Florabundance Inspirational Design Days

On January 28th, I was 1 of 38 guests welcomed to the beautiful Dos Peublos Ranch in Santa Barbara, California.  I was fortunate enough to be able to attend the 1st Annual Inspirational Design Days sponsored by Florabundance.  The speakers were Holly Heider Chapple (www.thefullbouquetblog.com), Ian Prosser, AIFD (www.botanicaflorist.com); Alicia Schwede and Chuck Graham (www.flirtyfleurs.com), Tricia Fountaine (www.triciafountaine.com).

My journey began on Sunday, January 27th.  I flew into LAX, rented a car and started my drive up the Pacific Coast Highway to Santa Barbara. 

It was quite an experience negotiating through Los Angeles traffic.  I felt like a tight ball of nerves with a death grip on the steering wheel.  Once I was done playing Speed Racer, I exited the highway at the Santa Monica Mountains.  It was just like being in Big Bend.  Amazing.  When I finally reached the Pacific Ocean, I couldn't believe the beauty.  What I saw was just like in every picture that I've ever seen of this area.  Rugged mountain cliffs sliding on to graveled medians connected to paved highway and just on the other side, cliffs that drop off into deep blue seas, waves crashing against them.  I didn't believe it existed until that very moment.

The sides of the Pacific Coast Highway were packed with cars..  stacked on top of each other.  All wanting to get to the pristine beaches.  I didn't blame them. 

I stopped in Carpinteria for my first night.  Carpinteria is a quaint little city right outside of Santa Barbara that reminded me so much of Port Aransas.  I stopped at a beach side café  and had my first beer.  Life didn't get any better than that at that moment. 

The next day I headed off to Santa Barbara, and landed at the Fess Parker Doubletree Hotel...  it was to be my home base for the next few days. 

 

It was a pretty amazing place.  It was hard to leave when my visit came to an end. 

It was finally time for the purpose of  my trip...  The 1st Annual Inspirational Design Days.

Day one greeted us with a tour of Florabundance’s Carpinteria based location. After a tour of their location the participants boarded a trolley and headed out to Dos Pueblos Ranch.
This is what greeted us upon arrival:

Amazing interior of the Dos Pueblos Ranch barn, filled with rows and rows of gorgeous floral product by Florabundance.

 

 

 me and Alicia Schwede

me and Chuck Graham

Ian Prosser...  I've never met a more gracious man...

 

me and Holly Heider Chapple...  AWESOME...

  Ok...  this last one, not so great a picture but I put it in here because I want to memorialize meeting these industry leaders that I have tremendous respect for and have learned so much from through the years.   You may notice that I'm wearing the same clothes in all of these pictures...  I swear that I had a change of clothes between all the days of the conference.  Long story......

It amazed me how all of these professionals were so gracious and so willing to pass on information about business so that we could learn and grow.  It was overwhelming and I was so fortunate to be a part of this magical time.

Some of our creations!!!

The Elegant Ceremony Team showing off their creation – WOW, ladies!!

The Rustic Chuppah Team – gorgeous use of color, ladies!!

 

Holly lead the ladies in a session on how to create a tablescape for a farm style long table. All of us got to enjoy the creation later that night when we all gathered at the table for a fantastic dinner.

Joost thanking everyone for participating in the first Florabundance Inspirational Design Days.

 

Some of this post and some of the photos are by Alicia Schwede of Flirty Fleurs.  Finally, I want to mention all of the participants and sponsors that made this event a huge success.  This list was compiled by Alicia Schwede.

 

Tricia Fountaine & Dos Pueblos Ranch

Zohe Felici & Event Production

Presenters:

Holly Heider Chapple, Holly Heider Chapple Flowers LTD

Ian Prosser AIFD, PFCI, Botanica Events

Alicia Schwede & Chuck Graham, Flirty Fleurs

Kelly Oshiro, SB Chic

Graphic Design by Christine Cowles

Sponsors:

Alexandra Farms Garden Roses

Floral Supply Syndicate

Holex

Katie Noonan / Tolosa Vineyard

Mon Cheri Bridal Wear

Myriad Flowers

Pyramid Flowers

Roseville Farms

Sunburst Farm

Absolutely Fabulous…Glamour on the Go!
Makeup – Adrienne Esposito

Partial sponsors:

Ambient Event Design

Anthony Ybarra, Guitar Music (Tuesday evening beach reception)

Music by The Aurora Ensemble (Wednesday evening)

