Sometimes to make a point you have to put your money where your mouth is and that is what a handful of florists did last week. Cheryl Bakin of Parkway Florist, Clay Atchison of McAdams Florist and Lisa Greene of Nunan’s Florist have been long-standing proponents of funeral flowers.

However, simply stating a fact — flowers are comforting or flowers make a funeral service special — doesn’t always effectively make the point. So these creative florists, along with Melissa Mega of The Ivy Green and Kathy Dudley of The Bloomery, decided a picture was worth a thousand words.

Contemporary Funeral Spray

Last month they attended the National Funeral Directors Association convention in Boston, painting a very important picture — flowers and funerals go together like peanut butter and jelly. Each taste good on its own, but together the taste is awesome.

With the kind and generous support of Smithers Oasis, Delaware Valley Floral Group and Pioneer Wholesale, the florists created several sympathy flower arrangements which gave the attendees a better picture of why funeral flowers are important.

Although I didn’t attend the convention, I know the attendees experienced a WOW moment at the florists booth. If the flower arrangements were half as amazing as the descriptions Cheryl gave me, anyone walking up to the booth would be blown away.

Cheryl was kind enough to give me a run-down on the events at the convention. I thought I would share an excerpt of the design process. Maybe this will give you ideas on how to effectively communicate the importance of funeral flowers.

Contemporary Casket Spray

In less that 5 short hours, including the time to decide what containers we were using, what vignettes we were making, and which

Read the rest of Florists Share The Importance Of Funeral Flowers »

Did you know that the Akron Community Aids Network is having an open house at their new offices today? This is a really beneficial, wonderful service that everyone in and around Akron, Ohio should check out.

A special thanks to Scott from Every Blooming Thing for the heads up! Every Blooming Thing has donated flower arrangements to the open house. That’s just one more reason to go and support such a worthy cause.

Sending flowers is always a good idea. Flowers make great gifts. Flowers create positive feelings and make a great impression.  But, is it a good idea to send flowers using a company online?  Until I read “Stop! Smell the online flower fraud” on the Agassiz-Harrison Observer by Michelle Vandepol, I hadn’t given it much thought.

When I send flowers online, I use Flower Shop Network.  Since I work for the company, I know that every florist in our directory is a professional florist located in the city to which I am sending or at least one in very close proximity.  But, how does the average Joe know if they are dealing with a reputable company online?

As Michelle explains in her article, from a cost value perspective, dealing with the local florist in the recipient’s area will give you the best deal.  She details the pitfalls of using an order gatherer or websites that claim to be the local florist in her article.  If you get a chance, read it.

Michelle also outlines a few ways you can ensure the online florist is the real deal.   Look for the following things: the name of the flower shop, the physical address of the shop, the local telephone number.

I would like to add a few extra tips that I use when go to a new vendor website.  These tips are a good idea for any website search you do.

1. Look at the “about us” page.  You will usually find local information or personal information about the company on this page.  I find this very helpful.

2. Make sure the contact page includes a local address and telephone number.  Reputable shops will always have a way for you to contact them locally.  This information should be consistent with the local information found else where on the site.

3.  Check for written or mapped directions to their physical store.  Sometimes I call to make sure the person on the phone gives me the same directions.

These are just a few tips I use when searching the world wide web.

I guess I have to say sending flowers online is a good idea.  Just make sure you know who is behind that website.

Paragould Arkansas is one of the many towns across the nation suffering from massive power outages caused by the Tuesday ice storm and the location of Flower Shop Network’s corporate offices. Almost everyone in this town of 28,000 is without power.  Even during this regional catastrophe, the Flower Shop Network staff has been able to work without much difficulty thanks to a natural gas generator.

I am thankful that Brock and Loranne Atwill, Flower Shop Network owners had the forethought to install a natural gas generator for just such emergencies.  After a cold night at home, I was able Wednesday morning to come to work where there was heat, hot water, a shower, a microwave and a stove.  Not only did I find a warm office when I arrived at work, I found an open invitation.  I, like all other FSN employees, was encouraged to bring my family (including my dogs to work) where they could be warm as well.  That’s how it is here at Flower Shop Network.  We are more of a family than a place of business and when the chips are down we take care of each other.

Last night several of the employees and their families chose to spent the night here.  They brought sleeping bags and approached the situation as a camping adventure.  Along with sleeping bags, they brought food and games.  They turned a crisis into a fun party by cooking, sharing and making the best of it.  Between last night and this morning everyone had a chance to use the shower.

We are weathering this storm the best we can. For those of you in the same boat, we wish you the best.  It’s funny  - as we learn that a co-worker’s neighborhood power is up, we react as if they have won the lottery. Hopefully we will all be winners soon. Although it looks like it maybe well into February before some of us have power.

Take a look around and you’ll find more than one florist going green these days. However, how many do you actually see getting in their delivery vehicles and picking up recyclables to donate to charity? Exactly.

Flowers From The Rainforest is a flower shop in Fort Lauderdale, Florida whose owner, Sherry Tannozzini, decided to make the best of several available resources. Sherry has been taking in old cases as a way to go green, but a contact at a local charity mentioned a need for ink cartridges. That was the moment when Sherry realized that her delivery drivers visit several offices per day. Offering perks for the businesses that donate their runoff, Sherry has started collecting many items such as old cell phones, vases, ink cartridges, and even Christmas trees during January.

