Artistry in Bloom's Blog

2011 Christmas Flowers by Artistry in Bloom Victoria BC

2011-12-06T09:20:00.000-08:00

What are you searching for this Christmas?

Something cute?

Something traditional?

Something yummy?

Something relaxing?

Something exotic?

Something romantic?

Something natural,local,and eco-friendly like our featured design of local greenery,berries,and roses in a reusable garden urn.

If you are looking for a Christmas gift for pick up or delivery in greater Victoria you can find these and much more in the Holiday section of our website - http://www.flowerartisan.com/

Happy shopping and Merry Christmas !

Fabulous Fall Flowers in Victoria BC by Artistry in Bloom

2011-10-12T16:00:00.000-07:00

Viburnum berries, China Berries, Kale, Died red sunflowers and orange roses.
and black peppers.

Autumn's bountiful harvest is reflected in flower arrangements as berries, kale, peppers,grasses, sedum, twigs, and coloured leaves become an integral part of the design.

Earth toned chrysanthemums are a well known fall flower but craspedia, pods, celosia, echinacia, and many other unusual flowers provide tecture for fall flower arrangements.

Summer sunlight turns into the crisp light of fall and that brilliance is reflected in the bold orange, yellow,gold, and rust toned flowers that take center stage for the few short months of autumn before winter brings it's own set of unique and wonderful flowers to discover.

A last minute summer wedding in Victoria BC by Artistry in Bloom

2011-08-05T15:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I did a small last minute wedding.

The bride had decided she wouldn't have
flowers at her wedding and just carry Peacock feathers.

Her mother wanted a more traditional wedding so she decided to buy the wedding flowers as a gift.

Special flowers and colours are usually pre-ordered a month ahead of time so with only a week's notice it was a bit of a challenge to find the right purple and red tones the mother requested.

If you are going to do a last minute wedding summer is the best time.

I was able to use some flowers from the garden center like deep red geraniums, purple verbena, purple heliotrope, and Aloha Lily to complement the more traditional flowers.

When the mother arrived to pick up the flowers she was tickled to see the peacock feather I had attached to the front of the vase for the ceremony flowers.

It was a beautiful day with a beautiful waterfront location for the wedding and I hope the flowers added a special touch above and beyond the peacock feathers.

2011 Mother's Day Flowers-Victoria BC-Heart of the Home Floral Designs

2011-04-27T08:52:00.000-07:00

Mom is the heart of the home so for this year I decided to incorporate a home and garden theme for my Mother's Day Floral Designs.

In many cases I have used household items for containers such as wine goblets,Chintz bowls,teacup sets,teapots, jugs, herb pots or garden urns just to name a few.Mom will have a keepsake she can use again and remember your Mother's Day gift throughout the year.

I will also have a wide range of other vases and containers to appeal to all ages ranging from the popular funky shoes and chemistry beakers for young moms to modern stream lined glass vases to painted baskets for grandmothers.

Mothers do so much for their children no matter what age their children are. Show her how much you appreciate her caring help, guidance, and love with something special just for her.

The Mother's Day selections can be found in the "Holiday and Monthly" section on my website http://www.flowerartisan.com/

The Fine Art Of Custom Floral Design- Artistry in Bloom-Victoria BC

2011-04-02T14:39:00.000-07:00

Custom floral designs are challenging and fun to do. Most often they do involve a fair amount of research and pre-planning and are a little more expensive because of the time involved in creating a floral work of art. However, if you have an important event or occasion most florists will be happy to create that exclusive one of a kind design just for you.

I often do custom designs. They may be for a special event in someone's life, a store opening, home show presentation,magazine layout,or a "just because" gift to surprise someone with something that has meaning only for them.

This design was done for The Bay Department Store's Mother's Day Tea where I was one of five designers asked to create a floral design reflecting the style and ingredients of a specific perfume.

My perfume was J'adore by Dior. The other designers had two months to work on their designs but I was asked to step in at the last minute with only one week to source out the flowers and create the design.

