Lavender Hill

We're on Pintrest

2012-01-29T21:27:00.007-05:00

It was just a matter of time, really. Pintrest, like many things, can be a good thing or moments in time you will never get back. If you have an account, you know exactly what I'm writing about. Time completely disappears when you're on your account. So, with that in mind, I've decided to spend my time on it in limited spans and for my client's benefit.

Our new Pintrest account is for our wedding and event clients. During our consultations, I often share photos from our personal collection- our own actual design work, as well as our floral friends. So, I figured we'll share this on a larger scale through Pintrest. Then our clients can take their time and also come better prepared for their appointments. They've gotten the 'Sneak Peek'.

I was a bit surprised to see how many people started 'Liking' and 'Repinning' within minutes of me uploading. I think it will become a great source for viewing a larger collection our photos. We'll also have photos of rentals we have available in-house.

I've noticed a number of people following us already. Please note, we will try and keep our following limited to floral industry friends. We want to keep our focus on images we feel will be helpful to our clients. We also want to select images from flower friends with design styles similar to our own.

Happy Pinning!

A New Year. Big Ideas. Fab Friends

2012-01-07T21:32:00.004-05:00

So, this is the first post of 2012.
Like most everyone, my team and I have been talking about what we would like in this 'New Year'.

Things range from.... all of us going to more after-hours events, every month- mixing business with pleasure. A couple of us being awarded scholarships. Committing to shooting a video every month or so, about some nifty flower topic de jour. Making some new wonderful networking connections; affording us the opportunity to work more with the vendors we love.

Today, we had a wedding. So far, we will have three weddings in January. Not typical- and we also had one on New Year's eve, so WOW and Yay!! for us.

Today's wedding was a delight for a few reasons. A lovely and excited bride. Good flower choices and the opportunity to work with some of our favorite vendors.

Our bride married at St. John's downtown. Her photos were shot by the very talented Amy Shepherd. I love a photographer who captures the 'details'. You would think it IS obvious.. catch the details, but- you'd be surprised. Amy does get the details and captures the emotion of the day. She gets the little important things a bride spent time making a decision on. Details in the lace on her dress, the necklace, a floral embellished cake knife and champagne glasses. She pays attention. She's also an absolute delight to work with and I highly recommend her for your big day.

Katie's reception took place at Kye's II. A location well known for hosting a memorable evening. Kye herself, was there during the set up. It is wonderful knowing even though a business like Kye's, a successful event facility, still has the actual owner on premise overseeing the details. When she isn't available, her very capable event manager Herbie Clinard is supervising.

And, it's not a great event without delicious food and excellent service. For that, Katie selected Mirabel Gourmet Catering. Chef Greg- a true French Chef- and his very capable staff, set a beautiful buffet. His refined cooking skills, ensure his client and their guests enjoy a mouth watering meal. People really do feast with their eyes, and Chef Greg makes sure their visual feast is just the introduction to a memorable dining experience.

As I've said in previous posts, the most important thing a bride and groom or anyone planning an event can do is... assemble a
great group of capable, passionate professionals to work with. Everyone will want the same thing you do- a perfect event.

So far, we've had a great start to the new year and we're looking forward to the rest of it.

Our 'Face of 2012'

2011-12-08T08:47:00.003-05:00

As this year winds down, our minds ambitiously wander to 2012. What will it hold?

While we can't change world politics or the financial situations that just seem to fester under the surface of many minds, we can think about beautiful flowers...and how we can coax more people into realizing their absolute beauty. It's not just beauty though. They really do serve a purpose, too.

Their mere presence truly does prove benefit to humans. It's a proven fact. They lift your spirits. With the elderly, they provoke thoughts and initiate conversations of past experiences... I gardened with my mother. My first love brought me violets. I remember- and just fill in the blank. Flowers relieve stress, they celebrate life, they ask for forgiveness, they speak for you when you are speechless.

Flowers can be associated with many things. Find your best image and run with it. For me, I have looked through our photos of this year's brides to find our 'Best Image.' As I work on our marketing for this new year of 2012, I want our potential clients to see a snippet of what we are capable of.

I plan to use our lovely bride Megan's image as our 'Face' for 2012. Why her? Because. First, she was an absolute doll to work with. Her choice of flowers truly reflected her- colorful, complex, romantic, fun and individual. She expressed her desire for bright shades to pop and stir interest in contrast to a very traditional church setting. She paid attention to details and textures and it definitely showed.

I've attached some of her photos shot by the photography team of Kreich-Higdon. They're simply wonderful photographers and creative people. And equally as important, great to work with.

So, look for Megan in our ads. She was delighted when I told her - she was 'The ONE'. I'm grateful for the opportunity to have worked with her and even more grateful she will now represent us.

Flora Holland

2011-12-01T19:33:00.004-05:00

Over the Thanksgiving holiday week, I traveled to Germany and the Netherlands. As a florist, the trip to the Netherlands was one I'd always hoped I could, one day, take. Not only is the Netherlands- Holland- known for wooden shoes and windmills, but also for flowers. Tulips in particular. Tulips are only the beginning of what is available from Holland.

I made a special trip to Aalsmeer, the Netherlands. Aalsmeer, is the home of Flora Holland. Flora Holland is the largest flower auction house in the world. It has over 6000 member growers represented. The auction house sells flowers grown in Europe as well as from Kenya, Ethiopia, Israel, and from South America. It is the 'portal to the world market and allows trade companies to access the full international supply.'

In a nutshell- it was one amazing place for a florist to visit. I shot a lot of video while in the auction house. It was amazing to see how all of the flowers get from the fields to the florist.

The auction begins at 7am. But the day begins way before then. Flowers begin their trip 5pm the day before they're being auctioned. Product is pulled and the trip to the market begins at 8pm. It arrives around 10pm and things get checked in and refrigerated. By 4am the next day- auction day- the quality inspection begins. By 6am, thousands of buyers review what's available. The auction begins at 7am. As soon as flowers are sold in one of the two auction halls, they begin their journey to the florist. The auction goes very quickly. As the giant clocks tic down, flowers, foliages, plants and other products are sold at a rapid pace. Once sold, they're pulled, packed and their trip to the buyer begins. Flowers sold to local business can appear in-shop later the same day. They begin their journey out of the country equally as quick, with an overnight trip to the rest of the world.

It was amazing to see hundreds of thousands of stems of flowers. Everything from roses, gerbera daisy, orchids, tropicals and more to beautiful blooming and green plants. The photos show a huge variety of fresh product in various stages of handling. Flowers are grouped, pulled by handlers, transported into the auction, on carts and trollies, presented and sold on the 'big clock', pulled again to be packed and shipped to the buyers. And it all happens very fast. The buyers sit in the auction room, at one of the many seats with computers to analyze product and submit their bids.

This was truly an amazing opportunity for me, and one I'll never forget. It's important to know your roots- and now I really know mine... well, my flower's.

It's not always about flower..

2011-11-06T16:49:00.002-05:00

A while back, I posted my daughter has gotten engaged. Needless to say, being 'in the business' I kind of have a leg up on the planning and vendors, which has helped to make our planning a snap. But, that doesn't mean I don't have the same thoughts as every other person-about what can go wrong on my daughter's wedding day.

Earlier today I saw an interesting post from a site for a DJ service called "Scratch Weddings". They are old school actually spinning vinyl--[my son would be in heaven.] Anyway, as I looked thru their blog I came across the following words of wisdom and thought it was important to share.

--In the spirit of planning for the worst, we polled our Facebook friends, DJs and recent newlyweds to compile our 7 Sure-Fire Ways to Clear Your Wedding Dance Floor list:

#7 – Hire a DJ who talks too much. “At this particular moment in time, could you put your hands together and give it up for the parking valet hanging out in your car.”

#6 – Tell the DJ to turn up the speakers as loud as they go. Never mind the fact that the Richter scale at the nearby college earth science lab is red-lining…Your guests will love the ear-splitting sub-woofers, we’re sure.

#5 – Stick with one genre all night long. I’m sure no one in the crows likes different genres?

#4 – Don’t pre-screen a DJ’s ability to blend, beat-match and scratch. Yes, wedding guests love being able to experience train wreck transitions – a.k.a., those poor mixes between songs that you never hear from a Scratch Weddings’ DJ.

#3 – Change gears faster than an 18-wheeler on a freeway entrance ramp. Book a DJ who says yes to a request from guests who want to hear a Viennese waltz and then cuts a Michael Jackson song short to crank up Johann Strauss.

#2 – Fail to read the crowd. The latest song prompted the feet of 100+ guests to go limp and a look of “are you on another planet?” to flash across their faces.

#1 – Announce, “The bar’s closing in 10 minutes.” Do we even need to explain this one? Give your guests a solid 30 minutes to get their last cocktail.

We are having a DJ for my daughter's wedding. One of Jen's biggest requests was- after some serious eating- the reception be 'one big, non-stop dance party'. So, the music and they way it is executed will be very important. I can definitely say that reading the 'Top 7' list definitely made sense to me. I know I have experienced all of these things at someone's wedding over the years. And to me, there's nothing worse than music being played that is completely inappropriate for the setting; especially when it's completely obvious as the dance floor evacuates - but the DJ doesn't change the music.

I'm looking forward to an incredibly memorable day. Dancing, great food and of course, a wonderful couple of days with our families. I know June will be here incredibly fast. I plan on enjoying every minute spent along the way.

Brainstorming. Wedding Shows. Which way to go?

2011-09-26T15:04:00.003-04:00

Although it's becoming more popular now, it used to be that most wedding shows, were typically held January through March-ish. at least that's the way it had been in our region of the country. Now, I'd have to say for the past few years, it's become a year round thing. This of course, makes sense since people don't just marry in the spring and summer.

The biggest challenge for a vendor such as ourself, is knowing what to show at the show. We know there will be other florists, but how do we best showcase our talent without giving away all of our visual 'pretties' before someone gets to see what we really can do for them. And, we also have to keep in mind, we want to be sure we present something fresh and original. All callas? I hope
not... but, if we do, there will be a serious twist.

So this weekend, we'll be presenting our florals at Garden Court. We have been asked to decorate the entrance, staircase and hall. This will also include providing florals for the other vendor's tables also displaying in the hall. So the question is...what do we bring?

Let's just say, some of our Dutch friends will be making an appearance and some from Ecuador, too. We might have a fresh twist on a decorative idea for that big, dark, heavily carved staircase. I'm just saying. An no one knows just exactly what's going on the check in table or entrance doors- but it will be snazzy.

Well, you'll just have to make arrangements to check it out yourself or wait 'til we post some photos. Normally, the wedding shows aren't such a huge deal for us to do. Except, this weekend, not only do we have the show, we also have four weddings. So, if nothing else- this should be fun to say the least.

Art and Flowers: Create and Bloom

2011-09-12T21:33:00.003-04:00

Join us at our unique and inspiring floral studio, Lavender Hill. Thursday evening, October 27th. 6-9pm.

Paintings, prints, jewelry and more. Art created by local artisans with inspiring floral interpretation. A creative evening in a beautiful, blooming setting.
Art and Flowers: Create and Bloom

Please mark your calendar and plan to spend some time with local artists including 'Starvin Artist' David Green, Larry Dalhover, Pam Raymond, Sheila DeKold, Walt Hale, Marianne Zickuhr, Carolyn Minutillo AIFD Cfd, Jessica Morris and Grace Harmon.

Together, we will present art in various mediums with a floral interpretation to compliment. Art will be available for purchase and commissions accepted.

Light refreshments will be served.
Lavender Hill
360 Spring St. Historic Downtown Jeffersonville

And the Reader's Choice Winner is.......

2011-08-20T22:47:00.003-04:00

US!!!! Yes, that's right. We were told yesterday that for the second year in a row, we were voted the Best Florist in Clark County.

We don't take that lightly. We're thrilled we were voted the Best and are appreciative of the acknowledgement. We know there are at least six florists in the county. So, we're glad our hard work, client service and most of all design work, has been a favorite in our community.

What are we doing differently? Well we like to think our awesome sources for the freshest flowers is at the top of the list. We make it a priority to purchase locally grown seasonal flowers whenever possible. We also import some of the freshest and most unique available.

We also know continuing education and involvement within the floral industry is and absolute MUST. As the owner and principal designer, I am an AIFD certified floral designer and a floral educator. I also have over twenty-five years of design experience.

Our lead designer, Jessica recently spent her 'vacation' assisting nationally known floral designer, Mandi Majerik at the Tennessee State Floral Convention at the beginning of the month. She then traveled to Alabama to assist Mandi with two weddings and a photo shoot for a wedding publication. It is always a great opportunity to work with other excellent designers in various regions of the country. It brings greater awareness to national trends and regional traditions.

Our design apprentice Grace will be finishing up on a degree in business/marketing this fall. She has a very creative eye and is a natural with flowers. She also spent a semester studying art in Florence, Italy. After receiving her degree, Grace plans to begin her formal floral design education. Her eventual goal along with Jessica is to reach the AIFD accreditation.

The person responsible for getting all of the great flowers to the lucky recipients is Kym. She carefully gets the arrangements packed and magically finds the addresses for all of the beautiful flowers. Kym also keeps us organized in the workroom as well as in the front of the shop.

The only one I haven't mentioned is our new shop cat, Katy Milady McGee. We absolutely love her. She keeps us happy with her mere presence and makes every day working with flowers even better, and our clients love her too.

We hope you've gotten to know a bit more about us. We love our 'job' and by the results of the Reader's Choice Survey, now we know it shows.

Not this dress and other wedding things

2011-08-01T20:51:00.002-04:00

No this isn't "The Dress".

I know I've posted previously, my daughter got engaged. She has set her date for next summer and in the mean time, we have lots to do- just like every other bride and her mom.

It's as exciting for me- just like for any other mother of the bride. The one differences is obvious, I'm in the business of flowers and weddings. In some ways it's like an advantage- obviously, I know the best vendors to suggest to my daughter-from the perspective of matching personalities. I do suggest these same vendors to my clients, for the same reason- personality and product/service. I have the advantage of knowing many people and their services and I know I am lucky to be in this position on such a special day. But, in many ways, I am just like every other mother of the bride.

My biggest concern, the weather. Just like every other other mom, whose daughter is planning an outside wedding. Now it's not even just rain. I'm hoping we don't have this horrible heat too. I know we've made the right choices for location and all of the other details involved. But, it's all of the other 'little things'. You don't want her wedding to be too similar to any other recent friend or relative's wedding. My niece Alexis just married, and she had an absolutely beautiful wedding. And although we went through about five color palettes- seriously- Jen settled on the same shades as Alexis ! It wasn't intended, just worked out that way. So now, we have to put Jen's twist on it. Oh, and I have to find something to wear too. And that should be fun.

