Blue and Yellow Wedding

Blue and yellow seems to be quite a popular choice of colors for weddings this year! Check out these pictures for a blue and yellow wedding we designed for this weekend!

Propose with Flowers!!!

There are million different ways to propose with flowers! Here are 18 ways to do it! We want to hear your proposal with flowers stories!!! Email us at petalsandpaperboutique@gmail.com.

1. Have a bouquet of flowers delivered to her at work or surprise her with them at home. Have the ring tied to one of the flowers. Be waiting at her office and surprise her with the proposal!
   
   
2. Use the ring to clasp a small bunch of wildflowers together. When she notices it, get down on one knee and propose.
   
   
3. Spell out your proposal with rose petals or petals from her favorite flower. As she reads the proposal, get down on one knee and ask her to be your bride.
   
   
4. Twelve days before you decide to propose, begin sending her a single rose each day leading to the 12th day. On the 12th day, she will expect a last rose to complete her dozen. Instead, surprise her with a full dozen roses and a ring and ask for her hand in marriage.
   
   
5. Give her a dozen roses (11 real roses with one fake one in the middle). Tell her your love for her will end when the last petal falls. Propose when she figures out that the rose in the middle won't lose it's petals.
   
   
6. Fill a hotel room with rose petals and light candles all over. Have rose petals leading from the door, to the bed, to the bathroom, to a tub filled with floating petals. You can get fresh rose petals in solid colors or multiple colors. After an intimate, sensual bath, ask for her hand in marriage.
   
   
7. Give her 11 roses over 11 days. On the 12th day, give her the last rose with the ring attached to it and get down on one knee and ask for her hand in marriage.
   
   
8. Give her a single, rare flower or her favorite flower with the ring tied to the stem of the flower. You may want to steer clear of roses for this one because they're so common (unless it's her absolute favorite). Try giving her something unique and original. When you give her the flower, tell her that you've found a love so rare and want to hold on to it for the rest of your life.
   
   
9. Place the ring in the bud of the rose. When she goes to smell the lovely rose you got her, she will be surprised to find a ring within the petals!
   
   
10. Leave a vase of roses in the center of her kitchen or dining room table. Make sure all of them but one are cut short. When she pulls out the flower to shorten it have the ring attached to the end of the flower.
    
    
11. Buy 14 of her favorite flowers. Tie a piece of paper to each of them. Have each flower stem hold a letter spelling out 'will you marry me'. Give her the flowers one by one. Have the last flower, the 'e' flower, have the ring attached to it as well.
    
    
12. Leave a path of rose petals from the front door to the bedroom. Have rose petals in a heart shape on the bed with the opened ring box placed in the center of it for her to find.
    
    
13. Put the ring box in the bottom of a box filled with rose petals and two live butterflies. Tell her that the gift was sudden, but special, and was a token of appreciation. When she opens the box, the butterflies fly out and she'll be in awe. She'll find the ring box at the bottom and when she does, tell her what you feel and ask her for her hand in marriage.
14. Have one rose/flower delivered to her every hour for 11 hours. Show up yourself with the 12th rose/flower and propose.
    
    
15. Spell out the words "Will you marry me?" on your wall with roses. As she reads your message, get down on one knee and propose.
    
    
16. Give her thirteen roses. Have twelve real roses around a rose-shaped ring box in the center. When she discovers the ring box, get down on one knee and pop the question.
    
    
17. Order a gorgeous Hawaiian lei and have give it to her before a dinner out. Have the ring attached to the lei and get down on one knee when she sees it. Keep the theme going and tell her that you want to take her to Hawaii for your honeymoon.
    
    
18. Give her three long-stemmed roses and tell her that one represents the past, one represents the present, and one represents your future. Have the ring tied to the last rose and then get down on one knee and propose.

Another Reason Why We Don't Participate in National Wire Services

Consumer Reports recently published an article regarding the quality of flowers purchased online from national wire services. This article will make you think twice about ordering from this impersonal method of ordering flowers and may perhaps encourage you from purchasing your next flower order from your neighborhood florist. Read on to find out why.

