We shortened our shop hours from 7pm to 5pm, even though our competitors were open later than we. This allowed (and continues to allow) us to have quality time with family each evening. When we were able to finally hire employees, we sought out individuals with the same qualities and values that we have as a family. We also sought out individuals that added to and improved the family atmosphere of our shop.

Our goal is to have a shop full of people that care about each other and our customers as much as they care about their own families. With big box companies gobbling up whole industries because they make purchases cheap and easy, we are able to do the one thing those companies can’t—treat you like family and offer you beautiful, artistic, unique designs.

Putting family first means offering our employees living wages. We are happier at work and kinder to our families when we get home if we are not stressed about money. We stay with companies longer when we feel valued and cherished. Most of our employees have been here for at least two years. There is so much value in that kind of longevity.

Our front of the house all know that Mrs. W is allergic to eucalyptus and Mr. S likes Ikebana-style arrangements. Our drivers know not to ring the B Sisters doorbell because it makes their dogs go crazy. Just text them, and they’ll slip out to grab the flowers. Casey talked to a long-time customer yesterday who was in a hurry. The call lasted 1 minute and 39 seconds because they knew his wife’s preferences and had all the information needed for a delivery. We’ve also had calls that last a half hour as we talk through options and offer suggestions to ensure we are creating the perfect arrangement for the occasion.

Our prices and delivery fees continue to be very competitive compared to other high-end florists (not Costco)! But the way and reason we structure our prices is founded in sourcing quality long-lasting flowers, supporting local regenerative (#sustainability #grownnotflown) family flower farmers, and putting family first by offering living wages. We continue to see the amazing benefits of this focus in our individual lives, the atmosphere of the shop, the quality of our arrangements, and the family-oriented customer service we extend to our customers. We all make choices to support businesses that focus on qualities and practices that align with our priorities. We hope knowing a bit more about our foundation and priorities reinforces the trust you have put into our wonderful family business!

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Especially for Halloween, it seems like decorations are bigger and bolder this year. Traditional costume parties are being cancelled, and families are concocting socially distanced candy dispensing. With so much being taken away, it’s all about decorating your yard! Walk into any party, craft, or pop-up Halloween store, and the options are endless. There are low-budget items that will easily fill a yard like packs of tombstones , giant spider webs, and home-made ghosts. There are also high-ticket items like animatronic dragons that will have you unsheathing your Valyrian Steel sword.

For Thanksgiving, or if you just want a classic fall look, mums and pumpkins are great options. Lidl has great prices on mums, pumpkins, and flameless candles. Local farms are getting creative this year like the self-driven hayride at Cox Farms. While you’re there, pick up some mums and pumpkins and gourds. Choose a corner next to your front door or the base of your front steps and arrange your bounty wrapped in seasonal ribbons.  My college friend had limited time and budget but came up with this cheery display!

However your family is celebrating this fall, we hope it continues to be full of love and laughter…and lots of fall decorations!

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While we are usually able to get them year round, fall is definitely sunflower season. When I think of fall, I think of Halloween and scarecrows and sunflowers! When I think of fall colors, I think of sunflowers. When I think of fall weekend excursions, I think of visiting sunflower farms. Lately, when I think of baby announcements, I think of the new mom-to-be in the middle of a field of sunflowers. A field full of these bright flowers just oozes joy and laughter and the promise of good things to come.

If you’re dreaming of being surrounded by crisp fall air, brilliant fall colors, and a field of sunshine, here are some farms that you can visit!

Burnside Farms, Nokesville, VA

Fields of Flowers, Purcellville, VA

Snead’s Asparagus Farm, Fredericksburg, VA

Valley View Acres, Middletown, MD

Sunflowers of Lisbon, Woodbine, MD

Happy Fall! As you excursion into fall, we’d love to see your photos like our cover photo courtesy of Ryan Thompson. Just tag us on Facebook or Instagram!

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Dahlia

Most people think of dahlias as late spring and summer flowers, but this year has been a tough one for dahlias. According to our farmers, dahlias need a cold winter and a warm spring to produce the most beautiful dahlias. That was not this year so it’s just been recently that we’ve been able to get the large, gorgeous dahlias that we’re used to. The deep colors are perfect for our fall brides’ bouquets.

Astrantia

Astrantia looks like a wildflower to me. It’s delicate and willowy and comes in different colors. It is not a focal flower. When added to a bouquet or arrangement, it adds surprising texture and depth. Astrantia also ties different colors together into a cohesive look–whites and burgundies, pinks and maroons.