I also want to be sure I am not only physically present for Jen's wedding but mentally. I will not be scheduling any other weddings for her weekend. She deserves my undivided attention. Typically, we have plenty of staff divided up between all of the weddings we schedule. We make sure we do not over book so all of our brides get the same attention. It's just, our staff will also be guests and they deserve the opportunity to have a great night celebrating too.

It's been interesting looking at her ceremony and reception location with a fresh pair of eyes. We've worked events here many times over the years- but this time walking in, to really look at the space, seems very different. I can definitely say I will have more things to share with future brides because of my own personal experience. I am truly looking forward to this year unfolding as it will. We'll have many things to celebrate as the time checks off the calendar.

Stay tuned.

A Wedding Road Trip

2011-06-26T22:01:00.002-04:00

My beautiful niece and Goddaughter Alexis is getting married this Saturday. She and her fiance Dan have been together for a number of years and this Saturday, July 2nd is their big day.

We've been anticipating this day for a while on our calender, not just because it's their big day, but because we're doing the flowers. And the wedding isn't in Louisville, it's in Wisconsin. So needless to say, there's just a bit more involved in planning this.

So, Wednesday morning, bright and early, Jessica, Grace and I will be leaving about seven-thirty in the morning and driving north. We're picking up some fancy-schmancy silver glass vases and then heading west to Normal, Illinois. In Normal, we'll pick up the flowers we've ordered and head north to Wisconsin. Jessica has promised a super-fabulous mix cd for the road trip and she swears it will absolutely make the trip beyond memorable. And of course if our memories slip our minds- there will be video- We'll have flowers to clean and process and prep work when we arrive. Thursday we'll have site inspections and start the designing. Friday we can finish the designing and begin setting the props and Saturday install the fresh flowers. Once things are installed, we get to switch mode from florists to guests and relax.

The other couple of "biggies" on this same weekend are my darling son turning the big -25!! On of course Alexis' wedding day. And he and his fiance will be closing on their first home, just a couple of days before. So unfortunately, they cannot attend the wedding as originally planned.

When I return on Sunday, I will re-pack and early Monday morning, I will be on my way to San Francisco to officially be inducted into the American Institute of Floral Designers. It's finally happening, and I can't wait!! This will truly be a memorable weekend for everyone.

A contract- don't hire a vendor without one..

2011-06-05T20:33:00.005-04:00

Planning your wedding or any event usually includes retaining a variety of vendors for their services. Each vendor should have some type of contract for you to sign- and you should always sign a contract. After you've had the time to thoroughly read it. If you have questions, make notes for the areas you need clarification and do not sign or give a deposit until you are comfortable with and agree to, the fine print. The contract protects you as well as the vendor.

But what if one of the vendors is just starting out and they don't really have a contract? Get something in writing that clearly explains what you are paying for and what it is that you are expecting from them to provide in the way of product ie. cake, invitations, flowers etc. or services, DJ wedding coordinating, musician or whatever their service or product is.

But it's a person I work with, and I really like them, and I'm going to get the cake for sooo cheap!!! And who cakes about the cake anyway? No one really eats it? - Oh, really? I can pretty much guarantee, the day of your wedding, you won't quite feel that way. You WILL want your cake straight, not leaning. You will not want the frosting to look like cracked play dough that has been left out for half the day- you know, all dry and crusty. You will want it to taste- well, tastey- not like sawdust with sugary lard on top. And you do want to have the cake arrive and be set up BEFORE the guests start the reception.

Why am I being so snarky about people that might work from home? I'm not. I started my business a LONG time ago from my home and eventually moved out into a retail location. Many vendors have home based offices, ie. wedding coordinators, DJs, make-up artists and some photographers. The bottom line is they must behave and run their business like a professional, bottom line.

For you the client, please read the fine print. This might be in reference to a hourly rate for time above the contract amount for a photographer, DJ, stylist or coordinator. It might be your responsibility to be sure your bridal party doesn't wander off and compromise the photographer's ability to 'get all of the shots' you expect them to. You might need to provide the list of names for your bridal party to the photographer, DJ or florist. Be sure you do whatever they ask, especially if it is noted in your contract. If something goes wrong as a result of you not doing what a vendor requests, it can compromise your contract.

For us the florist, it might be making sure any items you might bring to us -vases or other containers or props are clean and free from price tags or stickers. It might be - making sure the flowers you request for your ceremony or reception are removed or given to family or friends; so when we return to pick up the rental items we're not cleaning up and disposing of things we shouldn't be.

Be sure your rentals are returned to the vendors whether it's linens, cake stands or anything else. Most rental contracts have a notation regarding late fees, returning damaged items [it does happen] and plain not returning items because they disappeared.

And lastly.... please be sure to pay attention to the dates your final counts are due whether it's for food, table decor, or favors. Note when your final payments are due and what's accepted for a final payment. Do they take a check? can you pay with a credit card or is it only cash?

I know some of these things seem like no-brainers, but I mention these things because everyone I know in the wedding industry has had to address at least one of the areas I've noted. I know there are a lot of things on your plate, but a little attention to detail now will save you a lot of unnecessary stress a day or two before your most wonderful day.

Double Bling and Wedding Bells

2011-05-11T20:03:00.000-04:00

Last fall, I posted about my son's engagement to his lovely fiance, Danielle. They're settling in to their 'engagement' stage of their relationship. I appreciate the time they are taking to do things 'their way'.

Like many brides, Danielle is working her way through nursing school. She's in school full time and working full time, too. Honestly, I don't know how she's doing it. But she is.. and is always just a sweet bubble of sunshine. She is showing extreme patience in setting their wedding date, because another goal they have as a couple is to purchase a home. They've found the perfect 'nest' and are patiently awaiting a complete stranger's approval on them making it their own. Once they check that off their 'to-do list' I think they can select their big day.

As if that isn't exciting enough, last night, my darling daughter Jen and her boyfriend of 6 years JC, got engaged! Late last week, JC happened to call me to see if Jen had gotten home yet, I wasn't sure because I was working late because of Derby and Mother's Day. Little did I know, he just happened to stop by our house to speak to my husband about marrying Jen. My husband said he'd planned to ask Jen next week while they celebrate their six years together. Needless, that ring an a guy's possession is very hard to contain and rather than waiting- he popped the question just a bit early.

To some couples, six years is indeed a long time, but to them and us, their families, it's even more than that. For a good majority of their relationship.. they have been apart. A few months after they started dating, JC left for 4 years in the ARMY. Yes, she knew he'd signed up, and she was still willing to be adventurous, patient, supportive and encouraging while he was gone. Even during a deployment to Kuwait for over one year. They got to spend one prom together, her junior. She spent three years of college on her own. In return, he supported and encouraged her, too. She has just finished her senior year of college. Is she done? Not quite. She changed her major going into her Junior year. So, that meant she'd be a semester off on graduating because she now has student teaching to add to the list.

Now, at the end of this summer, Jen is the one leaving town for a while. She'll be going to Germany to teach her major- English, at, of all places- a US ARMY base. So needless to say, I think they have to jump on the wedding planning. She won't return until December...so, I think we'll definitely have double bling and lots of wedding bells coming this Spring.

In the mean time.. I hope she'll breathe for a while, enjoy the engagement bliss and soak in her last summer of being single.
[the photo posted, is one of my very favorites.. after over a year's deployment to Kuwait, Jen and JC were reunited. I think the photo says it all for patience and love.]

Ready to lose my marbles..and a Royal Wedding

2011-04-26T20:00:00.005-04:00

First. I have been trying to get back on this blog so I could post and for the life of me, I could not get back in. So again, I've had to reset the password. Now, that was enough time given to the hacker creep who is still invading my time. Can't have any more.

On to the fun business.. A Royal Wedding.
I have a floral friend, Jodi Duncan, who is lucky enough to be in London right now and will be able to witness the fun and royal frolicking that will take place for Kate and William. I am so green- [a lovely chartreuse shade] with envy. I and several hundred other floral friend have been following her posts while she's been in not only London, but also Scotland and Paris. Why is she traveling? ? because of flowers.

She was invited to design some florals for an amazing floral industry magazine- Fusion. It is a european magazine [aka.floral bible] within our industry with lots of really beautiful photos- kind of a picture bible but for adults not kids. Because once we open this, we're busy looking at the photos and eventually we do get back to reading what it's all about. Just in the mean time, we're mesmerized by the bright colors and details. Anyhoo, Miss Jodi was invited to do a photo shoot for the magazine, and she just happens to be in London for the nuptials. Lucky Gal!!

She also posted a brief article from people.com about the florals being designed by the Middleton's family florist- Yay Middleton family! you have a regular florist and don't use a phone book to find someone to do Kate's wedding!!Kudos- AND- Kate is using the 'Language of Flowers' as an additional guide for selecting her blossoms. I've just snagged a snippet of the article she posted below...

"The symbolism means a lot to [Kate] and the sourcing has been hugely important," says Connolly. He describes Middleton, who has been very involved in the designs, as a "dream client" and "like few other brides I've ever met."

Connolly (who will be working with the Middleton's Bucklebury family florist Emma Sampson on the event) also reveals that the trees lining the aisle at the abbey will be six English Field Maples and two Hornbeams.

Some Surprises...But he remains tight-lipped on the bridal bouquet which, traditionally, features all-white blooms.

The flowers planned for the abbey decorations may provide some clues, though. Among the varieties: Azaleas, the Chinese symbol of femininity, lilacs, which represent first love, rhododendron and wisteria.

"One of the things that has been very important to Catherine is the meanings of flowers and the language of flowers," says Connolly. "We've tried, especially in the wedding bouquets, to make beautiful stories." ....

I think my invitation to this lovely event is stuck in the mail. Imagine that! Thanks to the internet I and everyone else can get a front row seat. And now you know.

Oh, thank Goodness!!!

2011-03-28T21:28:00.003-04:00

I have not been able to blog for a while as you can see by the date of the last posting. Why? My account was hacked. It has taken quite a while to get back in to some of my accounts and this was one. It has wigged me out knowing that someone has access to my personal emails. Not that I have anything to really worry about, but it's just the point. I can't get back into my account because the creepers changed my password and they locked me out. So, now I have a new personal email and password.

My darling niece and Goddaughter Alexis, is getting married this summer and we are going to Wisconsin to design her wedding. We're super excited and so is she. Unfortunately, some of the emails we exchanged are now in the hands of the hacker. So, now she has to re email me all of the pics she likes and it's just a pain.

It's always fun creating a wedding, but this one will be exceptionally fun, because it is the first of my nieces on my side of the family to get married. The four girls are all close in age. Alexis and Rebecca 26 and 25--- both turning 26 and 27 the first week of April... and Jennifer and Elaina are 22. They have lots in common, yet each is so different. But all of them are crazy fun, love to dance and LOVE Fashion especially shoes. These are the shoes and 'fascinator' Elaina will be wearing as Maid of Honor.

A real party is in the works for July. And the count down begins April 1.

VD. It's coming whether you like it or not.

2011-02-07T17:17:00.005-05:00

VD. Valentine's Day....aka "A made-up florist's holiday"

Okay, I've had enough. This holiday has been around for a while and long enough for EVERYONE to know this isn't true. Flowers, although one of my favorite things- are not the only thing going on for Valentine's Day. And by the way, I'm keeping count of how many people call and pronounce it ValenTIME's Day. Just sayin-

I'm just going for the love factor and not even talking about flowers on this one. I'm not pushing anything other than LOVE. My most significant and memorable Valentine's Day was at the age of 15. I was a freshman in high school and totally smitten with my boyfriend, now husband. Yes, we've been together since we were 15!

Every high schooler's dread- what to do for Valentine's Day. You don't want to do too much but you don't want to look like you didn't make any effort either. I cannot even remember what I gave him- but I do remember, and still have, the hand written valentine letter he gave me. Complete with this little face he draws [his trademark]

I was head over heels for him, before I'd even met him -[I'd seen his photo.]...but that's another story. My point is- no matter what you purchase - give it from the heart. Even if it's a handwritten note or card- those are truly the very best gifts anyway especially if accompanied by flowers- Oops! Think about what you want to say. You might not think it's a big deal- but it is. Because they, like me, might really keep it forever... and forever is a LONG time.

Have a great Valentine's Day.

Top 10 Reasons...

2011-01-27T19:30:00.002-05:00

With Valentine's Day around the corner...along with just every day living and no better reason for giving flowers than...Just Because... I am posting the -Top Ten Reasons to Order from a "Real" Local Florist

1. Ensure Maximum Value--We want you to get the most bang for the buck- we really do.
Save on extra service fees by cutting out the middleman.

2. Speak Directly To The Florist Who Is Filling Your Order- a HUGE benefit. They know what's actually in stock in their shop. You don't have to settle for the basics on a website.
Find out what flowers and plants are in stock, what looks particularly good, or whether any blooming plants may be planted outdoors later.
Have a custom design created to your specifications...the BEST reason. Let a talented florist be creative.

3. Communicate Special Requests Directly
Does the recipient have any favorite flowers? Any dislikes?
Should the recipient be called prior to delivery?
Is the recipient hard of hearing, or slow answering the door?
Is one entrance better than another?

4. Select Additional Gift Items
Many flower shops also carry unique gift lines, such as candy, plush animals or candles, which can be added to your order or sent independently.

5. Get Same-Day Delivery - If Possible
By phoning the local florist directly, find out if same-day delivery is possible. Calling early improves the chances.

6. Pay Accurate and Appropriate Delivery Charges - No More, No Less
Pay the right local delivery fee without having it deducted from the value of your order.***If for no other reason, this is the biggest reason- Wire orders with the 1-800 companies add a service fee/charge which most customers think is the delivery charge- it isn't. This service fee is kept by the 1-800 company. YOUR delivery fee comes out of the amount you thought was going towards the number listed for the flowers.
A delivery to a location close to the shop may not cost as much as one farther away. Only the local florist knows.
Some locations, such as gated communities or certain businesses may require an additional charge.

7. Familiarity With Local Delivery Regulations
Hospitals, funeral homes, schools and businesses may have delivery cut-off times or size limitations.
Hospitals in particular often limit the size, quantity, or types of balloons that can be delivered.

8. Familiarity With Local Funeral Customs
In some areas a standing spray of flowers is customary, while in others a basket of flowers is most appropriate.
In smaller towns, a local florist may know what has already been ordered or sent to the funeral, and can then help you choose something different.

9. Establish A Relationship With The Flower Shop For Future Orders- We definitely have many 'former wire' clients who 'found' us and now call us direct to place an order, get personalized service and more value for their money.
Join a mailing list for email newsletters or seasonal offers.
Many shops offer a reminder service for sending flowers at special occasions.

Only nine reasons, you ask? The tenth is simple and universal:
10. Everyone Loves To Receive Flowers!