Thinking of thanking your favorite Mom with a Mother’s Day bouquet? The results of our study show that the blooms she receives might bear little resemblance to the blooms you thought you bought. Local flower shops vary across the nation, of course, so we ordered from three national florists that send at least some of their orders from central locations, which should let them control quality. Those threw are 1800Flowers.com, FTD.com, and ProFlowers.com. We chose roses, tulips, orchids, and mixed bouquets, for a total of 24 deliveries. We paid $57 to $87 for the flower, optional vases, and assorted delivery charges.

When the flowers arrived at our headquarters, their first appointment was with our photography department, where they were arranged to resemble their website photo as closely as possible. (We had to eliminate a few deliveries that were destroyed by a snowstorm.)

We then asked 16 people to compare the paired photos and judge how satisfied they’d be with the real bouquet, from thrilled to horrified. Judges were comparing the ad to reality, so what mattered was not how attractive a received arrangement was but how closely it matched what the buyer intended to send. We then crunched the judgments to determine the order of satisfaction.

For pictures of what they viewed online before ordering versus what they actually received at their doorstep, please read on...

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/2011/may/shopping/beautiful-blooms/overview/index.htm?CMP=OTC-NEWS4

Here are some pictures of what we found: online pictures versus in-person pictures.

Flowers for Communion

• Fresh flowers given to a child for making her first Holy Communion are a rite of passage. On her first Holy Communion day, a girl grows in her faith in the Catholic Church and celebrates receiving the body and blood of Jesus for the first time. Typically, first communions are cerebrated in the springtime so flowers are abundant and in season. Color selections should be made according to preference, but there are some bouquets that hold up better than others for a busy day filled with activities.

Roses

• White roses symbolize purity and innocence, making them the ideal flowers for a girl's First Communion. We can design a miniature bouquet for picture taking. One or two cut white roses also make for a beautiful wrist corsage. There is no set rule on specific colors used. You can combine as you like. Try mixing in a yellow rose or two, which represents happiness and friendship. Adding a pink rose to the bunch will symbolize joy and grace.

Carnations

• By nature, carnations are a low maintenance flower. They look gorgeous fresh and tend to last a long time. Most stay crisp-looking for two to three weeks. If you place the cut flower in water after the ceremony, the carnation will last even longer and can be a nice addition to the family table for a couple of weeks. Pink and white carnations are the most common types of flowers used in communion bouquets and corsages because they are so resilient. One small white carnation pinned to your son's suit jacket is the perfect addition to the wardrobe.

Lilies

• Lilies are innocent flowers that smell great, but they are also very delicate. If your child is very active, consider a sturdier flower. Some people have strong reactions to the scent of a lily. If your child is sensitive to smells, it is better to choose a flower that gives off the least amount of scent.

Daises

• Daises are easy to care for and require very little maintenance. They make nice, affordable additions to spring flower bouquets. Sunflowers are a type of daisy that are more durable and also look pleasant for spring occasions.

Read more: Flowers for Communion | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_5931236_flowers-communion.html#ixzz1KkzOC0xn

Beautiful Comes In Small Too!

More and more, we are requested by clients to create smaller arrangements for parties, showers, and events. These smaller arrangements are adorable and can be designed in many different vessels including small garden vases, mason jars, candle holders -- pretty much anything made of glass and doesn't have holes! They can be arranged using a mixture of flowers or clustered using same or similar color flowers. We are definitely seeing the trend come alive in bridal magazines and home and garden magazines. What do you think?

Eco Pots Have Arrived!

