FLOWER FLASH [Event News]

Business Quote 1/31/2012

"Over the years, the U.S. economy has shown a remarkable ability to absorb shocks of all kinds, to recover, and to continue to grow. Flexible and efficient markets for labor and capital, an entrepreneurial tradition, and a general willingness to tolerate and even embrace technological and economic change all contribute to this resiliency."                                                                                       

                                                                     Ben Bernanke

Ben Bernanke Biography (Ben Shalom Bernanke): Federal Reserve Chairman
Famous for : being the chairman of the United States President's Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) and taking over the position of Chairman of the Board of Governors of the United States Federal Reserve (Fed Reserve Chairman) from Alan Greenspan.Bernanke details : Born - December 13, 1953 Georgia, USA / Lives - United States of America

Services for Small Business -SCORE Ken Yancey

SCORE is a nonprofit association dedicated to educating entrepreneurs and helping small businesses start, grow, and succeed nationwide. SCORE is a resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and has been mentoring small business owners for more than forty years.
SCORE is a valuable network of 13,000+ volunteers who offer small business entrepreneurs confidential business counseling services at no charge. SCORE volunteers have the knowledge and experience to help any small business owner get the help they need. Our dedicated volunteers represent over 270,000 years of experience across 62 industries.
SCORE also provides local workshops and events throughout the country to connect small business owners with the people and information they need to start, grow, and maintain their businesses, as well as online workshops available 24/7. SCORE provides resources, templates and tools to assist entrepreneurs in developing tools and plans they need to navigate their way to small business success.
Founded in 1964, SCORE is headquartered in Herndon, VA and has 364 chapters throughout the United States and its territories, with over 13,000 volunteers nationwide

Business Quote of the Day 1/30/2012

"I feel sorry for the person who can't get genuinely excited about his work. Not only will he never be satisfied, but he will never achieve anything worthwhile."

Walter Chrysler

Walter Chrysler Biography (Walter Percy Chrysler) : Chrysler Corporation Founder
Famous for : Being the founder of the Chrysler Corporation and for amassing an important collection of art.
Chrysler details : Born - April 2, 1875 Kansas, USA / Died August 18, 1940 - United States of America

FLORAL FLASH [Event News]

Floral Couture

Valentine Couture-A Romantic Experience
Enjoy an evening with your sweetheart over Champagne, Chocolate Dipped Stawberries, Camicakes and candlight, while creating beautiful Valentine arrangements for each other to enjoy. February 11th, 6:30pm-8:30pm

Business Quote of the Day 1/29/2012

"Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve."

Mary Kay Ash

Mary Kay Ash (born Mary Kathlyn Wagner) Biography : Business woman and founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics
Famous for : Creating a cosmetics empire and empowering other women to succeed
Kay Ash details : Born - May 12, 1915 Texas, USA Died - 2001

“Get back on board, dammit!”

Darren Hardy, Publisher of SUCCESS Magazine
http://darrenhardy.success.com/2012/01/get-back-on-board-dammit/

Those were the words of Italian Coast Guard Gregorio de Falco to Captain Francesco Schettino while he was abandoning his ship, leaving 4,200 people on board to perish (at least 12 died).

When you “mess up” and difficulty strikes, how do you handle it?

Do you take responsibility, do whatever it takes to make it right, step up and take action (like the Coast Guard)… or do you shirk responsibility, leave the scene of the disaster you created and start looking for someone else to blame (like the Captain)?

The translated exchange between the Captain and Coast Guard is transcribed below. In parenthesis are examples of excuses we might use in our daily lives for not taking responsibility for common failures.

(This isn’t what I envisioned for my life. But I don’t really want to change, please…)

Captain: Please …

Coast Guard: There is no ‘please’ about it. Get back on board.

(But I send out résumés, I leave messages for my prospects, I mail letters…)

Captain: I am here to coordinate the rescue.

Coast Guard (interrupting): What are you coordinating there! Get on board! Coordinate the rescue from on board!