Research conducted by Rutgers University and the Society of American Florists indicates that flowers have an immediate impact on the happiness of the recipient, have a long-term positive effect on people's moods, and increase the connections among family and friends. Not only that, but a study by researchers at Texas A & M University shows that flowers and plants improve productivity, innovation, and creativity in the workplace.

I happened to run across the basics of this Top 10 list on the web. I felt it was important to add my two-cents [of course] and hope you'll spread the word the next time you want to send flowers across the country or world.

Where have I been???

2011-01-18T21:49:00.003-05:00

Imagine... Where have I been? Where am I going?
It is always my goal to be on top of things. To keep things under control. I like to lead not follow. I'd rather do things myself, than 'patiently' wait for someone to do something for me. If back in college, I would not do well on a group project. Especially if I know my grade depends on the contribution of other's.

Unfortunately, I have not been on top of blogging. I know it. Honestly, I thought I had blogged in December, but it's obvious I didn't. So, I stopped to think what the heck has kept me from blogging? Where have I been? How did I miss my goal of being on top of things? Let's see.. I was busy living things I imagined.

November and December are a blur to me. Truly. A. Blur!! We were blessed to be busy. Weddings, funerals, parties, and everything in between. My very handsome son got engaged to a sweet, smart 'Girlie Girl.' I'm so excited for them and look forward to Danielle becoming part of our family. I get to watch them as they plan their 'perfect day' with a date sometime next year.

And then, my birthday..un-eventful. ..which works for me.

Our 'Grace Darling' coming home from a semester in Italy..[Jessica and I secretly jealous] oh, the adventures we know she had.

My ever-so-lucky-daughter celebrating her birthday in Vegas. Will this be an annual event?? Vegas? And poof!! It's Christmas. Where did the time go?

Then a New Year. 2011. In a New Home. My husband and I found 'the house' and said, "be brave! Let's do it!" and we did. We spent the New Year in a new home. Strange, but a good strange. It's been a good adventure so far.

So, what does this have to do with my photo 'Imagine'? All of us imagined all of these things. An engagement. Traveling abroad. Celebrating a birthday with friends. Winning big. A dream home.

This year, I imagine myself on top of the blogging. I imagine gathering just the right happy people working together at Lavender Hill. Open, creative, supportive, fun, artistic people- working together on beautiful flowers for everyone's reason for needing them. I imagine working with some great photographers, getting me great shots from some really great weddings we have on our books. I imagine great parties for Derby. I also imagine an over the top wedding for my beautiful niece. She will start my month of July. My whole family together celebrating her big day AND my son's 25th birthday.

Also in July, I will find myself, not just Imagine myself, on a stage in San Francisco. Getting inducted into the American Institute of Floral Designers. It will be real. It will be official. I will get that gold pin and those four letters AIFD after my name. Something I have imagined for quite a while. I am so excited.

So, where have I been? It doesn't matter. As long as I'm here, living in the present. Because being in the present, truly is a Gift.

Halloween and Weddings...

2010-10-28T22:05:00.004-04:00

A strange combination...Halloween and Weddings. But, kind of cool to me.

My parents would have actually been celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary this Halloween. Unfortunately, both of them have passed away, but I still love looking at the few wedding photos I have of their day.

One in particular always captured my attention. It was a great photo taken outside the church. Off to one side of the photo were two kids in their vintage masked halloween costumes. I always wondered who they were.

Why would they hang outside the church? What kid would hang outside a church? I mean really. And then I stopped thinking that after it occurred to me- I was that kid. I mean- not them.

I was that kid that hung outside the Greek Orthodox church down the street from my house. Patiently waiting on my pink bike with the streamers hanging from my handle bars. If there was a wedding going on, I was there. I loved it. Back in the day.. to me, all of the brides looked like Pricilla Presley. Giant dark hair. Huge dresses. Big doe eyes with black eye liner. I thought they were beautiful!!!

The big, black Cadillac covered with handmade Kleenex flowers taped to it. This oh-so-fancy, big car, waiting for this special Girl. I learned to watch the man in the black suit with the hat who hung out by the big black car. The Driver! He was my cue for when those doors would fly open and all those people would pour out. But, who was SHE? And the Elvis-like man. To me they were this beautiful, mysterious couple. And what was more mysterious to me was- the church.

I loved getting a glimpse of the inside of this beautiful, gold church. PLueeeease open the doors wider! And while you're at it, get out of the way, so I can see in.

Adorned was this church with these unusual paintings of people. Saints? Who were they? I was Catholic. I always thought my church was so beautiful... and it was. Our's had beautiful marble statues and our patron saint's was especially ginormous to me. ..but this fancy church! One day I'm going to find a reason to get inside it. But how???

Fast forward to my profession and ...Voila!! I'm in!!! I AM a Florist !!!! Big bouffant hair, the giant dress, the big, dark eyed bride. Yes!! I am doing my neighbor's wedding. In this church. The mystery is revealed. And it was as magnificent as I had always imagined it would be.

So... to the little kids outside my parent's church on their wedding day- I totally get it.

The Vows...

2010-10-24T19:30:00.004-04:00

I must say, we've been really busy this past month. Crazy busy!

I'm beyond grateful for the opportunities to design the florals for so many of the recent occasions. Let's see.... We've done flowers for the party celebrating the 'Water Taxi' that will now be available to take Cardinal Fans to the new YUM! Center. For those readers not in the area, just Google- YUM! Center and you'll be filled in. The Cardinal Fans are the sports maniacs from the University of Louisville. I say maniacs, lovingly. Not originally being from here, I had NO idea how hooped up people get about College sports. I knew people went nuts over professional sports-hello, I'm from Chicago- the Bears, the Bulls, the Blackhawks, the White Sox, and I'd like to say the Cubs, but I can't. Those darn Cubs-That's another story.

We have also been invited to partner with the Belle of Louisville for her future events. Again, you might want to Google the details on the Belle, if you're not familiar with this beautiful 90+ year old Steamboat check out www.belleoflouisville.org- It is an amazing vessel that is definitely available to host parties and private functions aboard.

We've created some cool florals for the Floyd County Arts Council, the River Breeze wine event and received the honor of being voted the Reader's choice of Best Florist in Clark County! Of course we've had many weddings along with everything else. So where is this rambling going? Back to a particular wedding which I got a call about, just 10 days ago.

This wedding took place Saturday night. Yes, yesterday. So now, I must back up and fill in the blanks. The first person who called has known me for a while. She has a 'friend' who was planning on getting married but had to bump up the date to Saturday night. This is not unusual, but not for the reasons you may be thinking.

No one was 'with child', or shipping out because of the military. No green cards involved- but I have had those. [Again, another story and the green card one is great!]

This one was bumped up because of LOVE- Well, all Brides and Grooms are in love. But this one is different. The love goes far beyond the Bride and Groom. This really involves their friends.

You see, the Bride and Groom had planned on getting married. Unfortunately, the Groom has become terminally ill and time is of the essence. So what do great friends do? They plan the whole wedding in about a week. Take care of the details and expenses for the Bride and Groom. The first friend called and explained the situation saying she wanted to pay for the Bride's bouquet and Groom's boutonniere. Another friend and regular client, called and said she wanted to pay for the attendant's bouquet and the flowers for the cake. Another friend ordered and paid for a beautiful centerpiece for the buffet.

When Cary and I arrived to set up the flowers, we were blown away by the number of 'girlfriends' present buzzing around getting everything set for the evening. It was really, touching. All of these awesome ladies had gotten together and harvested all of the flowers, ornamental grasses and foliage from their own yards. Together, they created very natural, gardeny centerpieces in mason jars. All of the tables had a little bit of love placed on them. The decor was spread throughout the room...and it looked lovely.

I haven't heard how things turned out. But I'm sure I will hear- the rest of the story, tomorrow. It's amazing what can happen when people comprehend a true sense of urgency. What was urgent was that this Bride and Groom get married. And that while they get married, they won't have to worry one bit, as to how it will all happen. That their friends love them so much, they want them to only to focus on their wonderful evening and those vows...especially the closing when you hear...and I now pronounce you husband and wife.

Let true bliss commence.

Some wise advice...

2010-09-09T21:22:00.002-04:00

For those who know us at Lavender Hill..you know we do flowers. But what you may not know, is we do, and have always done more than that. We also have our own line of rentals, invitations and do offer planning and coordinating services. We have always done these things. Many of our clients get these additional services from us, especially our rentals. We are thrilled to create your florals, and we are very excited when you do ask us to help with the planning and execution on your big day. We also happily work, as a team, with other coordinators and event planners to make your day wonderful.

Whether we do one thing for you or a few, our goal is that you are a guest at your own event. This is recent post from a fellow florist friend, Jodi Duncan Cfd Aifd. She too, is a florist. A very talented one. She too, has been in the business for quite a while and has also seen a lot over the years. I read a recent blog post and thought I should share.......

From Jodi---
This weekend I had the privilege of providing decor for a lovely bride and her family. Bride was out of state, so I dealt mostly with mom. Both were sweet, down to earth, straightforward, and good communicators.

When I met with them at our very first consultation, I always ask:What services are you interested in?
Ceremony decor? Wedding Party Flowers? Reception flowers and rentals? Co-Ordinating? Or all of the above?

They just wanted the flowers for wedding party, ceremony and reception--they were taking care of everything else themselves. And that is always fine with me! I am glad to be the lowly florist and not service the event.
I am ala carte: my clients are free to choose as much or as little of my package as they are comfortable with.

Sooo, fast forward to the wedding date:

The chairs arrive 3 hours late. And they are dirty. And that set my clients back on their set up time that they were under contract to provide me. They were supposed to have it all ready for us when we arrived. They did not.
Thankfully, we were ahead of schedule and kind enough to set it up
(at no additional charge) so they could get their hair and makeup.

BUT...
The hair and makeup people were running late.
And taking entirely toooo loooong.
And young inexperienced divas.
And they did not realize that their grandstanding and showboating was derailing the day for the bride. And the MOB was afraid to "say anything to upset them..."
I wanted to get things back on track SOOO much!

But it was not my job.
I was the florist.
And they were their own co-ordinators.

I, as the lowly florist, just watched the wheels come off.
It was painful, for me and them.

It gets worse:

The flatware that the mob and fob were setting the table with was terribly spotted, so they were scrubbing all the flatware.
They also were setting up plates and glassware.
Then they discovered they were shorted by the rental company.

They then discovered that the desert favors the bride had made
had gotten left in the freezer at their house.
And it was too late to do anything about it.

And they were already terribly behind from the late delivery of dirty chairs.
And starting to get stressed.
And were getting snippy with each other.
And it was all unnecessary.

But they LOVED me, and LOVED their flowers.
And I hated to see such nice people in such a predicament that could have been totally avoided.

The mother of the bride did not get to be the mother of the bride.
She worked like a dog.
She did not get to enjoy her daughters wedding day.
She was too busy polishing flatware, setting the tables and fussing at the rental company.

And it made me sad.

As I left she said "Why, oh WHY did I not hire YOU to take care of ALL of THIS?!?!"
I said "I am so sorry it turned out this way for you"
She said she wished she had it to over again.
But she doesn't.

She thanked me for my extra help, and for the beautiful flowers.

And I thanked her for choosing us to be a part of their special day.

I just wished they had chosen more of me.
And so do they.

So remember, just because you CAN do it all, does NOT mean you SHOULD.

There is a saying "Whatever you are, be a good one"

You are not a planner. You are a mother/sister/friend of bride. Be that.

Let planners be planners.

Florists be florists.

Friends and family should get to be friends and family.

Its a cautionary tale.

Be a part of that wedding in your future with a smile on your face and a spring in your step.

Your heart should be full of joy, not regret, on the big day.

So here's to joy-filled wedding days!
Leave the angst filled days to the planners. We know how to handle it.
And we love our clients.
The most important thing is to look back on Your Day with no regrets.

Please remember, be a guest at your own wedding or event. We just want you to be happy. We really, truly do!! Work with a professional.

A crazy busy week for us!!!!!!

2010-09-05T12:55:00.002-04:00

A busy week is ahead of us.

Saturday we have...A wedding in Cherokee Park and beautiful florals for the River Breeze Wine Event in Downtown Jeffersonville. We have also been asked to provide florals for the "Starry Night Event" in New Albany benefitting the Floyd Count Arts Council.

If you're looking for something to do-- don't crash the wedding, but do try and attend the other events. The River Breeze Event benefits the City Pride group in Jeffersonville. These volunteers help keep the city looking snazzy with flowers and plants and other 'beautification' projects throughout Jeffersonville. The event will take place on the Riverstage at the Lookout. There will be lots of wine and amazing food. It's the place to see and be seen.

The Starry Night event will also have barbeque, and other food, a variety of adult beverages and cigars along with- Juicy Lucy from Glassworks, an ironsmith, very cool art and other interesting features to fund the arts. If for no other reason than to support the arts- go just to see this absolutely beautiful home now a part of the Floyd County Arts Council. It's super and the flowers will be too!

Plenty to do this week!... and both events support great causes.

A quick update..

2010-08-23T12:01:00.002-04:00

We've been super busy with weddings!!! Designing them and booking them for just a few weeks out and for next summer.

This pic is just a quick shot of the bride's bouquet from this past weekend. Our bride Lindsay wanted greens with a touch of blue. Her color palette was green, mediterranean blue and creme. Since we were busy setting up things, we didn't have much time for pics. But, not to worry. The lovely Vogue Visions was snapping some great things. We look forward to seeing what her eye captured. Check out her site or contact her with the info below.

Vogue Visions Photography • Phone: 502.609.1869 • jessica@voguevisions.com

The Seelbach WeddingShow

2010-08-10T21:48:00.002-04:00

This past weekend, Jessica and I participated in a wedding show at the Seelbach Hotel. It was definite 'Eye Candy' for anyone in attendance. Beautiful dresses, florals, photos, food and so much more. We were happy to participate and look forward to hopefully working with some of the brides in attendance.

I wish we had more photos to post, but we were busy chatting with happy Brides and Grooms to- be.

Dream dreams....

2010-07-27T21:54:00.002-04:00

The second part of my trip to Boston is this...along with being there for the Floral Symposium, my first reason for attending was to test for my AIFD certification. Well, this should be simple- heck I've been in the floral business for...let's see...25+ years. Truth be told, this was my second attempt to pass this test. I went for the first time last year and missed passing by one point. As much as it humbled me- there was no way I was accepting defeat. I knew I could pass this test. So I would avenge myself this year. Failure is not an option for me.

The best way to compare this test for someone not in the floral business is to combine every Food Network Show- Chopped, Iron Chef, Cake Challenge and every other super stress inducer and roll it into one four hour episode. As prepared and skilled as you are- you have no idea what you will be asked to design. You have no idea what flowers will be given to you and you have no idea what you will be using as a container for your design. So, you better know how to think on your feet, be really creative and have complete control of your nerves under pressure.

