Flower meanings gave me a renewed inspiration

A few days ago, a family came into my shop asking for special flowers.  Sadly, their Husband and Step Father had just passed away.  These kind people had tremendous hurt in their hearts that I could feel just by looking into their faces.

They had a special request that caught me off guard.  The variety of flowers really wasn't important to them.  What was important was the Language the flowers represented.  As a person passionate about Floristry, I knew what some of the traditional flowers represented.  However, I wasn't able to encompass a body of flowers that would appropriately represent what these people felt for their loved one.

I tracked down a book that I had purchased many, many years ago.  "The Language of Flowers, Symbols and Myths" by Marina Heilmeyer published by Prestel.

The following is what I found, which was perfect for the family.

With this particular arrangement for Dr. Peace,

The floral meanings were significant to the Family.

We thought you would appreciate them too.

The Iris – Inspiration, Faith, Remembrance Forever

The Sunflower – Adoration

The Larkspur – Beautiful Spirit

The Red Rose – Love

The Magnolia – Dignity, Authority

The Delphinium – Boldness

The Calla Lily – Regal

The Ginger – Proud

The Stock – Everlasting Symbol of a Happy Life

The Daisy – The Love Flower

The Carnation – Bravery, Love, Friendship

The Tulip – Symbol of Importance

 

Needless to say, I learned a lot from this research.  I have a renewed passion for not only my flowers but the meaning they represent.

 

The Author
Marina Heilmeyer is a botanist and art historian working for the Botanical Museum in Berlin, Germany.  She is the author of the botanical commentary to the highly acclaimed work Maria Sibylla Merian: New Book of Flowers, also published by Prestel.

 

Kelly Butts and Anthony Wahlheim

http://www.anthonykelly.ourwedding.com/view/7291407215753776/6172951
Just finished my final consult with my bride, Kelly Butts.  Its going to be a fun wedding.  Technology is so amazing.  Kelly and I basically planned her entire wedding using email, Facebook and Pintrist.  Never, ever thought that would happen.  Originally when this process began, I thought that consulting this way would be impersonal and not work.  To my surprise, it was completely the opposite.  When Kelly came in today from Louisiana, I felt like I already knew her.  And our meeting went really well.  The flowers are going to amazing from the centerpieces for the rehearsal dinner at McAdoo's to the wedding and reception and the Hideout on the Horseshoe.

Floral Blankets a.k.a. Floral Aisle Runners

 I have a bride that I met with this past Sunday.  Her wedding is going to be outside on the banks of a River in our town.  Quaint, historic and romantic.  While we were working out the details of the ceremony location...  it occurred to me how fabulous it would be to see an aisle full of petals.  I'm not talking about your average popping the heads off 100 roses and scattering them lightly up and down the aisle.  I'm talking about creating a piece of art that goes down the aisle.  A true show stopper.  I was surprised when I got back to the studio and started googling floral aisle runners, that there wasn't much out there.  Well, let me clarify.  There was a lot out there, just not what I was envisioning.  So I spent more time researching.  When eurika...  I found it.  I couldn't believe it...  There they were in all their glory.  I was only able to find one place that has perfected this look that I had envisioned.  I am sure there are more out there but this was the most comprehensive group that I found.  The Company's name is Events by Show Stoppers...  They are located in Sedona.  Isn't that amazing...  Exactly what I said the look should be...  A Show Stopper. 

This is their site.  http://eventsbyshowstoppers.com

 I highly encourage you to take a look.  They even have a youtube video of the making one. 

http://youtu.be/QGrOjw7zprs .  Truly amazing and totally inspiring.    I hope that you've enjoyed looking at these pieces of art as much as I have.  While this is amazing and certainly over the top, sadly, I don't really see the Brides in our area going for the expense to obtain this look.

Foot Surgery.Valentine

In the latter part of December, I reluctantly had foot surgery.  It turned out to be a much more serious surgery than any of us anticipated.  I had bone spurs that needed fixing.  A bunion that was crazy out of control.  An over rotation problem at my ankle which caused a flat foot issue.  With all of that being fixed, my Achilles tendon had to be cut so that my foot could move again.  Wow... right!!

