March 2015

DIY Manischewitz Passover Centerpiece with Purple Flowers

Set the scene for your Passover seder and celebrations with a creative twist on your décor! Taking inspiration from Passover’s most popular wine — Manischewitz — we came up with this creative Passover centerpiece that will add a fun and festive touch to your spread.

To celebrate the vino’s robust purple color, we paired a stunning bouquet of purple flowers with an empty bottle of the wine and some juicy dark purple grapes. This centerpiece is simple to make and takes little to no time at all. Throw these together about an hour or two before guests arrive — that way, you can empty the bottles by filling their wine glasses. Or, pour the wine into mason jars and place them in the fridge to chill.

Tip: Make several of these creative arrangements and spread them around the table for a “pop” of fun!

Supplies for Manischewitz Passover centerpiece

1 bottle of Manischewitz
Purple flowers
Purple grapes
Matzo
Scissors and ruler (optional)

Directions for Manischewitz Passover centerpiece

Prepare your Manischewitz bottle vase by washing out any wine residue from the inside.
Fill the bottle with water and arrange the flowers to your liking. You may need to trim the stems to fit your vessel.
Place your bottle with flowers on top of a stack of matzo, and then arrange the grapes around it for a finishing touch. We recommended you wash (and fully dry) the grapes beforehand in case guests find them irresistible to eat!

passover centerpiece finished with glasses of wine

Happy Pesach!

The Origin of April Showers Bring May Flowers

Once April 1st comes around, it’s time to take out of storage those rain boots, umbrellas, ponchos and of course – vases for your spring flowers. The age-old saying “April Showers Bring May Flowers” still holds true today. But just how did this fun saying originate? Today we’re diving into the history of this poem and prepping for the rainy months ahead of us!

April Showers Bring May Flowers: A History

The poem as we know it today originated all the way in 1157, in the form of a short poem written by Thomas Tusser. The poem can be found in the April section of a collection of his writings titled, “A Hundred Good Points of Husbandry.” The poem goes as follows:

Sweet April showers Do spring May flowers

While this poem is clearly a direct ancestor to the version we know today, let’s travel back in time a bit further to the end of the Fourteenth Century, where legendary poem Geoffrey Chaucer had his own say on the month of April in his famous collection of stories titled, “The Canterbury Tales.” Chaucer’s version goes as follows:

Original:

“Whan that Aprill, with his shoures soote
The droghte of March hath perced to the roote
And bathed every veyne in swich licour,
Of which vertu engendred is the flour;”

Translation:

“When in April the sweet showers fall
That pierce March’s drought to the root and all
And bathed every vein in liquor that has power
To generate therein and sire the flower;”

While Chaucer speaks of April in relation to March rather than April, it could certainly be said that while Thomas Tusser may be the father of this saying, Geoffrey Chaucer is certainly the grandfather.

BloomNet Winter Fresh Forum 2015

I recently had the pleasure of attending the BloomNet Winter Fresh Forum at the Napco Headquarters in Jacksonville, Florida. BloomNet is an international floral wire service provider offering quality products and diverse services to a select network of professional retail florists.

In our ever-changing world it is important to have an organization for florists and floral designers that allows us to “embrace our floristness”. Additionally, BloomNet provides venues and opportunities to share ideas, learn new skills, meet and hear from industry leaders, and stay up-to-date on the latest floral and gifting trends.

There were many exciting events at this year’s Winter Fresh Forum, some of which included a design competition, a hands-on workshops presented by world- renowned ambassador of the floral industry René van Rems, and a 5-Day Principle & Elements Design Course by Jackie Lacey, AIFD, PFCI, CFD. In case you are not familiar with the acronyms I listed, here is what they stand for: AIFD = American Institute of Floral Designers, PFCI = Professional Floral Communicators International & CFD = Certified Floral Designer.

One of the most amazing things about the Winter Fresh Forum, is the beautiful floral creations. Here are a few of my favorite photos from the event featuring some spectacular California Grown fresh flowers, a few of the designs from the design competition, and a look inside a few of the workshops. Click here to visit the BloomNet site if you would like to learn more about BloomNet and the services that they offer.

Thoughtful and Heartfelt Get Well Gift Ideas from Free E-Cards to Get Well Dog Flowers

Know someone special who is feeling under the weather and could use a pick-me-up? Put a smile on their face and let them know they are on your mind by surprising them with a get well gift. Here are some ideas to help get you started on your way to sending smiles to those who could use them.

Send a Smile Electronically with a Get Well E-Card

Send well wishes instantly to anywhere in the world with a get well e-card delivered straight to their inbox. Celebrations.com has a selection of both free and premium get well e-cards that are the perfect pairing to a bouquet of get well flowers or a batch of get well cookies.

Floral Get Well Gift Ideas

Get Well Bouquets

Flowers add a touch of cheer to any atmosphere, making them a great choice for a get well gift. Whether you know your recipient’s favorite flower or not, there is always an appropriate arrangement for every personality.

A Cheery Companion for Someone Having a Ruff Time

Alternatively, you can surprise them with a sweet floral pup from the 1-800-Flowers.com a-DOG-able collection. This arrangement is the perfect companion for someone having a ruff time.

Get Well Food and Beverage Assortments

If you are considering sending food, be sure to read our tips for sending get well gifts below to make sure your surprise snack is appropriate for your recipient.

Warm Their Insides with Soup

Soup is the go-to get well food for many reasons – it warms you up, is simple to make and is easy going down. Since they may not be well enough to make themselves a batch of soup, they’ll surely appreciate a ready-to-go meal such as the Soups on Basket from 1-800-Flowers.com.

Tea For the Mind and Body

If you prefer to send warm beverages rather than food, tea is highly recommended. The Time to Relax Tea Basket from 1-800-Baskets.com is a great way to give them a reason to relax.

Don’t Forget the Entertainment

If you’re looking for an all-inclusive basket, the Friend on the Mend Basket from 1-800-Baskets.com is the way to go. This assortment includes not only both a can of classic Chicken Noodle Soup, cookies, and herbal tea, but also a word search puzzle to help occupy them while they are on the mend.

get-well-gift-ideas-friend-on-the-mend-activity-basket

Get Well Gifts to Help Them Relax

Send a Sentiment with a Spa Basket

The stresses of being sick can really take a toll, so remind them to give their mind and body a break by surprising them with a spa basket filled with all they need for a relaxing afternoon. Keep in mind the benefits of certain scents and essential oils – such as lavender to soothe nerves and stomach – when choosing the perfect assortment for your recipient.

Where Should You Send Get Well Gifts?

If you know someone under the weather at home, of course their home address will suffice. However, there are several locations which may require some further information, such as floor, room number, or even building name. Here are some locations that may require further information:

Hospitals
Nursing Homes
College Dorms
Wellness Centers

Keep in Mind When Sending Get Well Gifts:

Sending Food? Check Dietary Restrictions

When choosing the right get well gift, keep in mind the needs and restrictions of the recipient. If you want to send foods and treats, be sure to take into account any dietary restrictions (such as dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, etc).

Keep in Mind Supply Restrictions

For example, if you are interested in sending get well flowers to a hospital or nursing home, be aware that there may not be empty vases easily accessible to the recipient. Therefore, you are better off choosing an arrangement that already arrives in a vase. Similarly, if you are looking to send an entire cake, keep in mind that supplies such as cake knives or plates may not be readily available, so you may want to send products that require less prep work and/or maintenance.