I walked, in found my table, saw what I was designing with -all in my least favorite color palette [of course] and my mind went completely blank. Which was actually a good thing for me. I completely focused and just created. Four hours flew by and so did the rest of my stay in Boston.

I tried not to drive myself crazy rethinking everything, but at times I did. I truly tried to be in the moment of enjoying this opportunity to be with floral friends and fellow testers. I enjoyed the opportunity to assist in the design room and be 'this close' to some of my favorite designers and just take in their creative ideas and conversations. It was such a welcomed moment in time. It was then Monday and time to return home. We would find out the results some time in August..or so we were told.

So where does this rock with the words on it come in??? Well, it was by chance while I was on an early morning walk in Boston, that I saw this. Down a boulevard a few blocks from the hotel, this rock was part of a memorial for a writer and sailor. I just thought it was interesting that on this day - July 4th, I would read these words-- Dream dreams.. then write them..but live them first-

I dreamed many times how I'd feel passing this test- but first I'd have to take the test. I lived it. I did it. And now I'm writing- I passed. I am now AIFD floral designer. The good news came a little early.

Who has not posted in a while???

2010-07-10T22:36:00.003-04:00

Me!!

Time sure flies and what have I been doing? Gosh, let's see.. weddings, weddings, a couple of very detailed funerals..yes, funerals. We've done parties, photo shoots, videos, and traveled to Boston. We've done more weddings and hosted a Wine Walk with just a couple of hundred guests. Now I have time to blog. Oh, we've been doing wedding appointments and custom floral work for home interiors too.

So I've posted a couple of photos from my trip to Boston. I attended the American Institute of Floral Designer's annual Symposium- 'Revolution'. It is the Super Bowl, World Series and World Cup all in one. It's the Oscars, Emmy's, Grammy's and Tony's of the Floral industry.

I cannot put into words the visuals and the photos just don't do the event justice. I will post again in about a month about the Symposium.

In the mean time, I must say the photo of the man with the unusual floral bouquet is Gregor Lersch from Germany. I [along with a few others] was lucky enough to help him and his design assistant- Stefanie, prepare for their presentation. For people not in the floral industry, the only way I can compare my opportunity to do this is with the following... it was like being a film student and someone just told you you were going to assist ----oh, let's see- Meryl Streep or Robert DeNiro. Yes, someone really big, talented and very important within our industry. And I got to help! He was genius, patient, gracious, kind and incredibly talented. He even remembered my name when I returned to the design room to help the second day. The whole group of designers assisting him was wonderful. Some were from Canada some from California- everyone talented. It is amazing to be partnered with people, everyone new to each other with one common tie- flowers.

I did get to see a snippet of Boston, but not much and I'd love to go back. Enjoy the photos- I will post more.

A recent wedding

2010-05-31T21:34:00.002-04:00

The wedding season is in full force. We've been busy every weekend since April and there's no end in sight. Every weekend has a wedding, multiple weddings and or and event thrown in.

I'm looking forward to the the photos I should be able to get from the photographers. In the mean time, I've posted a couple of shots from one of three weddings Mother's Day weekend. These were shots we took in our shop. I loved Lauren's choices, peony, stephanotis, hydrangea and LOTS of swarovski crystal. Always a great choice for the bride going for a feminine and old garden look.

We have some great weddings scheduled for this summer and fall. We're definitely ready for the beautiful flowers and creative opportunities ahead of us.

Something Blue Collective

2010-05-09T11:42:00.003-04:00

I remember hearing a line in an American Express commercial ... membership has it's privileges. For some reason that has always stuck in my head- maybe because the line can be taken many ways. At the time I guess I thought -Gee, if I have an American Express card somehow I must be special. Well, I have an American Express card, and I have had it for a while, and I can't say I feel any more special than when I didn't have it. It's just a card I have and I rarely use it.

In the past year I have had the opportunity to have membership in a couple of things that have made me feel special. The first was my certification as a Certified Floral Designer with the American Institute of Floral Designers. I have been working towards this goal for a while. I achieved the first part of my goal last summer. This July, I plan to achieve the second half.

The next membership I feel truly privileged to be a part of is the Something Blue Collective. Recently, I received an invitation to become a member. This group includes a limited variety of vendors who are truly passionate about their art and business. I list the art and business as two things because to me, they are similar but not the same. My art is floral design. My business is successfully continuing to keep my art in a positive state of existence. Being sure people are aware of its' existence, consistently producing an excellent product, providing excellent client service and being sure I keep my creative support team employed. It is a huge responsibility.

The Something Blue Collective is a group of local vendors with links to the wedding and event industry. Members include, photographers, event planners, caterers, floral designers, attire, etc. It is an amazing group of individuals all truly passionate about their art and business. If you go to the website, www.somethingbluecollective.com you can get a glimpse of some of the best local talents in the business of weddings and events. I am honored to be considered a member.

Just this past weekend, IC Video shot the info segment for Lavender Hill. Along with video, the team from Deanna Kaye Photography shot images to blend with the video. I was definitely nervous about doing the video. We had a busy weekend with three weddings and Mother's Day and I did not have much sleep. I'm not shy about talking, in any way shape or form. To be honest, I was more worried about giant bags showing under my eyes. Worrying about my hands flying about while I was speaking-- I tend to be very animated while I speak and my hands tend to join in on my conversation. And of all things, I wanted to be sure and articulate the things I felt were important to include in the three minute video. I know the video will be wonderful- just viewing the other member's videos verifies that. But I'm still a little nervous about seeing it. Things were just a little busy in the shop and the video and photo crew was incredibly patient. Getting to experience their professionalism, see the amazing equipment they use and how well they blended their two arts was really wonderful. This alone made me again so very happy to be a part of this group.

Check back for the video. In the mean time, check out the website and take the time to view the other member's video. Go to their website and learn more about what they have to offer. You will very glad you did.

Something to Celebrate.. in Paradise

2010-04-21T21:17:00.002-04:00

This past Monday, my husband and I returned from a trip- 25 years in the making. We went to Key West to celebrate our 25th anniversary.

Never did I really think, 25- actually 30+ years ago [we dated for 5 1/2 years] that I could ever love someone more than the day I married him. I knew I'd heard that expression, but I always thought- how could it EVER be better than this? Oh, such a naive girl I was.

It has been an amazing journey from a simple apartment to our first tiny- REALLY tiny house, to the next house and more. Two absolutely wonderful, smart, loving confident children- now young adults moving into their own careers. I truly felt if we got raising the kids right- an absolute must- the rest would be gravy. It is. It has been a great journey and I'm truly looking forward to the next 25+ years. I always hope for the best with every Bride and Groom I meet. It's never always easy and truly takes commitment, but the payoff is priceless.

Now, on to the photo. If you want a beautiful place to stay in Key West definitely check into The Reach Resort. It's simply beautiful. Not too big or small, a beautiful beach and pool, beautiful accommodations- it's simply perfect. Fly in-because the drive from Miami is four hours. You will want to get there as quickly as possible so, book the first flight in and the last flight home- you won't want to leave.

Not just weddings and parties....

2010-03-31T16:47:00.002-04:00

I know we're known in the area for our wedding and party work..which we love to do. Another part of our business involves doing the floral work for funerals.

We truly LOVE doing sympathy work. We look at that request as a compliment. The fact that someone specifically calls us to send the last floral tribute to their friend or loved one is a very special request.

Recently, Jessica spoke with a family member requesting a garden-like setting to surround their loved one's memorial urn. I think she did a great job creating the garden as our client envisioned. An assortment of beautiful seasonal blooming plants, branches and grasses- all of which can then be planted into the family's actual garden. It was designed complete with rocks, moss and butterflies. A beautiful memorial.

Thanks for stopping by.

It's Contagious!!!

2010-03-22T15:59:00.003-04:00

News flash !!!

Many of our Male clients are Contagious!! They have been diagnosed with the Love Bug. The only cure is getting engaged.

We can't say who it is-- you know with all of the privacy rules in effect and everything.. but he's got the ring and she's-
THE ONE!!

It's so cool to be in on the secret !! Congratulations Mr. X !!

Don't wait!!

2010-03-11T11:28:00.002-05:00

Oh, my gosh! We have been booking appointments like Crazy!!

If you have a 2010 wedding or event don't wait to call us to discuss the floral details. We have been meeting with lots of super excited people regarding their parties this year. Some dates are definitely booked. Mother's Day weekend- two lucky girls snagged Friday and Saturday. And we never do two that weekend! Or typically even one- for that matter but, they both called within hours of each other. Since one was Friday and one Saturday, we booked it.

There are some wonderful new venues around. The Bliss Ballroom just opened in New Albany. It can accommodate up to 300 people. It has a huge hardwood floor with a balcony area that surrounds about one third of the room. Giant windows, lots of natural light. Check it out.

And for your rehearsal dinner. DEFINITELY check out Cozza Restaurant in Downtown Jeffersonville. It is amazing. The chef is fantastic. The menu fresh, seasonal, local and unique. Their prices- very good, especially when you see what is available to you.

I'd love to write more.. but I have proposals to type.. One word of advice.. if you can find it in your budget, for piece of mind seriously consider hiring a Day-of Coordinator. They are worth the investment to ensure a stress-free day. You will not lose control of what you want. They just make sure everything is taken care of as you wish so you and your groom [and Mom] can just enjoy the day.

Make today great!!!!!!

A great backdrop...

2010-02-21T17:39:00.002-05:00

We were very busy in the fall season.. These couple of photos were from yet another October wedding. What was different about this wedding was the Bride's original thought for the ceremony location. Believe it or not- it was the parking lot of the Clubhouse in an upscale subdivision. After further discussing the choice of the parking lot, I discovered the main reason was they hadn't thought of the clubhouse itself-- or better yet, the gigantic rugged quarry wall behind it.

So, I painted a great visual and said trust me.. and they did. Just outside the back doors of the clubhouse was a beautiful in ground pool with a charming pool house. Along with that, was a beautiful crescent shaped pergola. My suggestion- use the gigantic stone wall as the backdrop with the pergola in front. Keeping within budget, I suggested ribbon and flower garlands for the simple but visually effective decor. I think seeing the photos we accomplished our goal. Major color, keep within budget, make it simple but visually memorable. Enjoy

A Fall Wedding

2010-02-21T17:26:00.003-05:00

I thought I'd already posted these photos and then realized I hadn't. These are just a few shots from a wonderful wedding we did in October.

Our Bride and Groom Stephanie and Cory, were wonderful to work with. Many months prior to the wedding, Cory surprised his Bride to be Stephanie with a floral arrangement for her birthday. Not just any arrangement, but one that consisted of the flowers that she selected for her wedding bouquet. It looked lovely and she loved getting to have a sneak peak of what was coming in October.

When the big day came, the weather was absolutely perfect. She looked absolutely beautiful in her perfectly fitted dress. Best wishes for many happy years to come.

Customer Appreciation Day !!!! Tomorrow, Feb. 16 3-7pm

2010-02-15T11:51:00.002-05:00

You are invited to stop by the shop tomorrow..brave the snow, because we'll have sweet treats waiting for you!

Just a simple Thank You!!! for your continued support our our business. We truly appreciate being your florist. Stop in, say hello and eat some yummy treats. We look forward to seeing you.

Great Gift for you!!!

2010-02-10T14:04:00.002-05:00

WOW ! do we have a great gift to pair with your Valentine's Day Flower order- A $50. dollar gift certificate good towards a night's stay at the Admiral Bicknell Bed and Breakfast in Downtown Historic New Albany.

It is truly one of my absolute favorite homes in the area. It's spacious, detailed, cozy and beautiful all in one space. It's not that "don't sit on that!"- "don't touch that!" it's the kind of house you'd love to say-- "I live there".

So strings attached- buy your flowers from us and receive a $50. gift certificate. Call us ASAP!!!! Go to their website for more photos and info on the home. www.admiralbicknell.com

Love.. Peace.. Flowers

2010-02-08T22:22:00.003-05:00

Well, the big day is coming...we're not talking about someone's wedding. It's Valentine's Day, this Sunday.

Of course flowers are the best gift..at least we think so. First you'd be surprised how many people have never received flowers. Second, you get an instant reaction when they're received. So what better to accompany a gift of flowers than a gift of love.

What's that? Well, a Kama Sutra weekender kit. If you're with someone you love..we shouldn't have to explain this gift too much. It's purely meant for you to enjoy a great weekend with each other. Plain and simple. We have a couple of variations available. One has a scented travel candle with it. One, a little larger, has a few more treats in the box. It's just a fun 'lovie' gift for two.

We only have a few available, so don't delay. Call ahead if you'd like us to hold one for you. We're not kidding, we have six total.
Have a great weekend. Love Peace Flowers

Valentine's Day Flower and Gift Info...

2010-02-01T21:25:00.004-05:00

Here's what's available in our shop for Valentine's Day... Remember it falls on a Sunday this year. don't put off sending the perfect flowers or finding a perfect gift. We're here to help and have some beautiful as well as fun gifts.

Give us a call at 812-288-2388. We'll deliver anything in the shop with a minimum $25. purchase.

#1 Classic Romance $69-
One Dozen Roses designed in vase
Red- Luxor pink- Coral- Yellow
Lavender or White

#1Petite- Half Dozen roses $37.50

#2 Tulip Delight $45-
A fun bubble bowl of Dutch Tulips
with wild willow accent

#3 Love You Lots $75/$85/$95
Mixed vase design including
Lilies, roses and other blossoms

#4 Sweet Love $45/$55/$65
Seasonal mix of flowers including
some roses

#5 Jungle Love $65/$85/$95
Exotic Tropicals including an
assortment of the jungle’s finest

#6 Big Love $150.
One dozen roses OR Mixed design
AND a Papering Basket including
Candle, Lavender Eye Pillow and Sweet Cupcake Treat

#7 Be My Bud $25.
Budvase with two beautiful
Roses and wispy accents

#8 Chic Chick $25.
Colorful Gerbera Daisies
With wispy accents

#9 Basket of Love $35/$45/$55
Assortment of holiday flowers
Including roses

shop hours: mon-fri 9-5:30
sat 10-4 holiday hours
open Sunday 14th 10-3 no deliveries*
*shopping and pick up orders only

A Little Extra Something…
Available in limited quantities….

Cream filled giant cupcakes
Chocolate/Red Velvet/ Vanilla
$4.25 ea --easily shared by two

Luscious, soft, giant caramels
Sea salt or regular buttery flavor
5/4.25pkg—you’ll be craving these

Teddy Bears
$7.95 $10.95 and up

‘Barking’ Yorkie
$9.95

Mylar balloons $3.50ea

Luck in Love ‘Lottery’ tickets $1.00ea

Other gift items in the shop include..

