Perennial Petals: December 2015

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Here Comes 2016!

Hello and welcome back to Perennial Petals!

In a few short days it will be 2016 - it's hard to believe! This past year has held a lot of change for me, and personally, I am very exited to see what the future may hold!

Just a few short weeks ago, my new shop opened, which means that to me, 2016 is all about the future. I am very excited heading into this new year, and sometimes like to take a minute to think about all the possibilities of things to come!

Now I know the future is never certain, but it is always fun to try and predict which way things will go! Each new year lends itself to floral trends, and after reflecting on 2015, I think 2016 will be year of fantastic color and designs!

Every bride and dinner host/hostess has their own style, and I think 2016 will have even more individuality expressed through floral choices. While DIY has been on the rise, and with more and more YouTube channels and Pinterest boards to turn to, it is easier and easier to do it yourself, I think florists will be working with their clients on the designs. I also think there will be more of a variation in colors and styles. Where we sometimes have a run of shabby chic or beach-themes, I think the individual styles of each bride or otherwise will shine through even more than years past.

I am expecting to mix flowers and themes that might not have been the norm in the past, and to see both muted tones and bright colors, depending on each person's style. I also expect that integrated elements will be more and more. That is to say, floral arrangements incorporated with things like glass ornaments, photographs, glass bottles and even fabric flowers.

While each new year is always a surprise, I think this new year is going to be a beautiful one! And I for one am looking forward to it!

I wish you a bright and wonderful New Year - may 2016 be the best year yet!

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Bridget is the proud Owner of Flower Designs by Bridget, bringing European Certification and 20 years experience to Pinellas County, Florida, where she lives with her husband (Air Force, Ret.) and two children. When she is not in her shop, you will find her enjoying a cup of Roiboos tea with her family and several cats and dogs (including one named Daisy). While the holiday greens and decorations of December are her favorite, she looks forward to bringing you sunshine and smiles through flowers all year round!

Monday, December 28, 2015

Centerpieces

Hello! Welcome back to Perennial Petals!

While pinks and purples are my favorite when it comes to flower colors, there is something to be said for the Holiday Season and all that brings to the table - both by way of food, and floral centerpieces!

It really is true that no table is fully set without a centerpiece - the word alone meaning the item that is the middle, the focus of your table. But what are the makings of a good centerpiece?

Well, it depends what you are looking for - do you want it to stand out or blend in? Are you planning on having cross-table conversation, or will people not need to see each other (which is unlikely)? Are you looking for a traditional feel or are you wanting it changed this year?

If you are looking for a piece to stand out, go with complimentary colors to the colors in your dining room or even just the colors of your table and table settings. This will ensure your flowers really pop. If you want your centerpiece to be more of an added texture to the table, a conceptual suggestion and less of a focal point, stick within the palate of the existing colors in your dining room.

Once you have your colors in mind, decide on a size and remember you can break them up depending on your table. If you are having a longer rectangular table, think about having several smaller pieces down the middle of the table, with one slightly larger piece in the center, or even gradient increasing and decreasing sizes up and down the table. This is also a great way to prevent "floral conversational inturruptus" (otherwise known as "I can't see the person across the table from me because of the flowers in my face")! By staggering the flowers down the table, you can space them between the chairs and leave room for your guests to see each other across the table, no matter the size of the floral arrangements. Another way to get around this is by having raised centerpiece, with the flowers higher than the guests heads. This is only recommended for very large rooms, ideally with high ceilings.

Once you have an idea of color and size, pick a style. This is where talking with your florist (or endlessly browsing Pinterest) is a great idea. And for what it's worth, your florist will most likely be able to help you select a style more quickly and with less new brownie recipes and hairstyles to distract you before you have settled on your flowers. More traditional themes are items like a cornucopia with sunflowers and pieces of wheat for Thanksgiving, or ribbon-adorned poinsettias for Christmas.

While these are comfortable and traditional and perfectly nostalgic, sometimes you want to try something new - like roses mounted in fresh pears - which is one of my personal new favorite ideas for this year's Holiday Season!

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Looking Ahead

Hello!

Welcome back to Perennial Petals!

One of the most exciting times for me is right now - when all my training and experience comes together and I get to bring my dreams to life in a new town!

Starting last week, my flower shop, Flower Design by Bridget, signed a lease on a new storefront right in the middle of Clearwater, just outside of Clearwater Beach! Not only is it an amazing location, but it is perfectly located to be able to deliver from St Petersburg all the way up to Tarpon Springs! And as has been my personal custom, it is a flower and gift shop, so you can take care of Birthdays, Holidays, and Special Occasions with one phone call or online order.

Running a small business in a big world can be a challenge, to be sure! And my journey is no exception!

I decided to focus this week's blog on it because there is something to be said about chasing after your dreams, and not waiting for "the perfect time."

While most of my posts (probably all other ones, to be honest) will be about DIY ideas, and how to best create the right centerpiece for your home dining tables and wedding ideas and gift ideas and how to pick the right flowers for any occasion - for this blog I wanted to focus on this -

As 2015 comes to a close, as we focus on hope and happiness during the Holiday Season, and head into the New Year, I just wanted to wish everyone the best of luck in all they do. And I wanted to say to always go after your dreams!

No matter how many years of training it might take or how many obstacles may come in your way - go for it!

I look forward to sharing more news from my shop with you! Along with lots of flower ideas and advice! Feel free to email me at flowerdesignbybridget@gmail.com with any topics you would like to see covered in an upcoming blog!

Here is to a fantastic Holiday Season, and the most wonderful New Year yet!!

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Hello! Welcome to Perennial Petals - a little blog about Flowers and Floral Design, by me, Bridget.

I love flowers. I grew up in East Germany, close to Berlin. The wall came down when I was twelve, and I knew there was no way I could ever work somewhere regimented and disciplined like an office. I needed to be somewhere I could work with expression, make people happy, and face creative challenges.

After coming to that conclusion,and having an early love for flowers, I decided I had to try my hand at Floral Design, and see if it was as wonderful in the real world as it was in my imagination. I worked in a flower shop for one summer and that was it. I applied for school in East Germany (near my parents) as soon as I could, attending the full three years required for Certification in Floral Design.

The three years of school were pretty intense. In Europe, it is a full curriculum: I was put through a regimen of classes on proportions, colors, all the various types of flowers and their specific care, various design techniques, the nuances between bridal design and memorial design and centerpieces and holiday pieces - the three years were packed! I also studied the business side of running a flower shop: proper accounting and organization, so that I can focus on what really matters - the customers and their satisfaction with my designs.

All of this culminated in an extensive three-part exam (practical, written and oral), in front of an official German panel, after which I was graded and received my final certification!

It sounds like a lot, but I adored being around flowers. I loved being surrounded by their bright colors and smells. It fascinated me all what can be done with them, even just going into a field and collecting whatever you can find and putting something beautiful together

It has now been 20 years since I started in the floral industry and I adore it as much as the day I started. With every arraignment I make, I remember the kindness of my first boss, and how she would always say "Every single arrangement that leaves the shop has to be special." I look forward to sharing my passion and love for what I am doing through my shop - that no matter what your budget or occasion is, I can create and express whatever it is you want to say with flowers on your special day.

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