Jan
31

Little Ways to Make Valentine’s Special

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Valentine’s Day is in two weeks!  Hopefully, you’ve already got your plans laid out and reservations made.  While you’re setting up the perfect Valentine’s Day date, be sure to think about the little things you can do to make it truly special.  Anyone can buy a dozen roses and make a reservation at a restaurant.  If you really want to make your date special, you need to add a few small touches to make it really personal.

How can you do that?  Here are a few things ways to make a date special:

Even though a dozen red roses are traditional, they may not be personal.  If you know she doesn’t particularly like roses or that she loves a different flower, get her those flowers.  Another way of adding a bit of extra flair to your Valentine’s Day flowers is to have them delivered to her office.  Imagine her delight when she gets a large bouquet of her favorite flowers delivered in front of her coworkers.

Select a restaurant that has a special meaning for the two of you.  Maybe it’s her favorite place to eat, or maybe it was where you had your first date.

Another way of making the date special is to go with a personal date.  Stuffed animals and jewelry are pretty traditional gifts.  How about going with something really different?  For example, if she loves a particular author, try to hunt down a signed book.  If she collects something specific, try to find a piece or two that she doesn’t have.

If you really want to make the date special, think about doing something instead of the whole “dinner and an activity” idea.  For example, set up a special date at home.  Cook a romantic dinner yourself, then watch a movie together.  Another option might be to stay home and play your favorite games or take a walk in the park.  Do something that’s special to the two of you.

We’ve got a wide variety of flowers for Valentine’s Day, including roses.  Order now and we’ll deliver them on the 14th.  We’ve got all your Valentine’s flowers in Kansas City, MO.

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Jan
24

It’s Easy to Make a Lasting Impression

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Making a lasting impression is actually very easy to do, believe it or not.  The problem is making a good lasting impression.  It’s just as easy to make a bad one as a good one.  Some people take a lot of time and put a lot of work into making a lasting impression, while others wing it and hope their natural charm and wit makes a great lasting impression on someone.

One way of making a good lasting impression is to look nice.  Make sure the clothes you’re wearing don’t have any rips or stains on them and that the colors match.  Have your hair combed nicely and your nails trimmed.  If you’re a woman, sometimes making a good lasting impression does mean wearing makeup.  Don’t go overboard, though—you’ll make an impression, all right, but it might not be a great one.

Another way of making a lasting impression is to be positive and happy.  While we all have our bad days, some people seem to be in a perpetual bad mood.  While you might not believe in auras or energy, it is true that sometimes you just get the impression of negativity from someone.  Try your hardest not to be one of those people, especially when you’re meeting someone new.

If you think back at all the people who made an impression right off, you probably remember those who stood out or had something unique.  These people are usually very individual and have their own style that they’re not afraid to show off.  One example of this is a young person who dresses old fashioned, such as wearing a bow tie, vest, and bowler hat.  Another example might be someone with an eyebrow ring or flashy nose piercing.  Another way of making an impression is to wear unique vintage outfits.

Of course, attitude and what you say can often make more of an impression than how you look.  If you’re rude, constantly interrupt, or speak loudly, you’re likely to make a negative impression very quickly.  People who are polite, honest, and participate in a conversation in an intelligent way will be remembered as such.  Of course, if you’ve recently moved somewhere, your accent may make the biggest impression.  People might ask you to say certain words over and over just because you pronounce them differently.  Just try to grin and bear it!

Actions can also make a lasting impression.  Stepping in and saving a major project or putting a lot of work in to something will make a very favorable impression on your boss and co-workers.  For example, if you’re in charge of organizing a conference, luncheon, or major meeting, you can impress a lot of people if everything goes off without a hitch.  Naturally, the opposite is also true: if the event or project you’re in charge of is constantly plagued with problems, you might make a negative impression on some people.

In personal relationships, it’s also just as easy to make a good impression.  On a first date, for example, show up with a bouquet of flowers and tell her she looks great.  Take her out somewhere nice, and be sure to hold the door for her like a true gentleman would.  That’s all it takes to make a really great impression and score a second date.

Always try to keep in mind what kind of impression your actions, dress, and words will make.  It only takes a second to make a first impression, and while the lasting impression you make might be different, it will only be because you make it different.

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Jan
17

Making Memories with the One You Love

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Life is all about memories, the good and the bad.  Making memories with your special someone is very important.  In fact, the memories you make do, in a way, define your life.  You can set out to make memories with your loved one, but it seems like a lot of the best memories are the ones that happen naturally.

Some people would argue that it’s the big memories that count.  Memories like your first date and your first kiss, for example.  Naturally, remembering how you got engaged and your wedding are huge events, and those memories are ones that you’ll fondly remember for years.