However, it’s more than just going green that earns Sherry and Flowers From The Rainforest a nod. The recyclables that Sherry collects are given to local non-profit charities. One gives points for each printer cartridge which can be used to buy toys for needy children. Another recycles phones for use in women’s shelters.

We are very proud of Sherry for her initiative and undertaking such a big hearted gesture. Way to go!

Congratulations are in order for Enchanted Florist who recently took home a major nod in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The votes were cast and Enchanted Florist won the honorable title of Best Florist 2008!

Enchanted Florist is one of the very talented flower shops in Las Vegas, Nevada. The bright lights and over the top appeal of the town keeps the designers here full of creative ideas. We’re so proud of everyone for a job well done. Congratulations Enchanted Florist!!

Flower Shop Network was featured on Lifetime Television’s “The Balancing Act” this past October. Now its FSN affiliate Wedding and Party Network’s turn. Missed it? You can still watch the Flower Shop Network segment.

Wedding and Party Network will be featured on Lifetime’s Television’s “The Balancing Act” on Tuesday January 6th at 7:00am EST (6:00am CST). “The Balancing Act” is a half-hour, magazine-formatted television series that empowers women seeking personal and professional growth while maintaining a career, family and home on a daily basis.

Wedding and Party Network Vice-President Loranne Atwill will sit down with Danielle Knox, “The Balancing Act” host, to discuss the convenience and advantages of finding wedding and party vendors and suppliers online. During the interview Loranne will address the ways consumers can get tips and ideas, efficiently find providers or supplies and organize their wedding or special event online.

This is one more way FlowerShopNetwork.com and its affiliate WeddingandPartyNetwork.com are ensuring that our retail florist members have the best visibility possible on the Internet and offline as well. It is, also, one more way we give consumers the information they need to make their lives easier.

Many employees and friends of Flower Shop Network employees have struggled with breast cancer, making this issue particularly special to our hearts. I along with several others from Flower Shop Network recently attended the Project Hope Luncheon hosted by the Paragould, Arkansas Women’s Council. The luncheon sought to increase community awareness about breast cancer.  It also gave us information on what we can do to prevent and cure this disease especially when empowered by knowledge and awareness.

The speakers at the luncheon were very interesting and presented a lot of inspiring information.  Among the speakers at the luncheon were Sherrye McBryde, executive director of the Susan G. Komen Foundation Arkansas affiliate, and Ginger Beebe, wife of Arkansas governor Mike Beebe. Read the rest of Project Hope Raises Hope Of Fighting Breast Cancer–And Winning »

Unless you are a hermit living deep within a forest you are a part of a community. It may be a small community or it may be a large community. It might be a flower loving community or a dog loving community. You might be the center of the community or you might be on the fringe of the community. But you are a part of a community. Many of us take our community for granted and don’t think about or make an effort to contribute to our community; not with our time, money or heart. So when I found out what Connie at The Alamo Flower Co was doing, it put a smile on my face and a little guilt in my heart. Sometimes I am stingy with my time, money and my heart.

The Alamo Flower Co. is located in a California city called Alamo just northeast of San Francisco. The town has a strong sense of community and one of the big community events is the Tree Lighting Ceremony that occurs every year in Andrew H. Young Park and adjoining Oak Tree Plaza. This year the festivities will take place on Dec 7th. So what does this have to do with Connie and Alamo Florist? Well every community event takes money and effort. Instead of being on the fringe of her community Connie and her flower shop have jumped in with both feet. Giving her time, money and most definitely her heart. During The Alamo Flower Co’s Holiday Open House, Connie will donate 10% of the proceeds from her pre-holiday orders to the Tree Lighting Fund. What a wonderful way to be involved with her community.

It is amazing what an Alamo florist like Connie and The Alamo Flower Shop can do with the gift of flowers. When the switch is flipped and the lights begin to glow more that just a holiday light display will radiate. The beauty of Connie’s flower gift and the commitment that The Alamo Flower Co. promotes will sparkle through out the town.

We all know that sending flowers is a great way to create memories with the gifts we give to our family and friends. In fact last April, I even wrote a newsletter about it for Flower Shop Network called Flower Memories; detailing the wonderful memories I had from the flowers I had received as gifts throughout the years.  Well this morning Lifetime Television explored the issue of sending flowers using a real local florist.

Growing up we had a very close relationship with our local florist and it was easy to send flowers to my family and friends because most of them lived in the same town as I did.  Of course, today my family and friends are scattered across the country and I often turn to the internet to send them things including flowers.  In fact even before I came to FSN as the Plant Expert, I used the Flower Shop Network directory to find a local florist where ever my friends and family lived.  I did this because I knew that Flower Shop Network verified the loaction of the florists in its directory. As a result I have been able to talk to the florist in that town and every flower gift I have sent was a pleasent experience.  However not everyone is aware of the benefits of using a local florist.  So The Balancing Act segment that aired on Lifetime Television this morning should be very helpful to consumers across the nation.  Danielle Knox (The Balancing Act host) asked questions that most people ordering flowers using the interent needed answers to and Brock Atwill (FSN President) gave very helpful tips.

If you didn’t see the segment, I highly recommend watching it.  I actual got a few tips from it my self and the shot of the flower arrangement from Petal Designs made me want to send flowers to someone in Boca Raton Florida.  I loved the color and texture combination that Dan Harvill used in the arrangement.  That alone makes watching the segment worth it.

You can view the segment here: