Valentine's Day

Can you believe Valentine's Day is right around the corner?  We have been busy getting the shop ready.  If you have not made plans yet, it might be a good idea to start thinking about what you want to do.  February is right around the corner.

To get you in the mood, here are some gorgeous flower arrangements from Better Homes and Gardens.  These are just a few, go to their website for more ideas and inspiration.

 

Also, click here to see some of our posts from last year.

It's a busy day!

We hope you have a wonderful day celebrating people in your life who you love!

Caring for your Roses

With the roses being most popular flower delivered for Valentine's Day, here are some tips for how to make them last longer.

	Display your roses in a shaded, cool location
	Keep leaves out of the water; if you have to remove some leaves, take care not to injure the stem by scraping the stems
	Keep the water fresh by changing it every two days; put flower food in with the new, fresh water; use lukewarm water
	When changing the water, cut the stems (cleanly) under water at a 45 degree angle by using a sharp knife or scissors; cutting an inch off the stem is best
	Remove discolored or dropping petals from your roses to freshen them up
	If the rose wilts, submerge the whole flower and stem into a large sink full of warm water; while under water cut about an inch off the stems, and leave them there for about two hours

[More information available at Flowers UK, about.com, FlowerM.D.]

 

 

 

 

Something other than Roses

Some love to receive traditional and classic red roses for Valentine's Day.* Others hope for something a bit different and more unique. Some suggestions for choosing a great arrangement are available in this article Tips for Giving Valentine's Day Flowers. One benefit of choosing something different than red roses is that the price can be bit better. The price of red roses rises for Valentine's Day because of the high demand placed on the classic Valentine's Day flower. So, think about some other options to mix things up a bit! One way to select an arrangement other than red roses, is to choose an arrangement that sends a secret message with the specific flowers that you choose (as they did in Victorian times).

Or, if you are more straightforward, go with something that catches your eye, and attach a love note to the flowers. A mixed bouquet of roses, gerbera daisies, and mums can be eye-catching. French tulips are especially beautiful and delicate.

If you put a little thought into the flower you choose, you could really impress. Does your loved one have a favorite flower? Is there a flower that reminds you of your loved one? Did your wife include a special flower in your wedding? Did your mom always have a special flower in your house or garden when you were growing up? Does your daughter absolutely love the color yellow?

*If red roses are still on your mind though, check out this flickr group of red rose photos for some Valentine's Day inspiration; here is my favorite.

Meaning of Rose Colors

[image from tanakawho]

The meaning behind the color of roses may vary depending on who is giving and receiving the flowers! But, most people follow the traditional meanings, especially for Valentine's Day. So, for those who are interested in the traditional meanings of the color of roses, here you go:

Red - I love you, love, romance, beauty, passion, prosperity, congratulations, courage, and respect

Dark red or burgundy - unconscious beauty, beauty within

Pink - happiness, appreciation, thankfulness, grace, gentility, joy, grace, admiration, sweetness, sympathy, please believe me

Dark pink - gratitude, thank you

Purple - falling in love, love at first sight, enchantment

Coral and orange - desire, fascination, enthusiasm

Peach - desire, gratitude, cheerfulness, sincerity, appreciation, admiration, sympathy, modesty

Yellow - joy, friendship, freedom, promise of a new beginning, delight, jealousy, come back soon

White - innocence, purity, secrecy, friendship, truth, virtue, charm, humility, happy love

Color Combinations

Yellow with a Red tip - falling in love, friendship

Red and Yellow - Joviality, happiness, congratulations

Red and White - Unity

Yellow and Orange - passionate thoughts

(via: about.com, wittyliving.com, rdkn.org, wikipedia, language of flowers)

Intuition Roses

Valentine's Day is just a few short days away, and it is the biggest sale day for roses - particularly red. Roses are the most popular flowers in the world, and in the United States. They come in many colors and varieties - from red to lavender (and everything in between, including brown) and from small, spray roses to large, 6 foot tall stems.*

Today, we introduce you to Intuition® roses* (if you have not seen them before). They are beautiful tea hybrid roses that are characterized by their two-toned paint splatter streaked petals. The red and pink Intuition® roses were developed by Delbard, a well-known French rose breeder, and come in red and pink. I think these flowers are great modern, but classic, flowers for Valentine's Day.

On a separate note, we are busy preparing for Valentine's Day. We want you to get the most out of your Valentine's Day flowers, so we will be posting a little more frequently this week to provide more information about Valentine's Day flowers, caring for them, and other Valentine's Day related information!

*We have a limited quantity of 4 foot tall roses available especially for Valentine's Day. We also have red and pink intuition roses at the shop. Call KaBloom of Sandy Springs at 404-303-0530.

Valentine's Day One Week Away!

I always have the best intentions for buying gifts and sending cards early, but somehow the intentions escape me. I end up waiting until the last minute, running around all over the place, trying to put the best possible gift together. Those few times, when I have my act together, remind me how much easier it is when I buy my gifts ahead of time! With that said - make your plans, place your flower orders (hint, hint), and buy your cards - now! To get you thinking, we will take some time to let you know what we have in our shop, especially for Valentine's Day - besides flowers of course. :)

Stuffed Animals - We love GUND products! We love them so much that it is sometimes hard to choose which ones to stock. If we could, we would have one of each in the store, because they are THAT adorable! We have a great selection available to add to your order.

