The Flower Blog

I've been working on a few topics to write about for this week. Every time I am close to finishing and publishing one, something happens which leads me to believe the timing isn't quite right for posting. Somehow nature is always involved in the timing of things. So today, let us acknowledge the massive white elephant looming outside the door this morning...and last night, and the day before as well.

I love snow! I do not spend enough time in the snow as an adult and parent of children, and in these sub zero temperatures; well I will continue to admire it from the safety and warmth of my home.

Right now looking outdoors, the snow is in the finest of its hours. Still white, still everywhere, decorating our sparse little trees, beckoning families to come out and play, and inviting motorists to venture out. I see you out there...and I'm still not coming out. Such a beautiful creation of nature we enjoy but also curse at the same time.

I am an optimistic "glass is half full" type gal but sometimes even I think unsavory thoughts about the innocent looking white stuff outside which makes it difficult to travel and do things. It's all roses and sunshine until you actually have to play hide and go seek to find your car under a seemingly large mountain of it!

What effect did the first winter storm of 2014 have on you? Did you lose power? Was your neighborhood buried? Did the plows come through and block you in? Did your car get stuck in the drift of the roads? Did the pipes burst at your house?  How has the weather impacted your life in the past few days? Not long ago I mentioned nature had a way of making us slow down.. Even at its most inconvenient timing, it still remains the case that nature WILL slow things down and may cause damage along the way. It's ineveitable through one disaster or another, we will be affected in some manner. 

Keep in mind nature also has the ability to bring out the best in people. After checking the newsfeeds on facebook, some interesting news stories online, and experiencing some of it myself, nature is bringing out the best in people as they open their homes to those without power; others are willing and able to snowblow and shovel others out of the house so they can leave if an emergency situation arises; our neighbors kindly shoveled a way for our family to get IN to our house while we were away. Good samaritans pull over on the highway to help a stalled vehicle...All these acts of kindness and much more always appear in the most bleary of situations caused by mother nature. 

So today, as you're recovering from whatever effect the weather has had on you or in your area, keep in mind the beauty of nature isn't just in the eye of the beholder. It is also in the actions of our neighbors, families, friends, and people we do not even know.  Today I say thank you to everyone who worked to better the situation by plowing nonstop, fixing power lines, working overtime, and leaving a positive impact during the "Snowpocalypse of 2014".  

Need to send a "Thank You" to someone special? We have a variety of ways to send "Thanks" through flowers! Click below to see how!

Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas!!!

We wish you the merriest of holidays and a Happy New Year!  Spend some time with your loved ones, eat delicious food and treats, relax in your sleepy pants, and enjoy yourself!  

Here at Gillespie's part of celebrating the holidays and welcoming the New Year is having an After Christmas Sale!  "Out with the Old, In with the New!" as they always say.  If you didn't have a chance to stop by and see us before the holidays it's not too late to stock up for next year! 

See below for our  specials and check out our holiday video which showcases some of the fabulous items we'll have on sale along with the staff of Gillespie Florists, smiling and looking forward to serving you in the New Year!  Enjoy!

All Christmas and Fall Products 50% Off

Any Giftware 40% Off

All Silk Arrangements 40% Off

Candles 40% Off

Webkinz 40% Off

Don’t forget to ask about our Fresh Flower take out specials!

Sale Excludes: 

Any Fresh Flowers, Any Plants, Any Serviced Product Sale items cannot be delivered. Restrictions may apply.

All Sales Are Final. Sale Ends Friday, January 3rd, 2014

Questions? Call 317.273.1100

Miss our sale? Print this coupon for 20% off in store through March 31st!

Star of Bethlehem, Noche Buena, Flor de Pascua, Crown of the Andes: What do these have in common?  They are all names for the brilliant and beautiful Poinsettia, a standard among Christmas tradition in the states with an origin of Mexico. Poinsettias are very prominent during Christmas.  It's everywhere! Offices, homes, hospitals, churches, everywhere! With over one hundred varieties in existence, plentiful in colors of red, white, pink, spotted, it's beautiful large leaves; the poinsettia is an absolute must have for the holiday season.  I have always enjoyed having one in my home during Christmas, and after doing a little bit of research my respect for it has grown. The origin, legend and science of the plant is truly fascinating.

The plant was introduced to the US in 1825 by Joel Roberts Poinsett, hence its English name being Poinsettia.   This plant was not automatically associated with Christmas in the US at this time.  It wasn’t until the 1900’s that the Poinsettia generated much interest!  A man named Albert Ecke in Los Angeles became interested in the plant and sold them at street stands.  Three generations later, Paul Ecke Jr. was the one responsible for advancing the association of the Poinsettia and Christmas by sending cuttings of the plant by air instead of mature plants by rail and also sending free plants to television stations to display on air from Thanksgiving to Christmas. He also appeared on Bob Hope’s Christmas Specials and the Tonight Show to promote the Poinsettia as a traditional Christmas plant.  Now that’s what I call creative marketing!

But it doesn’t stop there, friends! Another way the Ecke family made the Poinsettia more popular and aesthetically pleasing was they discovered a way to graft two varieties of the plant together to make the seedlings branch, resulting in a bushier plant.  On it’s own, it looks kind of like a weed..not too pretty. Of course that is how the most well known legend of the Poinsettia starts...a lowly weed found on the side of the road in Mexico.

As mentioned above the Poinsettia is native to Mexico. Its association with Christmas began there as well with a tale of a little girl.  She longed to bring a gift to celebrate Jesus’ birthday at her church but was too poor to get anything.  An angel inspired her to gather weeds on the side of the road and put it at the church altar as a gift. There they sprouted crimson blossoms and became Poinsettias.  Later on Franciscan monks would associate the plants leaves to the star of Bethlehem, and the red relating to the blood sacrificed during the crucifixion.  In Chile, Peru, and Puerto Rico, it is known as Flor de Pascua for Easter Sunday.  

What beautiful & meaningful representations the Poinsettia has!  At church, we purchase poinsettias in honor and or memory of family members, relatives and friends in November.  They are lined up at the front of the church altar and along the stairs where we can see and enjoy them throughout the month of December and take them home after Christmas.  It is a lovely tradition in which I enjoy participating and having that reminder as we celebrate the season with our loved ones. It’s also like a “community” decoration of our church home.  It is one of the traditions I look forward to every year during the Christmas season.  And if you take good care of your poinsettia, it will last past the winter season! 

Christmas is right around the corner. It’s probably too late to get yourself one of these lovely brilliant colorful plants which have come to mean so much during the winter season.  Right?!  Nope!  It is not too late to order one of these beauties.  And if you call by 11a.m. on Christmas Eve, we can still get it to your doorstep in time for your family dinner!

Hemiparasite, aphrodisiac, protectant against poison and kissing.

Ever wonder what kissing and parasites have in common? What on earth does this have to do with flowers, holidays, blogs and people? Oh just a little science and history on one of our traditional holiday plants, the mistletoe.  

First off, Science! There are 2 types of mistletoe. The one most commonly used for Christmas decoration is Phoradendron flavescens. Don't worry..you do NOT have to ask for it by that name! Did you know the name Phoradendron is derived from the Greek for "tree thief"? Pretty cool huh?  

This thieving little parasitic plant has been a part of of the winter holidays for quite some time but have you ever wondered why? Well friends, you could wiki some knowledge on it or let me give you the readers digest version. You've got things to do, parties to plan, gifts to buy, but for a few minutes just read on and I'll give you some interesting tidbits about mistletoe. So let's talk about the gods.  

Frigga, The goddess of love, learned her son, Balder, god of the sun, had a dream where he died and the earth was destroyed because of it. As she wanted to protect her son from harm,   she told the elements earth, water, wind, and fire, and all the plants and creatures of nature that no harm would befall him. Everybody was good with that except Balder's one enemy, Loki, the god of mischief.

Loki knew of one plant Frigga had overlooked in her quest to protect her son; the lowly mistletoe. Why was it overlooked? Because it was not of the earth or under the earth. It thrived on the apple and oak trees. He took the unassuming plant and fashioned it into an arrow and gave it to the blind Hoder, god of winter, who shot it. The arrow hit Balder and killed him.       The elements tried for 3 days to bring him back to life, finally he was restored by Frigga, his mother. The tears she cried for her son turned into the pearly white berries on the mistletoe plant and Frigga was so joyful she kissed everyone who passed under the tree on which it grew.

After that, whomever should stand under the mistletoe would have no harm befall them. Only a kiss, a token of love. Sounds pretty nice, I'll take it! Of course, this was the legend; other countries have their own take on mistletoe and it's many magical properties.  

In Scandinavia, mistletoe is known as a plant of peace. Enemies could declare a truce or warring spouses could kiss and make-up underneath it. The English used mistletoe to make a ball and dubbed it a “kissing ball”. If a young lady stood under it at Christmas time, she could not refuse to be kissed, as it would lead to a deep romance or lasting friendship. If she remained unkissed, she would marry within the following year. To protect against all the lucky ones who did get kissed under it, some parts of England would burn the Christmas mistletoe on the twelfth night. In France, kissing under the mistletoe is linked to New Year's Day: “Au gui l'An neuf” (Mistletoe for the New Year).

These are just a few examples of many reasons why kisses are exchanged under the mistletoe.  

Some say mistletoe has magical properties, others say you'll kiss the love of your life under it, regardless of whether we believe the stories and legends or not, it's still a part of the fun and frolicking which occurs during the holiday season. Not only is its history rich, but the nature of mistletoe is fascinating as well! If you're looking to add alittle more frolic to your next holiday party or start a new tradition, be sure to stop by Gillespie Florists and pick up a bundle of this magnificent plant.

Tied together with ribbon and ready to be hung in a doorway for an unsuspecting victim, sparring spouse, or simply there to add a bit more festive to your décor. Either way, mistletoe is a winner for the holiday season.   

Click below to see more of what we have to offer during this wonderful holiday season!

It's not too late to order and have it hand delivered to your door!

After reaching in my mailbox and pulling out four Christmas cards, the realization kicked in that the holiday season has arrived and with it all emotions it entails. At this point it has more than just arrived; the season is well underway! How did this happen? I believe it has something to do with the hustle and bustle and hurry-scurry of preparation and celebration of impending finale of Christmas and New Years.

Remember Black Friday and it's array of great deals around town and online? It was over a weekend, the month of December is jam-packed full of things to do. Cards to send, parties to attend, gifts to wrap, closets and rooms to ransack for places to put said gifts, and let's not forget our daily responsibilities such as jobs, laundry, cleaning, child rearing, etc. wow, just reading this made my heart rate tweak! That or the highly caffeinated holiday blend coffee I just drank...

But hang on! let's slow down a moment and bask in the glow of the seasons memories.The ones centered around love, family, friendship, and joy, because that is what it is about, right?    The warm glow of the Chrismas tree lights, scent of fresh cookies and seasonal casseroles baking...cuddling on the couch watching the traditional classic shows such as Rudolph the Red-nosed reindeer, How the The Grinch Stole Christmas, Merry Christmas Charlie Brown...ah yes, this is what gets me in the spirit and slows me down.

You know what else slows me down? nature...

What better way to appreciate what this holiday is about than to have an unexpected snow storm? Oh sure, you have things to do, but it can wait one or two days, right? You don't have to start baking your cookies this instant! Trip to the Toy Store? They're open pretty late on Christmas eve...I should know and by my experience and observations so do few other parents. Back to the point about nature and slowing down!

One of my favorite memories of Christmas is when my husband and I were marooned at my parents house with my siblings and their significant others. We ate all the leftovers, cookies, sat around talking about growing up together, the guys played video games, gals watched movies. We went outside for snowball fights, walking in the woods and sledding, I think we ordered pizza a day later when the roads cleared up and there was an extensive discussion on who would brave the weather to go get it...they came back an hour and a half later. Oh bad weather is tricky and inconvenient but it has the power to strengthen family bonds and give new meaning to season. Or rather it serves as a reminder of what the season is about to begin with.  I love how nature has the capacity to change our attitude and reboot our frazzled minds into the calm peacefulness which gets lost in the shuffle too often during the season of joy and love. 

We seem to be programmed to go through the harangue of the hustle, bustle to get to the grand finale of late Christmas Eve when time gloriously slows down. Why do we wait so long and late into the season to experience this "silent night"?  Ever try to put a moment like that into words? What does it feel like?
To me, it feels like a mountain. Quiet, calm, overwhelming and sheltering. The outside world disappears and all that is left is peace. It's a truly wonderful feeling...so wonderful and dense is this feeling that I could walk out the door and see my calm mountain in the backyard! Of course, when I do open the door I usually get a blast of cold air, a tiny dog yipping in dismay that the breeze has interrupted his slumber, and a few cars zoom by...possibly trying to catch Santa before he hits their house...the spell is broken till the door shuts and I am back in my peaceful silent night of a world after taking in the ambiance and lovely pine scent of our Christmas tree.  I am reminded of the outdoors and the calm it represents without freezing to death.

I love having these reminders to slow down in my house. Admiring the brilliant red carnations mixed with evergreen and pine cones in the arrangement sitting on my kitchen table while drinking early morning coffee and planning out the day. Pausing by our little tree full of light and memories of selecting ornaments each year to add to it. Smiling at the realistic but fake palm tree dressed up in lights and tiny ornaments reminding me of past Christmases with my family in Florida...It is amazing how a bit of the outdoors reconnects me to what this season is all about and dims the busyness which can overwhelm us if we let it.

The season isn't over yet. There is still time to slow down before the candle-lit gathering of friends and family singing "Silent Night" at church together.  Take a moment from worrying whether anyone is going to notice your gift-wrapping skills aren't up to par and look at your tree or out the window, take a deep breath and savor the experience and memories of this season. Maybe reflect on a favorite family memory.

Would you like more nature inside your home? Something to admire while making a holiday feast or maybe just cereal while getting ready for the work day?  You don't even have to battle traffic to have it. Click here to view our Blue Mountain Christmas collection and let us bring the peaceful outdoors to you.

In honor of Small Business Saturday this weekend we will be celebrating with some great specials and freebies as well, including the opportunity to get a free re-usable bag (quantities are limited, so be sure to stop by early on Saturday!).  I love reusable bags...perfect for groceries, toting books and activities for kids on road trips, carrying shoes on rainy days, disguising a recent purchase of chocolate...mmmm...anyway..you get the idea.

All Christmas 30% Off

Fall Product 40% Off

Everyday 40% Off

Candles 40% Off

Webkinz 40% Off

Don’t forget to ask about our Fresh Flower take out specials!

Sale Excludes: 

Any Fresh Flowers, Any Plants, Any Serviced Product Sale items cannot be delivered. Restrictions may apply.

All Sales Are Final. Sale Ends on Monday, December 2nd, 2013

Questions? Call 317.273.1100

Miss our sale? Print this coupon for 20% off in store for the entire month of December! 

"Beep beep beep, bomp bomp boop, beep bo bip BEEEP"

"Hello…Welcome to the automated customer service center. We will now give you 5 options to choose from to get to the next level of service, please select now…."

"BEEP"

"Thank you for choosing, now please state what service you need using 1 word clearly spoken"

"Representative"

"Sorry..I didn't get that. Please repeat"

"Service"

"That is not an option, Please try again"

"A live person"

"...Could you repeat please?"

"Operator"

"I'm sorry, if you would like to speak to a customer service representative, please press 0 now"

"THWOMP"….that was my head…on my desk.

There are usually 2 outcomes from a customer service experience such as this one. I rejoice in having the patience to survive the time-sucking gauntlet of robot-lady voices to the final goal of reaching a live person, OR, I'm mad as a hatter for having to explain my question once reaching a live person after selecting 20 options to get to the one who should KNOW why i am calling in the first place!    

Technology is a wonderful thing which can streamline daily processes; it is also the root all of evil for people who just want to talk to somebody! Consider this interaction after picking up the phone and dialing another 10 numbers...

"Beep beep" "beep beep"

"Gillespie Florists this is Sarah, how may I help you?"

(oh you had me at hello, you're human right off the bat)

Speaking to someone directly makes things better immediately. You are not waiting 10 minutes to reach an individual, you pick up the phone and tadah! There they are!  Granted you might have to listen to some interlude music but you're 1 person from your destination instead of playing 20 questions with the robot lady.  I don't know about you but given the choice, I choose a human. Now why would this be important?  To me, that's part of great customer service, which is one of many advantages of working with small businesses and shopping local.  

Customer service is important to the survival of small companies because lets face it, given the choice if you have a bad experience  with a company, do you want to return with your business? Give them your hard earned money to feel like another drop in the bucket, an expendable customer? Um...not me and hopefully not you either!   How does a business keep you coming back but through quality, price, and great customer service? I want to go where everyone knows my name (well...that's a long shot) but where I can walk in the door and am greeted with a friendly hello, perhaps see a friend, and start shopping, or getting seated for a meal. 

My little family doesn't do a great deal of shopping, however we do have 1 meal out a week on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. There are about 6 restaurants on our rotation and they are all local, small restaurants.  Sure we will hit up a food chain once in a blue moon but the majority of the time, I like the little places for a number of reasons.

1. Great food 

2. Good price for the great food

3. Longest wait time is usually 10 minutes ( in kid time, that's 2 hours)

4. Friendly staff   

5. Great service

We have been going to these restaurants for years.  I love the fact we can go in and see familiar faces. We can sit down and the guy who preps the table and pours the water automatically gives us an empty styrofoam cup for our youngest because he remembers our routine. Another favorite place, we don't need to say "booth seating with a high chair please". We walk in the door, they smile and wave us on back with a high chair in tow. It's the little things which make a big difference. Scratch that, it's the PEOPLE who make the difference, and they are the reason why we return to those places and spend the time and money that we do there.  

Something to think about as Small Business Saturday approaches towards the end of November every year. What stands out in your shopping experience?  Is the the percentage off price tag or the person making friendly small talk as your purchases are rang up.  The waiter who smiles and asks a follow up question to your 6 year old when he blurts out what he learned about pilgrims yesterday?

Or maybe you just happen to visit your local florist, perhaps Gillespie Florists, having no clue what you need but by golly, you have GOT to get something for your mothers holiday dinner tomorrow.  

Walk in the door and be greeted with a smile and friendly staff looking forward to helping you out, or pick up the phone and chat with someone who can help find the perfect bouquet. Little things make a big difference. And a little less time conversing with robot-lady doesn't hurt either.  

Click here or come on by our location off 10th & Raceway to see what we have to offer in celebration of Small Business Saturday! We are proud and ready to serve you!

Like what we do? Leave us a Review on one or more of these places below!

I love fonts! Lots and lots of fonts! Big fonts, little fonts, decorative font, distressed fonts, gothic ones, basic ones, script! name the category and I am betting I will love at least 100 sets of these fabulous characters in it!  Whew! That is a lot of excitement for something we see on daily basis isn't it?

What is the big fuss about fonts anyway? As a graphic designer, they serve an important role in my work. My job is to express information, ideas, and feelings through images, color, and font. Many times the information must be conveyed without using image at all. What do we have left but color and font? Sometimes not even full color but just black and white! Sounds a little boring, doesn't it? Not so long ago designers had a limited supply of fonts; we appreciated the subtle differences between Helvetica and Futura, Garamond and Goudy, but now? The world is our oyster! Thanks to font creation software and imaginative artists we have categories upon categories of fonts to meander through to find the perfect match for what we are thinking….

I know what you are thinking right now..."How does this relate to flowers?!"

Flowers aren't so different...there are millions of specimens; all having unique characteristics, some subtle, some obvious, all having the ability to express ideas, convey messages and feelings whether it be through a single stem of daisy poms or an entire spring bouquet.

One of my favorite examples of expression through flowers and fonts is how we bring them together for weddings through a theme.  You know when you have your theme; it may be colors, a favorite style or era, the newest trend, or maybe something of your own creation!

Again, endless possibilities!

Think about when you picked out or commissioned a designer to do your wedding invitations. Was there a certain font in the collection that stood out?

Where you thought "this is me! Oh this fits us! Just what I was looking for!"

It's so exciting when you find something which can express your ideas without having to say much, if anything at all. Again, flowers have the same capacity. A rose, for example. When I see a Vendela Rose, the word elegant comes to mind.

 

 

 

 

 

Take a rose of a different color, such as red, add a few orange stargazer lillies, a few stalks of purple status, and the once "elegant" rose is now part of a brilliant and bold bouquet!

 

 

 

 

 

Or consider yet another one, a few white roses mixed with some eucalyptus,  delphinium, cornflower, kale, thistle eryngium, tree fern and voila!. A soft whimsical bouquet to compliment a light and airy wedding dress for a summer wedding outdoors.

Isn't it amazing how a single rose can transform into an entire theme? Just like font lettering. One style of letter by itself can speak to you. Put together a meaningful word with these letters and there it is, your theme is created, your idea in motion. Now off to your local florist to find which flowers express the same message for the world to see what you're feeling on such a special day.

With the right floral combination, color, and creativity you can have your wedding theme pulled together as boldly, elegantly, whimsically, beautifully as you have always imagined! Not sure where to begin? Have an idea or certain theme in mind but not sure what direction to go next? Check out our wedding link to get your creative ideas flowing. The fine staff of Gillespie Florists will be delighted to help you out with your wedding plans. Good luck and happy matching!