Month: April 2016

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Top Tips for Making Mother’s Day AWESOME!!!

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Somethings never change, and never need to. Mother’s Day is just one of those things. Why fix something that ain’t broke? Mums have for the longest time been the happy recipients of breakfast in bed, flowers, chocolate and jewelry; essentially little pieces of ‘luxury’ items that they so often go without. And that’s just it isn’t it? I was always brought up believing that if you need something, that you will buy/get it for yourself. All the extra little things we may want, wait…they have to wait…..because let’s face it, there is something new and shiny every week that will take our fancy.

mother day Flowers wallpaper
Image: Free Large Images

Mums will like anything from you, that much is certain. But mum loves when you listen  and get her something she may have made a flippant comment about, or mentioned that she would love, in an oh-so-(UN)-subtle fashion. Not every mum is the same this much is true, but some gifts will always hit the mark based on traditions or even what they did for their own mums, and the nostalgia that comes with that.

Any mother in this world knows that the day that baby comes into your world, things change inexplicably, unimaginably. I have no problem buying things for my kids, and would like to give them the very best opportunities in life. But since becoming a mother, I am AMAZED at just how little I need to be content. If I had managed to have this realisation before I had kids, I think it’s fair to say I would be financially more comfortable. Who knew you never needed fancy clothes to go out in? Who knew you would barely manage to put on lip gloss let alone a face full of makeup? That’s another saving there.

Florist with Flowers appreciates Mothers, including the greatest mother of all, Mother Nature. So, this year, we have two great prizes to giveaway.

The Little Veggie Patch Co- How to Grow Food in Small Spaces, By Fabian Capomolla and Mat Pember,  is a great resource for creating your own edible garden, with a complete A-Z of edible plants. Yum! One lucky mum will receive a copy, PLUS you’ll also receive a box of cards with planting and harvesting tips for your favourite 28 vegetables. The total value of this prize pack is $65.md 3

PLUS a second lucky mummy will also receive a copy of the book, valued at $45.

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Mum probably doesn’t need a lot to make her happy, BUT the key to making her day great really just requires a bit of thought:

1.Think about the things you know she loves, but so often goes without.

Does she love fresh flowers for the house? We can certainly help with that! You can check out our range of Mother’s Day gift bouquets here. Maybe she likes trashy magazines? Who doesn’t love a bit of escapism? Why not get her a subscription for some of her favourites.

2. Think about what she loves to do when she has time to herself.

Does she love having a massage, or a pedicure, or a lazy brunch on Sunday mornings? Getting her a voucher for something she enjoys is the perfect way to show that you listen and notice what makes her happy.

3. Think about how you can help facilitate some time for her to have to herself.

Mums tend to put themselves last so they are looking after everyone else in the house first. Can you help with the chores so she can have a couple of hours of time out?

4. Schedule some time with her one- on- one

Mum loves spending one on one time with her favourite people, whether that includes husbands, children or grandchildren. Plan an outing that you can enjoy together as a surprise for her. She’ll love that you showed initiative.

5. Write down the ways she makes sure you know you are loved and cared for

A perfectly composed card message from Hallmark is nice enough but what mum will love reading is your unique way of telling her how appreciative you are for all that she does. No-one can do that quite the way you can, and that’s what makes it so special.

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Our dedicated team have been busy this week visiting some of the farms and monitoring our stock for you. It’s all hands on deck with this family owned business, and our youngest team member Joshua is fast learning the ropes. It’s certainly not too late to make a special order, and if you have something unique in mind, do not hesitate in contacting our team on 02 9871 1666.

Fwf x

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WORDS- Honouring and Remembering Those Who Have Gone

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Losing someone special is hard at any age, but most find losing the young unfair and inexpiable, unimaginable and unforgivable. Many lives were lost in wars Australia commissioned men for, and to this day, their lives and their sacrifice are honoured each ANZAC DAY.

With Anzac Day, April 25th fast approaching we take a look at different messages you may find helpful when preparing your tributes. Some may also be helpful in other situations where you have lost someone special, and find that you are somewhat lost for words.

