First Come Flowers

Behind the Scenes: Visit to Jamali Floral and Garden Supplies

Special events lighting - FMTTMF

Jamali Floral and Garden Supplies, a store in the New York City flower district, sells just about everything you need for a special event. Think Platinum Weddings.

I visited the store one rainy day and thought I'd share my trip with you. My pictures don't show every single category of the items they sell, so please don't blame me if I miss something.

 

Faux foliage and flowers - FMTTMF

They carry a selection of faux foliage and flowers. I guess these would come in handy if you were making a display you needed to last for a long time. Otherwise, fresh flowers and foliage would probably be cheaper. They have nice boxwood foliage in little pots. Perfect for a desk or lined up down the center of a table as a deconstructed centerpiece.

 

Sparkle for special events - FMTTMF

If it's sparkle you want, you've come to the right place. They've got sparkle galore. Chandeliers, candelabras, vases, bowls, votive holders, hanging spheres, etc. They also have amazing lights to enhance centerpieces and other displays.

 

Decorative lanterns - FMTTMF

If you follow me on Instagram, you've seen these gorgeous lanterns.  I love the intricate detail on them. You can place a candle inside or if you're feeling adventurous, a small plant or floral arrangement.

 

Modern metallic vases - FMTTMF

Jamali carries a nice selection of vases from the very small to the rather large. You''ll find vases of all kinds made from different types of materials. Think glass, wood, metal, acrylic, ceramic or resin. They also sell the French metal buckets we use at the shop. You can see more of their vases here.

 

Natural elements - FMTTMF

If you need baskets, shells, drift wood, rocks, stones, feathers or other natural items, Jamali has them. Glass beads and other decorative objects to place at the bottom of a vase can be found there as well.

 

Pink long-tailed birds - FMTTMF

Big Bird's somewhat daintier and pink cousins are waitng for you to stop by. These bad boys are pretty big. Jamaili is always on top of the latest trends. If it's on the runways or in the design magazines, it's at Jamali

Gold and silver vessels - FMTTMF 

If you're having an over the top special event, here's where you'll find all your fancy vessels. They come in gold, silver, copper, bronze, shiny or matte finishes. Just add flowers, and water of course.

 

Colorful candle holders - FMTTMF

Here are just some of the candle holders Jamali has in stock. By the way, if you find something there you really like, you'd better buy it soon, because it will proabably be gone by the time you get back. That goes for most things they sell. People come in and buy in huge quantities. And here's a tip: they may not get any more for a very long time. 

  

Moroccan-style lights - FMTTMF

Jamali doesn't usually carry lamps, but these were so cool I thought I'd let you see them. If you were doing a Moraccan themed party or design for a room these lamps would be perfect. They have lots of products related to a variety of themes.

 

Peacock feather wreath - FMTTMF

Been looking for a peacock feather wreath? They have it. Or at least they did when I took this picture. 

 

Colorful ribbon collection - FMTTMF

I have a little secret for you. Well two actually: 1) I love ribbon 2) If you need googobs of ribbon, try your local flower district stores first. Ribbon at Jamali is kind of expensive, but Central Floral Supply at 40 West 28th Street has great prices on double-sided satin ribbon. Tell Bruce, Mimi sent you. 

 

Floral design supplies - FMTTMF

You can buy fancy colored wires, raffia and all kinds of trendy floral design supplies at Jamali. If you're making floral bouquets for weddings, you can get everything you need here except for the fresh flowers that is. 

 

Hanging Bulb vases - FMTTMF

I found these cute hanging bulb vases here. I know I've seen DIY tutorials on how to make them, but if that's not your thing, relax, they've got you covered.

 

Jamali Storefront - FMTTMF

So if you're looking for inspiration for a special event or need to buy floral design supplies, Jamali is worth a visit. They're located at 149 W. 28th Street in New York City. You can also check out their website.

Where do you find your inspiration when you're decorating for special events?

Mimi

Fly Me To The Moon Florists: New Mini Shop at Ridge Hill Mall

Fly Me To The Moon Florists

 

The Republic of Couture, known for its boutique style exclusivity, invited Fly Me toThe Moon Florists to set up a mini shop within their high end store in the new Ridge Hill Mall in Yonkers, New York

 

Republic of Couture

The Republic of Couture defines itself as:

"... not only a one-stop shopping destination for today's trendy crowd, but also an excellent source of personalized service for the fashionable and more mature high end customer. "

The Republic of Couture held an after party as part of Project Style  on Friday, September 14, 2012.

My sister, Susan and I designed a tablescape for the event called "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner?"  