Pure Joy Catering

Town & Country Event Rentals

 

Random Act of Kindness

Good morning all....  I only have a quick second to write this but something magical just happened in my store.  A very sweet lady came in to the store today to purchase a corsage for her Mother to wear at their Christmas celebrations.  She placed her order for pickup and said that she would pay at that time.  After she left the store, another client of mine came in.   She explained that everyone around her was grumpy and negative.  She was upset because she didn't feel it was right for any one to feel this way during such a magical time of the year.  At that point, she decided to set out and create her own happiness hoping to change the minds of those around her.  As a random act of kindness, she told us that she wanted to pay for the order that the lady before her placed.  She paid for a complete strangers order.  The one who ordered the corsage for her Mother.  We all busted into tears.  That act so proudly effected us, we all busted out in tears.  Our reaction encouraged her to decide for the rest of the week, once a day, where ever she was, that she was going to do the same thing for somebody else.

That my friends is truly what Christmas is about.  It has motivated me to do the same thing for individuals that come into my life.  If we keep paying it forward, maybe we can make a difference in this world.  Merry Christmas to all.

Decorated by blumen-meisters

The Legend of the Poinsettia

Picture provided by www.flirtyfleurs.com

Some time ago, I heard a lovely Christmas story about Maria, a young girl who lived on a poor family farm in a small village in Mexico.  It was a custom in the village to glorify the Christmas season with special events to celebrate the birth of the Christ Child, Jesus.  Everyone took part in the preparations by festively decorating the village church and the piazza in front of it.  Even the children helped by making gifts to give to the Baby Jesus on Christmas Eve.  Maria wanted to make a very special gift.  She had helped her mother before with the loom, so she tried, on her own, to weave a colorful blanket.  But Maria was too inexperienced and the yarns became an entangled mess.  Maria was heartbroken. She wanted so much to be able to march in procession with the other village children, but she had no gift to give to the Christ Child.  Finally it was Christmas Eve!  The villagers gathered in the piazza.  Some whispered that they thought they could hear angels singing tonight.  Everyone was ready.  Holding lit candles, all the villagers began to proceed down the aisle amid joyous music and singing.  All except for Maria, who hid in the shadows, watching with tears in her eyes as the procession to the church started. "I don't have a gift for the Baby Jesus," she sniffled softly.  "I tried and tried to make something beautiful, but instead I ruined it".  Suddenly, Maria heard a voice.  She looked up and saw only a bright star in the sky; it seemed to hover and shine over the village church.  Was it this star that spoke to her?  "Maria" she heard the voice again.  "The Baby Jesus will love whatever you give because it comes from your heart.  Love is what makes any gift special".  With that, Maria stepped out from the shadows.  Nearby she noticed some tall green weeds.  She rushed over and quickly filled her arms with the weeds, covering them with her cape.  Then she ran swiftly to the church.  By the time she arrived, the candles were ablaze and the children were singing as they walked down the aisle carrying their gifts to the Christ Child.  Padre Franceso placed the figure of the baby Jesus in the Manger, with the children's gifts all around it.  Suddenly, Maria was scared when she saw all of those people dressed in such beautiful clothes, and she was dressed so poorly.  She tired to slip behind one of the big pillars, but she was too slow.  Padre Franceso saw her.  "Maria, Maria" he called out.  "Hurry girl, come, bring up your gift!"  Maria was tearful.  She wondered, "Do I run away?"  Do I go forward?  The Padre saw her apprehension and coaxed her more gently, "Maria, come up here and see the Baby Jesus.  There is a space left for one more gift."  Before she could think, Maria found herself walking down the main aisle of the church. "What is Maria carrying under her cape?" the villagers whispered.  "Where is her gift?"  Padre Franceso stepped down from the altar and walked with maria to the Christmas creche.  Maria bowed her head and said a prayer then opened her cape and let the weeds tumble out.  Voices gasped, "LOOK! Look at those glorious flowers!"  Startled, Maria opened her eyes.  She was stunned.  For each weed was now topped with a flaming, bright, star red bloom.  And outside, too, every weed now bore a bright red star bloom.  Maria's love had created a miracle.  That miracle is the Poinsettia.

This is an amazing story at such a sad time.  There is so much violence surrounding us....  the shooting in Connecticut.  A violent accident that took the life of my friend Tanner Wagner.  There is so much pain but there will be miracles, such as Maria's.  Never lose hope and always look for your miracle.

Thank you Texas State Florist Association (TSFA) for sharing this story.