Strawflower

With a texture that doesn’t feel like a real flower, strawflowers are just fun! If you’re hoping to hang your bride’s bouquet upside down to create a dried bouquet, strawflowers are a perfect addition. They look the same when dried as they do when freshly cut.

Celosia

While many people don’t know this flower’s name, they sure can describe it! It’s the Dr. Seuss flower! Celosia comes in many forms and colors from mustard colored cranial flowers to bright red feathery spiked flowers. This is a fun flower to add whimsy and texture. We’ve been enjoying this soft lavender colored Asian Garden celosia that came to us unexpectedly from a local farmer.

Thistle

Trevor has been known to call this his secret ingredient, and it’s easy to see why! He’s particular to the Sea Holly thistle for its vibrant blue color. Mother Nature doesn’t have a lot of flowers that come in true blue. But this thistle really is true blue while adding subtle texture.

Astilbe

If you have a bride’s bouquet or arrangement that is heavy with large flowers, astilbe might be the perfect addition. This airy flower comes in all different colors from whites and pastels to deep hued burgundies. Astilbe is perfect for adding texture and breaking up blocks of heavier flowers such as roses and dahlias.

Queen Anne’s Lace

While baby’s breath is still a wedding standard, we’ve had fun this year using Queen Anne’s Lace instead. I usually think of Queen Anne’s Lace as the wildflower that I see when I run through the Manassas battlefields. It is that wildflower. When used in a bride’s bouquet or reception centerpieces, it lends that soft delicate quality that brides often look for.

One of the fun things about living in Virginia is experiencing the wonders of each of the four seasons. I get excited when I wake up to crisp chilly mornings and the sound of wind blowing through drying leaves. The advent of fall is also exciting for florists as we get to play with the new colors and textures of our favorite flowers…right now.

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Elementary School

He loved to bring home flowers for my mom, just because. Never anything big, but the wraps always included alstromeria. It took me years to be able to remember the flower name let alone pronounce it. Now that I work at Fantasy Floral, I’ve come to learn that alstromeria is not that expensive, but it lasts a really long time. About the time I learned to pronounce it, Dad started bringing home two of these Just Because Bouquets–one for Mom and one for me. What a way to make my day!

High School

My dad cherished my mom, and he showed her how much in a million little ways. Bringing her flowers was one of those million little ways. The first day he brought me home a little bouquet, I felt just as cherished. Being old school chivalrous, Dad opened our car doors, carried our luggage, and helped mom bring the groceries in, no matter what he was doing at the time. A few more of those million little ways.

College

When I went off to college, I lived too far away for my parents to visit often. Dad did have an opportunity to fly in to see me for a winter weekend once. I borrowed a friend’s VW Beetle to pick him up at the airport. The floorboards were rusting out. You had to pop the clutch to start it up. And the heat didn’t work. I was so proud of myself for being self-sufficient enough to be able to pick him up at the airport! Dad’s smile as he walked off the plane and saw me holding a small wrap of alstromeria for him told me I had found a few of my own little ways to show him how cherished he was.

My dad was my first love and my hero. I never doubted he would slay dragons and scale mountains for me. The bond between fathers and daughters probably starts before birth. I know the bond between my father and this daughter continues, even though we can’t see each other anymore. And alstromeria will always remind me of the million ways my dad cherished me.

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Of course, there was no national lock down. Eventually each state did lock down, including Virginia. We were more fortunate than some small businesses. We were allowed to stay open in Virginia because we never have more than ten people in the shop. Like for all small businesses during this pandemic, everything has changed as we struggle to survive. So what have we learned, what has changed, and what does the near future look like?

What Have We Learned?

The first thing I learned was just how many family-owned small businesses there are. The first day of the lock down in Virginia, I received a Facebook invitation to a group of small business owners in Northern Virginia. The group was started by a good friend who owns two local restaurants. I was one of the first to join the group, but it quickly swelled to close to eighty members. There were owners of almost every business imaginable–restaurants, yoga studios, dentists, florists, caterers, orthodontists, event planners, wineries, hair salons, chiropractors, physical therapists, breweries–all coming together to offer support and share information.

We all learned just how much our customers love us and want us to survive. The love is palpable. Diners are tipping more. Shoppers are seeking out small businesses in lieu of their normal big box stores. Customers are buying gift cards to keep money coming in. Did you hear the story about the town of Middleburg sending every one of its residents gift cards to local businesses? It’s heartwarming to see, and I’ve had more than a few happy tearful moments.

What Has Changed?