ANZAC Day service at the National War Memorial Wellington.
Image: ANZAC Day service at the National War Memorial Wellington, via 4cc.

The Australian War Memorial says: “Anzac Day goes beyond the anniversary of the landing on Gallipoli in 1915. It is the day on which we remember all Australians who served and died in war and on operational service. The spirit of Anzac, with its qualities of courage, mateship, and sacrifice, continues to have meaning and relevance for our sense of national identity.”

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Image: A view looking aft of lifeboat carrying unidentified men of the Australian 1st Divisional Signal Company as they are towed towards Anzac Cove at 6 am on the day of the landing, via Australian War Memorial.

Anzac Day specific:

They shall not grow old, as those who are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. AT the going down of the sun, and in the morning,We will remember them. Lest we Forget.

A soldier doesn’t fight because he hates what is in front of him, he fights because he loves what he left behind.

When you go home tell them of us and say “For your tomorrow, we gave our today”

It is the soldier, not the reporter who has given us the freedom of the press. It is the solider, not he poet who has given us the freedom of speech.  It is the soldier not the campus organiser, who has given the freedom to demonstrate.

Let us remember those brave souls who made the ultimate sacrifice so we could be free. Lest we Forget.

We will miss them all so much, The daddy’s who went to war, The husbands who had left, It leaves your heart so sore. We want them back, We miss them all, Those men so brave, That walked so tall. He was an Aussie soldier, He dies for all of us, So you and I could live so free, The fought for love and trust. On ANZAC day we will remember them,They are always in our heart, To live how they would want us to,Is the perfect place to start.

We remember and thank all those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom and country on this ANZAC day.

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Image: Anzac Day march, via Public Holidays

Sympathy Quotes and Sentiments:

THE MEASURE OF A MAN: Not – “how did he die” But – “how did he live” Not – “what did he gain” But – “what did he give” These are the units To measure the worth Of a man, as a man, Regardless of birth.

 When someone you love becomes a memory, That memory becomes a treasure

“What we have once enjoyed, we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes part of us.” -Helen Keller

 “Grant but memory to us, and we lose nothing by death.” -Whittier, My Summer with Dr. Singleton

 “The Lowest ebb is the turn of the tide.” -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

 “The Remembrance of the good done by those we have loved is the only consolation when we have lost them.” -Demoustier

I am sorry for your loss. Our thoughts are with you and your family during these difficult times.

May the memories help you find peace.

Our collective hearts are heavy with sympathy.

You and your family are in our prayers. Sorry to hear of your loss.

We were coworkers of ……. Words cannot express our sorrow. The office won’t be the same without (HIM/HER). …….will be missed.

Sorry to hear about …….. It’s never easy. My prayers are with you and your family.

We are sorry for your loss. ……….., was such a great person, (HE/SHE) will live on in our memories forever.

I was deeply saddened by the news of ……….’s passing. My heart felt condolences to you and your family.

I am deeply saddened by ……….’s death.

I was truly saddened by the death of ………….

We are thinking of you during these difficult times.

I want you to know friends who love you surround you. ………… was a great man/great woman.

You are in our hearts and prayers.

Let the memories of ……..’s life comfort you in his/her death.

Your family is surrounded by the love of many.

There were few who could compare to ………..

We pray the love for the lost is forever carried in your memory.

May you find comfort in loving memories.

We can’t begin to imagine what you are feeling, but let us share our heart-felt condolence

Word’s cannot express the sadness we feel for you dealing with the death of …………

We know the day will come but death always leaves us with grief.

What do you do on Anzac Day? Do you attend a Dawn service, or lay a wreath at the war memorial, do you bet you grocery budget on a two-up game and wash down your sorrows with a cold beer?