At first it was great....  drugged, getting waited on hand and foot (no pun intended), no work.  Now its just "when is it going to be over already".  I distinctly remember being told by my doctor before surgery that I'd be walking in 6 weeks.  Imagine my surprise when at the 6 week appointment, he tells me another 6 weeks on my scooter, then 2 weeks on crutches.....  then he would consider allowing me to

to walk unassisted..  So I asked the doctor.. "why didn't you tell me it was going to take so long to recover.  He simply stated "because you probably wouldn't have had the surgery."  HUMMMMM.  I wanted to jump off the exam table and open up a can of whoop @$*ss on him.  I decided it was in the best interest of my foot and my doctor that I didn't react that way.  So.. off I scoot for another 6 weeks.  In the meantime we had this little Holiday called VALENTINE'S....  Oh dear.  The stories I could tell.  Thousands of flowers to be processed, hundreds of orders to be taken, prepared and delivered.  My staff was amazing.  My friend Shawn came in from Wisconsin to help.  That was major fun.  It was the best Holiday yet.  But.... we were discussing my foot not Valentine's...                                Well, I did have a foot incident during

Valentine's.  It was late Sunday night, we had already worked crazy hours...  I was by the delivery table when I decided to rocket back to the design room.  Not so good for me.  My scooter dumped along with me.  Instinct took over and I pushed down with my bad leg..  Re injury..... longer recovery.  Disappointment.  More time away from my home (which I can't go to because there are steps in the front of my house and the back of my house).  Its interesting how those things start to matter when you've had this kind of surgery.  No driving, no motorcycle riding, no independence.
Well, I digress...  This is all I really wanted to discuss today.  I'll keep you all posted on the progress.

Mistletoe and a Small Act of Kindness

The last few weeks have been crazy. I've been focused on getting the store ready for Christmas. And any of you in the floral industry know how hectic that can be. Daily orders, flowers ordered and processed, photoshoots, weddings, bridal appointments, Christmas decoration appointments, Christmas decoration preparation, Christmas installations, proposals, more flowers processed.... whew. And that's just to scratch the surface.

Tonight, after the store closed and everybody left for the day, I was in my office feverishly working on finishing a very special bridal proposal.. when suddenly... the front door bells jingled alerting me that some one had just walked in... I grumbled to myself and internally was kicking myself because I had forgot to lock the front door!!!!

I left my office and went to the front to greet the person who strolled in after hours. It was a young girl, probably in her early 20's looking for mistletoe. She explained that her boyfriend was flying in tonight, all the way from Africa. It had been quite some time since she had seen him. She wanted to take mistletoe to hang over his head for their first kiss.

Needless to say... my heart melted. I stopped everything, including my bad attitude and began making phone calls. Calls to my mother, my sister, Walmart, Tractor Supply, New Braunfels Feed, Hobby Lobby.. the calls went on and on and on... 20 plus calls. I finally found her mistletoe.... She cried and I cried.

A simple act of making phone calls made this young girl's dream come true. Her boyfriend's homecoming from Africa is going to be perfect. I had touched somebody's life. I realize that this small act of kindness isn't really a big deal in the scheme of all things worldly. But it made me realize that even the smallest efforts can make someone else's life better while at the same time put the insanity of every day life back into perspective.. A lesson well learned this Holiday Season.

Weihnachtsmarkt, What and Why...

Weihnachtsmarkt translated from German means Christmas Market. 

At this time every year, there is a Weihnachtsmarkt in New Braunfels Texas to benefit The Sophienburg Museum and Archieves.  Treat yourself to a shopping extravaganza with unique decorations, specialty items, fabulous gifts and antiques. Select from a wide array of retail merchants and artisans.

http://www.sophienburg.com/weihnachtsmarkt
WHAT IS THE SOPHIENBURG?


In 1845 Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels and a group of emigrants set out from Germany to find a new home in Texas. The Prince chose a site on the Comal River because of its abundant water, lush vegetation, and "a good omen." There he and his band of pioneers founded New Braunfels.