These are a few examples of the many custom designs I have done over the years:

The boyfriend drove three hours to bring me this Betty Boop Jumbo Pez container that he wanted me to use for his girlfriend's Valentine flowers.

This bridal bouquet reflects the size and style of an umbrella symbolizing the union and protection of marriage.

A grand oversized arrangement for the opening of a new business reflecting the styles and colours of the business.

This bridal bouquet was designed for Perfect Wedding Magazine's "Bling" issue and has pearls and crystals throughout with a crystal butterfly in a hand made opalescent pearl covered holder.

Next time you want something truly special and unique just ask your florist. Assuming you have allowed enough time to accommodate a custom order I am sure they will be more than happy to do a one of a kind design just for you. Keep in mind that if you want specific flowers and specific colours they often have to be pre ordered a week or two in advance especially when you live on an island like we do.

A Dozen ways to send roses for Valentine's Day or any day-Victoria BC-Artistry in Bloom

2011-01-20T17:00:00.000-08:00

With Valentines approaching my thoughts turn to roses which are the most desirable flower for Valentine's Day. Unlike many flowers roses are available year round and are appropriate for any occassion.

Next time you send roses to the one you love why not think outside the box?

The tradition of sending roses either in a ribbon wrapped box or wrapped in floral wrap is giving way to sending a designed arrangement that doesn't require the recipient to do anything other than enjoy the roses.

It's all done for them- no more searching for a vase and the frustration of trying to make the roses look like they were professionally arranged.

There are interesting designs to suit all ages, styles, and budgets.

I have chosen just a dozen ways to show you the diversity of what is current in the world of floral design but there are countless ways to display beautiful roses ranging from a single rose to a luxuriant lush arrangement.

Red roses are often sent on Valentines but there are many new colours to choose from including roses with one colour on the front of the petals and another on the back. There are also striped roses and petals that are fringed with different colours.

Natural colours range from white to green to a deep red rose called Black Baccara and almost everything in between. Black Baccara is verging on Black velvet but not quite there yet.

Blue or deep purple roses are so far only available in dyed roses although growers have been trying for years to develop a blue rose and some are getting pretty close.

If you do want a specific novelty rose you should order it several weeks in advance but if you just want to try something different there is almost always a few unique roses to choose from other then the standard one coloured rose.

You will notice there is quite a range in price for roses. Many roses are grown in Columbia under unhealthy conditions for the workers caused by the over use of chemicals.Most of these workers are not provided with medical assistance for the illnesses they get on the job and are very poorly paid. Columbian roses are typically the roses you will find in most grocery stores.They do not last long and they are usually inexpensive.

Like many florists I only purchase my roses from Green Growers. The imported roses come from farms in Ecuador where they treat their workers with respect and provide them with medical coverage.
Rather than douse the roses with chemicals these farms use biological means of controlling insects whenever possible limiting pesticides to the very minimum if they use them at all.

These imported roses do cost more but they are also healthier for you and the environment and they last longer.

I also purchase good healthy roses from our local grower, Eurosa ,who use environmentally friendly methods of controlling pests .

The local roses do tend to be on the smaller side but they last a long time like the larger imported Ecuadorian roses.

Unfortunately, unlike garden roses, most commercially grown roses have little or no fragrance. This is because the gene that creates scent shortens the life of the rose so it has been bred out of the rose.Some growers are now working on a way to bring back the fragrance without shortening the lifespan of the rose so hopefully "smelling like a rose" will soon apply to commercial roses again.

Whatever the reason or occassion you simply cannot go wrong with the beautiful rose but next time rather than send roses by the bunch choose a beautiful arrangement instead.

Christmas Flowers in Victoria BC by Artistry in Bloom

2010-11-28T13:27:00.000-08:00

I can't believe Christmas is almost here!

This year we had a beautiful summer and a long warm autumn. In fact up until a few days ago most of the leaves were still on the trees but last Monday we went from warm to snow and now it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

This year I have added McBlooms to my gift line.
McBloom's natural bath and body products have an intoxicating fragrance and rich luxurious formula that will spoil anyone who receives them.

Also just in time for Christmas a new litter of Warm Buddy Puppies has just arrived.

