Tuesday, March 17, 2015

FTD Flower Guide

Check out our FTD Flower Guide to know what flowers mean and when to send them.




Meaning of FlowersAster Description: Love and Patience, Greek word for “star,” same word in other languages such as Swedish, Spanish, French, and Dutch Occasion: I’m sorry Gerbera Daisy Description: Innocence, Purity, and Cheerfulness Occasion: Baby Shower Orchid Description: Beauty, Luxury, Fertility Occasion: Engagement or Expecting Sunflower Description: Happiness, Growth, Loyalty Occasion: Birthday Lily Description: Majesty and purity Occasion: Sympathy, Condolences Daffodil: Description: New beginnings, Rebirth, Spring Season Occasion: Wedding, New Relationship Gladiolus Description: Strength, Courage; Latin word “gladius,” meaning sword Occasion: Get well Hydrangea Description: Heartfelt gratitude or other emotion, Greek “hydor,” meaning wter, and “angos,” meaning jar or vessel Occasion: Thank you

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Source: FTD.com

The Power of the Sunflower: 3 Health Benefits of Sunflowers

Wild sunflowers color the earth, bring joy to flower gardens and ornament homes as a cheerful bouquet. The color yellow, especially natural yellow, is proven to be a mood lifter that energizes a space and enlivens your spirits. The health benefits of sunflowers are endless. Here are just a few to point out.




Mind Body Green shares how bright flowers are a wonderful way to color your life with positive energy, and yellow sunflowers in particular, increase happiness. The bright blooms of these golden annuals offer more value than the color of sunshine and mood-enhancing radiance, though. Our October flower of the month produces seeds that are not only delicious and healthy to eat, but able to be pressed into sunflower oil.

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Sunflowers provide confection sunflower seeds (as opposed to non-oil sunflower seeds), which create natural sunflower oil. This oil is an amber, light and healthy oil rich in Vitamin E used for cosmetics and health. Embrace the beauty of the sunflower and welcome the golden oil into your everyday lifestyle. Plus, going au naturel is the de rigueur.

So, What Is Sunflower Oil?

Sunflower oil is a nutrient-dense food that provides healthy fat in moderation. As Livestrong.com explains, it’s a mixture of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats with mostly unsaturated fat levels, which means it’s good for you. (Polysaturates reduce bad cholesterol.) One tablespoon serving of sunflower oil contains 8.9 grams of linoleic acid, an omega-six polyunsaturated fatty acid and an essential part of a healthy diet. Sunflower oil is low in unhealthy saturated fatty acids and naturally free of cholesterol, sodium and trans fats.

Health Benefits of Sunflowers - Sunflower Oil 

Sunflower oil also is an excellent source of alpha-tocopherol (a form of vitamin E), which is a nutrient that acts as an antioxidant (always a healthy buzz term). The Vitamin E found in sunflower oil can strengthen the immune system, lower risk of certain diseases and aid in healthy skin and eyes.

Glowing Skin

First, adorn your kitchen table with a charming sunflower bouquet to make you smile every morning. Yellow flowers elevate moods and brighten spirits, says Gardening News Today, and a happy girl is a beautiful girl.

Health Benefits of Sunflowers - Sunflower Bouquet 

Next, invite sunflower oil into your beauty regimen. Because of sunflower oil’s nutritious composition, it serves as a beneficial application for healthy, glowing skin. StyleCraze advocates sunflower oil because of its calming and emollient properties, which help retain skin moisture and treat dry, dehydrated skin. Sunflower oil’s high amounts of Vitamin E also protect against skin cell damage, help prevent scarring and smooth wrinkles. Its antioxidant properties aid in the preservation of your skin and prevent signs of aging. You can even mix the sunflower oil with castor oil to use as a cleanser to remove dead cells and impurities.
Lustrous Locks
The beauty of sunflower oil is its versatility, which means you can downsize your cosmetics collection and give your credit card a break. Sunflower oil not only makes a smooth skin moisturizer, but it also hydrates dry hair and gives those tresses a shimmering sheen. Use it as a lightweight natural conditioner to tackle frizz and prevent breakage. For gals with thick hair envy, apply sunflower oil to prevent hair from thinning. Sunflower oil is an excellent source of gamma alpha linolenic acid, which can help treat hair loss.

