Support Small Business Saturday

            For the second year, small businesses are getting ready to celebrate Small Business Saturday for their supporting community. It’s a great way to get that holiday shopping done in a way that supports local business and boosts the local economy. In addition, American Express (which is the major supporter for this yearly event) is offering a $25 statement credit to their customers that spend at least $25 at local businesses.  Facebook is also jumping on the wagon to help promote local businesses. Last year, the total number of likes was around 1 million, and this year it has jumped to 2.3 million likes.

            According to the Small Business Saturday website FAQ, businesses have created 65 percent of net new jobs over the last 2 decades. Also, local businesses have a high monetary return rate. For every $100 spent locally, $68 returns to the community via taxes, payroll, and business expense. Some estimate the return rate to be even higher.

            In contrast, major chains usually return only 20-40% to their community as their expenses often include large scale marketing, overseas manufacturing, and resource exploitation. In addition, many city and state governments give incentives to the large corporations, which indirectly takes money away from the local economy.

Forbes.com has a great article on the top 5 reasons to support your local business. You can see the article here: Forbes.com

You can visit the link below, for more details on registering your card for this offer:

American Express $25 promotion

Also, here’s the link to the Facebook group for supporting Small Business Saturday, which is a great way to pass the word and the place you need to register for your American Express $25 credit: Facebook: Small Business Saturday

You can also sync your Foursquare account here, which works with American Express: Foursquare: Small Business Saturday



Mitchell's Flower Shop in Orland Park, IL



Mitchells Flowers' photostream

Mitchells Flowers' photostream on Flickr.

Newest pictures updated!

Sweetest Day

Did you know that the third Saturday of October is called Sweetest Day? Some traditions that are too sweet to pass up and Sweetest Day is the perfect opportunity to recognize that special someone in your life. It is a great chance to do something nice for not just those who are close to you, but for everyone who might need a little sweet cheer.

Sweetest day has its roots in the Great Depression and a Cleveland man who made the extra effort to bright the lives of those around him. You can read more here:

History of Sweetest Day

Many Sweetest Day traditions are similar to those we find on Valentine's Day. Many people choose to give the gift of candy, flowers, and balloons. Others go out to dinner or make similar romantic plans. But Sweetest Day is great because we are not limited to just our romantic interests. It is an opportunity to give a little something to everyone!

One of our favorite candies is Gayety's Chocolates. Gayety's has been a local ice cream and chocolate store in the Chicagoland area since the 1920's. You can find their store here: Gayety's

Arrangement of the Week

A new trend in wedding bouquets has shown up recently and we wanted to feature it this week: Wire Wraps.

We've had a lot of brides recently looking to do something more with their bouquet. Many have brought us pictures of the wire wrapped bouquet, and we have gone on to create a few of our own.

Using colored wire, any number of creative designs can be sculpted around the base of a wedding bouquet. In this picture we have used silver wire, combined with blue glass stones to match the light blue hydrangea tucked in the base of the bouquet. The silver wire over the silver wraps gives the design a subtle look and the swirls throughout the flowers add a whimsical feel to the entire arrangement.

Flower of the Month: Water Lilies (July)





The Water Lily, as its name implies, is a family of aquatic plants found all around the world. There are approximately 70 species in total, but only about 35 are native to the northern hemisphere. In general, water lilies are divided into two groups: Hardy and Tropical. Hardy water lilies bloom only in daylight and will close at night. Tropical water lilies can bloom and time of the day. They are also the only group of flowers in the world to produce a true blue colored bloom.



A similar but distinct group is the Lotus family. Despite similar appearances, the two are not closely related, although the name "water lily" is often used interchangeably to apply to both groups. The lotus (most commonly, the Sacred Lotus) is much more common in Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and the Middle East. However, the lesser known American Lotus is native to North America and the Caribbean.

Water lilies are considered by many to be an ornamental plant, quickly populating any body of water with little or no water flow. However, many have escaped from cultivation and it is now considered an invasive species in some areas.

Water lilies are not commonly used in flower arrangements, as they do not tolerate drying out well. However, if kept well hydrated they can last for several days. Most commonly, short stemmed water lilies can be set floating in a bowl for decoration. They are rather heat tolerant, but cold can kill them quickly. More commonly used in arrangements are silk water lilies.

Some of the most famous uses for water lilies have been French painter Claude Monet who is famous for his paintings of water lilies. Also, the water lily can be found on the national flags of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.





Le Bassin aux nymphéas
Claude MONET 1899



Wedding week May 30th - June 4th: Finished!

We have survived the 6-Wedding-Weekend! Pictures from the weddings will be up later in the week.

Flower of the Month: Roses (June)

June is the month of Roses!

 

Roses have been cultivated for thousands of years. The oldest records for ornamental roses date back to about 500 BC! Roses are most commonly grown for their ornamental value, but other uses include oils (perfumes), rose hips (jams, jellies, and teas), and as a traditional folk medicine (they are quite high in vitamin C).

 

Though most of the hundred or so species originate in China, a few come from Europe, and it is in Europe that their cultivation really took off.  While there are relatively few individual species of rose, there are thousands upon thousands of cultivars, with multiple colors, sizes, shapes, scents, and variegation.

 

In Victorian England, roses came to symbolize love, but the wide variety of colors allowed for greater nuance. Where red roses mean "I love you", white roses symbolize purity and chaste love. Pink roses show affection and yellow roses indicate friendship, with many more besides.

 

Also, the Language of Flowers tells us that the number of roses indicates a particular message as well. A single roses indicates devotion and a pair of roses signifies "Marry me". While a dozen roses is the traditional number to have in a bouquet, eleven indicates true and deep love, and thirteen roses hint at a secret admirer.

 

Whatever their meaning, roses are a favorite flower among growers and florists for their disease resistance, hardiness, and beauty. They are also tolerant of being grown in greenhouses (although many are grown in tropical climates and shipped worldwide), making them available year round.