These adorable puppies come with a natural heat pack inside that can be taken out and put in the microwave to warm your toes at night or soothe aches and pains.

Warm Buddies also have aromatherapy oils, mists, and bath salts which you can find in the gift section of my website- http://www.flowerartisan.com/

If you are looking for something a little different for your dinner table Christmas centerpiece this Faux Christmas Cake might be just the right thing. You can choose the colour for the cake flowers and plate to match your holiday decor as long as you are not waiting until a few days before Christmas to order.

If you are thinking of ordering flowers for Christmas this year I recommend you don't wait until the last minute. Last year I sold out the morning of Dec 24 and since it was too late to bring in more flowers I had to turn people away. We also suggest you ask for a delivery date a few days or even a week before Christmas so that your loved ones can enjoy the flowers throughout the holidays.

I have embedded a holiday video which shows some of my holiday floral designs available for delivery within the Greater Victoria BC area.

Merry Christmas everyone!

You can also see a larger version of this video on Youtube and selecting HD for best viewing results; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCl8hLp_I3g

Artistry in Bloom is Going Green

2010-08-19T11:23:00.000-07:00

Artistry in Bloom is "Going Green" in more ways than one. Yes, I love using green flowers in my floral designs but more importantly than that I strive to be environmentally green.

Working from a design studio rather than a storefront has allowed me to be more environmentally friendly because I have more control over the waste associated with flowers and the packaging materials that vase shipments come in.

These are some of the things I do to have less impact on the environment:
-Use only energy efficient lighting.
-Use only non toxic green cleaning products.
-Recycle all boxes, bubble wrap, and packing materials that vases are shipped in.
-Take all waste stems, branches, and flowers to the local Yard Waste Center to be made into compost.
-Use all the old water from flower buckets to water my garden instead of pouring it down the drain.

In addition to this I purchase my flowers from "green" or organic growers and wholesalers. Green flower growers have adopted practices that reduce their impact on the environment by eliminating or drastically reducing the use of pesticides and other chemicals. Their workers are fairly compensated, taken care of with safe practices, and provided with medical plans. Green flowers are slightly more expensive but I feel they are well worth it.

Many South American flower growers have workers that have extreme medical problems and birth defects due to exposure to pesticides and other chemicals. They are poorly paid and are not provided with medical coverage for the resulting health problems. Not only do I not want to contribute to these unsafe practices but I do not want to handle chemically treated flowers myself or expose them to my customers even though there has not been any proven adverse effects to just handling these flowers.

Most of the flowers you find in the grocery stores come from these toxic farms because they are cheaper to produce than "green" flowers and the grocery stores seem to be more interested in price than the environment or poor working conditions of farm workers.

Whenever I have a choice between locally grown or imported flowers I pick local flowers. Local flowers are much fresher and this supports local growers. It also reduces the impact on the environment because the flowers are not flown half way around the world. I feel it is everyone's responsibility to take whatever action they can to ensure a healthy planet for years to come.

Pink Pizazz- A Passion for Pink Flowers in Victoria BC

2010-07-21T11:48:00.000-07:00

Summer is finally here and everyone seems to have a passion for pink flowers.

I'm not sure why but maybe it's because we had such a terrible June that when summer arrived in July people were looking for fresh vibrant colours.

Over the last few weeks the demand for pink has been so great that it's hard to keep up with it.

These are just a few samples of some pink floral designs I have done recently.

I have listed the flowers on the pictures so you can see what pink flowers are available in July.

Of course there are many pink flowers available throughout the year but some, like the local peonies,
are only available for the month of June.

Artistry in Bloom Floral Design Studio - Victoria BC- http://www.flowerartisan.com/

Four Seasons of Cut Flower Bouquets by Artistry in Bloom Victoria BC

2010-06-03T15:55:00.000-07:00

Classy Cut Flower Bouquets by Artistry in Bloom Victoria BC

2010-06-03T14:27:00.000-07:00

When to send and when not to send a cut flower bouquet as a gift:

A cut flower bouquet can be a wonderful gift but there are times when it is better to send a flower arrangement in a vase, basket, or other container rather than a cut flower bouquet.