-Kama Sutra Gift sets, Couple’s fun
-Lavender scented Eye Pillows
-Artisan made jewelry gifts..earrings, necklaces and bracelets
-Scented candles, very fragrant
-Greeting Cards
-Book marks, Key chains and much more

We can turn your flowers into lovely stationary...

2010-01-26T09:59:00.004-05:00

We can now offer a unique keepsake from your wedding. We have paired with a special company that can turn your wedding bouquet into 100% recycled thank-you note cards with wildflower seeds embedded in the paper. When your guest plants the cards, it creates a wildflower garden.

All you have to do is collect some of the flowers from your wedding- your bouquet, centerpieces or whatever you'd like to use. The flowers are shipped to the paper artisans and the process begins. Once the process is started you will have your notecards back to you in about two weeks. What a great gift to yourself and your guests. This would also be a great idea for your bridal registry- have family or friends contribute to your desire to have these beautiful handmade notecards. Less cost for you and your friends and family are giving you something they know you really want.

The cost for 50 notecards is $200. This includes all of the costs of shipping and handling. If you want to get really creative, the paper produced from the flowers could also be used as a matte behind some favorite photos from your wedding.

Flowers from any personal occasion can be used as your flower source.. be it a new baby arrangement, sympathy flowers, graduation flowers or just a collection of your favorite flowers.

As a special offer through February we're going to save you 20% on your notecard order. Just mention you saw the details on our blog.

For more information, give us a call. We'll have more details on our website very shortly.

Some of the "New Arrivals" coming soon

2010-01-25T22:18:00.002-05:00

I returned from my power shopping trip and business weekend late last night.

While at the Merchandise Mart, I tried to select a variety of gift items to suit every gift giving occasion. I just posted a few of the many new things arriving really soon.

We've had a lot of requests for Piggy Banks- yes, Piggy Banks. We thought if we need to find Piggy Banks they better be cute..and hold lots of money. These are really cute. They come in pink and green and blue and green. Along with the Piggies we found Elephants. We do carry super adorable bears from Bearington. If you know our shop- you know we don't do 'cutesy' but, these Elephants are adorable and super squeezie.

Another new thing we'll be doing at the shop is --Tea. We'll be scheduling dates for small groups to have tea with their friends at the shop. This will be after hours on Saturdays or Sundays as our calendar permits. We are looking forward to hosting our friends and their friends, gardening groups and more. We'll have a couple of different activities available to pair with the tea. You may choose to have us do a floral or cooking demo.

So, as we host our tea parties-we'll be carrying some tea gifts, beginning with individual tea pots- Tea for One. As more things are scheduled to arrive, we'll try and post photos. Thanks for stopping by.

Going Green...20 for 20

2010-01-13T20:05:00.004-05:00

Our latest New Year-Going Greener

We always try and do as much as we can to be as green as possible. We reuse the water in buckets when we wash them. Use cloth towels rather than paper towels as much as possible throughout the shop. We use both sides of paper. Recycle the boxes and paper our flowers get shipped in and more.

So what else can we do to include the community and our current and hopefully future clients? We'll include them in our recycling efforts by rewarding them.

Our 20 for 20 program is plain and simple. Bring in 20 vases and we'll give you $20. in flowers. We know there are lots of lonely vases sitting in a closet, under the kitchen sink and in the garage waiting to be filled with beautiful flowers. We of course need the vases to be in good condition. We cannot use vases that are chipped or cracked. Budvases count 2 for 1.
Now, you don't have to bring them in all at once. Bring in what you have and we'll keep track of the count on your own 20 for 20 card. When you hit 20 vases..you get a lovely wrapped bouquet of seasonal flowers. Just remember to save at least one vase for your new bouquet.

Join us in our efforts. We win, you win, the vases win.

Weddings to Go~ It's finally here!

2010-01-04T19:12:00.001-05:00

Weddings to Go is a new approach for quick and easy flower selecting for today's busy Brides. If you are a Bride really focused on simplicity in flower choice and are very budget conscious, this is a perfect option for you.

Weddings to Go allows you to choose from the two most popular flowers requested for weddings~Roses and Calla Lilies. We have streamlined the options for both. By doing that we have capped the pricing to reflect a beautiful bouquet that is still affordable. You have a firm price and all you have to do is decide on the color of the rose being used in the bouquets. Or for the Calla Bouquets, you tell us how many stems you would like to include to determine the total cost for each bouquet. Tell us what color ribbon you would like us to wrap your bouquets in and consider it checked off your 'To-do' list. There is also a simple solution for all of your boutonnieres and corsages- just tell us how many and what color. It's that simple! All of the prices are listed.

If you would like florals for your ceremony or reception, flower options are also listed. Again, just tell us what you need. You can review the photos on the website for any additional personalized details like an upgrade on ribbon and pearls or crystals added into bouquets. At any time, if you have questions please give us a call. Weddings to Go is designed to avoid having a detailed consultation..but if you have questions, contact us. We're here to help!

Weddings to Go is designed to simplify cost. With that, your floral order will be labeled and packed for easy traveling. Like any of the flowers leaving Lavender Hill, we know you'll be completely satisfied with your choice. Thanks for the opportunity to be a part of your special day.

Upcoming 'New Year' things...

2009-12-13T20:00:00.003-05:00

The New Year is coming faster than we think. So, in order to really be on top of things we're starting early.
January 2, we have our first wedding. Yes, January 2! What's next? Well Sunday, January 3, we'll be at the Bridal Show at the Fairgrounds. It's not the most glamorous location, but our booth.. well, let's just say- be sure you stop by.

We'll be pairing up with other Southern Indiana vendors, many of whom we work with on a regular basis. Adrienne's and Company, The Sheraton Hotel, The Admiral Bicknell Bed and Breakfast..just to name a few. We'll be revealing the details on our new "Weddings to Go" first ever A la carte offering. It is definitely -For the Chic and Savvy Bride with No Time to Spare- Look for our beautiful ad in the January "White" issue of Underwired. The ad features a beautiful photo of one of our early Fall '09 brides, Andrea. We posted some of her snaps earlier in the fall season. Her photographer was amazing!! We will also have an ad in the special January issue of Louisville Magazine- The Bridal Issue.

We'll also be doing our first Floral Class in January. We'll reveal the whole calendar after Christmas.

So, stay tuned and check back. Join us on Facebook for more daily postings and follow us on Twitter.

If you got the ring....

2009-11-27T16:55:00.004-05:00

We know this is the season of anticipation. Kids wanting that toy, Guys wanting- let's see, the giant TV or mega mechanic's tool chest. And the ladies... well if you're single and have found Mr. Right and the timing is right-- well, most ladies want -The Ring-

It is an amazing thing to receive. Not just because it's a beautiful piece of jewelry, but because of what it symbolizes. It represents love, commitment and promise. So, if you receive 'The Ring' at some point during this holiday season, give us a call.

We know as the months fly off the calendar during your engagement, you'll have lots to do. Getting to that magical date with as little stress possible is something we can help you with. We would love the opportunity to sit down with you and learn more about your wedding details. We can show you how amazing flowers can be worked into your event, in any price point. Great flowers can absolutely transform a space and we know the secrets of doing it properly.

Don't wait to call for your appointment. We have some dates already booked for 2010. We'll also be participating in some of the wedding shows scheduled in January. So, give us a call. In the mean time, check out our website at www.lavenderhillflorals.com We look forward to meeting you.

It's coming...

2009-11-09T22:53:00.002-05:00

We a very excited about our upcoming Open House. We've been working our buns off to get the shop ready and it's coming along nicely. So, please stop by.

We are also super excited about some of the mini idea books we have on their way. These are great ways for us to place our ideas into our client's hands. A 'coffee table book' - if you will. We hope they arrive in time for the Open House so everyone can see them.

Please stop by..we'd love to see you. This Thursday 6-9pm.

Now that I have your attention..

2009-10-30T20:16:00.002-04:00

I just love this reindeer!! It looks so darn happy and squeezie. So I figured I use this poor animal to tease you into coming to our Open House -Thursday, November 12. We will have so much fun that I've decided to run the party through the weekend. Yes, you can also shop on Friday late until 8pm and Saturday until 3pm. Don't worry, we have two weddings on Saturday.. but we'll get it all done.

So, why come to this Open House?? Well, because everyone will be there, the streets will be filled with people and Huber's Winery will have their wine at the shop for sampling and available to purchase.

We have all of our candles in- TRAPP, Archipelago and Illume. Our handmade boutique soap arrived from Brooklyn today..[it smells so nice.] We'll have lots of decor holiday and everyday, gifts, handmade local jewelry and art, ornaments and more.. something in every price range and for everyone on your list. If you can't find something, we have gift cards too. We know the shop will look and smell amazing.

Mark your calendar. We hope to see you there.

What have we been up to??

2009-10-21T20:00:00.002-04:00

Well, you can tell by the frequency of my posting lately that --I haven't been. We have been bombarded with things lately. You name it, from an abundance of wedding consultations and requests for donations to funeral work. We've been busy. Along with that, add an Open House in about three weeks or so. I finally have taken three minutes to say something and post a couple of photos

The first, a simple orchid arrangement from one of our recent weddings this past weekend. The photo really doesn't do the orchid justice. It really was quit beautiful and complimented the overall wedding theme. Hopefully, I'll post the rest of those photos over the weekend, time permitting.

The second is from a recent funeral- yes, funeral. Not everyone wants a giant funeral basket. This particular client was very particular with their request. They requested simple, somewhat asian and not large. It was perfect for them.

Yes, we do weddings, but we do so much more. And we do love funeral tribute work.

Well, back to the wedding paperwork.

A Beautiful Labor Day Wedding

2009-09-22T21:17:00.004-04:00

We got a sneak peek at the photos from our Labor Day Weekend wedding- one of two events for us. I'll let the photos speak for themselves.

Adrienne made great choices for her flowers; but no matter how great the flower choice, if the photographer can't capture the details it never quite shows. Adrienne's photographer did an amazing job in capturing the details. I have only seen a few of the photos on her blog. You can go here to www.carpenterpd.com/blog to look at the rest.

Thanks for stopping by.

50 Years..?!! Well, that deserves a party!!

2009-09-13T19:03:00.003-04:00

We've had a couple of crazy weeks with some amazing parties. We had the opportunity to do the floral for two 50th Anniversary parties. I was able to snap some photos from one and we look forward to seeing the photos from the other.

The request made by the "Bride" was gardenias-- in everything! The scent definitely filled the room. Every arrangement on the dining tables had five gardenias with almost three dozen deep red roses and another twenty dianthus.

There were three very large ice sculptures, one at the entrance, flanked by another rose arrangement, this one with seven dozen roses, two dozen dianthus and seven gardenias. Another seven dozen roses decorated the staircase leading guests to the celebration area.

Another ice sculpture was on the food buffet with another arrangement with five dozen roses and gardenias. This ice sculpture was a large angel which had more gardenias displayed with it.

The cake table had the only white arrangement at the party. It was a very full arrangement of white hydrangea, white snapdragon and white stock. It was placed on an illuminated vase.

From what I heard, it was quite the party. The "Bride and Groom" had a wonderful time with family and friends.

A summer wedding..

2009-09-13T18:48:00.002-04:00

One of our lovely brides from earlier this summer recently posted some of her photos. I happened to be setting up another wedding that day and never got the chance to see Elizabeth. It was really nice to see the final result with the the bride, the dress and all of the other details we discussed during the appointments.

Elizabeth and her mom did a lot of planning. They wired swarovski crystal for me to insert into her bouquet along with a favorite crystal butterfly.

Even though rain did sprinkle down at one point, the day turned out wonderful and Elizabeth looked fantastic.

Another place to find us..

2009-08-30T20:52:00.004-04:00

We're excited to announce our new upcoming website-- lavenderhillfloral.net

This is another place you will be able to purchase flowers from us- directly- on our new site with Flower Shop Network. No extra fees, no flowers associated with any wire service. Strictly our shop's flowers and gift items.

We are always looking for ways for our clients to purchase online- things available in the shop. This new site should be up and running in about two weeks. You'll be able to purchase our flowers along with other things like our TRAPP and Archipelago candles. We'll also have our wind chimes, lavender products, plush, plants and more.

Flower Shop Network also features great information on plant care and other tips for purchasing flowers. Please check back for our announcement on the site's launch.

2009-08-30T20:52:00.001-04:00

The Chocolate Fest Fundraiser

2009-08-02T21:26:00.004-04:00

We are excited to be a part of the Chocolate Fest Fundraiser- How could we say no to Chocolate?

On August 29, 2009 the Louisville AIDS Walk supporter and volunteer Craig Scherman will hold his IX Annual Chocolate Fest Fundraiser to benefit the Louisville AIDS Walk. As Kentucky’s largest HIV Care Coordinator Program, Volunteers of America is joining Craig Scherman and the Louisville AIDS Walk to help raise funds at this fun and creative event.

As a part of the festivities on August 29^th, Craig will conduct a silent auction for the 500+ guests and for this event to be successful we have been asked to donate an item, service or gift certificate to the silent auction. So we thought-- there have been one too many Gift Certificates donated so... what could we do that was different? We want people to bid because they really want the item we've donated. So, we decided to donate - Three Months of Flowers. Our donation will be a continuing gift to the bidder. They will receive an amazing arrangement delivered once each month to a local location of their choice. Flowers to their office? Flowers to their home for a party? They'll let us know where and when and -Poof! Beautiful Flowers. Last year, Craig raised $19,000 and he hopes to exceed that this year!

Funds raised will be donated directly to the Louisville AIDS Walk. The Louisville AIDS Walk uses the funds to organize this community’s largest HIV and AIDS event and also donates the funds to local organizations serving individuals and families impacted by HIV and AIDS, such as Volunteers of America and the House of Ruth.

If you're interested in more information on the Fundraiser or on bidding on this item let us know. We are very excited to be a part of this event and will post more details as they come.

We've been slacking..

2009-07-30T18:29:00.004-04:00

Not really...and I have proof of that with some of the photos from some recent weddings.

We've kept busy in May and June. July is typically a little quiet. The weather is a little too toasty for some brides. So we find other things to keep us busy.. and we've kept busy.

The couple of weddings I've posted are from June and July weddings. One bride wanted to incorporate her fondness for "ditch lilies" in her wedding colors. She loved the beautiful orange lilies commonly found on the side of the roads in this area. We went more for the color scheme oranges with hot pink. We didn't use the roadside lilies- but their sophisticated asian lily cousins- because they hold up unlike the roadside ones. She infused the bright colors throughout and the photos look great. Her photographer was Biermans in Floyds Knobs.

