First Come Flowers

The 5 Fatal "I'm Sorry" Flower Mistakes

Fly Me To The Moon Florists

"I'm Sorry" Flowers

You blew it. You figure if you get some flowers you'll be out of the dog house. Not necessarily.

Oh sure, it works in the movies, but you're not an actor and this is real life. If you're convinced flowers are the way to go, you'll get extra points if you don't make the following mistakes:

5 Fatal "I'm Sorry Flower" Mistakes

1) Not everyone loves red roses. In fact many people think they're a lazy person's way out. Instead, buy the person's favorite flower or color of flowers. Getting this right shows that you've been paying attention.

2) You may not have tons of money to spend, but don't be cheap.  It's better to buy just one magnificent rose than to buy a huge bunch of artificially colored flowers from the fruit and vegetable market down the block. Show that you've put some thought into it.

GoToWall

3) When in doubt, spend more money and buy more flowers. They don't have to be expensive flowers, but there should be a lot of them to make a lasting impact. Don't get a few flowers with a lot of baby's breath believing that the person will think you spent a lot of money. Trust me, they won't. Why? Because a little bit of flowers with a lot of baby's breath looks amazingly like a little bit of flowers with a lot of baby's breath. It's not an elegant or sophisticated look.

4) Write out your own card no matter how bad your handwriting or spelling. It's the thought that counts. If you've really messed up do you honestly believe that a card written by a complete stranger will mean more than one written by you?  Scrawling a simple, "I love you and I'm sorry" is all you really need.

5) Sometimes a single bouquet of flowers isn't going to get you out of trouble. Maybe you should take the person out for a nice dinner. Or you may have to buy more "I'm sorry" flowers the next day. A customer at our shop bought his girlfriend flowers for 5 days straight. Little did he know he had her at floral delivery #2.              

There are situations, however, where the offense is so great that no amount of flowers will help. Hopefully that's not the case for you. 

 

Fly Me To The Moon Florists

But, with a little humility, a heartfelt apology, and a beautiful bouquet of flowers you just might be forgiven. 

I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject of "I'm sorry" flowers in the comments below.

Mimi

 

 

 

I Must Have Flowers

 

 via Loretablog

 

"I must have flowers, always and always."

                                                                    Claude Monet

 

 

I'm grateful for always being surrounded by flowers at Fly Me To The Moon. What are you grateful for today?

Mimi

 

P.S. These flowers are for you, my dear friend Daniella, as a gift for always reading my blog. Thanks!

 

3 Reasons Bikes Should Come with Baskets of Flowers

 

Just imagine, thousands of bicycles with baskets of flowers being ridden through the streets of your town. 

via Jadorable

What an incredible sight that would be!

 

via The Little Red Shop

While sitting at my desk, at Fly Me To The Moon Florists, I began to wonder what our city would look like if everyone rode around on bicycles with baskets full of flowers. 

via Searching For Style 

 

It would be like a daily parade without the crowds and the leftover garbage.

via Fine Art America

Here's why I think it's a terific idea:

1. It would make people happy. Joyful even. Bicycles of all kinds bearing flowers of all colors, shapes and sizes.

 

Martha Stewart

2. The streets would look so beautiful. Bike riders would try hard to outdo others with their magnificent floral displays.

 

3. Flowery bicycles might just encourage more people to ride. We all need more exercise.

The fact that I never learned to ride a bike should have no bearing on this case idea. My husband can get a two-seater and I'll ride with him. Besides, I can stay behind and help arrange the flowers.

 

Style Me Pretty

See other pretty bicycle images on Pinterest here. Learn how to select and care for your fresh flowers here.

I'm sure there are plenty of other good reasons why bicycles should come with a basket of fresh flowers. I'd love to hear your reasons in the comments below.

Mimi

 

How To Transform The Inside Of A Vase With Leaves

 

Fly Me To The Moon 

 

You can transform the look of a simple vase by lining it with fresh leaves. I use this technique in my floral design work at Fly Me To The Moon Florists.

 Wrapping a leaf on the inside of a vase works best with square, round or rectangular vases. You may need several leaves depending on the size and shape of your vase. Any soft and pliable leaf will do. 

 

Here's what you'll need:

Leaves - an aspidistra leaf, works best and can be purchased from a florist.             

Vase -   square, round or rectangular vase

 

Here's how to line the vase with the leaf:

1.  Select a leaf that is large enough to cover the entire vase. If the leaves are too small, you may have to use more than one leaf to completely cover the vase.

2.  Remove any dirt on the leaf with a damp paper towel.

3.  Cut off the stem of the leaf

4.  Bend the leaf into a circle small enough to fit in the vase. 

5.  Place the leaf in the vase and let it go. If it doesn't cover the vase completely, repeat steps 1-4 with another leaf. Position it either closer to the top or bottom to cover exposed area. 

 Totally confused? Watch this very short video entitled,  "Design Tip: Enhance A Glass Vase Design With Aspidistra Leaves." 

 

Fly Me To The Moon Florists

 

Wrap A Vase with Long Grass

You can achieve a different look by using a long grass, like steel grass. Wrap it around your hand. Put your hand into a bubble vase and let it go. Move the grass around until most of the vase is covered. This technique doesn't require complete coverage.