Home Remedy

For centuries, Native Americans have relied on the sunflower for its medicinal purposes—the golden oil serves as a topical anti-inflammatory and pain reliever. Taken orally, the oil can treat infections, help heal ulcers and relieve constipation. And, it doesn’t end there. Sunflower oil can aid in the treatment of athlete’s foot and soothe symptoms of a sore throat. Called oil pulling, sunflower oil even remedies toothaches and promotes good oral health, according to Natural Society. Slowly swish a tablespoon of the oil in your mouth for about 15 to 20 minutes to relieve pain.

Health Benefits of Sunflowers - Home Remedy 

At this point, you may think you might as well drench yourself in sunflower oil to benefit from its beautifying, nutritious and healing properties. Just keep in mind, moderation, like everything in life, is key. Just add a little sunflower oil to your daily routine and a bright sunflower bouquet as cheery home decor. Sunflower oil and a floral arrangement will provide a natural boost in wellness and aesthetically create a happy and blithe energy for your living space.


Source: ftd.com/blog

How to Arrange Mixed Rose Bouquets from FTD.com

 It has arrived! The black box has hit your doorstep and you have opened it to a bouquet of beautiful mixed roses.   Now what?


Step by Step Guide on How to Arrange Mixed Rose Bouquets from FTD:

Mixed Roses Box

Gathering all of your materials is quite easy. Here’s all you will need –

Mixed Roses Prep Tools

We used scissors, tape, and stem cutters. If you don’t have stem cutters, scissors will work just fine.
Once you’ve gathered all of these, remove the bouquet and vase from the box.  Remove the flower food from the vase and fill your vase 2/3 fill with water.
Mixed Roses tools
Quick Tip: Don’t forget to wipe your vase off after filling it with water so that the tape sticks later!

Begin applying the tape in a grid-like pattern along the top of the vase.  Start by lining the tape up in one direction, leaving enough room in between the pieces of tape for stems to fit.
Note: the wider your tape is the less stems will fit. To make your tape skinnier, you can cut it in half length-wise with your scissors.

Mixed Roses Vase Tape

Once you have completed the tape in one direction, begin applying it to the opposite direction forming that grid-like pattern.

Mixed Roses Vase Tape Grid

Mixed Roses Close-up Vase

Once the tape is in place, unbundle the bouquet from the packaging.  Begin by placing the foliage stems along the outside rim of the vase creating a base for the bouquet.

Mixed Roses Arranging Leaves

Note: Before putting all of these stems in the vase, cut about one inch off of each piece at a diagonal. This way the stem won’t sit flat on the bottom of the vase not allowing any water up the stem.

Mixed Roses Cutting Stem

Once the foliage is in place, it is time to arrange the roses.  You will notice that the roses were delivered to you in two lengths.

The longer roses will go in the middle of the vase and the shorter stems will go along the outside. Begin by placing the longer roses in the middle of the grid in your vase.  With mixed roses you will want to vary the colors as you place them in the vase.

Mixed Roses Long Stems First

After you have placed all of the longer stemmed roses in the vase, begin placing the shorter stems along the rim between the longer stems and the foliage.

Mixed Roses Arranging Short Stems

Once all of the roses are in the vase, place the remaining foliage throughout the bouquet.

Mixed Roses Accent Stems

Arranging your bouquet using these few steps will ensure that you get maximum enjoyment and all of the blooms will be on display.

Take a look at our blooms a few days in!
Mixed roses few days later

After you’ve enjoyed your roses, there are plenty of ways to keep enjoying the vase!

vase resuse

For more quick tips on what to do with your vase after you’ve enjoyed your roses, check out our 5 Easy DIY Ways to Breathe New Life into Old Vases.