For his personal home Prince Carl chose a hill overlooking the beginnings of the town and began his plan to build a castle on the site. His home was to be called Sophienburg — Sophie's Castle — for his fiancée, Lady Sophia, Princess of Salm-Salm. However, when he returned to Germany to bring Sophia to Texas, she refused to leave. In a move that baffles native Texans to this day, Prince Carl chose his fiancée over Texas and stayed in Germany to marry Sophia. He never returned to Texas.

Today, the Sophienburg Museum and Archives resides on the hill chosen long ago by Prince Carl.

For the last couple of years at the Weihnachtsmarkt, The Sophienburg Archieves group has started a competition.  They asked all of the local flower shops to donate centerpieces to decorate Sophie's Cafe.  The attendees of the Weihnachtsmarkt are able to vote on their favorite centerpiece.  The centerpieces are then auctioned off at the end of the Christmas market.  This year not only are attendees able to vote, but Facebook friends can cast their votes as well.

There are our designs....
Design Number 1

Design Number 6

If you're interested...  Copy this url into your browser.   http://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=a.259669170747650.63151.100001137086203&type=3.   Check out all of the designs and vote for your favorite.  We hope you will select ours, numbers 1 and 6. Voting ends Sunday, November 20th at 5:00 p.m.

Danny Engesser and Kari Bassett

I met with the greatest couple today...  say Hello to Danny and Kari!!  They are in town meeting with vendors for their upcoming wedding...  Congratulations and welcome to New Braunfels!!!! It was so wonderful that Danny was part of our consultation.  In my experience, it is rare that the groom-to-be has time or wants to be part of the wedding planning.  I was tickled when he said that he was having a great time running around with Kari and her Mom, Kathy.  Danny and Kari are coming to us from Iowa...  OMG... tons of snow to the heat of South Texas....  All should be comfortable with an early March 2012 wedding.  Once we started talking, I was soooooooooo happy to discover that Kari is going to be one of my "outside the box" brides...  We love those kinds of brides here at blumen-meisters...  Wait until you see what we came up with.  A one of a kind bridal bouquet for sure.  Danny and Kari got engaged in Dublin, Ireland.  It was a very exciting story to hear.  Talk about one of a kind, take a look at Kari's engagement ring.  WOW... Beautiful....  I will keep you posted as we continue to plan for their March 3, 2012 nuptials.    

Weekend of renewal

This has been my first full weekend off in months. Saturday started out as a struggle. A slow start to the enjoyment of what was supposed to be free time. I woke up to disaster all around... Dust clinging to cobwebs falling from the ceiling dancing the waltz in a make believe ballroom. Worn clothes stacked in a corner which seemed to be a mile high.. For a moment, I could have sworn the jolly green giant threw a pea at me from the top. A step out side revealed dried up plants that didn't survive our brutal heat this summer, brown leaves and fallen acorns piled around the corners of the pool. The winds had shaped and molded them into fluffy folds that bordered the shape of the pool which reminded me of a mink stole wrapped around a grand dame. Then, the biggest heartache came when I turned the corner of the storage shed and found dirt, dust and other unmentionables hanging off my beloved harley davidson. Her shiny parts frowned and I could hear her battery that sorely needed a charging. To say I was a bit overwhelmed would be an understatement. It took some time and a lot of help and understanding from my family, but we got down to it and got the place back in shape. It has been a renewal of sorts. My passion is my love of flowers and my family. This renewal has given me inspiration to find my balance of passion for flowers, family, business and home.

I was also fortunate to find some time to google my favorite designers from around the country and world. Their blogs are filled with so much fabulous information. I thank each and every one of you for sharing your knowledge of floristry and passion for what you do.

Finally, I'm off to the New Braunfels Blues Society Jam at Oma Gruene's Secret Garden. My slow start has blossomed into a full weekend of renewal and growth. Life is good.

Some of my philosophy

Most people who don't work directly with flowers don't realize that each individual stem has been prepared and hand placed into the final product, often with painstaking care. This is where artistry and passion for the work comes in. So if you're willing to try design, just take your time, judge your efforts kindly, and watch your skills blossom.

Creating Your Own Bouquet Tips

The following ideas indicate how adhering to a few basics will influence you as you create your own bouquets.