(It’s not my job, the president is supposed to fix it, when Monday comes…)

Captain: (inaudible)… there is another lifeboat…

Coast Guard (interrupting, yelling): You get back on board! That is an order! There is nothing else for you to consider. Now I am giving the orders. Get back on board, dammit! Is that clear? Don’t you hear me?

Captain: I am going aboard.

(The market is down, no one is hiring, our industry is in a recession…)

Captain: Look, chief, I want to go aboard but the other lifeboat here has stopped and is drifting. I have called …

Coast Guard (interrupting): You have been telling me this for an hour! Now, go aboard! Get on board!

The Captain never returned to the ship. According to the harbor master’s office, which notes the final exchange as occurring at 1:46 a.m., Capt. Schettino sought refuge on a rock at 12:30 a.m. Witnesses said he did not return to the ship to run the rescue operations, which went on until 6 a.m.

Tweet from an Italian boy named Salvatore Garzillo: “The next time someone asks me what I want to be when I grow up I am going to say: ‘a man like De Falco.’”

I’ve fallen off my diet. Get back on board!

I haven’t made my prospecting calls. Get back on board!

I haven’t been tracking my new success behaviors. Get back on board!

I stopped using the Living Your Best Year Ever Weekly Rhythm Register. Get back on board!

I’ve missed our weekly date night. Get back on board!

I haven’t been praising my team like I said I would. Get back on board!

I skipped a couple of workouts. Get back on board!

I’m off track on my goals. Get back on board!

Whatever mistakes you have made, how ever you have messed up, no matter what disaster your results might be right now, have Coast Guard Gregorio de Falco’s voice ring in your head, “Get back on board, dammit!”

Business Quote of the Day 1/29/2012

About the time we can make the ends meet, somebody moves the ends.
Herbert Hoover 



http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_business.html#ixzz1kgAFnfdj

How Much Does a Florist Make in a Year?

http://www.ehow.com/info_7770354_much-florist-make-year.html

A florist uses flowers -- fresh, dried and artificial -- to create aesthetically-pleasing displays. These can range from small bouquets to the decoration of an event venue, such as for a wedding reception. It is a job that requires creative flair, sound knowledge of flowers and their maintenance, and physical stamina. A florist's salary expectations depend upon a number of variables.

1. Average Salary

   • Data published by PayScale in January 2011 placed the average yearly salary for a florist working in the United States to be between $19,058 and $28,932. This translates into a monthly income of $1,588 to $2,411 or an hourly rate of $8.94 to $13.30.

   Salary by Experience

   • PayScale also found large variations in the salary a florist could hope to achieve depending upon her experience in the field. It listed the average salary for florists with between one and four years in the trade as $19,200 to $32,000. Those who had between 10 and 19 years under their belts would have broader expectations, stretching from $15,871 to $50,000. With 20 years or more behind her, a florist could expect between $20,226 and $43,000.

     Salary by Employer
   • A second significant element of a florist's situation that PayScale analyzed was the type of employer she worked for. There are two main types of employment for florists in the United States -- companies and self-employment. PayScale lists the average salaries for these, as of January 2011, as $22,500 to $33,433 and $15,203 to $45,000, respectively.

   Salary by Location

   • Career information website BestSampleResume analyzed average salary data for florists by state. Among the highest-paying states were Mississippi ($27,000), the District of Columbia ($26,000) and New York ($25,000). Among the lowest-paying states were Louisiana ($16,000), Hawaii ($17,000) and Idaho ($17,000).

Read more: How Much Does a Florist Make in a Year? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/info_7770354_much-florist-make-year.html#ixzz1kPZRwPRw

New Tools Make it Easier to Build a Facebook Fan Page

ShortStack offers hungry businesses a lumberjack breakfast's range of Facebook page options.

BY Gwen Moran | January 11, 2012|

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/222466

There's nothing tiny about the power of a short stack--or of the DIY Facebook page builder ShortStack. Both the pancake order and its namesake company deliver results that won't devour your budget. The programmers behind ShortStack specialized in building Facebook apps before deciding to focus on a DIY service for business users.