See the best FTD flowers coupon and promo codes as of March 2015


Source: Ftd.com Blog

Friday, March 13, 2015

FTD Celebrates Our Influential Women in Honor of International Women’s Day

As International Women’s Day rapidly approaches – we decide to take the time to talk to some of our female leaders, influencers, and blog contributors here at FTD.  We are lucky to have these powerful and inspirational women at FTD, and in these short interviews, we got to know a little bit about the influential women in their lives.

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Becky Sheehan

Our first interview is with Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President Becky Sheehan.  Becky joined FTD in July 2006 and has been a very influential leader in the company.


What women inspire or have inspired you?
I have two dear friends who are very strong women…. I am inspired by their ability to balance; be positive in the face of adversity; reach out with support even when their own ‘plates’ are full.  They inspire me to be positive and to believe in what’s possible. 
How do you celebrate the influential women in your life?
I strive to spend time with people that are important to me; to write a note/send a card; to make a call; to stay in touch.
What advice do you have for other women?
Believe in yourself. Be positive.  Stay true to your values.

Anne Saunders

Another influential female leader at FTD is Anne Saunders. She recently joined the company in November 2014 as the President of the Consumer Division and has brought vast amounts of energy and knowledge with her.


What women in your life have been an inspiration to you?  
I think of my mother-in-law – at 84 she just stopped working full time, she sings in her church choir, teaches English as a second language, walks a couple of miles each day, belongs to two book clubs and is close to her extended family.  She lives life with her values at the forefront, something I aspire to do.
How do you celebrate the influential women in your life?
I make sure I tell them how much they mean to me and how they impact my life.
Do you have any advice for other women?
Years ago at a dinner party one of my female friends was discussing a job offer she had gotten – to be CMO of a start-up. She was questioning if she could do they job, if she was really what the company needed, and so on.  Basically asking, “Am I good enough?”. One of the men at the dinner said, “Forget that, what you should be asking is do you want it?”
At that moment I realized the freedom that comes with believing in yourself, letting go of self-doubt and going for what you want.

Andrea Ancel

Andrea Ancel is a creative designer here at FTD and has been the author of several blog posts including the popular – How to Arrange Your Mixed Roses.  Andrea has been with FTD for almost three years and has brought to life many of the beautiful bouquets you see every day.


What women in your life have been an inspiration to you?  
Let’s see what women inspire me?  I have a long list, but let’s focus on my friend Kely; she has a knack for taking life in stride, able to handle all challenges with the biggest smile on her face, and a joke to deflect the bumps in life.  Kely inspires me to live life and embrace it all, no matter how perfect or imperfect it is.
How do you celebrate the influential women in your life?
Perfect timing on this question… Kely and I will be spending next weekend together in Chicago catching up and celebrating our friendship by spending time together. We both love the arts, so there will be museum and gallery visits, seeing as we met in art school it’s the perfect way to spend a couple of hours and celebrate where our friendship started.  It’s not as easy as it used to be to get together now that we live 800 miles away from one another.  
What advice do you have for other women?
Friendships can last a lifetime.  Take the time to talk to your friends, pick up the phone and call even if you’re rushed and short on time.  As we grow up and older we travel the world, get married, have children, and move to other cities. There are many challenges in life and a good friend will be there to share the laughter, conquer the fears and tears and celebrate how you conquered it all with grace and smile.

Nisha Patel

Our last (but certainly not least!) influential female and fellow blog contributor is Nisha Patel.  Nisha has been with FTD since November of 2012 and is a Senior Buyer focused in all of the beautiful jewelry, gifts, chocolate, and more!
international women's day nisha patel

What women in your life have been an inspiration to you?  
My Mom
How do you celebrate her?
I celebrate with my mom by spending time with her and showering her with gifts that she can cherish and look at every day to make sure she knows she’s special
What advice do you have for other women?
Advice:  I would leave everyone with a quote that Hilary Clinton would say as there are a lot of things mom’s say or want an individual to do as they also believe they are always right. Most cases they are but sometimes you have to live and learn on your own and realize maybe mom was right?
“Take criticism seriously, but not personally. If there is truth or merit in the criticism, try to learn from it. Otherwise, let it roll right off you.” — Hillary Clinton
As International Women’s Day gets closer, we encourage you to take the time to recognize and reflect upon the influential women in your life.

