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Monday, March 29, 2010

Spring Wedding & Design Show

Earlier this month I attended the Spring Wedding & Design Show hosted by Mears Floral Products in Springfiled MO.

The show was tons of fun--it's always a joy to hang out with other people who are interested (i.e. passionate) about the same things interest me!

Some of the great ideas I picked up....

How perfect is this for a flower girl?  It could be used any time of year just by changing the flower.  And it gives your flower girl a wonderful keepsake.  The flowers pictured here are silk, making a great keepsake, but we could easily create a similar look with fresh blooms.

Also a great twist on the traditional Easter basket...





With proms fast approaching, we learned some great techniques for creating custom bracelets (again, a great keepsake) and hairpieces.  Flowers of your choice can be added to these decorative wire bases.  Some of the detail is difficult to see in the photo, but trust me--these are very intricate designs!  This was probably my favorite segment of the show.  I can't wait to try some of these designs for the upcoming proms around here!



Are you planning on DIY florals for an upcoming event?  Here's an easy but unusual vase...and we can supply all the materials needed.  Materials included a silk poppy blossom, decorative wire, a small square vase and colored stick 'confetti.'









We also saw some of the options for using decorative wire in wedding bouquets.  Perfect for a modern/contemporary bride.  And the wire is available in a wide range of colors.  This wire can also be used in vase arrangements, corsages, and pretty much any floral design you can imagine.  Wonderful new product! (It's actually be around for a few years, but is gaining popularity by the day.)

See something you like?  Have questions about any of the designs or items mentioned?  If so, comment away!
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Monday, March 22, 2010

Stuck: Where did all my creativity go?

Recently, I had a short period of time where creativity was just pouring out of me.  Any time I sat down to write,  the words flowed easily and effortlessly (and for me, that's a HUGE deal).  Floral designs came naturally--everything matched the vision I had in my head.  I could stay up for hours reading blogs, watching educational videos, and just learning new stuff in general.  What a great feeling!

Then it stopped.  And my question is: Where did all my creativity go?  

Today I realized something.  My creativity isn't gone; I just lost a bit of focus.  I'm an introvert.  I prefer being behind the scenes.  I love being the boss and I love being the creative designer that I can be (am).  But recently I've had to be 'out front' quite a bit.  OK, in reality, I WANTED to be out there, because I really do want to be successful, I really do want my business to grow, and I really don't mind (most of the time) doing the stuff it takes to make this happen. 

So instead of taking deliberate time to recharge, I unconsciously took time off.  I let blogs pile up to be read (427 unread posts on Saturday); didn't update Twitter; minimally updated Facebook; totally quit thinking about SEO stuff, AdWords, marketing, networking, or anything in the social media world; and took 4 naps this past weekend.   Not good.  Well, the naps were nice--especially on snowy Sunday.

And today (I really do like Mondays!) I went to work and knocked out 3 estimates in less time than it usually takes me to do one, answered emails, paid bills and organized my week all before 2pm.  (One of the joys of being self employed is that when you finish at 2pm, you can leave work.  I went shopping for a new consultation table.  Technically, this still counts as work but I wasn't at a desk any more.) 

So here's the new goal or the call to action or whatever it needs to be called to get me doing it: Be conscious of when I need to recharge.  Not only be conscious, but do something positive about it.  No more mini-burnouts.  I love my job, my clients, and all the things I get to do working with my clients in my job!  

Now on to updating photos. . .  :D  Oh, and if anyone wants to comment about all this, I'm listening.  
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Friday, March 5, 2010

Which bouquet style is best for you?


Confused about which bouquet style is the best fit for you, your dress and your wedding?  Your mother (or grandmother) suggests a cascading bouquet; your maid of honor tells you nobody carries cascades any more.  And you want something that makes everyone happy AND fits your personality.   

So how do you decide on the best design?  Bridal bouquets come in a variety of shapes and styles.  As one of your most important accessories, your bouquet should compliment your size, your dress, AND your personal style.  The guide below gives helpful tips on bouquet styles.  

