Bitersweet :)

Alas, my avid blog readers. I have some tragic news to share with you all. I warn you; you all may want to sit down while you read this. Are you ready?

Today's entry shall be my last blog entry you read for Arapahoe Floral.

Hush, sweet fans. Do not cry! For I have bright news about the future! A new Arapahoe Floral employee shall be taking over the entries. A light at the end of the tunnel! But of course I will share deep insight with you one last time about the underground world of flowers. Today's entry topic, you ask? Well, it's all about me :)

I thought it would be fun to do a verbal montage of my favorite blog entries [you know, similar to those sitcom series finales].

-"Somewhere over the rainbow...rose?" has always been one of my favorites. How could rainbow colored roses not cheer a person up? I'm guessing all of you reading this could use a rainbow rose right now. *sniff* I'll miss you too...

-"Fellas, This could be you". The bouquet in the picture is gorgeous, but honestly, Ashton Kutcher is just super hot.

-"Terrariums make a comeback". Maybe it's my draw towards vintage trends, but I think terrariums are pretty neat. Plus they are super easy to take care of. Win, win!

-Finally, "Everyone Likes A Nice Lei". Maybe it's because I happen to find myself entirely entertaining and truly just hilarious, but I thought the orchid lei blog wasn't too shabby :)

While we're on the subject of, well, myself, I would like to share some of my favorite flowers with you as well. Please feel free to send them to me as a goodbye gift. I shall miss having them in my house.

-Liatris: I've written a blog about this little flower gem before. I don't know what it is about liatris. Maybe it's the bright purple color or the unusual shape? Whatever it may be, I absolutely love it.

-Tulips: There are so many varieties of tulips. We ran across one in the store recently that I'm pretty sure we described as "magical". Absolutely gorgeous. Plus, they remind me of spring. I can't get enough of tulips!

-Spider/Fuji Mums: Specifically the green ones. Their color is stunning, and they last for such a long time! Plus, their shape is somewhat unusual, and I'm a fan of all things weird.

Well, avid blog readers. I hope you enjoy future posts as much as you have enjoyed reading mine. I don't doubt that you will. Just remember, shop local as much as you can, even when it comes to flowers!

Goodbye... for now ;)

Everyone Love A Nice Lei ;)

Orchid lei have a lot of history, and since summer is coming and graduations are near, I thought it would be a splendid idea to share some fun facts with y'all. [ie. "lei" is used for both the plural and singular form of the noun :)]

During the "Boat Days" of the early 1900s, lei vendors lined the pier at Aloha Tower to welcome malihini (visitors) to the islands and kama'aina (locals) back home. It is said that departing visitors would throw their lei into the sea as the ship passed Diamond Head, in the hopes that, like the lei, they too would return to the islands again someday.

Today, visitors can easily bring back the nostalgia of old Hawaii by ordering a traditional flower lei greeting for their arrival at the airport. Greeters welcome visitors with a warm “aloha” and adorn them with beautiful fresh leis. It's a wonderful way to begin a Hawaiian vacation.

You can wear a lei at anytime. Heck, you can even buy one for yourself, but it's good to know that there are a few rules when it comes to lei etiquette. The proper way to wear it is gently on the shoulders so it hangs down both the front and back. Also, it is a sign of affection if someone gives you a lei. Therefore, it is pretty rude to refuse it [I recommend you never do]. Once you do have your lei on, it is rude to remove it in front of the person that gave it to you; so if you need to take it off, make sure they don't see!

Graduations are a very popular time to adorn someone with a lei. In Hawaiian tradition, graduates are likely to be given so many lei that they can sometimes come up to the persons eyes!

There are lots of types of leis, but orchid leis tend to be the most popular here in the Continental United States. In case you do want a lei, but you aren't sure where to get one in Colorado, I have good news for you! I, yes your trusty blogger, am actually pretty darned good at making a lei :) So if you know someone who is graduating but don't want to bog them down with a loose bouquet of flowers or if you want to show your affection in a creative manner, give Arapahoe Floral a call and order your lei. The sooner, the better. These suckers can take sometime :)

Aloha!

Happy Mother's Day!

We did it! Arapahoe Floral survived the Mother's Day weekend... barely :) We happily created hundreds of flower arrangements for lots of lucky moms. Thank you so much for having us be a part of your family's holiday celebrations. We hope that we served you well.

This year the main trend we saw being ordered were nice spring bouquets with lots of colorful flowers! With color combinations like reds, yellows, purples, and greens, we successfully made lots of beautiful pieces! We even had fun vases to use, adding a playful element to the arrangements.

The flowers that were most requested were daisies, tulips and roses... but not red ones! The roses we used were shades of pinks, purples, yellows, and oranges. Red is more romantic, thus being superior during Valentine's Day, but this holiday lends itself more towards roses symbolizing joy and friendship.

Don't forget, if you didn't order your arrangement for Mother's Day and still want to do something nice for your momma, we can make an arrangement for Monday! We can even send it to her work, making a great start to their work week. It's never too late to show some love!

Way to go, team. We did it! Now to get back to my glass of wine...

Thinkin' Outside of the Box!

As promised, I have some alternative Mother's Day gift ideas for my avid blog readers! [Though I stand by flowers thru and thru.] We are going to keep this post simple and straightforward, bullet point style...

- Cards! It is nice to give a gift, but what you have to say along with it means the most. We all have a sentimental side, but, based off of personal experience, mommas tend to really love the sappy stuff. My exciting twist on the card? Make it yourself! And better yet, bring it in to us so we can attach it to a colorful arrangement.