But sometimes, it’s the little memories that keep us going.  When you’re having a horrible day, doesn’t the memory of your most recent date help?  Or maybe remembering how safe and warm you felt in his arms the night before is what gets you through the day.  Stolen kisses, the touch of a hand, or the whisper of your name are intimate, emotional memories that can be just as powerful, if not more powerful, than memories of big, major events.

In the end, it’s the memories you hold on to that are the most important.  Some people say they don’t remember much about their wedding day at all because of the stress, but they may remember every little detail of their first date or the first time they met their spouse.  Others say their wedding day seemed to happen in slow motion, and they might remember what every member of their immediate family was wearing and how the minister stumbled over a few words.  The most important memories you make with your loved one are the ones that touch you the most, the ones you’ll always cherish.  Make the most of them.

Love & Romance Flowers in Kansas City, MO

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Jan
17

7 Fragrant Houseplants to Enjoy on Cold Winter Days

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Here’s a great blog article from the Crofton Village Garden Club blog.

It may be winter, but that doesn’t mean our love of gardening can’t be fulfilled. We simply shift gears, and focus on indoor gardening until the weather warms up enough to spend more time outside. Hopefully that flowering pansy will survive the winter cold to delight us in Spring.

House plants clean the air and enhance the decor in our homes with their assorted textures and colors. They can brighten our spirits on the coldest and darkest winter days and may even provide a pleasant scent to tickle our noses.

Here are a few suggestions of fragrant houseplants from Crofton Village Garden Club members:

Arabian Jasmine – The starry, pure-white flowers of this plant produce a soft, flowery fragrance and are used to make jasmine tea.

Citrus – Enjoy the sweet scent of orange, lemon, grapefruit, or other citrus blossoms. Most are surprisingly easy to grow, provided you give them enough light. If you’re patient, you may even get to enjoy homegrown fruits.

Eucalyptus – Tish easy-growing tree makes a pretty showpiece indoors in a high-light spot. It offers blue-gray foliage with a distinct aroma when you rub it.

Gardenia – A lovely and fragrant flower, with glossy green leaves spotlighting white flowers that emit a heavy, flowery scent.

Orange Jessamine - This is a beautiful foliage plant when it’s not flowering, and its clusters of long-lasting white flowers smell like orange blossoms.

Orchid – It may not occur to you to smell these lovely flowers but, like begonias, some of them have a beautiful scent. (Attend the Orchid Diagnostic and R epotting Clinic with Carol Allen at the Potomac location of Behnke’s during January.)

Scented Geraniums – Choose from rose, lemon, lime, nutmeg, ginger, or chocolate scents, just to name a few. They also present a lovely range of leaf shapes, from lacy to shield. And many have soft, fuzzy foliage that’s as fun to touch as it is to smell.

Many of these plant descriptions are based on those posted by Better Home sand Gardens, where you will also find photos and learn what each plant needs to thrive inside your home.

Visit nearby Homestead Gardens in Davidsonville or Behnke’s in Beltsville, and ask them to suggest other fragrant houseplants they may have in stock for Crofton area residents to purchase.

How to care for all houseplants at this time of year:

  • Check for pests (spider mites, mealybugs and scale insects) on your plants. Most of them can be eradicated with simple methods such as a spray of water, insecticidal soap, or swabbing (especially mealybugs) with a Q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol.
  • Be careful not to over-water.
  • Resist the temptation to fertilize houseplants at this time of year.

 

Like these flowers?  Have these fragrant flowers delivered in Kansas City MO.

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Jan
10

Sending Messages with your Actions

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You’ve heard the saying that actions speak louder than words, and this is often true.  However, it’s also true that actions themselves are, in a way, words or messages to others.  What do your actions say about you?  What do you want them to say?  It’s important that the messages we want our actions to convey are actually received correctly.  Sometimes, they can get a little jumbled and the other person gets the wrong message!

So how do you make your actions say what you want?  First, think carefully about what you’re going to do and what you want to say.  If you just want to say “thanks,” you might not need to make any over the top gesture.  A smile might be enough.

Flowers are a great way of saying “thank you” when a smile isn’t enough.  They can also say “I’m interested in you” or “I love you.”  However, you’ve got to be careful they don’t say too much.  Red roses, for example, are usually used when your message is about love, not friendship or gratitude.

A meal can also say too much.  If you want to show a friend how much you appreciate something they’ve done, you might want to take them out to lunch.  However, asking someone out to dinner, even if your intention is just to thank them for something, may imply that you want more.  Dinner means romance.  Asking someone to go for drinks or for coffee, likewise, may imply a bit more than you’d want.

It’s also possible for our actions to say things we certainly don’t mean.  For example, giving someone chocolates when they’re trying to lose weight or when they are on a restrictive diet may hurt their feelings or make them self-conscious.  Having a bad day can result in actions that hurt others, too, so it’s important that we always be aware of what message our actions are sending.