Some helpful hints to consider are:

-Most hospitals will not accept a bouquet that is not in a vase. They do not have the time or staff to arrange flowers nor do they keep a supply of vases on hand.

-Cut flowers should never be sent for a funeral whether it is for the service or for the family at home.When people are grieving the loss of a loved one the last thing they want to worry about is finding vases and arranging flowers. A beautiful floral arrangement would be greatly appreciated in this case.

-Does the person you are sending flowers to like to arrange flowers or would they prefer that the flowers are already arranged and all they have to do is enjoy them?

-Flowers should be in water at all times to ensure a long life. If they are out of water for a short time they should be re-cut before placing in water because the stems will partially harden and block the flow of water resulting in a shorter life. This is why so many people that order from wire services that ship flowers by Fed Ex are very disappointed when the flowers finally arrive.

However, when you order from a local florist there are many things we can do to make the gift a pure delight.

We deliver cut bouquets in water at all times until they are presented to the recipient with floral food and instructions. We also call first to make sure the person will be home for the delivery unlike Fed Ex who simply leave the box of flowers at the door.

The recipient frequently says they will be in and out all day and ask us to leave the bouquet at their doorstep. We will only leave flowers at the door with a request from the recipient if they are arranged in a vase or other container with a water source or we will explain that it is a cut bouquet and ask them to leave a container of water at their door .This way the life of the flowers is not cut short due to improper handling.

We also pre-arrange all our bouquets and present them in floral cones or hand tied so that all the recipient has to do is place them in water in their own vase. They are able to enjoy the flowers immediately rather than trying to arrange them so that they will look their best.

At Artistry in Bloom we have just brought in Blumeboxes so that bouquets can be delivered to businesses or homes without the possibility of being left out of water.The blumebox is not a vase. It is a one time solution for delivering bouquets with a water source.It is shaped like a vase and lined with a thick plastic bag which is half filled with water.The Blumebox is recyclable and can be plain or dressed with ribbon or even feather collars.
You can see examples of our cut flower bouquets in the Classy Cuts section as well as seasonal monthly bouquets in our Holiday and Monthly section of our website- http://www.flowerartisan.com/

Mothers Day Flowers Victoria BC

2010-04-28T21:39:00.000-07:00

A mother's love is a true treasure. As a florist I get to see the love between a mother and her children throughout the year but Mother's Day is that one day a year that we all honour our mothers and show them how much we care.

I did a short Youtube video to show a few examples of bouquets and arrangements that might make make Mother's Day a little more special.
Artistry in Blooms Mothers Day Video

Flowers for Men- Victoria BC-Series 6- Artistry in Bloom's Specialty Floral Designs

2010-03-05T11:52:00.000-08:00

Recently I did a video for Youtube showcasing some of my floral designs. I sent the link to a male friend of mine and he emailed me back saying "Where are the flowers for men?"

It made me stop and think because I realized I did not have specific floral arrangements for men simply because most florists don't get many orders for men.

Mother's Day is the busiest time of the year but Father's Day is just like any other day. Sons and daughters rarely order flowers for their father whether it is for Father's Day or their birthday.However, if they are in the hospital or if someone died it is common for men to be sent flowers.

Why is that? Why do people think that men appreciate flowers in the sad times of their life but not for the celebrations?

Men that order flowers for women often call or email saying how beautiful the flowers are so obviously men appreciate and value flowers. It's just that women don't think to order flowers for men. Maybe when women think of flowers for men they are imagining the typical wire service arrangements in cheap baseball or football containers that are really more suitable for little boys than grown men. They don't realize that by ordering through a local independent florist there are other alternatives.

It is true that masculine coloured flowers like rusts and browns are mainly available in the fall months but floral designs for men can be created year round using structural elements. Men seem to prefer unusual shapes and structures over the type of flowers used.

I have added a section for men to my website- http://www.flowerartisan.com and if you give me enough advance warning (at least 2 days) I would be happy to incorporate something of particular meaning to personalize the design. It might be a fishing fly for an avid fisherman or a golf ball for a golfer or whatever you like as long as it is not too big.

