Christmas Traditions

Earlier in the month I taught My Heritage Scrapbooking Workshop...The topic of discussion was the importance of Family Traditions. We all have traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation and these traditions do evolve and change.

This year I had to change a family tradition...I figure about the middle of March I might be over the trauma I have been going through with this change of tradition.

 I grew up with a live Christmas tree and when I got married we continued the tradition...only my darling husband and I went out in the woods (with permit in hand) and cut down our Christmas Tree.

It became our tradition. 

 This year the tradition changed...we purchased an artificial Christmas Tree. I was about in tears over the whole ordeal. An artificial tree does not have the same look, feel or fragrance as a real tree. It doesn't even decorate the same! I reminded myself that I'm a floral designer and It's my job to make botanical look good. We did get the tree up (2 days before Christmas) and it looks...Okay. But I don't think I will ever it comfortable with the idea of an artificial tree. Hopeful I won't break into tears next year when we pull it out of the box. Oh great...now I need to find a place to store the darn thing!

Flowers, Thrift Store and Mother's Day

I have spent the last three day's designing flowers at a local florist for Mother's Day...
11 hours Thursday...
12 hours Friday...
and today...only 9 1/2 hours.
I know you are asking..."didn't she tell us way back in January that she was getting out of the floral business?" You're right... I did...I'm now what is officially called "holiday help". So I pull out the tool bag...sharpen my knife...and design.

I did finally come up with a glimmer of an idea for a Mother's Day card.
Scrapbook Barn got the new line of "October Afternoon" double sided patterned paper. It's called "Thrift Shop". The designs look like something you would find on a visit to a secondhand store. I used "Needs Paint" and "Complete Set" The vintage look went well with the old advertisement for aprons that I found on Flickr. I used the new Tim Holtz "Bundled Sage" distress ink...
some Ric-Rac and ruffled ribbon and some Prima flowers.

Have a wonder for Mother's Day!

Ch-Ch-Ch-CHANGES

The news stations reported this week that 20,000 people lost their jobs in January...I was one of the 20,000. I received a phone call from my boss at the flower shop where I design on the 3rd of January...he said he was closing the shop. That was it...a flower shop that had been in operation for 52 years was dead. Which meant I had to go looking for a job! Over the last year and a half I have seen other florist in the area lock their doors and walk away. Whether it's the economy, grocery stores, or the Internet , the floral industry is dying a slow death. There are a lot of designers looking for a job and I had joined their ranks. I sat down at the computer and punched up my resume, made copies and headed out to find a job I knew probably didn't exist.
As long as I was making a change what did I really want to do?
On the first of February I started at The Scrapbook Barn...not only do I get to work there...I get to teach too...and that's what I really want to do!

P.S. Please support your local florist! Stop looking on the internet...pick up the phone and call them!

No Last Minute

Being a floral designer means the week before a big holiday I have to have EVERYTHING done (a flower shop gets to be pretty busy this time of year). There can be no last minute to do list. That is just what I have done this last week. Got all the shopping done, addressed the Christmas cards, made candy with my DH ( yum..divinity),

got the gifts boxed for out of town family,

and finally trimmed the tree, DH put some Christmas music on the stereo to get us in the holiday spirit.

Tonight we are going to hear the "Messiah"...can't get more Christmas than that. By this time tomorrow I should be up to my elbows in Christmas pine, holly, and red and white carnations.