The Lawyer Learns Flowers: St. Patrick’s Day Edition

In this, our third edition of “A Lawyer Learns Flowers”, Michael Skaff, FTD’s Design Expert took the day’s theme of St. Patrick’s Day to another level – as most people based in Chicago do. 
If you’d like to read up on our blog post history, please click here for our first post and then here for our Valentine’s Day edition.
As you may know, FTD is headquartered just outside of Chicago and to say that Chicago is famous for its extraordinary celebration of St. Patrick’s Day would be putting it lightly.  For more than fifty years, the city has been dying the Chicago River green, a tradition started by accident.   The city’s bars open early in the morning to accommodate hoards of people dressed up and participating in bar crawls, parades and festivals for families happen throughout the city.  There is no dull moment in Chicago on St. Patrick’s Day – and, neither was there today at FTD, in Michael’s latest lesson for the lawyer on flowers.

flowers st patricks day

I walked into our studio today expecting to see three or four floral products, prepared to make a bouquet.  But, there was a large floral sculpting sheet formed in the shape of shamrock with Aspidistra leaves surrounding part of it.  I wasn’t sure if this was a subtle way of Michael testing what I had learned already in the form of something that quite literally shouted “Good Luck!”
Next to the shamrock were about five different types of flowers laid out before me.  There were shears, there was wire, there were many green flowers – and about 30 minutes to my next meeting.

Lawyer Does Flowers 2

Michael immediately handed me the wire and taught me to cut one inch pieces that were bent into a shape that could be inserted into the sides of the sculpting sheet in order to hold the leaves.  Low on time and high on efficiency (as we lawyers consistently are), I started asking questions of Michael quickly.
The “sculpting sheet” is a form that floral designers use to create unique shapes for event style pieces.  The sheet can be formed into almost anything and it allows the designer to place flowers into the sheet that will hold form.  Michael cautioned that me to use flowers that last a little longer to account for the lack of water once the flowers are placed – or, if you do need it to last longer, you could prepare water tubes that would be placed in the sculpting sheet.

Lawyer Does Flowers 3
Lawyer Does Flowers 4

Once we finished the leaves, we started placing the dianthus into one section of the shamrock.  A little field of greens.  We followed that up with the green carnations.  We cut them down to about three inches and packed them in tight, leaving no view of the sheet.  Michael reminded me to fluff the carnations since spreading out the leaves would fill the designated space better.  I smiled.

Lawyer Does Flowers 5
Lawyer Does Flowers 6

The orchids were next and a bit trickier for this trainee.  The orchids were not as dense as the previous two flowers and so, we had to start with a lower base layer, followed by a second taller later that we created by using placing the flowers on some wire that gave them height before inserting them into the sheet.  For each orchid, we spread the leaves a bit to give the flower a fuller feel and to, again, cover the sculpting sheet base.  Then, we moved on to the green roses.  I’ve actually never seen or noticed green roses before, but they were very pretty.  They are featured in this product on the FTD website here.

Lawyer Does Flowers 8

With that, we had finished the petals of the shamrock, but we were not done.
Michael had chosen a very fitting “Bells of Ireland” to finish the stem – a fitting choice for our holiday theme.  Michael cut the long stalk right above each flower and we could easily push the thicker round stem into the sheet.  Voila!  A beautiful shamrock!

Lawyer Does Flowers 9

But something was missing.  Sitting back, as designers do, to look at the finished product, I could see that Michael wasn’t yet satisfied.  I looked over to our Paralegal / Photographer, Carrie, and shrugged, thinking that it all looked pretty good to me – and looked back in time to see Michael rush off to the refrigerator.  He reappeared with one final touch – an Ornamental Kale Flower – and rushed by me to place it in the center of the piece.  Like a painter who can’t stop with the final touches, so was Michael with this lovely flower shamrock.
This turned out to be a perfect and unique centerpiece for your St. Patrick’s Day party – or my party, now that I’m throwing one simply so I have a place to show off this masterpiece.

