something to help say "Here, Put your gifts here?". If so, it might be worth putting some of your decor budget towards decorating the gift table. Often we do a tall floral display or a bouquet of balloons, as in the case of sweet 16 and mitzvah parties. Even a garland of fresh foliage accented with flowers, ribbons or event branches looks lovely if it matches the over all theme of the event!! To see more of our design work visit our party website at www.mondaymorningballoons.com

Have you heard? Have you heard the word? Saturday, November 27th is Small Business Saturday. What is this you wonder? Small Business Saturday is a day to support the local businesses that create jobs, boost the economy and preserve neighborhoods around the country. Small Business Saturday is a national movement to drive shoppers to local merchants across the U.S. Saturday, we urge you to shop small, shop often and shop local. Not all floral delivery sites online are local florists. We urge you to use "Local Florists" who actually arrange and deliver flowers direct from their shops. Unsure if someone you want to order flowers through is local? Check out their About Us page, check out their address. Is there a address local? Do they even show their address? If not, please find a shop that does. Society of American Florists hosts a great directory at   http://nationalfloristdirectory.com/ We hope to see you Saturday!!

Imagine this... your guests arrive for your outdoor garden wedding. They have no idea what to expect. Suddenly they enter the venue and walk smack dab into this display! Wow, talk about making a statement but oh, how overlooked this element usually is in the planning process. The particular wedding of Katie and Kyle really had a natural/hip vibe going on. Katie had each detail carefully planned out. All white flowers against black dresses. Feathers in her mini calla lily bouquet coordinated with her slightly feathered headpiece. Rectangular tables with long, low and florals in cube vases down the center. Moss green accents in the way of ribbon, actual moss spheres and even moss covered initials (K&K for Katie and Kyle) were also used. Spidery mums in the arrangements that coordinated with favors that were decorated cookies of the same theme. Last but not least - and actually first to be seen - we planned and coordinated this escort card table piece. Flowers in a square of all w

It's that time of year again when folks start decorating their houses for the holidays and so we start making door wreaths and swags. Did you ever wonder where the tradition of hanging a wreath on your door began? Back through many cultures and religions, the hanging of a wreath, the symbol of eternal life, has been a way of celebrating happy occasions and holidays. Even during years when my husband and I were too busy to even put up a Christmas tree (yes, the florist who decorates for others does not always decorate for herself) we've always celebrated the holidays with a wreath. Each year Kevin and I do something different (last years wreath was square with purple ribbons and balls) and it's just our way of expressing ourselves at home. Ask any floral designer and they'll tell you that creating custom holiday wreaths is one of the most fun parts of their job. Why not let us create one for you!!