"We saw an opportunity for Joe from Joe's Pizza to use this thing and make himself his own Facebook page," says Jim Belosic, ShortStack's CEO and co-founder. "It's kind of like WordPress for Facebook."Graphic designer John Kwon started using the tool when it was in its beta version last October. While he had little coding experience, within a month he was able to start developing Facebook pages for his clients--a service that's added 30 percent to the annual revenue of his Lomita, Calif.-based social media branding, design and marketing firm, Social Mediarts.
"It's even brought in clients who are social media marketers themselves," he says. "We do the design and hand it off to them to run with. This is something I never would have been able to offer."

ShortStack users can develop an unlimited number of custom tabs with themed content and, with more than two dozen widgets on tap, add Flash content, Google Maps, polls and product suggestions. Businesses can also offer browsers extra incentive to "like" their page by serving up just-for-fans content once they click on through.

Because the ShortStack team is completely focused on all things Facebook, they also keep up-to-date on the latest terms of service, making it easy to launch a contest or sweepstakes that won't get Facebook staffers' knickers in a twist. Contest information is not submitted to Facebook, but to the sponsoring company via the form, and notifications must be made outside of Facebook's communication channels. ShortStack also allows users to program content to refresh pages regularly. While ShortStack counts major brands including Volvo and Samsung among its clients, the service's easy-to-use interface and low price were designed to attract smaller businesses, Belosic says.

Companies with fewer than 2,000 "likes" get a free ride. Once the fan counter ticks past 2,000, a tiered pricing structure applies, ranging from $15 per month for up to 25,000 users to $300 per month for an unlimited number of users and support.

This article was originally published in the January 2012 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: Belly Up to the Widget Buffet.

How to nominate someone to decorate the White House for Christmas

By Beth Greene, eHow Contributor

http://www.ehow.com/how_7804832_nominate-decorate-white-house-christmas.html

Decorating the White House for Christmas started with President Benjamin Harrison and his family in 1889 when they decorated the first indoor Christmas tree used by the first family. Though not all first families since Harrison have had a Christmas Tree, it has been an uninterrupted tradition since the Hoover administration.Today, hundreds of volunteers come from around the country to help the first family decorate the White House for Christmas. For so many of these individuals, it is a dream come true. In addition to florists and garden club members, 100 volunteers are selected every year from thousands of requests received by the White House. Are you or someone you know interested in volunteering to decorate the White House for Christmas? Here are some suggestions that might help you secure an invitation.

Outline a letter explaining your nomination.

1. Create a list with the reasons why a certain individual should be nominated. For example, this person may embody the spirit of Christmas, give selflessly of herself to a charity or the community or it could just be a lifelong dream. This list of reasons will form the backbone of your letter.
2. Explain your relationship to this person in the letter to establish the connection between you and your nominee. If the nominee has provided you with particular guidance or inspiration, these details would also be appropriate to add.
3. Include the contact information for you and your nominee. This way, the White House will know how to contact the nominee if selected. The White House does ask for an e-mail address if available.

Address the letter to a specific individual at the White House.

1. Decide to whom you should send the letter. Different volunteers have had success sending their letters to various people who work in the White House. Be specific so that the letter does not get lost among the rest of the mail going to the White House. The following steps provide some contacts you can use. 
2. Address your letter to the White House social secretary. In 2010, Julianna Smoot became the social secretary for the White House 
3. Address your letter to the White House chief floral designer. In 2010, Laura Dowling became the chief floral designer, following the retirement of Nancy Clarke who held the post for 30 years.
4. Address your letter directly to the First Lady. Since 1929, the responsibility of trimming the White House Christmas Tree has belonged to the First Lady.

Prepare the final draft of your letter.

1. Combine the qualities of the nominee outlined earlier with your personal connection. Clearly state your reason for this nomination at the start of the letter. For example, "Joe would make the perfect volunteer to help decorate the White House for Christmas because of his love of sharing the magic of the holidays with others."
2. Add in your letter any skills this person has that might be useful when decorating the White House. For example, Patrick is a skilled carpenter or Anne works part-time as a florist. As some volunteers have recounted, having such skills are not required to be selected as a volunteer. Nevertheless, it could help with your nomination.
3. Choose if you will send the nomination by e-mail or regular mail. If you chose to send an e-mail message, log onto the White House website (see References) and go to the Contact Us section. If you choose regular mail, send the letter to this address: The White House; 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW; Washington, DC 20500. Address your letter to the attention of a specific individual.