Our other bride went for sophisticated callas for herself and a gardeny mix for her attendants. This lucky bride currently resides in Holland and returned home for the wedding. It was wonderful working with her. I must say I was quite jealous to her she had to honeymoon in Austria. It's rough but I'm sure someone has to do it! Congratulations to them and our other Summer brides. I wish I had photos of all of them. -- Do check out our Facebook page, Lavender Hill Floral. We do have more info and photos posted there.

Mission Executed

2009-07-13T22:12:00.003-04:00

Mission executed. The photos are just a few shots from the hotel lobby where the symposium took place. I will post more on our Facebook page.

As I’m returning home and almost home in the Chicago airport.. I am reflecting on what I have experienced and done these past few days. Basically, what have I learned?

First, there really is no place like home.. and like Dorothy, only until you’re gone do you appreciate it more.

Second, I’m really glad I switched my major from nursing to floral. I truly, passionately love what I do. Getting to go on this trip reassured this even more me. Not that I ever doubted it.

Third, I have truly amazing and priceless people working with me. While I was gone, Jessica and Joyce held down the shop. Jessica’s friend Jyn graciously came in and helped while Grace was also away. I knew I would not have to worry. They organized and hosted our shop in the first Wine Walk in the historic district. {Grace made it back in time to experience the Wine Walk.} I’ve been told it was a huge success. The shop looked amazing- of course, and over 400 people mixed and mingled. I heard we had great compliments on the shop and flowers- of course, they did a great job! Our complete goal is to always make Lavender Hill a beautiful place to visit and shop for beautiful flowers.

So, while I was gone, I met new friends. I was gone on a wonderful educational experience. I and about 118 other designers came together to test our design skills. It was nerve wracking. Even thought you know what you know, is it enough? No. There’s always more to learn. You don’t know what you’re going to be asked to create. You don’t know what flowers, greenery or containers you will be given. You only know it’s complete quiet for 4 hours. You try not to loose it. You focus and just create. It was a definite experience and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to attend and participate.

While at the Symposium I had the opportunity to help out in the massive design room. Wonderful designers from all over the world combined forces to create the Symposium for this year. Although I didn’t get to stay for the whole event, the behind the scenes were amazing. Beautiful flower-tens of thousands of them in every color imaginable. It was breathtaking!.. and also very cold. The design room is kept very cold while all of this work is in progress. The presenting designers were from the US and abroad. Their programs were designed to make the attendant’s think beyond the normal- although I know none of us think in a normal way. I mean that in a very good way. So, from the glimpse I saw, the event was going to be absolutely spectacular.

I hope that next year I will able to attend and participate beyond what I was able to do this year. I have a great imagination so I can picture it already.. reconnect with the friends I made this year and really enjoy the Symposium – the WHOLE Symposium.

I’m almost home and it feels really good.

My trip begins… prepare yourself, this is long.

2009-07-08T19:18:00.002-04:00

Airport experiences and observance… Starbucks is Perfection. People on Bluetooth are beyond annoying. One particular lady has followed me from Starbucks to Gate B-17. I think either she’s deaf or the person she’s bellowing to on her Bluetooth is. It’s beyond rude. How can they not realize this. I don’t care about how many million pieces you’re trying to get into production. You’re annoying.

Mothers with children should not reprimand them in public with a boisterous tone. It’s kind of an oxymoron to yell at your child to be quiet and behave when your behavior is more obnoxious than his. He’s maybe 4?? And you’re how old????

I love little old Grandmas- they’re precious. Especially ones that wear bobby pins in their hair and thick eyeglasses. And little old men with wool Irish walking caps. They remind me of my grandfather.

So, my flight departs. No problems. A baby took my seat.. well, she was cute and mom and dad wanted to sit together- How could I say no? Hopefully she’ll be quiet. And she doesn’t let me down. I watched her curiously watch the little boy behind her. She drooled and sucked on her mom’s seat- unbeknownst to mom. A newbie flyer in the next row. No problems with her. Give me my peanuts and ginger ale. Read my magazine. Learned some new things about Premium Alstromeria. Enough reading.

It’s time for music. Where’s the ipod? I know I charged the thing before I went to bed. But I must not have turned it off. Well, that stinks- but I still have power. What to listen to?? Okay..Montell Jorden- tell me.. Is this how we do it?? I don’t like it this way, I have to not sing- lucky for the guy next to me and I cannot dance.. So now I realize I look like a real dufus as I catch myself trying so hard not to bob my head to the right like the knuckleheads in the movie The Roxbury. Wow, that’s a visual for you.

And the plane descends and the angels sing as I land in my favorite place--- Chicago. Oh, sweet home!! I depart the plane and what is the first thing I smell?? Yes,why of course- PIZZA. .and again, the angels. Now I wait til 11:40 for my secret destination.

I wonder how things are going at the shop?? Do I call?? NO.. because my girls ROCK and they are taking care of business

Yippee! I’m here. Luggage is here with my top secret contents. So I ask the Airport helper lady ‘is there one Hyatt?’ Yes, dial #36 for a pick up. Okay. Lucky me, the shuttle is here right now. Ten minutes later, I’m at the hotel. Hmmm? Something doesn’t look right. I thought from past secret missions the hotel would have been larger. So, I ask ‘is this the only Hyatt?’ Nice desk clerk replies… well, I think you want to go to the location downtown. So, now I have to wait for a cab to take me there half hour wait, half hour trip. So… I try and get online while I’m waiting. I hear I have a bride who has called 3 times today wanting an email from me. Jessica has handled it fine explaining I’m in the air.

A half hour is snipped by 20 minutes. Well, this is different.. a nifty white suburban pulls up, clean, smoke free..leather seats??? Well yeah.. Please nice foreign man—Russian I’m guessing- take me to the right hotel. Fine Miss Lady… and $50 later here I am. Yes, $50.!!

So, I’ve checked in. The 19^th floor. The room is nice, the bed huge, the bath stuff… yummy. Ginger peach.. divine. Oh, darling friend Kim would love this. So, I’ll eat. I made a bad choice since I’m eating alone. A Ruben?? Really Carolyn, what were you thinking? Eat light. You do have to sleep. God, I need chocolate. I knew I should have gotten the huge chunk of fudge too –I would have slowly- savored it.. but I knew I was kidding myself. I’d have devoured it. So, I didn’t buy it. I’m kind of glad now, but I would like just one bite.

Well, now I’m chilling in the hotel lobby. Trying to discreetly scope out people who may be here for the same reason I am. So far, no one.

I must end today’s account and focus on tomorrow. Because Yes, I can.

Three little Girlies went to Market...

2009-06-10T22:15:00.002-04:00

So, last night Jessica, our darling college girl Grace and I went to a super design show at our local flower market. First row seats for us...if we go, it's front row whenever possible.

I hate to say I cannot for the life of me remember the designer's name, but he was wonderful and if we're dropping names and acting snooty...he, Mr. X, did the flowers for the Oscars. Yes, Oscars as in the red carpet, gold statues and Hollywood's Who's Who.

Jessica and I made mental notes, quietly oohed and aahed, and kept saying that's fab-u-lous in very quiet voices. But darling Grace just sat there and looked like the little girl that had just seen Santa placing the Christmas presents under the tree. Beautiful big eyes..All the while looking like she was thinking-how cool?? I didn't know you could do that? What's that flower? and of course..I want to do that, too! So today, our Little Grace took home sticks and a knife to play with. Actually, we're encouraging her knife skills and creativity.

Aside from that, we've been busy with weddings and parties. And, we're flipping the shop for the summer. So, if you stop in things will be kind of funky and colorful. We're already working on a schedule for fall floral classes. We'll be participating in the summer Wine Walk in July- more news on that in the next posting. We're also working on our plans for the Holiday Open House in November.

Never a dull moment at -The Hill.

We're still looking---and waiting..

2009-05-30T20:19:00.003-04:00

Well, we're still asking the Flower Faeries to send us a wonderful floral designer- and they haven't gotten back to us.

As if we haven't been busy enough- the really tough weekend hasn't even happened yet. So, please Faeries, find us a designer. We need help and a day off. Just look at our Facebook pages- Jessica and I look very tired.

It's been forever..

2009-05-30T20:03:00.003-04:00

..Since I last posted. I dread when it's been so long. First because I love posting. But more so, because now I have too much to catch up on.

I notice my last post was around Derby time. We were busy, but I did notice the subliminal impact of the economy on otherwise typical festivities. We have always been fortunate to have Derby work even though we're on the 'wrong' side of the river. But we did notice our corporate clients did cut back on some parties. Even so we were grateful for the floral work we did get to create and look forward to Derby '10.

After Derby, we had a visit from 117 First Graders from Floyds Knobs Elementary. Yes, that's right- 117 little ones the week we had 4 events- and we survived!

The wonderful Joyce, spoke with the kids- and she and Jyn helped them make 'Smilies'. It sounded like everyone had fun. I know Joyce can't wait until the next visit !

We're looking for someone Fabulous!!

2009-05-04T20:16:00.002-04:00

In other words.. we're hiring. We are looking for a fabulous, talented, creative floral designer to join us in the shop. Part time for now.. but our goal is more than that.

If you or someone you know fits the bill- pass the word on. You must have shop experience- that means although you may play with flowers at home, dream of flowers or think it would be 'so much fun to work in a flower shop'.. it's a little bit different actually working in the shop. So, shop experience is a must. . and you must be versatile is all areas of current design. You have to be personable, cool under pressure, able to think on your feet, be a team player, self starter and not be a Diva- The only Diva in the shop is Lulu the cat.-

Please tell us all of your details in an email and we'll follow up.

He said..she said--

2009-04-22T20:37:00.005-04:00

Lavender Hill customer comments:

• Awesome service. Called me regarding the flowers and was extremely courteous and professional. Delivered the flowers quickly!!

He said- I need beautiful flowers..we said- well that's what we do!

We're so excited about our link to Direct2Florist. I've posted previously about why we've chosen to be a part of this "wire service'- it's because they're not like the other services. They are truly about the flowers and connecting the client directly to the local shop. So, they are our web source for you to shop directly from us.

Now that our clients understand the benefit- they're even happier to shop thru our website. So, I've posted a recent comment from a client's floral purchase yesterday. I also posted a photo of an arrangement requested. Of course we added our special touch and sent it to the happy recipient. Don't forget to give us a call when you need something beautiful with your name on it.

The Fringe Candles arrived today!!

2009-03-23T20:17:00.003-04:00

More good things arrived today. Two wonderful packages
arrived containing beautiful Fringe Candles and some very unique Fringe Vases.

The candles are poured in beautiful glass containers that can be recycled into a really nice vase. We thought the print on the glass was very unique and something we hadn't seen anywhere. We have 6 different styles available.

The actual vases have a similar transfer botanical art and come in two different sizes. We have three different patterns available.

We hope you'll get a chance to stop in and see them. Don't forget, the Spring Fling Open House is scheduled for Saturday, April 4th.

Birdnests, Chics, and Baby Toes

2009-03-19T21:37:00.004-04:00

Last night Jessica, Giselle and I went to a design show at our Floral Market. We're always on the lookout for unique plants..the more unusual the better- at least for us. So I posted a couple of the nifty plants we now have in the shop.

The first is a very large and beautiful Birdnest Fern. We have another one in the shop- it's beautiful, but normal in size. This one is pretty, darn big. It's about 3 feet in diameter with lots of new leaves unfolding.

The second photo is a giant "Chic". It's about the size of a dinner plate. We have patiently waited for quite a while to get our hands on one. And since they had two, we quickly snatched them up. Yay us!

And the last photo is Baby's Toes! We just love them. They're cute and little and green and when you rub them they really do feel like you're playing -Piggy went to market. Talk about cheap therapy to make you feel good. Stop in and you'll chill out- there's nothing better than feeling calm and happy..and the plants can definitely do that for you.

The pretty stuff has arrived!

2009-03-19T21:10:00.002-04:00

Some of the "pretty things" have arrived for the

Spring Fling scheduled for Saturday, April 4th.

We have some wonderful gift ideas for birthdays, Mother's Day, Administrative Professional's Day or just because. The lavender eye pillows smell wonderful. They are made with a beautiful soft fabric embroidered with pretty poppies and come in 3 colors.. pink, red, and orange. They're handmade and stuffed with organic lavender.

The Shea Butter and Lavender Shea Butter [shown in the silver tins] smells divine! It really hydrates your skin and is not greasy. Just a little goes a long way- no kidding.

And then the Archipelago candles.. ..they look great, and truly scent a room. All of the favorites are back in stock. The poured candles shown are $22. and the votives are $3.50 ea.

We hope you'll get a chance to pop in for the Open House. We'll have lots of beautiful things to brighten your home, get you ready for Spring's upcoming 'local holidays'- Thunder and Derby, and just give you a chance to stop back in the historic district and visit the local businesses.

A Wedding from last Summer

2009-03-06T21:11:00.003-05:00

Oh......so much to say about this wedding. The couple, the planning, the details, the end results.

Lots of work, many refined plans and Jessica's first wedding with me and Lavender Hill. It's time I posted the photos. The photographer was excellent..I just wish I had more of her photos.

Become our Friend on Facebook

2009-03-03T20:10:00.002-05:00

We now have a correct official page on Facebook. Lavender Hill Floral

We are hoping you will use both our blog and Facebook as a source to find out what's going on at the shop. Both of these great forms of communication will help us keep you up to date on what we're doing, what new products are available, sales, invitations to nifty events and more.

We also plan to use Facebook as another place to feature photos of the weddings, events and great arrangements that we get to create. Although we do post some photos here, Facebook will allow more space and that means more photos in albums- for quick reference. So please, be our Friend.. you can never have too many.

Such a great day!!

2009-02-26T21:09:00.004-05:00

Well, today was like Christmas for me.

We have been doing a lot of planning for this new year. What we want to do for new products, deciding on new display pieces, searching for the best crop of dried lavender, new varieties of plants and more. One of the biggest 'mores' has been working on our new look for our business correspondence. This includes everything leaving our shop with our name on it, signage, logo, attire for employees- everything.

I posted earlier in January regarding the new business cards and today they came!!!! This is probably not exciting for anyone but me and Jessica. But our business cards arrived late this afternoon- personally delivered to us by Tom from Allegra Printing in New Albany. They are beautiful!!! Jen designed them and he did an amazing job of getting them printed exactly as I'd hoped they'd be. So, now we have our new business cards and the rest of the paper items will be coming shortly.

Along with that, as of March 1st. we will no longer have our lavenderhillflorals.BIZ site. We have researched the traffic on the site and found that we'd rather have everything on one site. So, as of March 1st. lavenderhillflorals.com will be the site to go to and if you'd like to order flowers or look at some of the flower photo samples and other items available for purchasing.. you can also get there thru this blog. Just click on the area in the top right of the blog. That will get you to our Direct2Florist page.