Next time you can't think of what to get your man surpise him with flowers sent to his workplace. Remember how great you feel when he sends you flowers? Why not make him feel special too?

Valentines Flowers for Victoria BC Delivery by Artistry in Bloom

2010-01-26T21:20:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day is just around the corner so I thought you might like some suggestions on what to send and when to have your flowers delivered.
This year Valentines falls on a Sunday. Although normally closed on Sundays we will be open for deliveries on February 14. However, we do suggest you order your Valentine's flowers for delivery a few days before Valentines for several reasons.

Normally we can specify morning, afternoon, or end of day delivery times but for floral holidays such as Valentines or Mother's Day the demand for deliveries is so great that specific times cannot be guaranteed. We always phone to ensure the person will be home for delivery and usually the first thing they ask is "What time will it be?". On a normal day we can give a time frame within a few hours but that may not be the case on Valentine's Day and most people do not want to stay at home and wait for a delivery. We will leave the arrangement at the doorstep in a protected area but only with the recipient's prior consent. If you are ordering a cut bouquet of flowers that is not in a vase with water the bouquets cannot be left if the person is not home.

Secondly, if your Valentine works there is nothing more special than sending the flowers to her workplace sometime during the week prior to Valentines. We will include the "just couldn't wait heart card with your order. When a delivery person carrying flowers enters a workplace all eyes are on him until the flowers are presented to the lucky lady. The other ladies rush over to have a look at the flowers and say how lucky she is to have someone like you-so not only do you impress her but she will feel special as well.
This year if you are ordering before February 11 we are offering the option of adding delicious gourmet cupcakes from Ooh La La Cupcake Bakery to your flower order. The cupcakes are only available as an add on to your order but you can choose from 6 regular cupcakes or a sample pack of 12 mini cupcakes with all 12 of their flavours. Sweet and delicious like chocolates but something a little different.

Have a wonderful Valentine's Day with the one you love.

Delectable Deliveries- series 5- Artistry in Blooms Specialty Designs

2010-01-07T12:32:00.000-08:00

DELECTABLE DELIVERIES

Our Delectable Deliveries which are found on our website http://www.flowerartisan.com/ are a unique pairing of flowers and delectable delights. We have several combinations of floral arrangements which are paired with something delicious to make a one of a kind gift. Some examples include freshly baked cupcakes, cookies, or cakes.They are especially perfect for celebrations because they include not only the centerpiece but also a delicious treat.

Our Cupcake Combo is particularly popular for Mother's Day, Christmas, and Valentine's Day.
We do special floral designs and decorations for the Christmas and Valentine's Day package.

Ooh La La Cupcake bakery is known for their wide range of delicious flavours and they are our choice for the cupcakes in our specialty packages.

You will find the normal custom gift baskets and fruit baskets in our Delectable Delivery section as well as a picnic basket that would be perfect for someone moving into a new home.

All baked goods are made to order with two local bakeries. They are picked up very early in the morning the day of delivery and added to the floral design. These packages all must be ordered at least two days ahead of requested delivery date so that I can make arrangements to pick them up the day of delivery before our studio opens.
If you would like a custom package made up for you we would be pleased to accommodate you as long as you can give us at least two days notice.

Blooming Baby Clothes Flower Baskets

2010-01-05T15:36:00.000-08:00

Blooming Baby Clothes- series 4 in our Specialty Floral Arrangements

This is the fourth example of some of the specialty floral designs we create at Artisty in Bloom.

We shape baby clothes (3-6months or 6-9months sizes) into rosettes and place them in the middle of a basket of silk flowers so that they become part of the arrangement.

These are the baby clothes in the basket above that have been rolled into rosettes and placed in the basket.

Our baby bloom's baskets can be found in the "Oh Baby" section of http://www.flowerartisan.com/

If you are looking to send something that is both
pretty and practial then this is the answer for a newborn baby gift.

We do baskets for baby girls, boys, or a generic basket with green or yellow flowers and clothes that is suitable for babies of either gender.