For Fantasy Floral, we are leaner, and that’s a good thing! We used to waste a lot of time and resources fulfilling small orders. There is absolutely nothing wrong with small orders, but you can get really cute, inexpensive arrangements at your local grocery store. Our specialty is the talent of our amazing designers and the quality of the flowers that we bring into the shop. Once we were operating on a skeleton crew of just Trevor (designing) and me (managing and delivering), we physically couldn’t make the same number of arrangements as before. Out of necessity, we increased the minimum price on arrangements for delivery.

In doing that, we found our floral voice. It’s exciting! While each arrangement is creatively different, there is a quality to them that has become uniquely ours over the last couple of months. We created our niche. Sometimes I get phone calls from people that we aren’t able to help, but that is another thing that has changed. We are comfortable not being all things to all people. We will focus on our signature style that is unique to us and do that very well!

What Does the Near Future Look Like?

Like the Masked Marauder! That line probably dates me, eh?

Except for Mother’s Day, the only people we have working in the shop are family members. This means if one of us comes down with the virus, all of us have to self-quarantine, and the shop will close during that time. Because of this, we are requesting that our customers wear masks when they come into the shop.

We’ve been doing no-contact deliveries and offering curbside pick-up since the middle of March. We’re learning new protocols for delivering to office buildings as the businesses around us start to open up. There are lots of new restrictions in place, and each business is different. If you are requesting an arrangement to be delivered to a business, please let us know of any special directions we should be aware of.

As of recently, many hospitals no longer accept deliveries of any kind. We always call ahead before we send our driver out, but you might check with your individual hospital before you place an order.

The one thing that hasn’t changed is that we continue to look forward to bringing joy and smiles to people, one vase at a time!

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Turn the TV Off

It’s not that I really need to know when stimulus checks will be deposited, it’s just that it’s all over the news! That has been my biggest take-away from this lockdown. It is time to turn the TV off. We are glued to the news, and that is not a healthy thing. 24 hour cable news has to find something to fill its airwaves with. We get bombarded with a lot of opinions because there are not enough actual news stories to fill a 24 hour period.

Plant a Garden

That brings me to my garden. Since I won’t be watching much TV, I will actually have time to plant and take care of my garden! I’m excited about that. I had a great time browsing an online seed catalog last week. My go-to seed source has been the Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, but it seems everyone else must have had the same idea I did. They are so swamped with orders, they aren’t accepting any new ones until they get caught up, but that’s a good thing! It means there will be lots of gardens this year using sustainable heritage seeds. It also means Southern Exposure is thriving during the lockdown. For me, it meant I got to meet another cool sustainable seed company called Truelove Seeds. My seeds arrived on Saturday with a handwritten note from Owen. “Thank you Margie! Seeds and Solidarity, Owen.”

If you have never bought seeds from a seed exchange, you should! One of the seeds I bought are for Pippin’s Golden Honey Pepper. Why Pippin’s? “Horace Pippin, the now-famed painter, shared this variety (and many others) with H. Ralph Weaver in the early 1940s in exchange for bee-sting therapy. Weaver’s grandson (William Woys Weaver) found the seeds in a baby food jar in his grandmother’s deep freezer a couple decades later, many years after his grandfather’s death, and was able to reintroduce via Seed Savers Exchange.” With a backstory like that, I can’t wait to plant them and be part of this history. Yup! I’m in love with Truelove!

Write a Novel

I recently watched a TED Talk about trying something new for 30 days–The 30 Day Challenge. It was inspiring! The author, Matt Cutts, “went from desk-dwelling computer nerd to the kind of guy who bikes to work…for fun!” When I was a little girl, I dreamed of becoming a novelist who lived in Australia on a big ranch with lots of animals. I got the animal part! Cutts mentions that one of his 30 day challenges was to write a novel. I’ve never written a novel, but the extra free time that this lockdown is providing is the perfect time to become the novelist I’ve always wanted to be. Who cares if it’s a good novel or even a published novel? I can accomplish one of my dreams.

Save the World…or at least a pangolin

A good college friend of mine, Maria Diekmann, started an animal sanctuary in Namibia many years ago called Rare and Endangered Species Trust (REST). Someone brought her a mama and baby pangolin that were rescued from poachers. Mama was too traumatized from the abuse of traffickers and fled, but she had protected her baby so well that Honey Bun survived and thrived under Maria’s care. That was when I first learned about pangolins, how highly trafficked they are, and thus how endangered they are. They are often described as the most trafficked animal you’ve never heard of. That has all changed thanks to the coronavirus. Pangolins and bats have been linked to this coronavirus’ origin.

Many are hoping this will lead to crackdowns on the sale of pangolins at wet markets and hopefully bring them back from the edge of extinction. When will stimulus checks be deposited? I’m not sure. If you are looking for something to do with it though, there are lots of organizations like Maria’s that would grateful for the help!