Box of Chocolates - Nothing says Valentine's Day like flowers and chocolate. Plus, chocolates are easy to share with co-workers and friends! Just let us know whether you want a small, medium, or large box!

Candles - Planning a romantic night at home, candles ALWAYS add to the mood. Really, who doesn't like candles?

Cards - We have a small selection of unique cards. So, if you did not find a card you liked at your favorite stationery store or at the grocery store, come on over to our shop. (Or we can just add it, with your note inside, to your floral delivery order.)

Balloons - And of course, we can add balloons to your order!

So, don't delay! Take sometime this weekend to finalize your plans. Valentine's Day is just a few days away!

[image from valart2008]

Valentine's Day Party / Dinner Ideas

Planning a romantic dinner for Valentine's Day? Or perhaps a cocktail party with friends? Well, here are some great party suggestions to bring out the best of the Valentine's Day theme. All you need - guests, food, drinks, and some decor!

One of the best places to go for instant party inspiration is The Hostess with the Mostest (TM) blog! She recently featured a number of different party ideas to get you started - invitations, decorations, more decorations, drink ideas, and dessert recipes. Try making these cute little "love bites".

[image from Parent's Magazine via HWTM]

Cheese fondue or blue cheese beef tenderloin are tasty dinner party ideas. Or take William-Sonoma's Valentine's Day menu and cook together. Tricolore salad, steak piperade, lemon zest spinach, and warm molten chocolate cakes sound delicious!

If you plan on using an ice bucket to chill wine or champagne, why not add a little twist to the ice cubes by freezing spray roses into each cube. Jonathan Fong says "They'll melt any heart." :) Click here for the instructions (found via AisleDash). Just don't put the ice cubes in your drinks, unless they are edible flowers.

[image from Jonathan Fong]

One last cute idea for decor comes from Martha Stewart. All you need are two nesting glass containers (the smaller one should be shorter and about an inch narrower than the bigger one), Valentine's Day candy (like sweat hearts or cinnamon hearts), and flowers, and you can make this creative arrangement.

[image from Martha Stewart]

Happy planning!

Dinner Reservations and Gifts

Yesterday, Creative Loafing Atlanta published a list of recommended restaurants for Valentine's Day. If you want to go out on Valentine's Day, you should start thinking about reservations now. Some restaurants in New York City are already fully booked. I know Atlanta's market is a little different, but it does not hurt to be prepared. There are tons of great restaurants out there to choose from. From Creative Loafing's list, our two favorites are the Food Studio and Rathbun's. For some great food in Sandy Springs, you could go to Mambo Italiano, our (fairly) new CityWalk neighbor, or Five Seasons Brewing, just up the road. Where ever you decide, put it on your list to make reservations soon.

As for gifts, if you are going to order something online, it is time to start thinking about it! Etsy has a Valentine's Day Gift Guide posted. Here are some of our favorite items from the list. I love the magnets!

[images, clockwise from top left: 4 heart cards ($4.50), heart shaped bowls ($10.00), love birds ($84.00 from England), 4 xoxo magnets ($18.00)]

And of course flowers :) Here our some of our designs.

Valentine's Day - A Brief History

[image from Flickr: Sister72]

Valentine's Day is just around the corner. The origin of Valentine's Day is not clear. There are a few different stories out there, but no consensus on which one is true. Here are some of the more popular stories about Valentine's Day:

Two popular stories about priests, who were both named Valentine, are said to be related to the origin of Valentine's Day. One story begins with the Roman Emperor Claudius II's desire for a strong, fearless army. He felt that soldiers who married might lose their fighting edge. To combat this, he outlawed marriage for young men. Father Valentine did not agree with the Emperor's decision, so he continued to perform secret marriages for young couples in love. When Emperor Claudius found out about the secret marriages, Valentine received a death sentence.

Another story deals with another Father Valentine being placed in jail for helping Christians during the reign of Claudius. While in jail, before his execution, Valentine fell in love with the jailor's daughter. Before the day of his execution, he wrote her a letter and signed it "From your Valentine"

A number of years later, Pope Gelasius declared February 14th as St. Valentine's Day to honor Father Valentine (whether it was both of them or just one of them is not clear). It is said that the Pope chose this day to Christianize the Roman pagan Lupercalia Festival, which had occurred on February 15th. The Lupercalia Festival celebrated purification and fertility. Part of the celebration auctioned off the young women in the city. The women would place their names in a big urn, and then the city's young men would choose a name out of the urn. The woman's whose name was chosen out of the urn by the man would be his partner for the year. Supposedly, these matches often ended in marriage.

Throughout the years, Valentine's Day has evolved into a day for romance and love. It is an opportunity to share small tokens of love with the special people in your life. For some more information on the history of Valentine's Day, check out this video from History Channel.