Easter really is this week-end.

I know you're all feeling pretty gumpy about our recent visit from "Gabe."  But maybe we should all just chill out and enjoy, think of the white stuff as the soft fluffy fur of the Easter Bunny.  Or you can take my lead, drown yourself in cadburry eggs, stick your nose in some hyacinths and curse out Mother Nature.  You pick!

Speaking of stuff to stick your nose in! How about some gorgeous and locally grown hyacinths and muscari (grape hyacinths).  They are not only lovely but they smell divine!  You do remember what Spring smells like right?

If that doesn't trip your trigger- how about a bunch or two of tulips! They are gorgeous and in all the fabulous spring colors.

Happy Easter Bunnies!

~Angie

Succulents = Succulence

I cannot tell you how much I adore succulents! I love them outdoors, indoors, in glass, metal, bouquets, everywhere!  They are just so stunning!

Shades of green, silver, pink and when they shoot out a little bloom...swoon.  Even if you don't have a green thumb you can handle succulents, they really thrive on being left alone, they're sort of hermits.  Really though, give them a little water once a week and they're good to go!

We have the perfect way to show some succulent love.  These lovely little hanging ceramic diddies are so fun!  They come in different shapes in either white or green.  They can be planted up with real succulents, accented with a tillandsia, or even one of our super real looking artificials (if you don't trust me on how easy they are- or you just want to hang it up and never think about it again!)

Who wouldn't love this?

Three are coming home with me- I have an accent wall that needs some accenting! :)

Stay tuned as we have the most charming miniature garden accents- I'm talking watering cans the size of your thumb, little bistro tables to invite those fairies to give their wings a rest!

Need a wedding gift?

Here at Buds n Bloom we have the perfect wedding gift. Beatriz Ball serveware.

It's not only beautiful but functional too! It requires minimal care and can go from freezer to oven to tabletop in a snap!

Best of all it never tarnishes!

We have a wide selection of styles and price points so stop in and let us help you choose the perfect gift!

Spring Has Sprung!

There's nothing florists love more than spring! Sure, 14.5" of snow makes it seem like spring is never going to come- but it will, it always does! 

Here's a combo of daffodils, tulips, daisies and delphinium, accented with pussy willow branches.  I can't tell you how much I'm digging pussy willow this year.  In arrangements, bouts and of course the weeping pussy willow tree.  With spring, comes dirt, so I bring you the recipe for dirt dessert!

*Dirt Dessert!

• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 3-1/2 cups cold whole milk
• 2 packages (3.4 ounces each) instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 carton (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 package (18 ounces) cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed
• Shaved white chocolate, optional

Directions

• In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and confectioners' sugar until smooth. In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes; let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Gradually stir into cream cheese mixture. Fold in whipped topping.
• Spread 1-1/3 cups of crushed cookies into an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. dish. Layer with half of the pudding mixture and half of the remaining cookies. Repeat layers. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Serve with shaved white chocolate if desired. Yield: 20 servings.

This stuff is honestly so good and so easy! I hadn't had it for years but recently made it for a party and it was a huge hit! Really, what's not to love??? 

*http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Dirt-Dessert



Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day is just around the corner!  It's a Monday this year, so spoil your sweetie by sending flowers for her to enjoy all week long!

Think beyond the dozen red roses... dendrodium orchids, tulips, lilies, larkspur- the options abound! If you order before February 11th we will also give you 10% off your order!

Just in case you're wondering- Valentine's Day is not the "Hallmark Holiday" it's made out to be, according to Wikipedia:

Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day,^[1][2][3] is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions.^[1][3] The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Valentine and was established by Pope Gelasius I in 500 AD. It was deleted from the Roman calendar of saints in 1969 by Pope Paul VI, but its religious observance is still permitted. It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as "valentines"). The day first became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.
Modern Valentine's Day symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have given way to mass-produced greeting cards.^[4]

Happy Valentine's Day Lovelies!

FYI- I HATE hearts!!!  Really, despise them! ;) I do however love flowers and chocolates and sparkly things... just in case my husband is reading this...

Friday Wedding!

Hand tied gerberas with blue gem accents for the flower girl!

Three little grandmother clutches ready to go!

The Bridal bouquet, a combination of hydrangea, lisianthus, freesia, ranunculus, tulips, euryngium and hypericum berry.  All the textures put this bouquet over the top!



This is for a small and simple wedding at Heritage Hill.  I absolutely love the chapel there, it is so quaint and beautiful!