In an effort to be more green, Petals & Paper is now carrying eco pots! What are eco pots you ask? Eco pots are made from natural grain husks, bamboo powder, rapeseed fiber, corn cob and natural binding agents. It is an eco-friendly alternative to plastic, ceramic pots, and glasswares. They are heat-resistant, waterproof, high strength, non-flammable, and non-toxic -- all great qualities to have for those families with children and pets. Eco pots are durable outdoors and longer indoors for up to 5 years. The drainage holes in these pots are pre-pressed, so they can either be used as a table vase or a flower planter (the holes can be hammered down easily). These pots can naturally biodegrade into organic fertilizer in landfills after they are discarded or buried in the soil. The degradation period takes one year for all the styles we carry currently. Buying eco-friendly pots is a considerate choice -- a simple green solution for the earth and future generations.

Join us in this effort to take a small green step towards a more sustainable living environment and ask to have your next floral design created using an eco pot!

Easter - Sunday, April 24

Out of all the holidays throughout the year, Easter is one of the best seasons to celebrate with flowers! With beautiful spring blooms and plants springing up, it is easy to find gorgeous centerpieces and plants to decorate your home or bring to a dinner party. Call us today to order your Easter arrangement!

Here are some pictures from the Martha Stewart Easter Collection that we absolutely adore and can replicate for your Easter celebration! They would be quite lovely for weddings and showers as well!

Passover April 18-26

Passover started at sundown yesterday and will last for eight days. To celebrate the holiday, a Seder is held on the first day. The decorating of the Seder table is an important custom. Why not send your Jewish friends a floral centerpiece for the dinner table to celebrate the holiday? Flowers and plants are a perfect Passover gift.

Secretary and Administrative Professionals Week - April 24-30

Secretary and Administrative Professionals Week falls in the week of April 24-30 this year! Don't scurry at the last minute and order your token of appreciation today! We have lots of gifts from which you can choose your gift! From beautiful spring floral arrangements to gift baskets (fresh fruits, nuts, loose leaf teas, etc) to indoor plants and dish gardens, we have many gift items in the boutique that is sure to say to that special person, "Thank you and I appreciate all your hard work throughout the year!

Prom 101: Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What should I order for my date?

A: For ladies: Wristlets and bouquets that complement her dress are most popular to give to your lady date.

For gentlemen: Boutonnieres that complement the dress or suit are best.

Q: When should I order my flowers?

A: It is best to order your flowers a week in advance if you have something very special in mind. However, we can design our most basic collections with 24-hour notice. Walk-ins are welcome and you may choose to design your flowers using our daily selection of fresh cut flowers.

Q: Do you design prom corsages and boutonnieres using materials other than fresh flowers?

A: Why, yes! We also use ingredients such as feathers, pearls, rhinestones, wires, and silk flowers for all your prom accesories. Special orders do need to be placed in advance to make sure we can create the most awesome accessories for you!

Q: Do you offer discounts?

A: Why, yes! If you place your prom orders during the month of April, we offer 10% off your total purchase. It pays to be organized! =)

Q: Do you have prom flower shows at my school?

A: Yes! Your prom committee representative may contact our boutique at 267.392.5763 or email us at petalsandpaperboutique@gmail.com and speak to Jessica regarding scheduling the perfect date and time for us to visit your school with fresh samples and order forms! Plus, your rep can inquire about great fundraising opportunities so that your prom can be even more fabulous!!!

Passion for Prom!!!

Fresh flower ring
Fresh flower ring
Fresh flower necklaces or chokers
Hair bands and head pieces

Wrist corsages and matching boutonnieres
Hand-tied bouquets with ribbons that match her dress

April showers bring May flowers! Here at the boutique, April also brings many of our young clients in to order their prom flowers! Most high schools in the area hold their senior proms and dances in the month of May. With flowers becoming more a part of the fashion ensemble that young ladies and gentlemen put together for this special occasion, there are lots of choices of wearable flowers available here at the boutique. Also, fresh flowers are not the only ingredients we use in our designs! With flowers making such a strong fashion statement on the dance floor, we can add all kinds of bling to your prom flowers! From rhinestones to feathers to pearls to leather, we can custom design pretty much anything your heart (or your date's heart) desires! Here are just some ideas for you and your date to consider for this special night!