Today it's 'Back to School' - Signature Flowers by Emma Newman - Day 4

Guest Blogger - Emma Newman

It feels like I'm getting ready to go on Blue Peter, double sided tape, bright ribbon and yoghurt pots at the ready, I'm off to see the local school's reception class, to talk to them about my job, and to make a small posy with them.  I've pre cut nearly all the flower materials, and soaked the oasis, and the children are all bringing a yoghurt pot.  I do it step by step, and finish letting them choose a colour ribbon and writing a card!  The teacher deserves a medal I'm there three hours and feel like a nap when I come home! No chance!

Credit: Tamara Kuzminski Photography

 

 

I have four orders to make up for delivery and flowers to create for a photo shoot tomorrow afternoon! First to the wholesalers for flowers, I try not to go every day, but also to go regularly enough to keep a good stock turnover, and keep getting new things in particularly seasonal flowers, I just love the summer stuff, beautiful stocks, peonies and delphiniums!  Amazing colours and scents.  The items for the photo shoot are ordered, as its been styled by wedding planner Darling Belle Events, but I have pretty much free range for the orders which is great, I can be more creative and more often or not you get better value for money this way.

Credit: Tamara Kuzminski Photography

My Mum is a fab delivery driver and free, so she takes out the afternoons orders, two in the village and two in Aylesbury, different sides mind you! Mum doing this gives me time to get on with the shoot flowers, I'm so excited its a rainbow themed wedding shoot, and the mood board supplied by Amanda at Darling Belle Events had my brain over flowing with fab ideas, heres some images of what I created, captured by the fantastic........... I love the vintage feel, mixed with bright colours, it proves it can be done!!

Credit: Tamara Kuzminski Photography

The evening is a painting one, the suns out so with a glass of white wine (large if your wondering) I head with my water colours to the patio.  Once a bride has paid the deposit for her wedding, I do her an artists impression, this saves making a sample bouquet which is costly, and along with sample stems of her chosen flowers is a unique part of my service, which brides really seem to appreciate.  Heres one I did a few weeks ago, with the actual bouquet next to it, to give you an idea.

Contact Signature Flowers by Emma Newman:
Location: Buckinghamshire
Telephone: 07894283255
Email: info@signature-flowers.co.uk
Website: www.signature-flowers.co.uk

"The colours and the flowers were perfect" - Signature Flowers by Emma Newman - Day 3

I left the Signature Flowers studio at 7:15 with the funeral tributes and dropped them off, the undertakers were expecting a lot of items, but hadn't considered quite how many with some others as well as my designs being delivered. It was decided as it was a village funeral I would take some of mine back and display them in the church for when people arrived.

When back from the church it was time to do todays contract flowers for a local hotel, they have one large arrangement and several small vases with flowers for the guest rooms each week. This week they have stunning pink cymbidium orchids, replicated in wine glasses on in the bedrooms, these are delivered at about 3pm, and last weeks flowers are collected together and removed, when home, the flowers will be thrown away, and all the glassware washed and polished.

The lady I delivered the flowers too was celebrating her 70th birthday and loved her pink bouquet made up in her favourite colours, so much she sent an email later that day saying so! She wrote; I just wanted to thank you for the most exquisite flowers I have ever seen!    I have been playing around with flowers for years  but have never received such a well put together “ bunch” before  and the colours and the flowers were perfect.  So thank you it gave me great pleasure!

That's it for actual flowers today, so I get down to some wedding work, I have a wedding in two weeks time, so I must check their final payment has been made and send them a final itemised quote to sign, as this will allow them to make any final amendments. Fortunately she replies almost instantly so I am able to draw up my order sheet, to work out flower totals and place the order with my wholesaler.

I also have time to reply to several other enquiries, requesting responses.  One was a school enquiring about prom corsage deals for their students, a great way of getting business, taking a corsage bar to a school over a few lunchtimes where the students can pick what they'd like!

Early night tonight after some preparations for tomorrow morning, teaching a reception class how to make posies.

 

Contact Signature Flowers by Emma Newman:
Location: Buckinghamshire
Telephone: 07894283255
Email: info@signature-flowers.co.uk
Website: www.signature-flowers.co.uk 

'A Week in the Life of...' Signature Flowers by Emma Newman - Day 1

This week our guest blogging journey takes us in the art of flowers.  I had the pleasure of first meeting Emma from Signature Flower by Emma Newman last year and before I had even had the opportunity to view her work I was already taken with her attitude and focus to achieve something rare for florist - her Master Diploma.  Her dedication to achieving more, learning and growing as both an individual and a business woman I felt was inspiring and this week it is my pleasure to give you an insight into her world...