Pussy Willlow Tree

These little beauties just came in I am in love, deep, serious love.  I have never seen a pussy willow tree before and it may just be the sweetest little thing ever!

Here the story of the Salix Caprea Pendula

The weeping pussy willow is among the most graceful of trees.  It is connected with all that is feminine-dreaming, intuition, emotion, enchantment, healing and revitilization.  The willow has long since been recognized as a scred tree by poets, philosphers and religious leaders because of the flexibility of its twigs.  The willows flexibility symbolizes resilience and inspires us to move with life rather than resist what we are feeling.

Legend has it that willow is bestowed with magical power capable of fulfilling wishes. (Awesome!)  For a wish granted, ask permission of the willow explaining your desire.  Select a pliable shoot and tie a loose knot in it expressing your wish.  When your wish is fulfilled, return and untie the knot.  Remember to thank the willow for your gift.

Now how cool is that?!?!? Who couldn't use a wish fulfilling tree of adorableness?

Look at those blooms!

For care keep well watered indoors for first winter.  Silvery white catskins will appear followed by yellow stamens later in the season.  After flowering, cut back to within twi inches of the stem allowing new branches to come for the following year,  Plant outside in spring and keep well watered for the first year. 

I'm off to tie some knots in Persephone the pussy willow tree!

Flower Power {Meaning}

{Photo courtesy of Adam LeSage}

Incorporating flowers with meaning is a great way to add a little something special to your wedding.  If your mom always grew gladiolas maybe you would want to incorporate those in your alter pieces, did your fiance bring you tulips for your first date? Why not include some in your bouquet?

Here are some hidden meaning of flowers:

Allium - good fortune

Amaryllis- pride

Anemone- abandonment (surpsing for such a cutie!)

Anthuruim- attraction (hmmmm)

Aster- beginnings

Chrysanthemum- hope

Crocus- youthful

Daffodil- chivalry

Daisy- innocence

Delphinium- swiftness

Dogwood- endurance

Freesia- calm

Gardenia- grace

Gerbera- purity

Hyacinth- young love

Hydrangea- boastful

Lily- virtue

Orchid- ecstasy (40 days and 40 nights comes to mind!)

Poppy- dreams

Ranunculus- charm (I must agree!)

Rosemary- rememberance

Tulip- hopeless love (tell me about it)

So that above bouquet- turns out it's erotcially boastful! Who knew!?!

Flower Power {Color}

{Photo courtesy of Adam LeSage}

In today's Flower Power lesson we are going to focus on Color.

Color is probably the most influential aspects of design.  Sure line and composition have a  lot to do with it but color is the best at communicating emotion, in my humble opinion.  My husband and I have a very dark bedroom, deep eggplant and chocolate brown, it's perfect for sleeping, not so great for waking up! I only wish I could change it to yellow and orange for morning! ;)

When it comes to planning a wedding, or any event for that matter, color is key.  Think of the emotion you want to portray, zen (green and purple), fun (orange and red), serene (sage and blue), fresh (yellow and white), elegant (plum and rum). 

Are you drawn to high contrast (black/white/red) or monochromatic (ivory/rum/pink).

Blue~ trustworthy, dependable and comitted, perceived as constant.

Green~ fertility and life, rest, wellness.

Yellow~ optimism, enlightenment and happiness.

Orange~ fun, flamboyant, warmth and energy.

Red~ passion, commands attention.

Pink~ youthful, fun, happiness and light hearted.

White~ purity, cleanliness, innocence and simplicity.

Purple~ mystical, royal, favored by eccentrics and creative types.

What's your favorite color and why?

~Angie

*color information taken from http://www.weddingmagazine.co.uk/*

Welcome!

 Hello fine readers and welcome to the buds n bloom design studio blog.  We look forward to sharing what's going on in the shop and other tidbits of interest. 

The above arrangement is tulips and mimosa with a silver wire sphere accent and will be going to Plae Bistro tonight to grace a dinner table full of mommas!

Tulips happen to be one of my favorite flowers.  They come in a variety of colors and you can't help but thinks spring when you see them! Little known fact is that they come available to us in January! Right when the snow and cold really starts to wear on you- voila- tulips! (Be sure to take your vitamin D too!)

These little lovelies aren't too shabby either.  Amnesia roses, a khaki/lavendar color that is just amazing and would pair beautifully with all the eggplant and oyester we've been seeing for weddings!

  

The real stars here are the anemones! Look at them reaching and sprawling out.  These anemones could not have been a more vibrant purple- totally knock your socks off!

Tiptoeing though the tulips!

~Angie