Lawyer Does Flowers 10

Some information on the more unique flowers used in this piece are below:

Miniature Cymbidium Orchids

Colors:  A wide range of colors
Locations:  New Zealand and Holland
Duration:  Long lasting cut flower
Other Information:  Popular forms have about 10-12 blooms per stem

“Bells of Ireland” (Moluccella Laevis)

Colors:  Yellow-green
Locations:  Native to Turkey, Syria and Caucasus
Duration:  Long lasting plant
Other Information: Considered a lucky symbol and, although commonly thought to be from Ireland – are not!  These plants can grow to 2’-3’!

Ornamental or Flowering Kale (Brassica Oleracea)

Colors:  Whites to pinks, purples to reds
Locations:  Native to western coastal Europe
Duration:  A plant that can be grown indoors
Other Information:  These are great for winter since they can survive in low temperatures.
To shop the FTD collection for your St. Patrick’s Day, please visit here.

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day & send the Luck o' the Irish from FTD! Save 10% OFF select Flowers & Gifts for the day! Limited time only! Click Here

Conquer Small Spaces with Container Gardening

Container Gardening Feature

Container gardening is a popular choice for apartment dwellers with limited space to plant. Whether on a balcony, patio, or even doorstep, here are tips to get your spring container garden started, no matter how little your landscape.

Evaluate Your Space

Think about how a container garden might fit into the space you have. A cluster of pots can host a variety of plants and beautify a patio. Flower boxes can be attached to railings and hanging baskets can be suspended from the roof.

Container Gardening Vertical Gardens

A popular way to grow a large number of plants in a very small space is to build a vertical garden. DIY versions can be made of some unexpected materials, such as wood pallets or shoe organizers. For a refined look, purchase vertical gardening structures with multiple pockets of soil to hold the plants. Some models even include a water feature!

Select Your Containers

Container Gardening Correct Containers

Containers should be beautiful and functional. Start by choosing the largest pots that you can fit into the space. The more soil they contain, the more plant options you will have. Next, look for features that help to hold in moisture, like self-watering compartments. Finally, choose containers that will stand up to the weather conditions in your area. If you plan to leave the pots outside when temperatures dip down to freezing, purchase containers that are glazed ceramic or weather-proof plastic.

Choose Your Plants

Now is the time to dream about what you would like to grow. An herb garden just outside of the kitchen? Stunning flowers to brighten up the entertaining area? An edible garden to feed your family? All of these are possible in container gardens, as long as you seek out the right plants.

Container Gardening Correct Plants

Read plant labels and seed packets to determine if a plant will be successful in a container; many will even be labeled as container plants. Other terms to look for are, “dwarf,” “miniature” and “patio” in the plant names.

Ensure you are choosing plants that will thrive in your small space’s unique micro-climate. If the hot sun is unrelenting all day long, choose vegetables or drought-tolerant plants. If the sun is obstructed for most of the day, pick large-leaf, shade-loving plants.

Container Gardening Correct soil

If you’re an amature and want to try your thumb before you commit to a whole outdoor patio full of plants, check out the Click & Grow product line.

Pick The Right Soil

Garden soil is generally too heavy for containers. Many garden centers sell bags of soil specially formulated for container plants. This is often a good quality compost with added peat moss and perlite for aeration and water-retention properties. Look for container soil that is light and fluffy.
Container Gardening Maintaining

Maintaining Beautiful Containers

Water the container plants regularly but be sure that they are not left with standing water that can rot the roots. Proper drainage is essential to the plants’ success.

Container Gardening Plants

Containers offer a much smaller volume of soil and nutrients than a garden bed does, so fertilizer will be needed a few times each season. Choose an organic fertilizer made for the types of plants you are growing.
One final thought on building the perfect container garden: use more than one plant per container and add artistic elements to the design. This will create a personalized touch and create the most aesthetically pleasing display.

Follow this link to save 25% OFF Select Flowers, Gifts, and Plants at FTD!

