Eugene’s Favorite Mom 2013

We take it for granted that our moms are amazing. So as a reminder to us, and an applause to them, we have Mother’s Day!

To add a touch of glamor to this very necessary and pertinent day, we and our co-sponsors host the annual Eugene’s Favorite Mom Contest! The mom you submit could win over $500.00 in prizes:  

- She’ll receive a plaque announcing her as Eugene’s Favorite Mom 2013

- From us at Dandelions – a beautiful floral arrangement, balloons, and a $50.00 gift certificate

- From Bello Salon and Spa – their Premiere Spa Package  (60 minute massage, facial and mani/pedi)

- From Lavelle Vineyards – Wine tasting (for up to 10 people) and a bottle of 2012 Pinot Gris

- From Pepperberries – a $50.00 gift certificate

- From McKenzie Honey Farms – a $25.00 gift certificate and accessory bag

Wouldn’t it be great if your mom won this year? If you stopped for a second, you could quickly come up with a list of why your mom – or a mom you know – deserves a little extra recognition this Mother’s Day! Go to www.eugenesfavoritemom.com, read up on the contest rules, and jot down your thoughts, and maybe your mom will be Eugene’s Favorite Mom 2013!

The deadline is May 8th. The winner will be selected on, or around May 11th. We’ll keep you posted! Good luck with your entries!!

  

PROMPALOOZA 2013

Next week is our prom festivus, PROMPALOOZA! We bring in some snacks and beverages for prom-goers to enjoy while our expert staff helps take orders for one-of-a-kind corsages and boutonnieres. You can order your prom floral jewelry anytime (and even online) but from 3:00-5:30 these days we have extra staff on hand to help so that we can turn your prom vision into reality!

We love prom at Dandelions and have so much fun helping to customize and create each individual piece of floral art! Some of the fun accessories available this year include: Flutterzz rhinestone feathers, shiny metallic leaves in multiple colors and, as always, lots of rhinestones!!

   

Annual Make It For Mom

Every year Dandelions offers a kids a FREE chance to make their very own flower arrangement for mom, grandma or anyone special in honor of Mother’s Day. Bring your kids on Saturday, May 11 to Dandelions at 1710 Chambers St. Eugene, OR between 10:30-12 for this fun event! The kids love having something they made themselves to give to mom. They get to choose their flowers and we help them design a pint-sized bouquet complete with a card. What could be cuter? Mark it on your calendar and come by!

Prom Boutonnieres

Prom season is quickly approaching and as you finalize your dress and tuxedo looks, don’t forget about your prom corsage or prom boutonniere options, too.  Selecting a boutonniere is one of the last items to check off the list before the big night but that doesn’t mean you should overlook it. A boutonniere can be simple such as a single blossom or as fun & funky as you can imagine, depending upon your personality.

Have fun with the process and don’t feel like you need to order the same-old same-old thing that everyone else is ordering. Florists are artists and love to create a one-of-a-kind piece for your special night.

A Thank You to the Administrative Professionals

Next week, many bosses, managers, business owners – will send flowers to the valued colleagues and employees who work so hard, taking on many responsibilities and projects, to help them meet their goals and fulfill their plans. This is because a smart leader knows that a little recognition for good work, and a word of thanks go a long way.

More and more, the 24 hours we’ve been allotted in a day are so busy, they seem to fly by, and the little things that make such an impact on every day life are the first casualties of our hectic existence. We mean to make that phone-call and check up on that friend, but by the  time we get to it, it’s too late in the day. We are grateful for the help and hard work of those around us, and at some point plan on sending them a thank you card or gift, but something urgent and requiring immediate attention pops up, and that kind intention is moved to tomorrow’s schedule.

That’s why Administrative Professionals Week is so important! It’s a week’s worth of nudging to remind you to show appreciation to those who work so hard for you. Anyone who’s ever received flowers knows how delightful it is to accept that lovely, thoughtful package, and long after the flowers have faded, the memory of that gift continues to delight.

Fun, Quick DIYCenterpiece Idea

This Easter afforded us a perfect DIY centerpiece scenario: what do you do when you need something for your table, but you’re in a hurry and are low on flower options? Dandelions owner Shirley Lyons found herself in this situation this weekend, and was kind enough to share how she resolved her problem.

You’d think that as florists, we are constantly taking  flowers home to make fabulous and lush centerpieces and arrangements for family functions. That does happen on occasion, but usually, and  more often than we’d like to admit,  even the florist forgets to take flowers home!! Shirley was half-way home before she realized she did exactly that! So between babysitting her two-year and twelve week old grand-kids (a juggling act of princess dolls and diapers), and preparing dinner for twelve, she needed to come up with something fast and uncomplicated. Thankfully, Shirley had daffodils growing in her yard, and with some of these and a few vases in colorful, spring tones and varying heights, she had a quick, fun, artsy centerpiece on her dining-room table!

Using what you have growing in your yard (be it flowers or some pretty greenery)  and your collection of vases is a cost-effective way to make a great impression, and get your creative juices flowing!

We love flowers because they’re inherently beautiful and really don’t need much embellishment to make a statement. Artfully placed vases and simply arranged flowers are an easy way to enhance any event.