Til Next time,

Fwf x

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Dressing the Space- Office Flowers

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First impression matter, right? That is, afterall, what we are constantly told. Reception areas, foyers, studios, and offices are no different.  They create the initial impression you have of the establishment, from the decor they have chosen, to whether it looks well maintained or run down, whether it is clean and tidy, or looks unorganised and chaotic. It begs the question, do I want to do business with these people? Are they going to get the job done? Is this business aligned with my values?

Flowers in your work space can elevate the impression you are giving. Chose right, and the colours and textures will sing in the space, complementing the existing elements/theme. Choose wrong, and at best they simply add nothing. At worst, they add to the confusion of an already unappealing space, or pose the question ‘Why did they even bother?’

Office flowers are hard to get right. Generally they need to last a week, but on occasion, companies ask that they are only replaced fortnightly. This make our job as designers really difficult as there are very few flowers that last for 2 weeks whilst managing to look their best.

Image of an elegant office flower piece from Flickr
Image: Courtesy Cindy Anderson via Flickr
Image of a corporate flower piece by Jeff Leatham
Image: Jeff Leatham’s work at the Four Seasons

Generally speaking, the most appropriate fresh flowers for reception areas/offices/business are tropicals, lilies and native blooms. These are the most consistently long lasting flowers. These flowers however do not fit every design brief.

  • Tropicals are mostly available in vibrant colours, and have angular appearances which do not suit softer settings.
  • Native blooms come in a variety of colours, but tend to be more muted the way nature made them. What I mean by that is as is so often the case these days, many blooms are dyed, and with that, artifically vibrant native blooms are also now available. Beige Banksias pop up in the not so sublte tone of fuschia, or emerald green. Wowzers.
  • Lilies are one of those flowers that seem to divide people, and not just in the office. Oriental lilies are highly scented, so can be quite the office nuisance, setting off allergic reactions left, right and centre. The strong perfume can be a little too hard to handle in small confide spaces, and the pollen can aggravate hayfever sufferers.

Outside of these common choices, an array of beautiful flowers and foliage is available, but what is suitable for your office will depend on your needs. Disbud Chryssanthemums can be a great addition to the office flower rotation, as they are ‘softer’ in appearance yet still manage to be tough nuts, lasting a couple of weeks comfortably.

Image of the Coveteur
Image: The Coveteur
Image of the Les Fleurs
Image: Les Fleurs
Image of Thai Thomas Mai Van
Image: Thai Thomas Mai Van

Getting the most from your Flowers

  • In order to get the most from your weekly flowers, brief you designer on your requirments. If you are only open to the public 5 days, the flowers are only required to last 5 days, be clear if this is all you expect and require as it will open up alot more options for your designer to choose from. It will mean you get much more variety on rotation, interesting colours and textures that just are not available when you require your flowers to last longer.
  • Make it someone’s responsibility to top up the water, or better yet, change the water every two days.  The bacteria that grows in your vaseful of dirty water, will cause the flowers to deteriorate much faster. You can take this opportunity also to remove any spent blooms which make the overall appearance of the arrangement look dead. As an incentive, perhaps consider giving the flowers to this person at the end of each week for them to enjoy at home; the better they look after them, the more vase life they will enjoy at home. Win;Win.
  • Be open minded. Allow your designers to use a variety of containers to create unique displays for you each week. This allows them to use a variety of material, with different stem lengths to give you maximum visual effect.
  • Avoid placing your fresh flowers in direct sunlight, directly in front of air conditioning, or heaters. This quickly dehydrates your blooms, and will have them looking shabby very quickly.
  • Consider plant where your budget is limited. If your budget does not allow your flowers to be replaced at least once a fortnight, consider using plants in the office. Plants like the Zanzibar or Phalaenopsis are lush and exotic to look at, and are low maintenance so are extremely cost effective.

We’ve included some beautiful inspiration images throughout this post from some of our talented peers, but if you want to check out more of our work too, you can do that here

Til next time,

Fwf x

Image of Tempo Da Delicadeza
Image: Tempo Da Delicadeza
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Image: Jeff Leatham’s work at the Four Seasons
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Image: Nature at Work

 

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