A Guide for Your Spring Garden

Spring is an exciting time in the garden. The change of season signals a fresh beginning, with new growth coming up from the soil and a to-do list of tasks to jump start the gardening year. If the air is warming and the earth has thawed, it’s time to dust off your gardening gloves and dig into the garden.

Create a Garden Plan

planting your spring garden buds

Setting pen to paper to map out a garden plan can begin even if the plants are buried deep under snow.
  • Measure the space and draw a map to scale. Pencil in plants and hardscaping elements that you intend to keep in the design, such trees, shrubs, perennials, garden boxes and water features.
  • Create a list for what will be added during the season. Sketching in new items will prevent overspending and overcrowding.
  • Add to the map as you grow, divide or purchase for the space. The result will be a well-thought-out guide for the year and keepsake for the future.

Prepare Your Tools

planting your spring garden pruning

Keeping tools in tip-top shape makes garden chores easier and more enjoyable.
  • Inspect your hand tools for signs of wear or corrosion. Replace any tools that are broken or unrepairable.
  • Disassemble, wash, sharpen, oil and reassemble pruners.
  • Wash garden pots with warm, soapy water and a bristle brush to remove dried-on soil, fungus and insects.
  • Bring the lawn mower in for service early so it will be ready for the first mow.
  • Service other power tools such as leaf blowers and trimmers.

Spring Cleaning

Planting Your spring garden raking

Once the weather becomes less frightful, venture outdoors to spruce up the beds.
  • Use a rake to pull back winter mulch and add it to the compost bin.
  • Remove any dead, diseased or damaged plant material with clean pruners.
  • Cut back ornamental grasses.
  • Look for signs of disease such as fungal spots or discoloration on leaves and dispose of the affected plant material in a green waste bin rather than the compost pile.
  • Identify and remove weeds.
  • Prune summer-flowering bushes and fruit trees.
  • Add a layer of compost to the beds and scratch it into the topsoil.
  • Tour the garden and make note of any changes to the garden map such as forgotten spring bulbs or plants that died over winter.

Start Seeds

Planting Your spring garden seeds

Vegetables, herbs and flowers are much less expensive to start from seed. Cool season crops can be directly sown outdoors, where warm season crops get a headstart being germinated indoors.
  • Purchase seeds from a supplier that specializes in your climate zone. Ordering seeds from other suppliers may have you dreaming of exotic plants, but you will be more successful growing plants that are proven to grow well in your area.
  • Find out your last frost date, or the date when you can safely plant tender plants out in the garden without risk of frost, by calling a local garden center.
  • Read the seed packet for specific directions on germinating and growing the seeds contained within the envelope. Many seeds have different requirements, so it is best to follow the directions closely.
Follow the tasks on this list and you will be sure to get your spring garden off on the right boot by setting the roots for a healthy and happy outdoor space.

Redeem this FTD Flowers Coupon and save up to 50% OFF on select Flowers & gifts at FTD! Shop now! 

Friday, March 6, 2015

Family Shenanigans for St. Patrick’s Day

St. Patrick's Day feature
Everyone is Irish on March 17. Whether you’re rich in Irish heritage or just an annual participant in one of the most beloved early springtime celebrations, St. Patrick’s Day is the perfect reason for mid-week adult libations and traditional Irish fare. For those who plan to celebrate with their lucky little leprechauns, we’ve left no shamrock unturned in our hunt to make the most of St. Patrick’s Day for the entire clan. Check out our guide to putting an Irish twist on food, crafts, decor and activities.

Food

St. Patrick's Day food

Quintessential to every St. Patrick’s Day feast is the iconic Corned Beef and Cabbage. This “magically delicious” brisket — with cabbage and red potatoes — is easy to prepare in the crockpot. Pair it with a thick slice (or two) of Basil Beer Bread to soak up all the flavorful juices from the slow-cooked beef. For another savory Irish staple, try a Shepherd’s Pie of minced meat topped with a golden layer of mashed potatoes. This Shepherd’s Pie recipe is as easy as, well…. pie, and can be put together in less than 30 minutes. We also love this grown-up (and arguably more traditional) recipe that calls for ground lamb.