Also some new things available for delivery will be Celebration Cakes or Cupcakes. These can accompany a simple arrangement or anything else coming from our shop. If you would like to send Cake or Cupcakes for any occasion, we would like a 24hour notice. We will have more info on flavors, cake/serving sizes and hopefully photos on the next blog post.

We are excited for all of the new things arriving before the Spring Fling in April. Saturday, April 4th to be exact, from 10 am 'til 3pm. Well, that's all for now. Check back again for another post. Thanks for stopping by.

Something for March....

2009-02-11T20:13:00.002-05:00

Our small token of appreciation... if you purchase your Valentine's Day flowers with us this week-you will receive a "Love Note" good for one free rose during the month of March.

We know you can go anywhere to purchase flowers. When you come to Lavender Hill.. we know that means you expect excellent flowers and excellent service. So with that, we want to continue our good relationship with you.

Come back in March..if not sooner, and present the "Love Note" and continue the love with another rose.

Join us on Facebook!

2009-02-09T22:00:00.003-05:00

Just another way to find out what's going on at Lavender Hill. We now have a Facebook page. Sign on and add us to your Friend's list. You can never have too many friends.. at least we don't think so.

Did you know ??

2009-02-06T23:41:00.002-05:00

Did you know, when you place an order we can email you a photo of what we sent? Yes, that's right.

Why are we doing this? Well, because we know many times the floral sender never gets a chance to see what's been sent. We do get many calls from people not in the local area. They may be calling for a delivery for a special occasion they may not be able to attend-- perhaps a birthday, anniversary or funeral. So, if you give us your email address we'll send you a photo of your floral gift.

The only time we may not be able to do this would be for a super busy holiday like Valentine's Day- and that is only because of the volume of orders coming in and the time frame for delivery would be a little prohibitive.

We've chosen to do this because we want you to be confident with what is being sent out with your name one it. But remember, it has our name on it too. So, if you look good, we look good. It's as simple as that.

Enjoy the weekend.. and don't forget Valentine's Day is next Saturday the 14th. For a longer romantic weekend, send your flowers on Friday.

What happened??

2009-01-30T22:30:00.002-05:00

Sooo.. over the ice and snow didn't make it onto the blog... Hmmm? Why? because I am not proficient in uploading things from other sites-- no, really I'm not even a little bit knowledgeable.

I was going to post about how I am truly over the snow and ice -just like everyone else. Then I found this nifty 14 minute or so-movie on YouTube- titled Validation. Totally precious and it made me smile and I wanted to share it and of course my lack of internet knowledge didn't allow me to upload the link-- so now I have something new to learn.. Anyway, the movie was just what I needed after all of this snow and ice.

So... now on to more fun things... Today, UPS came with one of our purchases from Chicago. That's right! Today we received some amazing Shea Butter Hand Cream. Wonderful, Lavender scented and plain Shear Butter. I tried a little of the sample tin and it's really nice. It's not a heavy scent which is good. What really surprised me - it is not greasy. We tried the product while at the market so I already knew it wouldn't be- but trying it again-I was very impressed. Our hands get very dried with damaged cuticles and this should do the trick for us and you.

Hopefully, we can get it on the floor tomorrow. You can try it for yourself and let us know what you think. There will be samples and even some little ones available for purchase to keep in your purse.

Thanks for reading and have a good weekend!

Sooo.. over the ice and snow!

2009-01-30T22:22:00.000-05:00

A lot of ice...

2009-01-27T20:40:00.004-05:00

Today was interesting.. most people were home due to the overnight snow and impending ice showers. I did make it to the shop for two reasons, I had funeral work to be delivered and better than that, I had flowers coming from Florida.

After shoveling and chatting with the Schimpff's of Schimpff's Confectionery.. I got the funeral work out. But no flowers from Florida.. where were they?? It's cold out and they need to be in the shop-being told how beautiful they are. I know that sounds weird but it's like Christmas when the flowers arrive. We want to see how pretty they are, how fluffy, how fragrant. We just enjoy it.

So, by 10 til 5- the flowers came- finally. I felt bad for the Fed Ex guy-- he still had a long night ahead of him. So I sent him on his way and ripped the box open. What did I find?? Beautiful pink kangaroo paw, lavender roses, pink cymbidium orchids, purple campanula, gorgeous fragrant white hyacinth- which I might use for my wedding this weekend- There are purple dendrobium orchids, pink, white and purple lisianthus, sunny yellow gerbera daisy and more.

Unfortunately, because of the crazy weather, we will not be open tomorrow. Typically, this is not something I do. But considering most places we would have to drive to may not be easy to access- this is just the safe thing to do. So back to work on Thursday.

So, in the mean time, I have lots to do on the computer to keep busy. So stay warm!

A New Look and some New Products

2009-01-25T18:29:00.004-05:00

In May, we will officially be in Jeffersonville for 7 years! Although the 'Birthday' is not for another 4 months or so...we're already giving ourselves presents. Typical girls- we just can't wait.

Our first present is new business cards. We love our signature purple- but my fabulous graphics girl-and wonderful daughter Jen, created a totally fresh look for us. She took a wonderful Cassis Clematis and worked it with lime- our new color in the shop. I think it looks perfect. It's current, a great color combination and just the beginning of some new changes we're making this year.

Another change is a new look on our website- lavenderhillflorals.com This won't take place until after Valentine's Day. Our goal is to combine all of our information onto one site rather than two as we currently do. Currently, our .com site mainly focuses on the wedding and event side of the business. Our .biz site features arrangements available for delivery. We will be reworking the site so you will be able to easily find what you're looking for. We want you to get a better glimpse of what we do in the shop. We want you to have better visuals for all of the options available to you when your need to place and order for a delivery.

Our biggest change is eliminating generic arrangements. These are the ones you currently see on the .biz site. These are provided to us by the wire services. Unfortunately, these photos are not a really good representation of what we do. Our regular clients know that. So, away with them. We always prefer to create our arrangements with the least restrictions possible. We want to create with the flowers dictating where they are to be placed. We want to place as many premium flowers in your arrangement as possible. We feel that these generic arrangements don't reflect that mindset. We know our clients have great taste and prefer the focus on the flowers...creatively arranged, chic, and natural in appearance. So, ask and you shall receive.

Shortly, we will be receiving some of the new products we have searched for. They include great gifts for gardeners, beautiful vases, clever gifts for co-workers and corporate giving. We'll have some new greeting cards, beautiful silk florals and more.

We've been asked to instruct some floral design classes in spring. So stay tuned for more info on that. We're very excited to be teaching again and it should be fun for everyone.

That's a snippet of some of the good things to come. We hope you enjoy the new things as they are revealed. We're looking forward to an exciting new year. We hope you enjoy it with us. Thanks for visiting.

Just another reminder for ordering online..

2009-01-08T08:24:00.002-05:00

Just a reminder that you can always click here on our blog to place an order too. Just to the right of the screen is says- click here to order flowers- and you can do just that. That one click will link you with the new direct2florist site and our personal page.

So, bookmark our blog, catch up on what's going on in the shop, look for any specials here on the blog- most promotions will only be posted on our blog- and shop for flowers.

If you have any questions just email us or give us a call at 812-288-2388.

Order Our Flowers for Delivery Here!!

2009-01-07T15:49:00.002-05:00

We're very excited to announce that we have a new source for you to use to order our flowers online. It is direct2florist.com Our actual link is -http://us.direct2florist.com/florists/lavender-hill-jeffersonville-106970.html

We are always looking for the best most cost effective way for you to order our flowers online. Our current website is through a traditional wire service. You place an order, they take a percentage of the amount you've paid for flowers and we get reimbursed the difference plus a delivery fee. And lately we've been thinking Hmmm?? We can do better~

We found direct2florist.com This company started in Europe and is now available in the US. It's very simple- to place your order online or just view some photos and call us direct with your order. If you place the order online, the price shown includes the tax and delivery and a flat $6. service fee. This covers the direct2florist link. Plain and simple. 100% of the money you spend on the order for flowers goes to the flowers.

We have always filled our web orders an incoming orders from another state to us for full value. We do know that there are many shops that don't fill to value and that's not fair to you. So we're making some changes in 2009 and this is one of them.

We will continue to add photos because we've just gotten this site up. If you want to call us direct for the order you're welcome to do that. Just know the site is there should you need to order in your jammies after hours. If you forget to copy the link just go to direct2florist.com and type in the zip code 47130 and click on our shop- it's very easy!

We will keep the original site of lavenderhillflorals.biz up until after Valentine's Day. But it will eventually be taken down. We will also have an area on our lavenderhillflorals.com site that will allow you to link into the direct2florist.com site. We're hoping to have that officially up and functioning by March.

We truly appreciate your support of our business. Please let us know if ever there is a suggestion, compliment or complaint. We're here for you. Thanks and have a great day.

Look for us at the Special Occasions Wedding Show

2009-01-03T20:24:00.002-05:00

We will be at the Special Occasions Wedding Show tomorrow! Join us at the Expo Center in the West Hall. The expo is scheduled from 11am until 4pm.

There are over 100 vendors scheduled to exhibit. We have not done this show in quite a while. Because it is not the typical set-up we're accustomed to, we will not have as much on display. We will have some beautiful florals to display, but as always, for our undivided attention scheduling an appointment is best.

We hope you'll stop by. Happy wedding planning.

A New Year with New Hopes

2008-12-31T19:24:00.003-05:00

A New Year is...another chance, another opportunity, a do-over, and most of all a Fresh Start.

Everyone experienced many things in 2008-good and bad. I think most people are glad to say-

Good bye.

So, out with the old and in with the new! What are you looking forward to??

As for me?.. my list includes in no particular order-

Figure out how to work my Apple more efficiently and learn how to use photoshop. For those of you that know how to photoshop- stop laughing. Yes, I am that incompetent.

I look forward to the opportunity to work with many new clients, both corporate and private. I'm looking forward to some wonderful weddings and party work. I can't wait for the amazing fresh flowers that are getting ready to grow- just for me to play with.

I am looking forward to celebrating my twenty-fourth wedding anniversary. I think twenty -nine years with the same person is pretty cool. Yes, do the math -we dated for five years. And better yet, is the fact that he still makes me melt.

I will enjoy redecorating my home [since it didn't sell- it's now new again- to me!]

I am looking forward to SPRING!! Beautiful blooming plants, beautiful, colorful window boxes, and warm weather once again.

I am excited to test for AIFD.. and I hope to have an amazingly creative day when I step into that testing room in Kansas City. Because I plan to leave Kansas City with the confidence of knowing I will get a letter in August that says I can put the four letters A I F D after my name.

And, as if I'm not planning for enough.. I hope for continued health, inner peace and happiness for myself, family, friends and clients. Because without those three things the rest is a little less likely to happen.

Have a wonderful New Year- 2009 should be quite interesting, to say the least.

All the Best!

Carolyn

Guess who can sing.. and who can't??

2008-12-22T22:41:00.003-05:00

I am beyond thrilled that my Christmas shopping is nearly complete. Seeing that it's only a couple of days away you'd think I'd be finished. Well, heck no. Only a few special people are left on the list for a few little things. Anyway...

I need to back up a bit.. earlier in the month, I had a birthday. My darling hubby and kids thought I should grow up and get an Apple.. I think secretly my hubby wanted my current laptop to surf Ebay and of course I was right. It worked in my favor regardless..I got a laptop. Now, I am in the progress of figuring out all of the nuances of an Apple..it's definitely different than my other laptop. So I feel like I'm having to learn a new language.

So what did I learn today??? Well, I learned that the ear plugs from my Ipod work on my laptop. It sounds great! And what else did I learn?? My hubby told me that I cannot sing??? What?? I sound great! At least I do in my head. But he insists I'm wrong. All I can say is I am sooo glad my daughter introduced me to Pandora.com Now I can listen to all of the George Michael I want and sing as badly as I can-- because I cannot hear myself. This is GREAT !!

Oh, and who can sing??? Well, that would be Jessica.. yep- she has the voice of an angel. And she has friend that sing too, and they're talented as musicians too. Gosh, some people.

We're getting NOTHING for Christmas!!

2008-12-06T13:34:00.002-05:00

We're getting nothing for Christmas.. and we know it. We were very bad. We took advantage of Santa's chair being at the shop and took naughty photos in it. We will probably get coal-- which could be a good thing considering the economy- at least that could provide heat. But, none the less- we were overcome with silliness. We figured 'what the heck, the Big Guy isn't coming back any time soon.'

So, like Goldilocks, we frolicked in the giant chair. We tried to figure out when he'd gone to Egypt to snag this ugly specimen. Egyptian chair- Santa...?? it didn't make sense to us, but we played anyway.

We didn't know it, but Santa Came back today, Saturday. He informed us he'll be back to our shop every Saturday until Christmas. Great!! now we really do have to behave.

Calling all Marthas..Class is in Session Tuesday, December 16

2008-12-02T21:23:00.006-05:00

If you've ever wondered--'what nifty things could I come up with for a last minute hostess gift, inexpensive decor gift or quick gift wrap idea?'-- then you should take our fun class- Holiday Ideas 101

We will be holding our class at Lavender Hill on Tuesday, December 16 at 7pm. We have room for 12 people for our first class. We promise to make if fun and keep things on course to end by 8:30.

The class will be $20. per person. Our class will cover quick gift wrapping ideas, you'll make a simple centerpiece and learn how to create additional quick centerpieces from things you may already have in your home. We also want your input on things you want to learn how to do.

If you're interested call the shop at 288-2388 or email us and let us know your coming. Martha said she would come - but we said 'No'-that's a Good Thing- she would just be too distracting...

Blooming Carpet

2008-12-02T21:14:00.002-05:00

Talk about a custom made carpet!! I just received this photo from our favorite Photog Princess- Stef- This would be amazing to see in person. Just thought I'd share- Thanks, Stef.

Invitations and a Special Offer for you!

2008-11-25T18:20:00.003-05:00

Did you know we not only have FABULOUS Flowers but also FABULOUS Invitations ? That's right.. We can design amazing florals for your wedding or event AND you can save at least 20% on your invitations to your hip soiree. And, as if that's not enough.. mention you saw this on our blog and you'll receive *free* thank you notes for your wedding shower. If we're doing the flowers, you'll save on the invitations- it's that simple.

Also, if you didn't know already- we have rentals. Candelabra, gorgeous vases, lots of glass items, silver candle lighters for the unity candle, silver cake plateaus and more. The most fabulous thing is we also carry linens. Gorgeous, luxe, decadant linens- even hard to find colors- for all of the guest's tables, just your wedding party or just you and your new spouse. Linens can completely transform the atmosphere.. of course with beautiful flowers sitting on top of them!--All available to rent from us.

You don't have to go to Louisville. Southern Indiana does have a variety of amazing event vendors- and many of them are our favorites. We know how to spoil our Brides and Grooms and their families with excellent service and products.