- Plants! Before you say "psh, you're such a cliche gift idea giver", let me explain. You can absolutely stick with the classics and do a nice green or blooming plant in a pretty container, but this year we are thinking out of the box. Since you all read my blog religiously, I know you know what a dish garden is. Why not send your mother a collection of HERBS?! It is unique and functional! It will look pretty, smell incredible, and even taste delicious :)

- Gift Certificates! The ultimate cop out gift idea, you say?! Shame on you! We have seen some pretty creative gift card giving in our days. Bring us a collection of gift certificates to your mom or wife's favorite hot spots and we can make an arrangement with them! She can get all of her favorites in one: flowers, a spa day, a lovely dinner at her favorite restaurant, and maybe even a mini shopping spree. But don't think you have to have a ton of gift cards for one of these arrangements; you could have just one that we feature in the bouquet!

If you're still stumped, come into our store! We are full of ideas, and sometimes it's best to talk about them in person. But hurry up! Mother's Day is soon and you are running out of time!

Mother's Day Is Sunday!

That's right everyone, this Sunday!!! We know not all of you have sweethearts at Valentine's Day, but it is true that you have all had a mother at some point. This is the one day of the year that you should absolutely take the time to make sure they know how much they mean to you and how grateful you are for all that they've done. It's every mom's favorite holiday. That's what we are here to help you with.

Now, if you are anything like me, you might be thinking, "Hey, aren't flowers a totally cliche gift for Mother's Day?". Let me assure you, dearest friends, after careful research and contemplation, they most certainly are NOT. This year I asked around in order to get some ideas for my momma, and almost every mom I spoke with answered with a no-fail gift... a beautiful bouquet! This truly did surprise me until they explained that having flowers around the house is a luxury they don't often receive. It's rare for a person to buy themselves flowers, and almost just as rare for a hubby to bring them home :) So when one of their kids takes a minute out of their day to send them a nice floral arrangement, it not only brightens up their house, it brightens up their week.

The ultimate "push your mother's day gift over the edge and super impress her" touch, you ask? Make sure to ask the florist to include her favorite flower or color. It really shows and makes a difference when you add those personal touches.

Later this week I'll have a few more gift ideas and tips if you still aren't keen on a nice spring bouquet, but I'm tellin' y'all, it's a classic.

Oh yeah, that's me and my momma in the picture [I've heard we look alike] and her favorite flower [an iris]. Had to do a shout out to the lady I owe it all too :)

The Royal Wedding Bouquet!

Alright, readers, we finally have the inspiration behind weddings for the next ten years. The Royal Wedding has happened, and it's time for us to talk about the flowers!

First of all, let's give it up for Shane Connolly who was the lead florist. Know for his sustainable and green approach towards design, he stunned everyone with his unique but eloquent work. Westminster Abbey was adorned with English field maple trees. That's right... trees! Instead of using cut flowers, they decided to keep the plants alive! I applaud you, Shane, for you naturalistc and successful approach towards the ceremony.

Now... drum roll please... the bride's bouquet! I think our predictions were pretty dead on [way to go, guys]. The bouquet was white with green accents; it was elegant, demure, and simple. It was a small cascade and proportionate to Kate. Though it was beautiful, it didn't distract from the lace detail in her dress.

All of these are very important, but what I found to be the most impressive, interesting, and trendy detail was the significance of each flower. Style was important, but symbolism reigned in this wedding bouquet. Lily-of-the-valley represents the return of happiness. Sweet William was used not only for it's meaning [gallantry], but as a tribute to Kate's prince. Hyacinth [a personal favorite of mine for it's wonderful scent] means "constancy of love". Ivy, another form of foliage which was a theme throughout the ceremony, symbolizes fidelity, marriage, friendship, and affection.

Finally, the main attraction of it all, the myrtle! Myrtle may not be the most impressive amongst the list, but the back story to this particular myrtle is extraordinary. That's right, the sprigs of myrtle in Kate's bouquet were actually from a myrtle planted by Queen Victoria in 1845. Queen Victoria received this original myrtle in a nosegay from Prince Albert's Grandmother that gave it to her on a trip to Gotha, Germany. How's THAT for tradition!

So in one quick sentence, here is the rundown of the newest wedding trends, thanks to the Royal wedding... Your bouquet should be proportionate to your size, accentuate your dress, and most importantly should have personal significance and symbolism. Oh, and don't forget to think green! There you have it, folks. Happy Wedding Season!

It's Administrative Professionals Week!

That's right all you bosses out there, it's the time of the year where you show all of you wonderful employees how much you appreciate their dedication and hard work!

Let's reflect on what Administrative Professionals Week is all about. Since 1952, the International Association of Administrative Professionals has honored office workers by sponsoring Administrative Professionals Week. It's one of the most recognized workplace observances, next to employee birthdays and major holidays. The name was changed to "Administrative Professionals Week/Day" from "Secretaries Week/Day" in the year 2000. The main reason for this name change was simply to keep pace with changing job titles and workplace's expanding responsibilities. Not only is this holiday a great way to celebrate your employees, it also introduces the opportunity for community events, educational seminars, and corporate activities.

Now lets get to down to business... what more simple and better way to thank your employees then to give them the gift of flowers! If you have lots of people on your gift list, you can stick to smaller, colorful arrangements, or even single flowers! Little plants are a great idea, as well. Whatever budget you have for this holiday, we will be more than happy to accommodate you. And... we can deliver to your work place!

So on behalf of your employers, my dearest readers, thanks for all of your hard work! Now, let's just hope my boss doesn't forget to celebrate Administrative Professionals Week!