 

Signature Flowers was born in late 2010 at the same time as I began my Level 4 qualification in floristry.  I am fortunate enough to have been brought up surrounded by beautiful  plants and fresh flowers as my parents own a horticultural nursery and  my passion developed from a young age! I now have a studio based at the nursery and can often be found out and about on the nursery with a pair of scissors and a bucket of freshly picked flowers to incorporate into my work.

At the end of year 12 I left school and went to college to study my National Diploma in floristry in which I got a triple distinction.  Along the way I also entered two national competitions, winning one and coming second in the heat that I did of the UK Skills Challenge.  At the end of this course I was taken on full time by my placement provider and was given lots of experience and opportunities. After two years it was time to move on and do something more challenging so I accepted the job of a florist manager at a bigger shop, in a busy town. The experience I gained in my twelve months here was invaluable and I eventually decided it was time to go it alone, so Signature Flowers was born.

For the first year I didn't actively go about getting business as I was still studying for my Level 4 qualification, once a week at Berkshire College.  However by doing weddings for friends and in the village I soon began to build a reputation and get a small following on social networking sites.

Credit:  Paul L Cox Photography

I decided to put my foot on the throttle in October 2011 when advertising and wedding fairs became a priority and this is also when I joined Ice the Cake, since joining I have had lots of great opportunities taking part in networking events and working with others on photoshoots. In September 2011 I began my Master Diploma in floristry with renowned tutor Tina Parkes, on completion of this course in January 2013, I will be one of the first 100 English Master Florists.

Wedding work is my favourite type of work, as every wedding is so individual to the couple, I endeavour to capture your dreams, and turn them into arrangements and bouquets you will remember for ever.

Contact Signature Flowers by Emma Newman:
Location: Buckinghamshire
Telephone: 07894283255
Email: info@signature-flowers.co.uk
Website: www.signature-flowers.co.uk


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ITC Gem of the Week

I would like to award my first 'ITC Gem of the Week' to Signature Flowers by Emma Newman.  Emma's incredible creations inspire me every time I see them but this one in particular is one that I absolutely adore.  The colours are so vibrant and the bouquet itself is perfectly styled, but most importantly, every time I look it at I feel uplifted and it makes me smile and that is why it is my 'ITC Gem of the Week'...

Christmas Treats for 14th December - Budd's

Who is Budd's?

Budd's is run by Nikki Budd who is passionate about flowers, from floristry to horticulture. Nikki has always been interested in art and crafts but developed a keen interest in gardening which lead to a foundation course in floristry following time at home, through to enrolment at the internationally renowned Capel Manor College in London. The only floristry school to be awarded the CoVE status and become a Centre of Vocational Excellence for Floristry and Business Enterprise. They are the only provider in England to achieve such recognition.
 

After gaining the MRF (Modern Retail Floristry) City & Guilds Level 1 and 2, Nikki  relocated from London to Oxfordshire in 2007 and continued to study at  Capel Manor College to gain the ANC (Advanced National Certificate) City & Guilds level 3 in floristry with Distinctions. During this time she also worked for an experienced florist in the Oxford area.

Nikki has a strong artistic flair which enables her to produce designs to suit all requirements, from the most intricate of buttonholes to the full scale decor required in large venues such as the many beautiful and historic buildings of Oxfordshire.

Where are you based?
I have a workshop in North Leigh just outside Witney although every effort is being put into finding the right premises in the right location to expand the business, so needed.

What is your greatest achievement?
Completing an event for a large London Bank in the summer and gaining another prestigious booking for early December.

What items do you have available for Christmas?
Table decorations, wreaths, bird feeders (my own design and very popular last year), arrangements for gifts, candle arrangements, baskets etc

 

How can people contact you?
Via my website www.buddsfloral.co.uk, info@buddsfloral.co.uk or tel: 07828630954,

What do you love about Christmas?
I love Christmas time being home with my Husband and children (and the cats), visiting family in Hampshire, my Nan whose 94. Three family birthdays Christmas week too so all good fun!!

A note from Nikki...

I am passionate about what I do and am lucky to be able to work with such a lovely product.