1. In their natural state, flowers are not usually packed together tightly, so try to make arrangements full but loose, with petals, leaves and tendrils extending below and beyond their containers.

2. So many flowers look perfectly stunning by themselves, without any addition whatsoever; add others only when you want to enhance specific colors and create different textures.

3. Rather than mixing colors uniformly throughout a bouquet, make small clusters of each shade and place them alongside one another: the large blocks of color will compliment each other more fully.

4. Use the flower's own leaves if they're long lasting or try to find greenery that has some resemblance to the flower's own, to echo its apparance in nature.

5. Each addition to an arrangement should have a purpose. If you have only a few flowers, it's better to make an exquisite small bouquet rather than adding filler to make it look bigger.

6. Don't cut flowers to fit a vase - instead, choose the vase that best suites the blossom.

Look to the Flower for Inspiration

Just as the best tomatoes and strawberries come in summer, one learns that the fullest tulips appear in Spring. Garden roses at their most fetching in May, June and July. Knowing that lilacs will appear for only a few scant weeks has made more than one bride set her wedding date for that time, because she wants to recall their delicate scent on each anniversary. Which flower is your favorite and why does it inspire you??????

THE OSCARS....... They are almost here!

If you're anything like me, you relish this time of year. The Oscars are right around the corner. I am fascinated each year by the hype, fashion and lovely floral decor on that very special night.

Mark Held, of Mark's Garden in Los Angeles, has been designing the florals and tablescapes for the Oscar's Ball for nearly two decades. He says this year, "he took a more whimsical approach than in the past." Each table will be unique, but Held is incorporating metallic accents, feathers, tropical leaves, and exotic orchids — along with cabaret lamps and candles— into the designs. He's also focusing on three different color combinations: blue and purple, amber and red, and green and amber. Held says if you'd like to emulate one of his creations at home, it's all about contrast. He says, "I would say you should do something with a few small pieces rather than one, because that's what we're doing on every table. So take three small vases and put a different kind of flower in each one, and make the whole table one color . . . and then incorporate some candles with it, and that will add the ambiance and atmosphere."

So, if you're like me and hosting an Oscar party. Take it from the experts and incorporate multiple components.... it's easy and definitely more interesting.

LIGHTS! CAMERA! ACTION!!!!!

**hey, were's the popcorn!!**

Flowers make special days even happier!

Life gives us moments that make us happy like celebrating a birthday, welcoming a new little one into the world or your Best friend gets a new job after being laid off for a year! You are happy and you want to celebrate! Well... send flowers they add a special festive flair to these happy occasions. The flowers this time of year are just beautiful. Share them with someone who will enjoy them!!!!!!

Mother's Day

DON'T FORGET YOUR MOM..... Mother's Day is Sunday, May 9th


We have great specials, call us (800) 554-0359
(830) 629-1604

7th Annual Wein and Saengerfest

From Flowers to Wine

SHERI JENTSCH - blumen-mesiters FLOWER MARKET
Truly a creative spirit, Sheri Jentsch is a florist in heart and soul. As the owner of blumen-meisters Flower Market she follows her passion for flowers and gardening by transforming emotions into floral design. Come and experience floral design as never before seen.


I have been invited to conducted a presentation at the 7th Annual Wein and Saengerfest this weekend, May 1st. The theme of my presentation will be turning flowers to wine... COOL STUFF, right???

Stop by and try our free samples..... 4:00 p.m. Castell and San Antonio Street


www.weinandsaengerfest.com

New Braunfels Farm to Market

blumen meisters Flower Market offers fresh cut flowers and plants for sale each week at the New Braunfels Farm to Market on Castell Street in downtown New Braunfels, Texas. blumen meisters specializes in unique flowers and plants selected for their quality and freshness. Plants such as passion vine, ZZ plant, pandora, Lipstick plants, mexican fine, succulents, King Tutt are available. Flowers are available by the stem or arranged in European hand-tied bouquets perfect as a grab-and-go item or a hostess gift that can simply be placed in a vase without the need to be arranged.

We believe "every house deserves fresh flowers" so come by and put together a beautiful bouquet and simply enjoy!

Come see us at the Friensenhaus Parking Lot.

Hours SATURDAY 9:00 - 1:00