Sweets

St. Patrick's Day sweets

A celebration wouldn’t be complete without cake, which is why we love this Chocolate Stout Cake made with Guinness and topped with chocolate ganache. Since the alcohol bakes out, you’ll be left with the smooth flavor, and a dessert that’s safe for the whole family. For an alternative to cake, these Chocolate Covered Four Leaf Clover Shortbread Cookies are sure to please and add a touch more green to your Irish-inspired feast.

Want something light and healthy to nosh during your celebration, these All Green Fruit Skewers are a sweet and delightfully festive.

Decor

St. Patrick's Day plants

A memorable celebration always begins with decorations. Infuse pops of green throughout your home; start with this printable banner. Download the template and follow the step-by-step instructions. Jute and green ribbon give the banner a homemade feel.

Place potted shamrocks throughout your home. Shamrocks make great houseplants and are easy to grow and care for. Theshamrock plant makes a wonderful centerpiece. Want something more neutral and adaptable to climate — check out this potted succulent trio.

For an additional playful and inexpensive centerpiece, fill hurricanes with green split peas to hold votives in place.

Activities

St. Patrick's Day activities

Play a familiar card game, such as poker and replace any chips or money with chocolate coins as the game’s currency.

If card games aren’t favorable to the littlest leprechauns, hide chocolate coins throughout your home for them to find. (Think: Easter egg hunt meets St. Patrick’s Day). We also love the idea of a scavenger hunt for a Pot O’ Gold full of treats at the end.

Dye carnations with the kiddos. Simply mix green food coloring with water in a vase until a rich, vibrant shade of green is achieved. Take any number of white carnations, cut their stems under cool, running water, then place the them in the vase or painted green Mason jar. Your family will be tickled by the overnight leprechaun magic that changes the petals from white to green.

Adorn each member of the family with a homemade St. Patrick’s Day pin or boutonnière, then head to a local parade or festival to show off your green attire.

Find discount Anniversary Flowers at FTD! Get Ftd Flowers Coupon 50 Off March 2015 and save up to 50% OFF! 


Sunday, March 1, 2015

A Look at Our Favorite Spring Flowers

As the saying goes, April Showers bring May Flowers. Well, FTD is here to bring you those spring time favorites before May rolls around.  Here’s a guide to our favorite spring flowers.


Tulips

Tulips are the quintessential spring flower.   After planting your tulip bulbs in the fall and then waiting all winter, seeing your tulips bloom is one of the first signs that it is spring time.  The bright colors and green leaves offset the bare trees and the cool air after a long winter (unless you are enjoying life in a warmer climate).  This special flower is sure to put anyone into a good mood.   There are many kinds of tulips, but the ones pictured here are standard tulips and French tulips.  Both have similar blooms and colors, but French tulips are longer stemmed and take longer to grow.



Daffodils

Similar to tulips, daffodils or narcissus are perennials that bloom in the spring after being planted in the fall. Most associate daffodils with being yellow, but they can also be two toned with white petals and a yellow trumpet, yellow petals and an orange trumpet, etc.  These spring time favorites are only in bloom for a short amount of time, which means admire them while you can!   Fun fact: our VP of Design Michael Skaff said his favorite flower is the daffodil – read more about him here.




Asiatic Lilies

Lilies are really in bloom all year round, but Asiatic lilies are popular in the spring time for a couple of reasons.  First, they are able to bloom in early spring and last throughout the summer. Also, the white Asiatic lilies are synonymous with Easter, commonly called the Easter lily. Lilies are beautiful flowers – why not enjoy them as soon as possible!




Iris



This spring favorite makes a great addition to any bouquet.  Although iris can be a multitude of colors, the blueish-purple iris mix well with many spring time bouquets because they add the pop of color next to yellow lilies, white daisies, etc. Just like all of the other spring flowers, iris are perennials that bloom again in the spring.

Send Some Sunshine and Save 10% on Spring Flowers and Gifts from FTD.com! Redeem this FTD flowers coupon 10 off now! For more Ftd coupon code march 2015 at here


Source: ftd.com