What’s Next?

I know I’m not the only one that has been forced to reassess life and priorities. We all want to get to the other side of this as soon as possible. In the meantime, we have learned to slow down. Spend time with our children. Zoom and Facetime with our parents and grandparents. We have time to plant gardens and go for walks and write novels. My hope is that we take the lessons we are learning with us to that other side.

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Dried Flower Projects

Drying the Flowers

There are three ways you can dry your flowers, depending on how you want to use them. The easiest way is to hang them upside-down in a well ventilated area. You can hang a single stem or several stems held together by twine or rubber bands.

A second way to dry flowers is to press them between absorbent paper using old books or an actual flower press. There are lots of instructional videos online showing how to do this, including this one from the University of Illinois. The best flowers for this kind of drying method are ones that don’t have a lot of bulk to them and will flatten easily. Daisies, snap dragons, black-eyed Susans, gladiolas, will all press nicely. Flowers like roses or carnations that have a bulky base do not press well.

A third way to dry flowers is using silica gel. This is a great method if you want the dried flowers to essentially look the same as the fresh flower version. You can get silica gel at any local craft store or through Amazon. Again, there are a lot of instructional videos online, including this one from MonkeySee.

Projects Using Dried Flowers

Epoxy Resin

A.K. Art & Creations

One of my good friends is a jewelry maker and just started experimenting with resin. Epoxy resin can be purchased at any local craft store or through Amazon. She has come up with gorgeous pieces from pendants to earrings. She has also created some beautiful serving trays and bowls. The resin allows her to embed different objects such as metallics, shells, and flowers.

A.K. Art & Creations

What to do when stuck at home with your children? Take a walk around the neighborhood and collect wildflowers. There are a lot of apps you can download to your phone that will identify the flower for you. Wildflowers are intrinsic to our pollinators so it’s a great opportunity to help children understand the roll pollinators play. Some wildflowers are a source of energy for hummingbirds, some food for caterpillars, and some, like milkweed, are the sole provider of shelter and a place to lay eggs for the monarch butterfly. It’s amazing what flowers you will see once you start looking for them to collect.

Preserving Bride’s Bouquets and Corsages

A lot of brides want to preserve their wedding bouquets. The two best methods for this are the hang and dry method for a vintage look or the silica gel method if you want the bouquet to look similar to the way it did on your wedding day. The stems of a bouquet are wrapped very tightly. While air and silica gel will be able to circulate between the greens and flowers on the outer-most edges of the bouquet. Air and silica gel will not be able to get between the wrapped stems. Over time, moisture at the base of the bouquet and between the stems will cause mold and deterioration.

With both methods, you will need to take the bouquet apart, dry the individual stems, and reconstruct the bouquet. While there are several local companies that preserve bouquets, it’s a fun project to do, especially when stuck at home. Just make sure to take a photo of the bouquet before you take it apart and at various points during deconstruction. These photos will help you put the bouquet back together again once the stems have dried.

You can do the same thing with your corsages from Prom or Homecoming or Daddy-Daughter Dances. If you have purchased your corsage from us, the stems are already individually wrapped with floral tape and should dry well without deconstruction. I still have my corsage from my high school Prom. I hung it upside down from my mirror the night I got home. It’s a bit brittle now so I have it in the original clam shell, but I love the vintage pink color…and of course the memories!

Memories

Another project you do with your children is more long-term. I have several copies of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. I loved exploring nature and “adventuring” as a little girl so this was a well-loved book. One of my copies is a big heavy large print book that became my flower press when I was a little girl. I chose it because it was the heaviest book I had that wasn’t a Bible. Now the choice seems so poetic–wildflowers from my adventuring pressed into a book about adventuring. I included little notes with the flowers indicating where and when I collected them. Now I can flip through the pages of Huck Finn and relive my own adventures.

One of the first arrangements I made at Fantasy Floral included peonies. I wanted to save the peonies as a memory and because they were so full and gorgeous. I just wrapped kitchen twine around the end of the stems and hung them from the curtain rod at our sliding glass door. As the peonies dried, they did lose some color, but that’s what I like about them–the vintage color look. It gives the room a cottage feeling.

Once you have dried your flowers, the projects are endless! You are only limited by your imagination in what to do when stuck at home!

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DIY Bouquets

Price

If you are local, Fantasy Floral sells DIY bouquets starting at $20. These bouquets are being offered at wholesale prices much like you’d get at a grocery store but of higher quality and longevity. Let us know if there are certain colors or flowers you’d like included. We’ll put together a wrap of flowers in a wonderful array of colors, textures, and height, along with greens. Vases are an additional $5 if you need one.

