Dragged Into Cyberspace Kicking and Screaming

Alright, alright, I will make an effort to join the rest of my generation and start a blog. What makes this blog about the adventures of a thirty something florist any different from the thousands of other flower blogs? Nothing.  Absolutely nothing.  I would love to say I am an evil floral genius, poised to take over the world one stem at a time but I am not.  I am just a girl who would rather slave over the menial tasks of cleaning up the shop, washing buckets and comparing prices by night just so I can create something beautiful or make a wedding day special during the day.  That sounds way cheesy but weddings make me cheesy. And for some reason I feel the need to share it all with the world.

  There is something to be said for all of the hoopla of a wedding.  The atmosphere is usually accompanied by spectacular scenery or amazing architecture, guests and participants usually take a shower and run a comb through their hair, and love is in the air.  The bride and groom stand in front of their friends and family and profess their undying love for one another, vow to spend the rest of their lives together and have the glow if two people so happy and in love.  It is all so cheesy and it makes one believe there is still something pure and good in this world.

   I am relatively new to the wedding floral industry but have been a florist for seven years, having worked for my Sister-in-law in the retail floral business.  We have done weddings but I want to get a bigger piece of the wedding pie.  I am of the opinion that I employ two of the best designers on God's green earth and I need the world to know.  I watch Oprah, I have seen what some of those high falutin florist do and I am of the opinion that Reno, Lake Tahoe and the surrounding areas deserve Oprah flowers.  Spectacular, creative and the perfect accompaniment to someone's perfect day.

           So enough with the fluffy wedding cheesiness, let's get to the real reason anyone starts a blog, to talk about themselves.  Like I said, I have been in the business for seven years, having purchased Alie's Flowers & Gifts from my sister-in-law almost two years ago.  I had been looking for a way to work long hours for very little money and I found it.  The great part about my job is the creative aspect and of course the fact that I can proclaim that I am the boss and that my way goes.  Not that The Girls pay any attention to me but I can proclaim my rank nonetheless.  I think outside the box and like to think I come up with some pretty beautiful creations that are not average.
   Aah, The Girls, how I heart them so.  Holly and Meaghan are a mother/daughter duo I picked up in Wichita while attending a floral convention in '86.  Actually, Holly came with the place and Meaghan joined the team a little after I started and I was 8 in '86 but I really want to take credit for these two amazing designers.  They are fantastic at what they do and they love what they do.  Sure, they complain like a couple of four-year-olds but at the end of the day, they don't want to have to report to an office either.  Holly is the one we have to watch, if I let her, she would burn the place down without Meaghan or I there to supervise her.  She started with Alie's 15 years ago and we can't seem to get rid of her.  She threatens to retire, I threaten to jump off a bridge if she does and the whole thing gets swept under the rug for another day.  Her designs are contemporary, creative and crazy enough to be cute.  She is my mentor and well, she had Meaghan for the sole purpose of continuing a floral legacy so there you go.  If I can ever figure out how to post pictures on this new fangled contraption I will put a picture of their smiling faces up for all to see.

    Then there is Meaghan.  Meaghan is a foul mouthed former punk rock kid that makes the most delicate, fantastic designs.  She sometimes forgets to comb he hair but Holy Mackerel she creates some really feminine, beautiful bouquets.  You really need to see her corsage bows too, they look like Cinderella's mice crept in and worked all night they are so small.  All kidding aside, she is the cog in the Alie's machine that makes it run as smoothly as it does.  She does the boring stuff like paperwork and she organizes like no other.  Anything from office supplies to vases, she can't help but make the shop a big ball of organized chaos. 

   If anyone has stuck around long enough to get to this point, Thanks.  I hope to be able to put some poignant and cohesive thoughts together for future posts but I feel like the first blog has so many directions to go.  I want you all to like me so I need to talk about how awesome I am so you will come back but I also need you to know what we are all about and how awesome our flowers are so you will feel like your time is well spent and you come back.  Seriously, quit putting so much pressure on me.