Archive | February 2014

Today is Romance on a Budget Day!


"Today is Romance on a Budget Day!"Did you “blow it” for Valentine’s Day? Did your sweetie give you the worst Valentine’s present ever?  Was it the most unromantic gift you could think of, like a toaster or vacuum cleaner or worse? Did he (or she) forget Valentine’s Day all together? I mean, what’s wrong with a new MOP anyway?  After all, it would be a great way to make your getaway from that relationship.  February has long been known as the month of romance.  From Valentine’s Day (February 14th) to Dream of Your Sweetheart Day (February 13th) to Cuddle Day (February 25th), February brings many opportunities to shower your love with affection.  However, up to now, no day has existed for the romantically challenged who want to show their affection without spending a fortune.   Romance isn’t about how much money you lavish on another.  It’s about attracting the object of your affection.  Romance is about making dreams and fantasies come true.  It’s a time to ignite the soul and recreate adventures of the heart. Romance does, however, have a price.  Romance is about timing, imagination, exploration and creativity.   Hence, National Romance on a Budget Day® was created to be celebrated on February 28th.     It’s a time to put on your thinking cap, kick in your creativity gauge and UP the romance meter. National Romance on a Budget Day® is a time for true romantics to cultivate loving sensual relationships.   

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While you’re at it, take the Eden Florist “Romance” Survey and you could win one of many prizes including the book Romance on a Budget – 199 Cheap Thrills, Romantic Antics and Love-Changing Experiences, and 52 Weeks of Romance in a Box! Be sure to order flowers too!

Today is Ring Finger Day!


Did you know today is Ring Finger Day?

A little ring finger trivia: The custom of wearing a wedding ring on the third finger of the left hand was started by the Greeks in the 3rd century B.C. That tradition was started because physicians believed that a vein ran from this finger to the heart. They called this the “vein of love” and considered this the logical place to wear a ring symbolizing love. Although this was not the case, the custom has has been passed down for centuries and in most cultures is still considered the wedding ring finger.

In some countries and cultures it is the custom to where the wedding ring on the right hand. They include:  Colombia, Germany, Greece, Mexico, Norway, Peru, Poland, Russia, Spain, Ukraine, and Venezuela.  In addition Orthodox Christians and Eastern Europeans (except for the Romanians)  traditionally wear the wedding band on the right hand. And althought the ring is placed on the right hand during the actual wedding ceremony, it is the Jewish custom to wear the wedding ring on the left hand.

Florascope for Pisces


Pisces ~ February 20 – March 20

People born under the Sun Sign of Pisces are kind, gentle, thoughtful friends. Pisces tend to see those they love and care about through rose-colored glasses and do not want to see the bad in anyone.

Piscean’s have a vivid imagination and are destined to greatness if they have the self-confidence to reach for greatness. Picses dislike change and will avoid it at all costs. Pisces are sensitive and sentimental.

Pisces color is Sea Green and their gemstone is the Moonstone.

Give the Pisces in your life a keepsake gift that they can hold dear to their memories for life eternal. A Thomas Kincaid Teacup filled with delicate flowers for the woman and an inspirational book tucked into a bouquet of snapdragons for the Pisces man make the perfect floral gift.

ROSE Skin Tonics


"ROSE Skin Tonics"Rose Water Skin Tonic – one of the oldest skin-fresheners discovered by an Arabian dermatologist in the tenth century – in Victorian times rose water was mixed with glycerin for use as a skin softening treatment.
Rose Water is still used today in many beauty products from toners to soaps to lotions to sea salts and is very easy to make.

How to make:

Make rosewater from freshly picked roses either from your garden or from your local florist.

Remove the petals from the roses and thoroughly rinse in cool water to remove any debris and pesticides.  If you are unable to get fresh rose petals you can use rose hips or rose otto essential oil from any company that sells essential oils such as MountainRoseHerbs.com. If you use rose otto essential oil just add about 4 drops of the essential oil to 8 ounces of spring water and refridgerate.

Supplies needed: 

  • Between three and five roses (approx. 5 rose hips).
  • 2 cups of spring water
  • Heat resistant glass bowl or pouring cup and cover.  I use an extra-large pyrex measuring cups.
  • Wide mouthed glass jar
  • Cheesecloth, cotton gauze or kitchen strainer.

Instructions:

  1. Remove the petals from the roses to gather one, packed cup of rose petals.
  2. Put the roses petals in  heat-resistant glass bowl and cover with two cups of boiling water.
  3. Cover the bowl with a plate or cover to a pot. 
  4. Let the rose mixture sit for  25 – 30 minutes.
  5. Pour the water into the wide mouth glass jar straining the mixture in cheesecloth or kitchen strainer (to collect petals).
  6. Discard the rose petals. I throw in my yard.
  7. To keep rosewater longer, after it has cooled add 1 tablespoon of alcohol, (vodka works) to the mixture as a preservative – shake well.  Rosewater will keep for about 4 weeks on a shelf and longer if stored it in  refridgerator.  If no preservative is used, rosewater will keep for 7-10 days.

You can mix equal parts rosewater with glycerin and put in a decorative bottle, which also makes a nice gift. 

Rosewater can be stored in a plastic spray bottle for a refreshing mist, an excellent way to keep your skin hydrated.
 

Flowers at Work Increase Productivity


"Flowers at Work Increase Productivity"
As a designer, my surroundings are important to me. When the area in which we work is beautiful, and uncluttered, it relieves our minds to work on the important tasks of running our business. It also allows us to be more creative.

The Society of American Florists (SAF) did a study about Flowers & Plants on Workplace Productivity Study.
Here are the findings:

In 2003, SAF partnered with an internationally recognized research team at Texas A&M University to learn how flowers and plants in the workplace impact productivity and problem solving. The exciting results of this groundbreaking study:

Problem-solving skills, idea generation and creative performance improve substantially in workplace environments that include flowers and plants.

Specifically, both men and women who work in environments with flowers and plants demonstrate more innovative thinking as compared to environments with sculpture or no decorative objects.

Men who participated in the study generated 30 percent more ideas when working in environments with flowers and plants than ones without.

While men generate a greater abundance of ideas, the research shows that women generate more creative, flexible solutions to problems in workplace environments with flowers and plants.

As a result, flowers and plants prove to be natural additions to any work environment.

“The research shows that flowers and plants can be important in the most meaningful way to businesses in the modern economy,” says Roger Ulrich, Ph.D., behavioral scientist and the study’s lead researcher.

 “Productivity, in the form of innovation and creative problem solving, can mean the difference between mild and great success.”

(source: SAFNOW.org)

So I encourage everyone to surround yourselves with flowers, homegrown or flower shop purchase… does not matter. Flowers add beauty and as you have read, can increase your productivity, attitude and success.

So, if you want to be more productive or help someone be more productive, send flowers!

Have a beautiful day… and more!

 

Even More Valentine Symbols and Trivia


DID YOU KNOW?

"Even More Valentine Symbols and Trivia"

The oldest paper valentine still around is in the collection of the British Library in London . It was sent by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife in 1415

Legend has it that Valentine’s Day is when birds find their matesUntil the 1800s, the English made Valentine cards and shipped them all over the world

In North America, Valentine’s is the 2nd most popular time to send cards (Christmas is the first)

In Japan, girls give gifts on Valentine’s Day and boys reciprocate the gifts on White Day (March 14th)

In old Wales, wooden love spoons were often presented to sweethearts on February 14th

Italian couples announced engagements on Valentine’s Day.

 

Be sure to order your Valentine flowers early at Eden Florist!