What You’ll Learn

If you have children and are wondering what to do when stuck at home, get a different bouquet for each of them! It’s a great way to learn about flowers. You can look up where they come from and how they are grown. Many flowers are significant in indigenous cultures for herbal remedies and spiritual properties. You get art, agriculture, history, geography, and anthropology lessons all in one!

Tips and Tricks

Believe it or not, making a gorgeous arrangement that will last isn’t quite as easy as just throwing stems in a vase. You’ll have a blast learning though… and a greater appreciation for the talent of floral designers! We are working on a video that will walk you through the basic steps of flower arranging. Here are some tips in the meantime.

Greening

Start with “greening” your vase. We usually use bakers fern, also known as leather leaf fern, and then add the fancier greenery such as eucalyptus or salal at the end for texture. The foundation of greens is not intended to be a focal point. It provides the framework that hold the flowers in place. This is accomplished by placing the bakers fern in the vase at all different angles. The planes of the face of the leaves provide the grids that hold the flower stems.

Cutting

As you insert each flower stem, you’ll want to cut the end of the stem. Cut the bottom of the stem at a sharp angle. This does two things. It provides more surface area for the stem to absorb water It also keeps the stem from sitting flat on the bottom of the vase which prevents it from absorbing water. As you are beginning, we recommend cutting the stem a bit longer than you think you’ll need. It’s easier to make the stem shorter, but you can’t make it longer!

Arranging

Start with focal flowers, then filler flowers, then specialty greens. Use long thin flowers such as snapdragons to create height and visual interest. Many designers like to work in groups of odd numbers. Perhaps do a triangle of three tall flowers towards the top of the arrangement and a pentagon of five flowers towards the base of the arrangement.

Making the Flowers Last

Bacteria growing in the vase water is a flower’s greatest enemy so make sure to start with fresh cold water. Once you’ve finished your arrangement, there will probably be debris in the water so you’ll want to replace the water. There are two ways to do this. Grab the arrangement tightly in one hand to keep the design intact, empty the vase, refill it with fresh water, and replace the arrangement back in the vase. Or you can place the arrangement under a faucet and let water run into it until the old water is replaced with the fresh water. Do this at least every other day, and your flowers will last much longer!

Have fun!

Stayed tuned for tomorrow’s What to Do When Stuck at Home (part 2)!

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In Your Easter Bonnet

In Your Easter Bonnet

My great grandmother lived with us for the last half of my childhood. She was born in 1893 and saw transportation go from horse and buggy, to Model T, to airplanes, to launching into space, and landing on the moon. She was also quite the rebel–eloping on the back of her boyfriend’s motorcycle wearing leather pants! *gasp* But that’s a story for another time. Grammy Doy was from that generation of women who had matching hats and gloves and shoes for each outfit. Easter was the day to wear one’s finest. It was also a day for fresh flower corsages and even Easter flowers in one’s hat!

With All the Frills Upon It

Easter. Flowers. The two just go together for me! When I was growing up, the green apple tree in our front yard and the huge forsythia bush out back were always wearing their finest blooms on Easter. My brother and I hunted for eggs amongst the many clusters of yellow daffodils and purple grape hydrangea in our yard. And there was always a beautiful centerpiece on the Easter dinner table with flowers that matched the colorful hues we used to dye our Easter eggs.

You’ll be the Grandest Lady

As we celebrate spiritual rebirth and renewal on Easter, Mother Nature is doing her own version of rebirth and renewal. Grass goes from dull brown to emerald green, providing a perfect canvas for Easter Flowers. What are Easter Flowers you ask? For me, they are those flowers that bloom first, even through blankets of snow–tulips, daffodils, hyacinth, crocus, and pansies. They are the sentinels that brave the cold to let us know that winter is behind us, and long sunshiney days are coming.

In the Easter parade

Easter is Sunday, April 12, this year. As you’re dying eggs and putting together Easter baskets, don’t forget your centerpiece! A gorgeous Easter centerpiece is also a perfect hostess gift. We even have a customer that still gets an Easter corsage for his wife each year. There’s something wonderful about Easter memories and traditions!

As I write this post, Fantasy Floral is still open for deliveries and pick-up, but the coronavirus has definitely had an impact. We are using a skeleton staff of just family and doing no-contact deliveries  that we coordinate with the recipients–ringing the doorbell and leaving the arrangement outside the front door to be picked up after we leave. Our drivers are wearing masks and nitrile powder-free gloves and all vases are sterilized before delivery. Curbside pick-up is also available. Just call us to coordinate a time!

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