Cascading Bouquet: A mass of flowers at the top, trailing down to a narrow tail.  The tail can be any length.  In the traditional cascading bouquet, the tail is usually 'flowing.'  Contemporary versions are usually more structured.
* Also known as a 'Shower Bouquet"
* Works well with taller brides and full figured brides but can be scaled down for shorter or more petite brides. 
* Compliments ball-gowns,  full skirted dresses, and dresses with long trains.
* Generally a formal bouquet style, but type of flowers used can change this. 
* Perfect for the bride who wants a very traditional and/or formal wedding.
Cascading bouquet: pink lilies, white roses, tree fern, ruscus & lily grass~  Hand-tied bouquet with cascade: carnations, dendrobium orchids, baby's breath & bear grass~  Cascading Bouquet-Summer Mix with Sunflowers~  

Teardrop Bouquet: A more contemporary version of the cascading bouquet.  This bouquet is usually more structured than the traditional cascade and is often a bit shorter.  Bouquet is shaped like a teardrop.  
* Works well with full figured brides, but can be scaled down for other figures.
* Compliments full skirted dresses, A-line dresses that flare at the waist, and dresses with long trains.
* Perfect for the bride who wants modern touches to a traditional wedding.
Bouquet: pink rose and orchid tear-drop~   Teadrop - Lavender & purple roses, calla lilies & lisianthus #2~


Arm Bouquet: A gathering of blooms carried over the arm. 
* Also known as a 'Pageant Bouquet"
* Works well with slim figures.
* Compliments empire and sheath dresses.
* A good design for line flowers such as Calla Lilies.
* For a modern twist, this bouquet can be carried to the side rather than cradled in the arm.
* Flower type determines the formality of this style.
* Perfect for the bride who wants to carry larger flowers.
Arm Bouquet: Pink calla lilies & gerbera daisies~   
Arm Bouquet-Light blue Delphinium with Curly Willow & Ivy  

Hand-Tied Bouquet: A gathering of flowers with the natural stems left intact. Stems may be covered with ribbon or foliage or left natural.  Usually a round shape, but can also be oval or egg-shaped. 
* Also known as a 'Nosegay' 
* Currently one of the most popular bouquet styles.
* Works well with brides of medium heights and builds.
* Compliments most dress styles if properly proportioned
* Can be very formal or very informal depending on type of flower(s) used, stem treatments, and size
* Perfect for the bride who wants a contemporary look or an understated look.
* Also perfect for the bride who wants a very natural (wildflower) look or a casual look.
Hand-tied bouquet: pink and white roses, peonies, & stock with pittisporum #1a (close up)~ 
 
 
Hand-Tied Bouquet-White Stock, white Dendrobium Orchids, and & ivory roses~ 
 
Bouquet: White Gerbera Daisies~   
Hand-Tied Bouquet-Pink & White Summer Mix~
 
 
  

Nosegay: A gathering of densely packed flowers in a round shape.  Traditionally, nosegays are made with the natural stems intact.  However, they can also be created in a bouquet holder. 
* Often thought of as 'old-fashioned' but can be designed to be more contemporary. 
* Interchangable with the Hand-tied bouquets for dress styles, figures, and looks.
Hand-Tied Bouquet-White Roses #2~  
Hand-Tied Bouquet-Pink Peonies with Pittisporum~


Posy: A small version of the round bouquets, either hand-tied or nosegay styles.
* Care must be taken that this bouquet is not lost against the wedding dress.  Thus it is often used for younger or smaller members of the bridal party.
 
* Works well for the very petite bride.
* Works well for Junior attendants, flower girls, and mothers.
* Often used as the Tossing Bouquet.
* Compliments non-traditional shorter wedding dresses.
* Fits an understated wedding.
 
Bouquet: Miniature Calla Lily posy #1c~   
Posy-Blue Hyacinth with Limonium~  


Biedermeier: A very structured round bouquet where flowers are arranged in concentric circles.
* 
Works well with brides of medium heights and builds.
* Usually a very formal design.
* Perfect for the bride who wants formal but doesn't want a cascading bouquet.
Hand-Tied Bouquet-Autumn Biedermeier #1

Crescent: A version the cascading bouquet where both the left and right side trail downwards.  Crescent bouquets can be either symmetrical (both sides equal in length) or asymmetrical (one side shorter than the other).
* 
Works well with taller brides and full figured brides but can be scaled down for shorter or more petite brides. 
* Compliments ball-gowns,  full skirted dresses, and dresses with long trains.
* Generally a formal bouquet style, but type of flowers used can change this. 
* Perfect for the bride who wants a non-traditional cascading bouquet or who has an artistic flare.
Crescent bouquet with lilies and peacock feathers~  
Crescent Bouquet: Gardenias and pearls


Pomander:A round ball covered in flowers and suspended from a ribbon.
* Works well with petite brides.
* Works well for Junior attendants and flower girls.
* Compliments shorter dresses.
* Perfect for the bride who wants something 'different,'  and has a playful personality.
Pomander: Green Button Mums-ivory accents    
Pomander-Pink and White Mix with Pearls   
Pomander-White Carnations and Pittisporum
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