We created fantasy place setings for 8 invited guests including The Invisible Man and Audrey Hepburn. Watch for details of each place setting in my next post.

 

Fly Me To The Moon Florists

What do you think of our new mini shop so far?

Mimi

 

 

In Fond Memory of Johnny K.

Associated Cut Flowers

In fond memory of John G. Kantakis, known in the New York City flower district as Johhny K. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Kantakis family and the staff of Associated Cut Flowers.

 

My Least Favorite Thing About Being A Florist

  

Fly Me To The Moon Florists

I know water is necessary to make flowers grow.

I mentioned that to a fellow floral designer at the flower market earlier this week when he complained about the rain. His response? "You know, I never thought about it that way."

But I'm not talking about rain. Just open an umbrella and everything is right with the world again. 

And I'm not talking about spilling a glass of water on your important papers. However annoying that might be.

No. I'm talking about buckets of water. Spilled buckets of water to be exact. It's an occupational hazard that those of us in the floral industry rarely talk about. Unfortunately, it happens quite often at Fly Me To The Moon Florists.

Fly Me To The Moon Florists

The more flowers sitting around in buckets, the more likely one will get knocked over. Each of those "cooler buckets", as they are referred to in the trade, hold 2.7 gallons of water. That's a lot of agua y'all.

We never fill the buckets to the top. But when one gets knocked over you'd think a dam just broke.

Cold water cascading all over the place. Me running, trying to pick up all the things I said I'd never leave on the floor again before they get ruined.

But, no matter how fast how I am, I'm rarely able to catch a bucket before it totally spews its icy contents.

We were very fortunate this week though. None of the buckets holding the hundreds of stems of flowers for an event last night spilled.

Fly Me To The Moon Florists

We made 45 arrangements and not a drop hit the floor. Now that's what I call progress.

Is there any use crying over spilled water?

Mimi

It's Been Quite A While

Fly Me To The Moon Florists

"If I had a single flower for every time I think about you, I could walk forever in my garden." Claudia Ghandi

 

April and May have been a blur of floral activity here at Fly Me To The Moon Florists. 

The days began so early and ended so late that even the thought of posting was impossible. That's how intense it's been. But I'm not complaining.

Hope you've been well!

See you next week. Have a wonderful weekend!

Mimi

 

 

I'm Ready For The Doors Of Opportunity To Open: How About You?

There are many factors that determine whether or not you're ready for the doors of opportunity to open. But for me, it was all about confidence. Or shall I say lack of confidence.

 

Image:  via Eye Prefer Paris

Before our shop, Fly Me To The Moon Florists, opened I knew I had an eye for floral design. I soon developed my own style, but I wasn't confident about it.

Months before the shop even opened, 2 friends asked us to do the flowers for their weddings. Though they had never seen me do flowers, they trusted my design instincts from event decor work they had seen me do.

One had a tropical themed wedding with exotic flowers and the other had a Hollywood glam wedding with tall floral centerpieces at every table. I'm eternally grateful to those women for having faith in me when I didn't quite have it myself.

 

Image:  via Just Call Me Grace

Over the years, I've honed my skills and become more confident.

 

Here are the 5 lessons I've learned that I hope will help you: 

1) Be the expert - I stopped doing exactly what customers told me they wanted and began listening to what their hearts really desired.  If someone says they want an elegant look, but what they ask for is actually tacky, my job is to steer them toward what would look best.

 2) Trust your instincts. - There was a time when people were coming in insisting that we make these horrible flower arrangements for weddings. I mean ugly! And we did the best we could with what they told us. When I couldn't take it anymore, I began praying for customers who wanted our style. We put a gallery of our work on our website and began asking customers to write reviews. From that moment on, everything changed.

 

Image:  via Just Call Me Grace

3) Accept the applause. - People often call to thank us for the flower arrangements we design. Some even call us before they call the people who actually sent them the flowers. One call might be a fluke. But once the calls started coming in more regularly I knew we were onto something. 

4) Count your blessings. - One of our regular customers asked us to do all the flowers for her wedding. She came in for a consult with a huge binder and selected only her ceremony flowers. She told me she trusted me completely to select the color and style of her centerpieces. She laid her eyes on those flower arrangements for the first time when she walked into the reception.

5) Defend your work. - Our goal at Fly Me To The Moon Florist is to delight our customers with flowers. But if we blow it, we make every effort to make it right.

A customer came into our shop last week and told me he did not feel the floral design I made was worth what I charged. He and his wife loved the flower arrangement by the way. But, when he added up the price of each flower, he wondered if he had been ripped off. He said that online, he'd seen arrangements that had many more flowers for the same price. 