Wait for a reply.

1. Wait for a reply from the White House. There is no set date by which successful volunteers will be notified, although some have received word in October.
2.  Write more than one letter while you are waiting for a response from your initial nomination. Sending in one or two extra letters could help illustrate the sincerity of the nomination.
3. Research transportation options so that your nominee can make plans quickly if he is selected.
4. Apply again next year if you do not get a response or your nominee was not selected.

Read more: How to nominate someone to decorate the White House for Christmas | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_7804832_nominate-decorate-white-house-christmas.html#ixzz1kJJrUJCm

Georgia
State Flower

Cherokee Rose

______________________________________

Fast Facts

• Adopted the Georgia state flower in 1916
• Botanical name: Rosa laevigata
• Commonly called Rosier Blanc de Neige, Snow-White Rose
• Cherokee rose trivia: The choice of the Cherokee rose as the Georgia state flower came at the urging of women's clubs
• Send flowers to Georgia

With its small leaves and petite white blossoms, the Cherokee rose is a beautiful choice as the state flower of Georgia. It grows well throughout the state and thrives in many conditions, including in drought. What's more, the rose is also linked to Georgia's past.

The Cherokee rose is an evergreen climbing shrub that grows to heights of up to 20 feet. Its small, delightful flowers have white petals and yellow centers. They blossom for only brief periods of time in late March and early April, but occasionally, Cherokee rose plants produce a second round of blossoms.

A native of China, the Cherokee rose arrived in the United States sometime in the early to mid 1700s. The plant appeared in gardens in the mid-century in Georgia and was planted by the Native American Cherokee in northern Georgia not long after.

The Georgia state flower is forever linked to U.S. history through the "Trail of Tears," a tragic event in 1838 in which thousands of Cherokee were forced out of Georgia and other lands east of the Mississippi River. According to legend, the path the Native Americans took was dubbed the "trail of tears" because of the tears shed by Cherokee women on the journey. Cherokee chiefs prayed for a sign to give their women hope and the strength to care for their children. It is said that wherever a tear dropped, a Cherokee rose bloomed. The flowers continue to bloom along the path today.

In recent times, the Georgia state flower is associated with more positive memories and opportunities. The rose is used in landscaping throughout the state, though because of its fast-growing nature, gardeners are careful not to let it overtake smaller shrubs.

In addition, the flower is honored through numerous events. Each year, the "Miss Georgia Rose Scholarship Pageant" is organized in Columbus, the "Cherokee Rose Storyteller Festival" takes place in a small town east of Atlanta, and a Cherokee Rose scholarship is handed out by the state's garden association in Athens. Businesses pay tribute to the Georgia state flower as well, including the popular Cherokee Rose Country Club outside of Savannah. More commonly perhaps, Georgia's state flower is simply a beautiful flower enjoyed by countless gardeners and residents across the state!

 

Sources:

Mississippi State University
http://msucares.com/lawn/garden/msgardens/04/040329.html

http://www.proflowers.com/flowerguide/georgia

Nancy Clarke, White House chief florist, dies

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/nancy-clarke-white-house-chief-florist-dies/2012/01/18/gIQAQmyL9P_story.html

(2001 White House photo) - White House florist Nancy Clarke makes preparations for a state dinner. She joined the staff as a volunteer during the Carter administration.

By Emily Langer, Published: January 18

Nancy Clarke, an unflappable artisan who as White House chief florist navigated the tastes of the six presidents and first families she served, died Jan. 14 at a hospital in Richmond. She was 66. She had complications from a respiratory ailment, said her husband Michael Clarke.

Clarke retired in 2009 after more than three decades at the White House and moved to Richmond from Vienna last month. A former flight attendant, she began studying floral design when she was in her 30s and joined the president’s floral staff as a volunteer during the Carter administration.

Fresh flowers, the most ephemeral element of home decor, play a vital role in the aura that presidents and their families create during their time in the White House.