Photo used under Creative Commons from treasureagain

Photo used under Creative Commons from Risager

Photo used under Creative Commons from sbluerock

Photo used under Creative Commons from stripeyanne

Photo used under Creative Commons from Jewell Willett

Pantone’s Color of the Year: Emerald-Green

Photo used under Creative Commons from GlitzUK

PANTONE recently announced the 2013 color of the year as PANTONE® 17-5641 Emerald. PANTONE has long been the authority on color trends and their decision to name emerald as the color for this year reflects the desire for renewal and growth.

Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®, reminds us that “Green is the most abundant hue in nature – the human eye sees more green than any other color in the spectrum”. How true for flowers! Often green is only seen in the foliage but why shouldn’t it play center stage? Anthurium, Bells of Ireland, spider mums and even roses all come in shades of green (although not truly emerald) but certainly complement the deep gem shade.

If you can’t wait to incorporate emerald into your upcoming event or wedding, PANTONE suggests pairing it with shades of peach, pinks, roses, ruby reds and aubergines. I also think navy complements it well since it is such a sophisticated palette.

Bucks for Pearl Bucks 2013

March is National Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, and once again the Pearl Buck Center is partnering with local businesses, including Dandelions, to raise awareness and support for those of us in our community who live with, or are affected by developmental disabilities.

The Pearl Buck Center  works with people born with disabilities such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and autism, to name a few,  nurturing these individuals so that they are able to function and be contributing members of society.

The businesses involved are offering Pearl Bucks for customers to buy as a contribution to support the cause. All you have to do is come in and buy a Buck!

Here’s a link for a list of the businesses involved: http://www.pearlbuckcenter.com/images/stories/national%20dd%20awareness%20month%202013%20-1.jpg

To learn more about the Pearl Buck Center and find out about opportunities to volunteer, check out their website at http://www.pearlbuckcenter.com/.

To learn more about developmental disabilities and how the state of Oregon is involved, check out the Oregon Council on Developmental Disabilities website at http://www.ocdd.org/.

Using Flowers in Local Science Classrooms

We received a great thank-you note from local Willamette High School teacher, David Novak, who has been using flowers from Dandelions to teach the students in his botany science class about the anatomy of flowers.  We love hearing that our customers enjoy our flowers, and we love finding out about the different ways they are used. It’s great to hear how students are getting exposed to flowers in this educational way, and learning to appreciate even more this incredible part of nature.

Here’s some of what David wrote to us:

The flowers I get from you, even those that are too "ripe to sell",
the are perfect for us and add greatly to our learning of the
fundamental tissues and organs of plants and are great motivators for
learning! Nothing beats getting actual flowers into students hands when
learning about all the structures!!

What do I do with them??  I have included some shots to help you
understand.  In particular,
I have students draw them, both as the flowers come to us and after we
bisect them lengthwise.  
We examine the parts using microscopes to view all the parts (ovary,
ovules, pistils, etc.) which are often
hard to see with the unaided eye.  We answer questions about  the
flowers (e.g., compare the length of the pistil in one 
flower to another and suggest reasons for the different in length).
There are also a few experiments we like to try with the flowers, if we
get enough.

The mums we used this week and alstroemeria were perfect. THANKS for
all your effort and generosity!!

   

Dandelions’ Poinsettia Project

A year ago – December 2011 – Roseann, one of our designers, put a broken poinsettia stem into a bud-vase of water thinking it would give her a few days of pleasure before it died. Over a year later, surprising us all, this stem has survived…the leaves have faded in color, but it’s still alive! 

So this year Roseann has a new poinsettia stem in a bud vase, next to the old one, and we’ll see how long this one lasts!!

How are the poinsettias you bought this holiday doing? Hopefully, great!! Here’s how you can care for them and get them to re-bloom next season:

1. Keep caring for them as you have been during the holiday (Keeping them away from the cold, in warm rooms, and making sure they get enough water and lots of light.) If the leaves have already shriveled or fallen off, start watering your plant less.

2. In March (around the 17th – St. Patrick’s Day), when the bracts (colored leaves) fade, cut the stems back to 8 inches above the soil line.

3. Water your plant less than you’ve been watering it, allowing it to dry out more.

4. Lightly fertilize your plant with a balanced all-purpose plant food every 3-4 weeks.

5. When it warms up outside, place the plant outdoors – first in indirect sunlight, and then direct sunlight. Avoid temperatures under 50 degrees throughout the summer. When the new growth appears, water your plant more frequently.

6. In early July, around the 4th, cut back the new growth on the stems, and re-pot  the plant, if it needs it.

7. In early September, when fall temperatures begin to drop, move your poinsettia plant back inside, but make sure it gets 6 or more hours of direct light.

8. October 1st to December 1st, keep your plant in complete darkness for 14 hours, giving it 10 hours of natural light daily. This will set the buds and cause the bracts to color. Any exposure to light during the dark hours will delay blooming.

9. In  early December, stop fertilizing your poinsettia and start caring for it they way you did during the holiday.

Good luck on your poinsettia project. Let us know how your plant does. We’ll definitely keep you posted on Roseann’s poinsettia cuttings.