Merry Ostara, and Some Goals

Today is the first day of spring, and as I type these words, I'm watching some really light snow falling out the window.  Having a day off today is doing my heart a lot of good, as is the cup of coffee that I am leisurely consuming.  And the above image?  A picture from the class I recently attended at Saipua.  I was spoiled with some amazing product and creative energy.  I'm learning that it's not the flowers, it's what you actually do with them.  So I'm learning and having fun.  And wanting critique and practice.  

Goals.  There are things that I want to do and create and show the world.  In no particular order, with no particular time frame, here are some current goals.

• Massive focal arrangements.  I want to make huge-ass arrangements in big urns.  Like something that makes people stop and just marvel, and then look closer to see the dozens of varieties of flower in it.  I want branches coming out of it, and vines trailing out of it to pool on the floor or down the stairs.  Let me at 'em.
• Grow flowers.  The lisianthus we started inside has germinated and has been going strong for weeks now.  And most flower farmers just purchase the plugs?  Whatever.  If I can grow it in a living room, you can grow it in a greenhouse or hoophouse or something-house.  We're starting foxglove this weekend inside, possibly a few others.  We were planning on planting hellebore outside, plus nigella and lots of other fun stuff.  But the snow is putting a hold on that for now.
• Try to get out of my head a little.  Communicating with people is difficult.  Especially when I come across as weirdly confident (possibly in a perceived lack of skill on the other end?) or blunt and forward (because I mean what I say and say what I mean - shouldn't everyone?).  But enjoying talking to others more is something I can stand to improve on.  I have thoughts and should share the productive ones.
• Finalize dahlia purchases.  Give me money to spend on tubers please.
• Continue to eat healthy food.  With the exception of the occasional doughnut, Chris and I historically eat really great food.  No falling off the wagon here.  But drinking more water would help.  
• Make consistent deposits in my IRA.  I gained a ton of adult points by opening one for 2014, and lost a lot of money out of my checking account.  But I'm all for tax deductions, and for saving for retirement.  Win-win.  I want to invest in my future by contributing money weekly for 2015.  You should also probably start an IRA, because being financially responsible is attractive.

Happy Ostara!  And cheers to goals and keeping them, or changing them, or just learning from them.

A Question of Demographic

So a lot of things have happened this past week.  A few firsts.

The most exciting, my first solo consultation - on the phone at that!  The couple was just the sweetest.  They live in New York City, but are getting married at an arboretum in Philadelphia.  Met here in the city, and still have ties to it, may eventually return permanently.  Their palette is a far cry from the constant dusty-miller-ivory-blush that I dread hearing.  There's nothing wrong with it, it's just not interesting anymore.  But blue bonnets as a nod to the groom's home state of Texas in the boutonnieres?  That's interesting.  And I love it.  It's sentimental and authentic and thoughtful.  Keep those ideas coming.

Today I have another consultation, but in person this time.  Also alone.  I'm excited.  I like talking to people who want large quantities of flowers.  I like to get excited with them.

It was the first wedding of the year for us at the shop on Saturday night.  Today I get to go back to the venue and pick up all of the pieces.  But there were lots of taper candles, and I'm curious to see how "dripless" they are.  It's all about being vertical, and not leaning.

Another first this week - I was contacted by a dear friend to provide flowers for a bachelorette/bridal shower weekend in September.  It's being held in my old college town, and I am already really excited about it.  I don't want to divulge too much on here, in case the bride-to-be reads the blog.

Another personal first was offering a flower class for my upcoming trip home to Pittsburgh.  However, the only person who has expressed interest in attending is my mother.  I'm planning on bringing some really amazing flowers to her anyway, to show her a bit of what's happening in my world, in person.  But currently, enrollment is essentially at zero percent.  And why?

I attribute it being so low to the demographics of who views my blog or other social media.  Yes, I am capable of running a class, and there's no question that there are people out there somewhere who are interested in attending.  But in terms of demographics, that may not be who I'm currently reaching.  Another element to examine is the cost of the class.  And the cost of flowers in general.  Which deserves its own series of posts.

I struggle in wanting to educate people about the true cost of flowers, and then flipping and thinking that they should just educate themselves if they care enough, and that it's not really something I care to do at this time.  Generally because most people out there either have no idea about what flowers cost, or they think that they do but are actually completely wrong.  Perhaps misled is a better (nicer) way of saying it.  But that's a post for another time, and I honestly don't know where to start on it.  What do you want to hear about, on the topic of the true cost of flowers?

Love and light,

Alyssa

The Class that Never Was?

I was thinking about hosting a flower class in Pittsburgh, and then didn't go through with setting it up at all.  Meaning, I still might host it, but don't know what the market for something like that would be.  If there's any interest at all, I still might host it.  Especially if it's even just held for people that I know and love, with people that they know and love.  Flowers among friends, for fun, sounds like the best thing ever.  Especially when I bring snacks and coffee as well.

No floral experience is needed.  That's how I started out.  Just playing around with flowers.  Some people in the industry really prickle when they hear the phrase "playing with flowers."  I can understand why.  Floral design isn't all play.  It's about being an artist, and working diligently, long hours, and having a backbone of steel in moment where your integrity and ideas are challenged.  But sometimes, you just need to play.  And it's ok to call it what it is.

Mason Jar Arrangement 101

Saturday, March 14, 2015

1pm to 3:30pm

Location: TBA

Cost: $65

Class includes a lovely purple Ball mason jar in which to make your arrangement.

Florals will be the most delicious domestic, Dutch, and Japanese imports.

The refreshments served will also be delicious, and edible.  

Flowers not recommended to be eaten.  Just admired.

To reserve your spot, please email alyssa.yukevich@gmail.com.

Minimum enrollment of 6.

And there you have it.  The class that may never happen.  But maybe it will.  And maybe I'll see you there.

If you have a question, fire away or email me at the above address.  I'd love to talk about it!

Love and light,

Alyssa

Philadelphia Flower Show 2015

Philadelphia is the yearly host of the world-renowned and recognized Flower Show.  I've never attended before, largely because my previous job prevented me from enjoying life on weekends and otherwise impeded my functioning as a human being.  But also because I didn't exactly know what was available at the flower show to see and enjoy.

But I know way better now.  And am more functional.

My friend Tanti, owner of the floral and event design company Papertini, is a judge at the flower show this year, and is also exhibiting work there.  One of her employees, Caroline, and I were able to create the above piece together.  

This year the theme for the flower show is movies.  The intersection of movies and Hollywood with flowers and horticulture, which is interesting and really fun.  The movie that Caroline chose for us to portray was The Lord of the Rings - specifically Rivendell and Lothlorien.  The land of the Elves.  And we had a ton of fun creating a table with that setting in mind.

And one more for good measure.

Love and light,

Alyssa

New Offerings

I'm really excited about this bouquet.  The Saipua studio makes a pretty lovely background, doesn't it?  I enjoyed my time there last weekend for a class through Little Flower School.  

[If anyone wants to send me to the Master's Workshop in Upstate NY, please just buy me a ticket and let me know.  I'll probably just do your future wedding for free.  I'm completely serious about that exchange.]

So, new offerings.

I'm pleased and excited to announce that I'm available to take on small numbers of wedding and event clients for late 2015, and throughout 2016.  Since I'm still working at the flower shop, my time there takes priority for events, which is why I'm putting out the call now for late 2015.  2016 is still completely wide open.

I can't wait to talk to you!  I'd love to chat through email or over the phone to see if we could work together.  

To brighten your day, here are a few more shots of that delicious bouquet.  I'm looking forward to receiving the professional photos sometime soon.  Keep an eye out!

Love and light,

Alyssa

I live inside my head and sometimes on my blog.

Does anyone else in blog-land struggle with that?  I am a big thinker.  Not necessarily big thoughts all the time, but I don't really turn off my mind, ever.  Chris especially loves this when I bring up big existential worries and life plans at 10pm on a weekday.

A consequence of living in my head and just thinking all the time, is that I don't really enjoy reiterating my thoughts to an audience on a blog.  I already thought all of the thoughts, and now I need to go over them again in text?  Sometimes it's too much to do again, and I can be selfish with keeping my thoughts all to myself sometimes.  But I also really enjoy being forthcoming, so here we are.

I've been busy.  Mostly with walking a dog as a side job, experiencing Valentine's Day at our busy retail flower shop, and taking one of our cats for a teeth cleaning.  Giving her an antibiotic for a pulled tooth 2x/day has been funny and interesting.  You can't say you've really lived until your cat drools out her medicine because she refuses to swallow it.

Philadelphia has been quite cold, along with the rest of the northeast.  Despite the cold and snow, we have germination of the lisianthus at my mother-in-law's house!  Starting from seed is not impossible.  We'll see how they do until we can plant into the garden.  But this is progress.

Enter Valentine's Day.

No, this is not apathy kicking in.  Working with the same wonderful ladies all the time, there are some funny things that happen - this client wanted whatever looked "nicest" (and what does that really even mean, to each person?), but in the midst of the busy-ness, it appears that we just don't care.  But we do - a really lovely bouquet was made and we cracked up noticing the order form.

All in all, a really successful Valentine's Day, with only the minor inconvenience of a broken heater.  Minor, as in I volunteered for any and all deliveries, because the van has a wonderful working AC system.  

Next post, I might be talking about something exciting that I'm planning for my Western PA/Pittsburgh folks.  I miss Allegheny County a lot.  Philadelphia is fine for now.  And I love Pennsylvania as a whole, but I really miss Pittsburgh all the time.  So, you may be hearing about that soon.  Or about another exciting business thing I'm cooking up.  Or maybe this:

Love and light,

Alyssa

Finding the Right Ones

This past week at the flower shop, we've had some really great clients come in for meetings.  It's always interesting to see how clients find us, and what they found that they like.  And it's also interesting to see what knowledge they bring to the table about flowers, and how interested they are in making their florals amazing.

We've recently had two or three clients that just stand out amazingly.  Just really excellent at communication (amongst themselves and with us), knowledge and interest in flowers and sourcing seasonally, and a general flexibility and trust that we're going to take care of their needs for their weddings.  It also doesn't hurt that they're adorable and tremendously in love, with the sweetest stories and dispositions.  It's a little bit sickening.  And it's hugely inspiring.

Just last weekend, I wrote my first proposal for a client, to just show my boss, to compare to the one she was writing.  To see how I do, since I look at all of them and reference them constantly during wedding season.  I kind of love writing proposals - it's a throwback to the days of writing lesson plans that never were looked at.  But in this situation, the proposals actually do get looked at, edited, and referenced a lot.  And that's a step up for me.

I just wanted to post a little bit about how awesome those clients are, even though they won't see the words.  It fires me up to think that we're not going to be stuck doing yet another mason-jar-peach-blush-cream-rustic-elegant wedding, for the umpteenth time.  There's nothing wrong with those weddings, but change and variety can be refreshing.  These couples and clients are making me so excited about possibilities out there, and it's seemingly a rare thing to be inspired by your clients.

Making flowers for any client can be inspiring or routine.  It can be just simply giving the client what they want, without a ton of soul.  Still pretty, still something nice to look at, but nothing that really fires up my heart.  But to be sparked by a client - motivated to make their awesome, personal vision come alive, because they thought of something that could be magical.  That's the hope I have for myself as I grow, and for other designers as they grow.

My friend and colleague, Dan of Floradelphia had something similar to say about being inspired and excited about his work, on his blog here.  Check out his words!  I really enjoyed reading them, and his thoughts really resonated with me.  Having a wedding speak to who the couple truly is - to have the decor and space and general atmosphere become a reflection of the couple.  I think a large part of being able to do this involves enthusiasm and inspiration.  What do you all think?  And how awesome is it, when you can truly be inspired?

Love and light,

Alyssa