Jacqueline Kennedy favored extravagant bouquets designed in the European tradition. Since the Obamas arrived, the White House has been bedecked in edgy arrangements with surprising touches, such as hot peppers and Brussels sprouts.

In 1985, Mrs. Clarke replaced retiring chief florist Dottie Temple. Mrs. Clarke’s talent, Temple said yesterday in an interview, was her “wonderful sense of color” and “innate sense of proportion and style.”
“Pleasing the first lady,” Mrs. Clarke wrote in a recently released memoir, “was more important to me than anything else.” She learned that Nancy Reagan loved peonies above all other flowers, Barbara Bush liked lavender, Hillary Rodham Clinton admired tropical varieties, and Laura Bush enjoyed more traditional ones. Michelle Obama is partial to forsythia.
A stickler for decorum, Mrs. Clarke arrived at the White House most mornings around 6 — just in time for flower deliveries — and often did her clipping and trimming in a dress suit. Like most White House florists, she worked closely with first ladies on projects including state dinners and Oval Office arrangements.

In 1985, when the Reagans hosted Prince Charles of England, Mrs. Clarke filled vases with hundreds of roses. They can be seen in the background of the memorable photos of John Travolta dancing with Lady Diana, her dark gown swirling around her.

At Christmastime, Mrs. Clarke was involved not only with designing White House floral arrangements, but also with seasonal decorations throughout the property.

Nancy Kay Frisby was born May 14, 1945, in Mundelein, Ill. In the 1970s, she began working at a floral shop in Dayton, Ohio, where her husband had been stationed by the Air Force. She enjoyed the work so much that in 1977 she decided to enroll in the now-defunct Hixson’s School of Floral Design in the Cleveland suburb of Lakewood.

Soon afterward, she and her husband moved to the Washington area. On the suggestion of her instructor at the floral school, she called the White House and offered her services as a volunteer.

Survivors include her husband of 44 years, retired Air Force Col. Michael Clarke of Richmond; two children, Christopher Clarke of Pacifica, Calif., and Suzanne Newton of Richmond; two sisters; and two grandchildren.
Although Mrs. Clarke often catered to the tastes of the first ladies, she did not overlook their husbands. She kept track of President Bill Clinton’s allergies and President George W. Bush’s color preferences.

“For the longest time, we used to keep a bowl of peach-colored roses on Bush Two’s coffee table in the Oval Office,” Mrs. Clarke once told The Washington Post, referring to President George W. Bush. “We changed them to red and that lasted five minutes. We got a call that the president wants the peach roses back.”

She once designed a floral arrangement for Bush’s birthday party. In tribute to his former role as a co-owner of a Texas baseball team, she crafted a baseball made from carnations.

Language of flowers "Roses"

 

Red roses- love.
Yellow- friendship, freedom.
Pale Pink- grace, gentleness, and gratitude.
Light Pink- fun and happiness.

Deep Pink- Thank you

Lilac- the sender has fallen in love at first sight with the recipient and is enchanted.
White- truth and innocence.
Coral- Desire.
Peach- appreciation, gratitude, and also sympathy.
Orange- enthusiasm and desire on the part of the sender.
White Roses + Yellow Roses- A symbol of harmony.
Red Roses + Yellow A message of happiness and celebration.

Red Roses + White Roses- An indication of bonding and harmony.

 Roses-

Five Painless Ways to Raise Prices this Year

http://www.entrepreneur.com/blog/222664?cm_mmc=Newsletters-_-BOTW-_-012012-_-FivePainlessWaystoRaisePricesthisYear

 

BY Carol Tice| January 18, 2012|

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It may sound odd, but small businesses are increasingly handing out pay raises. Unless they're crazy, those business owners probably also plan to either simply sell more units or raise their prices in the coming year to cover that added payroll cost.
Apparently, the pay-raise trend is pretty widespread. A Pepperdine University/Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp. study showed 43 percent of small businesses have already hiked worker pay in the past year, and 42 percent said they plan to raise pay this year. Many workers have no doubt gone several years since 2008 without a raise, and we're at the point where loyal employees who've stuck around need to be rewarded to keep them on board.
This may be a critical time to raise prices for many businesses in any case, as prices are rising or remaining high for many basic materials.
With the economy still so uncooperative, how can you sell customers on a price hike? Here are five ideas:

1.  Phase it in. Let customers know prices are going up next month, or next quarter. Drive some extra sales volume now, and then the party's over and the new price goes into effect. Give clients a chance to buy in volume ahead of time to save money. It feels like a deal, but, sooner or later, customers still end up paying the new price. Personally, I like to give notice of a price hike for my writing business about six weeks before it takes effect, so clients have time to adjust to the idea.
   
   Related: More Small Businesses Plan to Push Up Prices in 2012 
    
2. Offer valued-customer discounts. Take a page from grocery stores and offer one price for your loyal frequent shoppers, and a higher one for occasional users. That way you can start grossing more without alienating your core customer base. Don't make those customers haul around a loyalty card, either -- keep the information on who gets the good prices on file yourself.
    
3. Revamp or repackage old products or services. Add new features, bundle existing products to create a new one or redesign your packaging. Freshen it up, and you've added value -- or at least created the appearance of added value -- and can command a better price for it.
    
4. Introduce new products. One of the biggest problems in retail is the lack of unique products. What can you sell that your competitors don't? Add fresh items that can't be easily price compared and you can charge a better markup on them.
   
   Related: Four Rules for Pricing Products  
    
5. Review and retool your product assortment. Do you know which of your products has the lowest margins, and which has the highest? If not, find out. Then drop slower-moving, low-net products and add more high-end ones. Also review competitors' pricing to see whether some products are priced unnecessarily low. Small, strategic increases on a few popular items can add up quickly, while customers may barely notice the difference

5 Steps to Registering Your Business

http://www.sba.gov/content/5-steps-registering-your-business

Whether you are starting a new business or expanding an existing business, you will need to follow some basic steps to ensure you have all the necessary licenses, permits and registrations needed to legally operate.
1. Determine the Legal Structure of Your BusinessYou must organize your business as a legal entity. There are several options to consider, and all have different legal, financial and tax considerations. The right legal structure for your business depends on a number of factors, including the level of control you want to have, your business' vulnerability to lawsuits and financing needs.
The legal structure you choose will determine further registration requirements. Once you choose a legal structure, you may have to file registration forms with your state and/or local government. The requirements vary from state to state.
Visit the Incorporating Your Business page to learn about choosing a legal structure and where you'll need to go to file the appropriate paperwork.
2. Register Your Business Name"Doing Business As," "DBA," "Assumed Name," and "Fictitious Name" are terms that are used to describe the process of registering a legal name for your business.
By default, the legal name of a business is the name of the person or entity that owns a business. If you are the sole owner of your business, its legal name is your full name. If your business is a partnership, the legal name is the name given in your partnership agreement or the last names of the partners. For limited liability corporations (LLCs) and corporations, the business' legal name is the one that was registered with the state government.
Your business' legal name is required on all government forms and applications, including your application for employer tax identifications, licenses and permits. However, if you want to open a shop or sell your products under a different name, then you may have to file an "assumed name" registration form with your state and local government.
Visit the Registering Your Doing Business As Name guide to learn about the requirements in your state.
3. Obtain Your Federal Tax IDEmployers with employees, business partnerships and corporations, and other types of organizations, must obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. The EIN is also known as an Employer Tax ID and Form SS-4:
U.S. Internal Revenue Service
Phone: 1-800-829-4933
•Guide to the Employer Identification Number
•Apply for an EIN Online
4. Register with Your State Revenue AgencyJust as you must have a Federal Tax ID, you will also need to obtain Tax IDs and permits from your state's revenue agency.
If you plan to sell products and you are required to collect sales taxes, you will likely need to obtain a Sales Tax Permit or Vendor's License from your state or local government (or both).
The State and Local Tax page is a starting point for learning about your state and local tax registration requirements. If you are looking for a specific state or local tax permit or license, use our search engine to find specific state and local tax forms and requirements.
5. Obtain Licenses and PermitsMost businesses are required to obtain some type of business license or permit to legally operate. The vast majority of small businesses will need to obtain a general business license or industry-specific operating permits from state and local government agencies.
Visit the Obtaining Business Licenses and Permits guide to find tools and information to help you obtain all the licenses, permits and registrations you'll need to get started or expand your business.