 

Please let me know what you think about lining vases with foliage for flower arrangements in the comments below.

Mimi

 

Linking to:

Common Ground

French Country Cottage

No Minimalist Here

 

 

 

The Power of A Beautiful Flower Arrangement

 

Never underestimate the power of a beautiful flower arrangement to set the stage for an elegant event.

Flowers: Fox & Rabbit       Photo: Bayly & Moore

Do you like to create your own floral arrangements for the special events in your life? If your budget is tight, DIY is a nice option. 

The goal of this blog is to empower you to do your own flowers. You'll find many DIY floral design posts and links here.

At our shop, Fly Me To The Moon Florists, we help a growing number of our customers create arrangements for their everyday enjoyment and special events.

But, there's something about a floral arrangement created by someone with a great eye for design that can make your event so very special.

I'm just saying. The beautiful arrangement above, by Fox and Rabbit, is both elegant and joyful. Everything I think flower arrangements should be.

What do you think about DIY flowers vs floral designer creations? Let me know in the comments below.

Mimi

 

 

 

How to Make Those Supermarket Flowers Look Great

The key to buying supermarket flowers and making them look great is to buy them the day they arrive at the store. Just ask the manager what day they come in.

 

Real Simple 

Most supermarkets and fruit and vegetable stands do an okay job of taking care of the flowers when they first come in. But, while florists will re-cut the flowers. change the water and add floral preservative to prolong their vase life every few days, most stores don't bother.

 

Here are some links to show you how to make your supermarket flowers look great:

3 Ways To Arrange Supermarket Flowers  

4 Tips for Making Store Bought Bouquets Look Elegant for Less

Turn Supermarket Flowers Into Beautiful Bouquets

Grocery-Store Bouquets

If you're not sure how to select fresh flowers or take care of of them, you may find these posts helpful. 

Please share your experiences with supermarket flowers in the comments below.

Mimi

 

Linking to:

Common Ground

French Country Cottage 

The Charm of Home 

 

 

 

 

Try The Elegant Garden Rose Instead

 

Tired of the typical rose arrangements? Then let me introduce you to the magnificent garden rose. 

Carolyne Roehm

They're huge and often don't even look like roses. They're particularly good for special events 

 

Martha Stewart

Garden roses come in a wide range of colors and some are intoxicatingly fragrant.

Martha Stewart

Garden roses are so beautiful that they practically arrange themselves. You don't need a lot to make an elegant statement.

More  Garden Rose Info:

David Austin Roses 

Garden Rose Arrangements 

Caring for Cut Garden Roses - 

 
  Jim Christensen

Some people are lucky enough to have garden roses growing in their gardens. Just snip a few, bring them inside and enjoy.

I'd love to hear about your experiences with garden roses below in the comments.

Mimi

 

 

How to Do Pink and Turquoise Right

I admit it. I'm a late adapter to the pink and turquoise color palette. But when a bride came in for a consultation with these colors and a touch of gold I fell in love. 

 Jane Packer 

This beautiful turquoise basket of pink roses is a modern twist on a an old favorite.

Tracey Rapisardi

Blush pink blooms. A robin's egg blue cabinet. And the palest pink table create a lovely spring vignette.

 

Source

Make your bedroom a haven you'll love. Paint a forgotten nightstand a vibrant turquoise blue. Get a bunch of pink flowers and cut them short so only their blooms are showing. Add a lovely decal or stenciled design on the wall and put your favorite linen on the bed. 

 

Source

You really don't need too much to make a special place in the corner of a room. A single pink flower in a bud vase. A beautiful remnant just the right size to cover that chair. A re-covered pillow in the palest pink satin. A throw and a journal or favorite book.

What Would You Like to Do in This Flowery Setting?

 

Armchair Collective 

 

Besides a flowers shop and cafe, the Armchair Collective actually sells, well a wonderful selection of armchairs. Get a glimpse of this lovely store here. Their website is currently being re-worked.

So, what would you like to see or do at the Armchair Collective? Please let me know in the comments below.

 

Mimi

Buy Yourself Fresh Flowers This Week!

One winter, my husband and I went to Aruba in February. We  had never gone anywhere warm in the dead of winter before. Our plane actually had to be de-iced before leaving New York City. It had  been snowing.

via Chloe Rose Boutique Tumblr

 

It was 89 degrees when we arrived in Aruba. I thought I had died and gone to heaven.

It changed my whole perspective on life. Well, at least on surviving cold winters. The overwhelming oppression of having to wear so many layers of clothing to keep warm can really get to you.

What does all of this have to do with buying yourself fresh flowers? Nothing really, accept that after weeks of face-freezing weather our bodies need a break.

Having a bunch of fresh flowers in your home or office can do that for you. Though not quite the same as being transported to some island paradise, it can truly lift your spirits.

I saw daffodils in the flower market on Monday. A clear reminder that even though winter's not over, spring is on the way.

How do you keep your spirits up when you're wondering if winter will ever end?

 Mimi