 

Image:  via pxleyes

I didn't feel offended. I thanked him for letting me know. I didn't say the price included my ability to make a bunch of flowers look like something other than just a bunch of flowers. I didn't even suggest that the arrangements he'd seen on other websites probably used cheaper flowers.

I merely said that the arrangement I made was worth what it cost. But if he really wanted more flowers, I would be glad to give him some. He said, "I guess what I'm actually paying for is your creative ability to make the flowers look great!." He happily declined any additional flowers and drove off in his $60,000 car. 

 

Image:  via Whisical Raindrop Cottage Tumblr

There comes a time when you have to take a sober estimate of who you are and what you can do. There's still a lot more for me to learn. But I can now confidently say, I am ready for the doors of opportunity to open.

How about you?

Mimi

11 Things You Probably Don't Know About Me

 
Fly Me To The Moon Florists

 

I've just been tagged by my blogger friend Linda over at My Crafty Home Life to play this game.

Here are the rules:

1) You must post the rules.

2) Answer eleven questions.

3) Tag eleven other bloggers.

4) Ask them 11 new questions.

 

Here are the 11 Questions I have to answer:

1) What makes you laugh?  My kids.

2) What is your favorite quote? "No matter how long the night,the day is sure to come. " African Proverb

3) Are you a morning person? Yes, the earlier the better.

4) What do you do better than most people you know? Pray for others consistently.

5) If you could re-live one day from your childhood what would it be? Sitting under my mom's sewing machine collecting sequins and bits of fancy fabric from dance concert costumes she used to make.

6) What was your best blog post? My most popular was one called, "5 Secrets for Elegant Gift Wrapping for Valentines Day." Nearly 700 visitors that day!

7) When you look back at this year (2012), what will you think will be your greatest accomplishment? Growing my blog to 1000 visitors.

8) Who is your celebrity crush? My husband, the love of my life!

9) What is your favorite movie? It's a tie between the original The Philadelphia Story and The Green Card.

10) What chore do you hate? Mopping the floors.

11) What would be your favorite meal? Anything vegetarian and Indian.

 

Here are the 11 bloggers I am tagging:

1) Sarah - Modern Country Style

2) Amy - One Artsy Mama

3) Amy - Botannical Brouhaha

4) Sarah - Honey of a Thousand Flowers

5) Claire - Mammabellarte

6) Amanda - Girl In Pink

7) Sheila - A Punch of Color

8) Sania - At Home

9) Vic - Cush & Nooks

10) Mia - Trenday

11) Gloria - Happy To Be

 

Here are their 11 questions:

1) How did you come up with the name of your blog?

2) What's your favorite snack?

3) If you were making up your own quote, what would it be?

4) What's your favorite flower?

5) Why did you start blogging?

6) What other country would you like to visit?

7) Which word do you have the most difficulty spelling?

8) What's your favorite magazine?

9) If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

10) What's your dream for the world?

11) What invention would you like to see on the market in your lifetime?

 

Mimi

Happy Birthday Fly Me To The Moon Florists

Image:   Fly Me To The Moon Florists

 

Please Join Us In Celebrating The 4th Anniversary Of

Fly Me To The Moon Florists

Established November 30, 2007

 

We're honored to create flower arrangements for you!

Mimi

Only The Freshest Flowers Will Do

Green Flower Arrangement - Fly Me To The Moon Florist

 

I made this flower arrangement 3 weeks ago for one of our weekly flower contracts.

Would you believe, with a few minor substitutions, it is still sitting on display in our flower shop. 

Each week we deliver a fresh arrangement and bring back the old one. Sometimes they still look so good I keep them in the shop for display.

At the crack of dawn every Monday and Wednesday, you can find me in the Chelsea Flower Market in New York City.

The flowers arrive at the New York airports at 2:00 am. I try to get there as soon as the wholesalers take the blooms and foliage out of the boxes.

I take the freshest and most interesting flowers to Fly Me To The Moon Florist where they are handled with tender loving care.

Guess that's why this one lasted so long!

 

How long would you like your fresh flowers to last?

Mimi

 

 

 

 

Fly Me to The Moon Florists Featured on Botannical Brouhaha

 

I was reading one of my favorite blogs, Botanical Brouhaha yesterday written by my friend Amy.The post was called,"Working Designer Wednesday:Keeping Flowers Fresh in the Flower Shop."

So I decided to write a lengthy response to her post based on my experience here at Fly Me To The Moon Florists.

When I visited her blog today, I was surprised to see that our shop was featured. You can read the post called, "Mimi's Response to Yestersday's Post" here.

How exciting!

Please read it and let me know what you think.

Mimi

 

Image:  Fly Me to The Moon Florists