And one last thing.. we also offer wedding/event coordination. If you need direction or just want someone experienced to handle the details so you can just enjoy your day, we can do it! We have many years in this event business and are always researching the nations' latest trends. New York, Chicago, LA, San Francisco, Seattle, Palm Beach-- we have friends in lots of places. It's our job to be in the know...and we love to share ideas. If we're booked, we have fellow event planners we love to refer to- they're amazing too- or we wouldn't work with them. We have very cool friends.

Give us a call. Schedule an appointment. We'd love to meet you and hear all about your plans.

Thanks for stopping by!

Marianne's wedding -- Part II

2008-11-02T00:11:00.004-04:00

On my way back from my wedding at Farmington, I stopped by Glassworks where Jessica's friend Marianne was getting married. First, I must say Jessica worked her buns off. Working 'til three in the morning to be sure things got done..yes, we really do have to work insane hours on some events- but it is always worth it.

Although there were two official photographers, Stefanie being one of them, I snapped a few photos to post. Unfortunately, my photos don't show all of the detail of the color and designs infused throughout the wedding and reception. The main floral color was chartreuse and truffle. So the table decor leaned towards the shades of green. The bride's bouquet combined both the ivory and truffle. It was a bundled bouquet of mini calla lilies accented with plum toned feathers collaring the bouquet. Marianne also included a silver Fleur de lis pin on her bouquet stems and on many of the items used at the reception.

I'm sure everything went wonderfully. Glassworks looked amazing - it was truly worth all of the time that went into creating such a wonderful event.

Jessica, enjoy your special day off.

A wedding at Farmington

2008-11-01T23:47:00.003-04:00

One of our other weddings taking place today was outside at Farmington. Our lovely bride could not have ordered a more beautiful day. The weather was absolutely perfect. Her colors were olive and chocolate with beautiful orange and rust toned flowers.

Our DYI bride and her family and friends did a great job with table decor of creme toned pumpkins with monograms nestled in a bed of fall foliage. I can't wait to see the photos from her photographer. I'm sure she got some great shots..

Next posting.. more from Marianne's wedding.

Marianne is getting married today!!

2008-11-01T00:49:00.002-04:00

So, one of today's brides is having a themed wedding. One focus is family and friends. The other aspect is the Fleur-de-lis. [By the way,we have 4 weddings this weekend.]

Marianne is a dear, longtime friend of our lead designer, Jessica. So together they have been collaborating on the ideas for decor, bouquets and details. Many photos, sketches and notes later-there are plenty of details. So, this is just a start to the photos we will have from her event.

I know we'll have great photos because Stefanie will be snapping many of them. So, check back for the rest of her details and for some photos of the others.

Have a great weekend! and Best Wishes to all of our Brides and Grooms.

The new designer

2008-10-30T12:50:00.002-04:00

Heidi is our guest designer for the day.. we definitely need her help today. We have lots to do with four weddings this weekend. Lulu is not fond of our guest. It is no longer all about her and she just doesn't like it one bit.

I'll post more photos of the weddings later.

Thanks for visiting.

Of course !!

2008-10-09T09:20:00.001-04:00

Wouldn't you just know it !! There is an E- STEFANIE. I'll be you I won't screw that up ever again.

Carol and Stephanie

2008-10-09T08:38:00.002-04:00

I want to publicly announce that I have incorrectly spelled Stefani's name..hence the Carol and StePHanIE...title on today's post.

People who know me know -Carol- is not my name. Yet for some strange reason, people who don't know me but claim to know me call me Carol- a dead give away- they really don't know me. If they did, they would really know how much my being called Carol is like nails down a chalk board or better yet getting a paper cut licking an envelope or slamming just the tip of my finger in a drawer. Being called Carol is icky memories of childhood and a neighbor girl named- Kim standing across the street from my house yelling 'Carol' so I would come out and play with her.. while she was covered in sticky goo from a giant colorful charms pop sucker sliming down her arm- I didn't like it or her. I know that's very bad to put in print but it's true and explains why I personally don't like being called Carol. Enough of that.. on to StePHanie--

My post the other day was in reference to a photographer Stefani. Of course, I boldly took it upon myself to spell her name Stephanie rather than being sure it was spelled correctly. It was brought to my attention that when Stefani learned of the post featuring her photos she gasped with distress upon seeing her name spelled incorrectly. Of all cruel things I could do to another person-- a misspelled name-- I of all people should be uber-sensitive to this - but was I ?? NO- what is my problem?

So, I humbly post my error. I Carolyn- not Carol- althought it does sound like something she would do- admit my error in spelling and publicly correct {the artist- formerly known as Stephanie} is actually spelled Stefani.. I only hope I've spelled this correctly and didn't leave off an E.

Okay, enough of my faults.. have a great day.

It's been a while..second artist -Elaina

2008-10-06T21:57:00.003-04:00

I am very excited to also be hosting artist Elaina Panico at the Art on Spring event.

She is not a local artist -she's from Wisconsin. She's a mere -almost 20- and very talented. I was fortunate to receive two of her paintings this past week. One is shown on the blog. You'll have to stop in to find out which one it is. I'm hoping to receive a couple more of her paintings and sketches within the next few weeks. The photos I'm posting are just a few in her portfolio.

Enjoy.

Oops! The Art Show is November 13 -NOT- October 13

2008-10-06T21:50:00.000-04:00

It's been a while..

2008-10-06T21:29:00.004-04:00

As darling Jessica pointed out to me the other day, it's been a while since I posted.

I've been busy enough to have lots of things to post-flowers for photo shoots, lots of work in the shop, painting, re arranging displays, weddings and more. And of course getting ready for the Open House and the Art on Spring event the following week.

So, I'll post about the art and some artists. First the new photo at the top of the blog was shot by Stephanie. With some coaxing.. I'm hoping she'll display some prints of her latest work. She has photographed a variety of subjects [I'm lucky enough to have some copies] and I hope she'll select at least a couple to display at the Art on Spring event - Thursday, October 13. They will be for sale.

Okay, I'll post a few. It's amazing to see someone's perspective through a lens. Especially when they make you really feel something or inspire you to think.

I will post another post following this. The next artist is a painter...with a completely different perspective and subject. Enjoy.

Our Favorites

2008-09-07T21:53:00.002-04:00

In my coupious amounts of spare time this weekend, I'm making lists. Lists of things to do this week. Flowers to order, containers to prep, silks florals to make and more info on this blog.

One list I made for the blog was the 'Favorites'. Often we're asked who we would use for a vendor if if was "our event". So I've compiled a list. I have personally used the services of a number of the businesses listed.

The list I compiled is just a suggestion of some of the vendors we feel do an excellent job. They are businesses -we know first hand- who consistently provide excellent service, excellent products, seek a creative approach in their production and are an absolute pleasure to work with. We have no vested interest, we receive no compensation. We just feel it's important to let our readers know when an excellent vendor available. As we find more "Faves" we'll add their name.

Have a great week!

The Holiday Open House- November 6th.

2008-09-07T16:53:00.004-04:00

It's coming. We have lots of people asking when it is..the official date is Thursday evening, November 6th. Not only is it our shop's soiree, the Open House is a joint event for all of the merchants in Downtown Historic Jeffersonville.

We are very excited. We'll have a new look in the store- new tequila lime walls [if I ever get them finished] New holiday gifts, new wonderful Arbonne personal skincare and bath products, absolutely delicious gourmet foods- yes, we will be sampling them, beautiful holiday wreaths and arrangements and so much more. We can't tell you everything. We have to have some surprises.

And, as if that isn't enough, the following week will be the Art on Spring Event- November 13th. Local artists will be featured in various shops. The locations will be announced at the Open House. Please mark your calendars. If you haven't attended our Open House in the past, we're sure you'll enjoy it.

The Chocolate Candles are here !!

2008-09-05T09:00:00.002-04:00

Our patience was worth it!

The heavenly Chocolate Candles have arrived. They smell divine. We've ordered these from a small business in upstate Washington. They're made by hand.

If you need a low-calorie chocolate fix, this may be it.

What I learned in school today..

2008-08-25T20:11:00.004-04:00

First thing- I learned the day before school-- Garmin or as I called it- Garmina- my backseat girlfriend driver- is a wonderful friend to have on a trip. Of course my awesome husband gave me great directions..but Garmina got me where I needed to be locally.

So, day one in class- most of the people here are 1- women, 2- from the region, and 3 very helpful towards each other.

The hotel- The Omni, has a great lobby and atrium- but could benefit from more flowers- they have them, just not enough...or the ones they do have, should have more- Oomph! They did however have a great lunch and the bananas foster was YUM!

So, Phil- is a floral natural- it just comes from within. He is beyond helpful as is his assistant Fanny. I like the fact that he infuses a philosophy of positive thinking in design. Basically, you positively can do it- just let it happen. Be open to instruction and soak it in. A definite positive, happy, I love what I'm doing vibe- very contagious. He spoke about his shop Avante Garden and his wife Cathy- also AIFD. Definitely a floral family.

Our first assignment was creating a tropical table arrangement which included anthurium, protea, lotus pods and some other things.. in particular a 'nautilus' created with a leaf. First we had to learn how to make the nautilus- and I did !! Not right away, but it came to me after a couple of tries. They are very cool and you will be seeing them in our future work as it fits in.

We also did some weaving with grasses and ribbon and applied it in design. Again, very cool. The main thing he was focusing on was balance and the minute details in design- the ones that will make or break you in going for passing a certification with AIFD. Also a lot of other design details that would not impress anyone not in the floral industry. So, I won't bore you. Jessica, I know you'll be reading this- you I will give the details. And Kim, girl- you will love learning how to make the shells and the birds too. No palm leaf will be safe with us around!

We also made very cool birds with palm. Definitely not something you can make only once. They will definitely need some practice.

Tomorrow, more designing, more hand work and other detailed creations. The attached photos are of a very large arrangement Phil designed- about 6 feet tall. The other one is one I made. I'm glad I'm here. It re-enforces what I know and shows me where I need to focus my attention with detail.

Well, I see the photos I'm trying to upload- aren't. I promise I'll try and figure out what the problem is. Maybe tomorrow, I'll have better luck. I've got to get to bed. I have school in the morning ;)

Bye, for now.

I'm going to school..kind of-

2008-08-22T08:39:00.003-04:00

I am beyond excited for this weekend. I will be leaving on Sunday for a road trip to Charlottesville, Virginia. I'm going there to attend a continuing education class in advanced design. Yes, I have been doing design for 24years-- but, there's always something to learn. My last class was at Texas A&M and I learned alot.

I am most excited because the instructor is Phil Rulloda. This man is brilliant. He has won every design award possible, has his shop and design school in California, has written design books and more and is an AIFD member. One of my goals is to also become AIFD certified. This is kind of like getting a PhD for someone else's profession. It is not an easy thing to accomplish. But, if you do you will be celebrating and it could open many new doors.

So, bright and early Sunday morning I'm leaving and won't be back in the shop until Thursday. I will return to a laundry list of things to do because we have a mega huge wedding on Saturday [don't worry, we're on top of it, everything is ordered already and the flowers won't come in until Wednesday] and also another smaller one. I know the shop will be in good hands. The lovely Jessica will be holding down the shop and designing like the ninja she is. You'd have to see her in action. Things get done and you never saw it happen- she's quite mysterious and wonderful to have around.

So, off I'll go- like Thelma without Louise. Just me, the Garmin and lots of cd's to listen to. I'll be back with lots of new ideas and an overflowing imagination.

Lulu Rai Tulip

2008-08-21T08:54:00.004-04:00

I couldn't- not -share a photo of the amazing parrot tulip we'll be getting in for the fall season. And what a coincidence that the name has -Lulu in it! Hmmm.. how did that happen? We're so excited about introducing more bulb options for the fall season. We'll also carry supplies for repotting plants. We know not everyone needs a giant bag of potting soil or a whole bag of moss or stones. Well, we will be offering those basic supplies in a much smaller quantity- basically, buy what you need.

We'll also be carrying some beautiful amaryllis which I have ordered in shades of white with a red center and a deep red shade. We're very excited about the new products coming into the shop for the fall season. We hope you'll stop by.

What's Green, Lavender, Purple and Chocolate?

2008-08-17T20:44:00.003-04:00

Green..Tequila Lime to be exact. That's the new color our walls will be sporting for the fall season. We love it... it is kind of limey- Key West lime for me, think bright-very bright and perfect for the dreary days that will be coming soon. Our new look is leaning towards urban, contemporary and fun. But don't be worried. We're not going off the deep end and changing everything- just making the space match the new products we're bringing in for the holidays.

Lavender... would be the wonderful new crop of lavender coming from the recent harvest on an upstate Washington peninsula. We've talked direct to the growers about their growing conditions and what makes their lavender the Best! If it's the best, then we definitely want it.

Purple...wait until you see the amazing new Dutch variety of purple parrot tulip we'll have for the fall season. It's very ruffled with deep purple and green toned petals. We just had to have it and will have only 100 bulbs available.

Chocolate...well, this is not what you'd first expect. It's not to eat-it will be chocolate to grow. We have 'chocolate' flowers coming. Again, from the beautiful state of Washington. I don't want to give too much away because there are more 'chocolate' things coming.

This is just a hint of the new thing we're expecting for fall. We'll have a new look for our business cards [the flower on our business cards is a 'Casis Clematis' and yes, it should be available to purchase in the spring season] and all our media materials. We're very excited for our reveal. Be sure to look for our new ad in the September issue of Underwire magazine.

Thanks for stopping by.

Thanks for stopping by.

Just being silly

2008-08-14T09:17:00.000-04:00

We're really working the flowers. By that I mean if it doesn't get used within a certain time we don't use them for orders. So today's second post is Jessica playing with the sunflowers.

I know the photos are a little blurred, but cute nonetheless. She plucked the petals so we can hang and dry them for use in fall arrangments.--I told you we try and be 'green' and now we have photos to prove it.

Have a great day!

A kind of weird photo to post

2008-08-14T08:49:00.000-04:00

I know on my previous post, I mentioned the flowers we purchase from our wonderful, local grower. Well, the photo for today includes many of their flowers.

Typically I would not post someone's funeral flowers, but I felt I should on this one. When most people think of funeral flowers they have this visual of stiff, two tones-dare I say red and white or some other basic color combination of predictible flowers. And I hate to say it, but they'll look like they belong at a funeral... just not one we're doing.

We try and take a different approach. Our goal for this family was to create a gardeny casket spray. Knowing what we'd just purchased, we knew it would be very natural and less structured. They conveyed they didn't want anything stiff- and that their family member loved the outdoors and gardening. We appreciate the family trusting us with our vision for their family member.

Just keep in mind when ordering flowers for any occasion- be open to new ideas, colors, and flower combinations. There is a huge variety available- think outside the box. You may be very pleasantly surprised.

All the best