 

FLORAL QUOTES

Flowers are the sweetest things God ever made, and forgot to put a soul into.  ~Henry Beecher, Life Thoughts, 1858

When you have only two pennies left in the world, buy a loaf of bread with one, and a lily with the other.  ~Chinese Proverb

Flowers don't worry about how the're going to bloom.  They just open up and turn toward the light and that makes them beautiful.    ~Jim Carrey
I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers.  ~Claude Monet

http://www.quotegarden.com/

FLOWER FLASH

Southeastern Flower Show - No show is scheduled for 2012, at Cobb Galleria Centre 2 Galleria Parkway, Atlanta. There will be no show in 2012, as they prepare for the their 25th Flower Show to be presented in 2013


  

How do the big, name-brand companies stay on top?

EntrEntrepreneur.Entrepreneur.cEntrepreneur.com

http://www.entrepreneur.com/blog/222598

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BY Carol Tice| January 11, 2012|

How do the big, name-brand companies stay on top? One answer is innovation. Besides acquiring smaller, innovative companies, most giant brands also put a lot of energy into research and development. So they're constantly testing out new ideas in every element of their business, from marketing strategy to products.
Here are three of latest and greatest ideas that recently caught my eye, which come courtesy of Starbucks, Amazon and USPS:
Starbucks recently opened a portable store in the Seattle area that's made from four stackable shipping containers. The store offers many possibilities. It's moveable like a food truck, but offers a different look and feel. Maybe they could plop it down in different cities, or as a test store in a prospective market. If customers don't come, they could try again a few blocks away.
At the same time, the store makes a statement about Starbucks' commitment to the environment. It's essentially a recycled store. On the exterior reads the company's motto: "regenerate, reuse, recycle, renew, reclaim." It also has a tiny footprint, under 500 square feet.
The company says it may use them in the parking lot while stores are being remodeled or constructed. What a great way to start building your audience before you open.
For its part, Amazon is testing out a new delivery method for its many packages -- PIN-based, self-service lockers they place at a nearby 7-Eleven or other 24/7 convenience store. If you're not home much, you could pop by your locker when it's convenient and keep your packages secure in the meanwhile. They're trying out these lockers in Seattle, New York and London.
USPS likes this idea, too -- they're testing "gopost" parcel lockers outside post offices in Northern Virginia. The lockers enable customers to receive high-value items such as smartphones in a secure way, then retrieve them anytime.
These news twists show how valuable it is to rethink every aspect of your business. Not all new initiatives should be about products or services. It'll be interesting to see how these innovations are received by customers.
.

Floral Definitions

Floral - a design or picture in which flowers predominate

Florist - a person whose job or business is to sell flowers and plants

Arrangement - something made by putting things together and organizing them

Flower - : the part of a plant that is often brightly colored, that usually lasts a short time, and from which the seed or fruit develops;  a cut stem of a plant with its flower ;  the best part of something — used in the phrase the flower

Cross section of a flower: 1 filament, 2 anther, 3 stigma, 4 style, 5 petal, 6 ovary, 7 sepal, 8 pedicel, 9 stamen, 10 pistil, 11 perianth

 Floriculture: the cultivation and management of ornamental and especially flowering plants

 Horticulture: the science and art of growing fruits, vegetables, flowers, or ornamental plants

FLORAL QUOTES

"A rose is the visible result of an infinitude of complicated goings on in the bosom of the earth and in the air above, and similarly a work of art is the product of strange activities in the human mind. "

Clive Bell

"A single rose can be my garden... a single friend, my world."   Leo Buscaglia

 

Don't send me flowers when I'm dead. If you like me, send them while I'm alive.
Brian Clough

 

 

 

 

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/flowers_2.html#ixzz1jA0ZnbQE