Christmas in a Flower Shop in Victoria BC

2009-12-18T15:54:00.000-08:00

You might think Christmas in a flower shop is so busy it is the last place on earth you would want to be but I love this time of year.

Everyone seems to be full of good cheer and looking forward to the holidays.
The studio is fragrant with the fresh scent of pine and a multitude of vibrant flowers.
I listen to Christmas music as I work on the floral designs and gift baskets that will soon be bringing Victoria families love and good wishes from family and friends all over the world.

one of our designs - http://www.flowerartisan.com/

I wish everyone a Magical Christmas !

Dianne

Order Direct from a local florist for the best value for your money.

2009-12-07T10:29:00.000-08:00

Why is it best to order your Christmas Flowers, Valentine Flowers, or flowers for any reason directly from a florist in the city where you want the flowers delivered?

Well there are many reasons but the main reason is that by ordering direct you get true value for your money.

Did you know that when you order with a large wire service like FTD, Teleflora, 1-800-flowers, etc a good portion of your money goes to paying commissions to middlemen along the way. Contrary to popular belief the florist that actually fills the order for you only gets a portion of what you pay. 20% of your money goes to the company you place your order with as a commission, at least 7% goes to the wire service, and up to a further 10% goes to fees and service charges the wire service takes from the florist that fills the order.

There are still a few good wire services but they are more the exception than the rule. One of the good ones is BBrook's Fine Flowers which is based mainly in the USA but does have members around the world. Although this company tends to be more on the high end they are also very discriminating with their membership and only the best florists are allowed to be members so you know the gift you send will be of the highest quality.
The major wire services don't have strict standards for their member florists. In fact you don't even have to be a florist anymore to be a member. These non florist members are called "order gatherers" .They have websites and take orders so they can get the 20% commission but they don't go anywhere near flowers and most of them wouldn't have a clue how to design a floral arrangement. The wire services not only condone but encourage this because it means more money for them from the membership fees and the cut they get in every transaction.Some of these order gatherers also "pretend" they are a local florist by having multiple city names attached to their websites . If you see a website domain name that has a / at the end with a name of a city chances are this is an order gatherer website. Some examples are XYZ Florist.com/Florist+Victoria BC, or XYZ Florist.com/Victoria-Flowers, or XYZ Floral.ca/Victoria. Avoid these type of websites - they are not florists - only somebody that wants to get 20% commission of your money.
Fortunately there are now forums of real honest florists that are banding together who will no longer accept orders from these order gatherers and it is getting harder and harder for them to find anyone that is willing to fill their orders. Hopefully it is just a matter of time before they cease to exist.
Many years ago there was a reason for a wire service to exist but today with easy access to the internet and the prevalence of toll free numbers there is no reason to not order directly from a local florist and to get 100% of what you pay going to the flowers and delivery rather than supporting middlemen along the way.
All it takes is a few extra minutes to find a local florist that best fits your needs. If you are really rushed for time there are some better alternatives to the major wire services where you will still get full value for your dollar. Two examples of these are the Flower Shop Network and Direct2florist. Florists pay the Flower Shop Network a yearly fee to be listed but you go directly to the local florist's website to order and no extra charges are incurred. There is a small charge of roughly $6.00 when you order from Direct2florist but that is a lot less than the traditional wire services which can add up to as much as 37% of your order.
If you have the few extra minutes to research a local florist yourself you will find it will be well worth the effort. Simply google the local florist by searching "cityflorist" for instance if you need a florist in Victoria BC simply search" Victoria BC florist" and a list of local florists will appear. The next step is to confirm that they are a real local florist and not a "pretender" (order gatherer) by checking their contact page. I have Mapquest installed on my contact page so you can see exactly where my floral design studio is located in Victoria but the florist should at least have a local address and phone number with the correct area code.
Most local florists display their own designs on their websites rather than the basic wire service designs so you will be able to see which florist you prefer.You will also find it is more personal dealing with a local florist and that if you have questions they will be answered in a timely manner rather than having to be relayed through the wire service.
Many independent florists offer added benefits. We found that most people that order flowers are from other cities and they never get to see the actual gift they purchased. We do up the arrangement for you and before the delivery service picks it up we take a picture. Later that day after all the deliveries have gone out we email you the picture. When your mom or Aunty Betty calls you and says the flowers were beautiful you will know because you have a picture of them.
So why order directly from a local florist? Just a few reasons are - the best value for your money, personalized customer service, speedy replies to your enquiries, originality of the floral designs, and often added benefits such as an emailed picture of your order.
This year order direct and I'm sure you will be happy that you did. Why not save the florist's website in your favourites and then the next time you need to order flowers you can save even the few extra minutes it took to order the first time.
Example of an original design that you won't find through a wire service:

Funky Flower Shoes

2009-12-04T13:33:00.000-08:00

My shoe floral designs were inspired by Oprah Winfrey when I went to her Live Your Best Life Seminar in Seattle in 2003. It is well documented the Oprah loves shoes. During the seminar she mentioned that a shoe store had opened up just for her the night before so that she could buy the red shoes she was wearing to go with her red outfit.

I realized that many women really love shoes and ,of course, most women love flowers so why not combine the two?

I use real shoes in my designs. It obviously would be too expensive to use high quality new shoes as containers but I wanted to use new shoes rather than re-cylced old shoes . It has been very challenging to find inexpensive but stylish shoes or funky shoes to use in my designs.Strangely enough I have found the best place to buy shoes is in women's clothing stores that also carry a few shoes rather than shoe stores.
The shoe arrangements can be found in the funky section of my website http://www.flowerartisan.com/ .Most of the designs are on the funky side but they can also be quite elegant like the white bridal centerpiece shoe design.

Flower Teddy Bears and Bunnies

2009-12-01T17:08:00.000-08:00

This blog is the second in a series which will relate to some of our specialty floral designs. The last blog featured our flower puppies and this blog features our teddy bear and bunny designs.
This Tutu Teddy is a ballerina made out of chrysanthemums, carnations, and yellow roses make up the tutu.What could be more perfect for a little girl that loves to dance?

This bunny was made for Easter last year using Easter Lilies for the floppy ears.

This teddy ballerina is made with pink carnations ,lilac chysanthemums, and large Geraldine roses for the tutu.Like all of our specialty arrangements they do have to be ordered a few days in advance.

Flower Puppies

2009-12-01T16:48:00.000-08:00

This is the first in a series of blogs relating to some of our specialty floral arrangements.

I started designing flower puppies four years ago after my niece sent me a picture of one from the Philipines and I thought they were just adorable.

The puppies are popular for new baby arrangements and anyone that loves dogs.
They must be ordered a few days ahead simply because they take some time to create and it can be hard to get flowers that look like fur.

My flower puppies are the size of real puppies and I try to make them look as real as possible. I want them to look like you might think you could just pick them up and give them a hug.

They each have a unique personality.

Several years ago I added teddy bears and bunnies and I'll probably try a kitten next.

Over the years I have sent puppies ,bears, and bunnies to the children's ward at Victoria General Hospital to give a little cheer to the children during their hospital stay. Sometimes I think the nurses get more of a kick out of them then the children.

I hope you enjoy these little creatures as much as I enjoy making them.

Samples of our floral designs and wedding bouquets

2009-10-22T16:37:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our first blog. I thought the best way to introduce you to Artistry in Bloom's style would be to attach a video featuring some samples of our designs.

I decided to close my city center flower shop back in 2004 so that I could shift my focus from shop manager/owner to flowers and floral design which is my true passion.

Working from a studio has enabled me to provide added benefits to my customers such as our E:Bloom service. Many customers order online from cities around the world and do not get a chance to see the actual arrangement that was delivered for them.We give you peace of mind by designing the arrangement, taking a picture, and emailing it to you. I think customers should be able to see what they purchased and decided to provide this service free of charge for orders of $80 or more. I actually try to send pictures for anybody that wants them regardless of the price but felt I had to put a price point for times when it is simply too busy to take pictures of every arrangement.

I hope you enjoy the video and look forward to giving you insights into the world of floral design.

Dianne