As every style savvy girl knows, it’s all about the details. You found the perfect dress but it doesn’t stop there. Flower corsages have long been a prom tradition but you are anything but traditional. Need a little inspiration? Check out these cutting edge, trendsetting, floral fashion accessory ideas that are as unique as you are.
The American Grown Field to Vase Dinner Tour has announced its 2017 schedule! These dinners are must-attend gatherings that place seasonal, local, and sustainable American Grown Flowers at the center of the table where locally–grown food is served by a farm–to–table chef.
I was lucky enough to attend an American Grown Field to Vase Dinner at the Brooklyn Grange Rooftop Farm in 2015, and I still find myself daydreaming about that evening from time to time—especially now, at the end of a long winter, with hints of a spring that is fast approaching. Seeing the first signs of crocus pushing through the hard ground reminds us that our days will soon be filled with bright blue skies and beautiful flowers in an array of vibrant colors. Continue Reading…
Following on Galentine’s Day and “Ladies Celebrating Ladies,” we have another occasion to acknowledge the important women in our life: March 8th is International Women’s Day, a global day recognizing the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women and marking a call to action for accelerating gender parity. The theme of International Women’s Day for 2017 is #BeBoldForChange.
I have always known the power of strong women. I have had some incredible role models in my family, in my friendships, and in my career in the floral business. I want to honor one of those women in particular: Bobbi Ecker Blatchford. Before Bobbi passed away on February 3, 2017, she had dedicated her life to the floral industry and was a mentor to many.
In the last week of 2016, I learned about “hygge” for the first time in a feature article in an obscure British magazine called Breathe, which I picked up to help me transition into a new year in a centered and peaceful manner. The next day, there were at least three posts in my social media feeds about hygge. Ah, I’ve hit on a new trend, I thought! This is it: hygge will be the word of the winter of 2017. Let me be the first on my block to write a post about it! Then today I read that our cozy hygge days are over—only to be replaced in 2017 by the younger, cooler Scandinavian relative, lagom!
Whether it’s hygge or lagom, for some reason I am being drawn to things Scandinavian these days. (I just read the book A Man Called Ove over New Year’s weekend and thought it was the sweetest story.) And I am fine with that, because despite their long, dark winters, Danes are known as the happiest people on earth, so they must be doing something right! Continue Reading…
I get to work with some incredible people at 1-800-Flowers.com. They’re the kind of team players who are always happy to help out and who jump at any opportunity to give back. So where else would I turn when I was organizing the Wine and Painting portion of the second annual Golf and Wine & Paint Classic benefiting Smile Farms.
Golf fundraisers have been around forever. They provide an excellent opportunity for corporations to give back to communities while also rewarding employees and clients with a beautiful day on the links. We decided to add a new twist to this year’s event by including an afternoon wine tasting and painting session that would wrap up at the same time that the golfers would be finishing their game and heading back to the clubhouse, where the evening’s festivities included cocktails, awards, a silent auction, and dinner. Adding the wine tasting and painting turned out to be a huge success! It was so relaxing and everyone had so much fun. Our goal was to make everyone feel like I imagined these two women must have felt when I took this photo of them in La Jolla, CA this summer. Continue Reading…
CARLE PLACE, NY – I always enjoy a good party, and with Thanksgiving just around the corner, on November 12, 2015 I was fortunate enough to help 1-800-Flowers.com host a “Bring Back the Centerpiece” party for local New York bloggers/writers. At the event held in the 1-800-Flowers.com Design Studio, each blogger was able to design their very own Thanksgiving centerpiece and add their own creative flair!
To further the bloggers’ floral design experience, I brought some help! One of our extremely talented 1-800-Flowers franchisee owners, AnnMarie of Imperial Florist in Baldwin, NY, joined the party to help the bloggers craft their masterpieces. AnnMarie is also part of the 1-800-Flowers.com Local Artisan program, which allows florists to showcase their truly original arrangements on the 1-800-Flowers.com site.
From Left to Right: Jane Morales, owner of Long Island Mamas; Alejandra Ramos, owner of Always Order Dessert; Julie Mulligan; AnnMarie, florist at Imperial Florist; Kimberly Thomas, owner of Valley Stream Mom; and Rachel Weingarten from Parade.com
I’m still thinking about this whole feeling good and being happy thing. Of course, I immediately think of the power that flowers have on one’s well-being and state of mind, but there are so many little ways and things we can do each day to make a difference. Continue Reading…
Cupcakes, Cupcakes, Cupcakes!
I had such a great time last Friday afternoon at Hotel Giraffe in New York City. I had the opportunity to participate in a “Cupcake Party” to celebrate the launch of the NEW! Cupcake in Bloom from 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, as well as, the fresh baked and delicious cupcakes from Cheryl’s.
Sometime ago, 1-800-FLOWERS.COM asked me if I would help design a floral cupcake. The Birthday Flower Cake has been such a success for so many years that I knew it was time for the 2.0 version – so to speak. Now that it was time to unveil my cupcake creation, who better to have a cupcake coming out party with, then some of the most diehard cupcake lovers. These cupcake lovers share their passion (or should I say obsession) of cupcakes with us everyday through their blogs. Some of the guests included: Cupcakes Take The Cake, the one and only Milwaukee Cupcake Queen from No One Puts Cupcake in the Corner, Melissa Cohen from MetalSugar and Lisa Lillien from HungryGirl.
There are so many aspects of the “Cupcake Party” that I would love to share with you, so let’s start with the decorations…
We started off with a theme and the location. What’s better than a chic modern hotel, such as, Hotel Giraffe in New York City? At this event, I worked with a great stylist, Laraine D’Elia. We wanted to keep the look of the party as simple and sophisticated as the room, but of course we wanted to add a touch of sweetness! One of the focal points of the décor was the oversized floral cupcake that I created. Here are some photos of the oversized cupcakes, as well as, other shots of the day.
The View from Hotel Giraffe
A Chic Cupcake Party with Oversized Cupcakes
Me with the Milwaukee Cupcake Queen
Rachel and Nichelle from Cupcakes Take The Cake with Elisabeth and Lindy from Cheryl & Co.
Melissa from MetalSugar and her cupcake tattoo!
I’ll be sharing more details from the party soon. I will give you details on how to make this oversized cupcake and some other great ideas for your next Cupcake Party!
SPOTTED NEW MOM: Dina from Momformation is dedicated to keeping parents informed on all things kids; from tips on parenting, to which shoes are best for your child. A great website for all Moms! Check out her blog.
I think Erin really hit the nail on the head with her choices for great Mother’s Day gifts that she as a new mom would like this year. My suggestion would be to give the lady what she wants – she deserves it! There are so many colorful and fragrant blooms in season right now, so you have lots of options and price points to choose from.
My top flower choices are:
Tulips
Lilies
Hyacinth
Lilac
You might even be lucky enough to have a lilac bush in your own backyard (or your neighbor’s or friend’s)! It probably has just started to bloom. Snip a few branches and put them in a simple container like this old blue Mason jar for a fresh and fragrant breath of spring!
And whether you are giving the new mom a full day of pampering or a gift certificate for a “mani/pedi” or a facial and massage, don’t forget to include a coupon for free babysitting services to be used during her treatments. Tie them around the vase or bouquet with pretty ribbons and you can’t go wrong! I sure don’t fall into the new mom category, but I’d love this gift myself – hint, hint, guys!!
Both color and scent have emotional components to them. They can help to cheer you up or calm you down. They can trigger a memory or help to bring balance to your life. Here are a few facts about various colors and scents that you might find interesting along with fresh floral examples of each.
YELLOW