Of course, the opposite can be true, as well.  Being in a great mood can be infectious.  The actions of smiling, laughing, and being in a good mood can send a great message to others.  It can even spread your good mood!

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Jan
04

Celebrate Any Event with Flowers

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When it comes to celebrating events, you can go with many different things: food, gifts, balloons…but these gifts don’t work for any event.  You don’t see a lot of balloons around Christmas or Fourth of July, for example.  So what gift works for any event?  Flowers, of course!

Flowers can be given for any event. If you’re wondering which flower works for which event, here’s a quick and easy breakdown:

Holidays:

Christmas – Take your host an arrangement of poinsettias.
Valentine’s Day – Roses, of course!  Or your significant other’s favorite flower.
Mother’s Day – Get your mom her favorite flowers.
Father’s Day – While Dad might not enjoy all types of flowers, there are some sports-related arrangements and other masculine ones.  You can also get him a gourmet food basket.
Fourth of July – Red, white, and blue carnations look great!
Halloween – Spooky arrangements, especially dyed flowers like black roses, can add a ghostly touch to any Halloween party.
Thanksgiving – Don’t forget to put some fall flowers on the table along with a few small gourds and pumpkins.

Other Celebrations:

Birthdays – Send flowers to the birthday person at work.  Go with her favorite flowers or roses.
Promotions – Just be careful not to make these arrangements too personal.  Roses might send the wrong message.
New baby – There are some great arrangements with small flowers available to celebrate the birth of a new baby.  Blue and pink flowers are also often given.
Anniversary – Between spouses, go with roses.  If you’re giving flowers to the happy couple, just about anything can work.

Here at Village Gardens, we have flower arrangements for all of these events and many more!

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Dec
28

New Year’s 2012 Events

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Where will you be ringing in the New Year on Saturday?  There are a lot of different events going on.  Will you go to a large city-wide event, or will you hang out with your family or a few friends?

Many different organizations are hosting large parties on New Year’s.  For example, CrazyKC.com and 95.7 The Vibe are hosting NYE 2012 at the Temple.  Billed as the “craziest new year’s eve party in the Midwest,” you can be sure it will be a New Year’s to remember!  The Hyatt Regency Downtown is also putting on a large event featuring four different entertainment sections plus a laser show.  Dinner and overnight accommodations are also available.

However, these events are obviously geared towards the younger crowd or those without families.  If you have children, you may want to stay home and have your own, small celebration.  In fact, you could host a celebration for your children and your friends’ children.  This may give other parents a chance to enjoy New Year’s, especially if they have been unable to find a sitter.  Plus, even though you’re giving up your New Year’s Eve, you’re accruing favors.  The next time you want to go out, you’ll have several potential sitters to call!

Of course, you can also host your own adult party.  While this means you might have to clean the house and make some sort of snacks, it also means you don’t have to get out in the cold, deal with traffic and parking, or pay the entry fee for an event.  Instead, you can have a mellow event, have alcohol or not, and just enjoy your evening.

No matter what you decide to do for New Year’s Eve 2012, make it something you’ll enjoy.

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Dec
21

Last Minute Gift Ideas

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Oh no, Christmas is just a few days away and you’ve suddenly realized you’re missing a gift!  Don’t despair, there are some last minute gifts that you can still pick up for the last-minute Christmas guest or accidentally forgotten relative.

Flowers, naturally, can still be ordered and delivered by Christmas.  You can also pick up a great gift basket, too.  Flowers make a great gift for whoever is hosting Christmas dinner.

Baked goods are another good last-minute gift.  You may already have all the ingredients you need to whip up a batch of sugar cookies or a pie.  Put the cookies in a decorative container or the pie in a fancy dish and you have an instant gift!  Of course, make certain the intended recipient can actually enjoy the sugary treats—some people are on a restrictive diet.

If the recipient can’t have cookies or other baked goods, go for healthy snacks.  Cheese or a gift basket full of gourmet fruit can be a good healthy option.  You could also pick up a bottle of wine, crackers, cheese, and meats and create a small picnic basket.  In fact, for those who do enjoy a glass of wine now and then, a bottle or two of their favorite vintage is a fine gift by itself.

If you crochet, knit, do needle point, or any similar type craft, you may be able to create a gift in the next few days.  A scarf, for example, might only take a few hours if you work quickly and already have the yarn on hand.

If you have a lot of music, you can create mix CDs.  For example, you could make a CD of music that was popular during the recipient’s high school years, or songs that have special meanings between the two of you.

Give the gift of time: give someone gift certificates for babysitting, a lunch date (that you’ll pay for, of course), or your services in cleaning their house or doing yard work later in the year.

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Dec
20

Hanukkah Traditions

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Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, is the Jewish celebration of the Macabees and the miraculous small amount oil that lasted for eight days.  Hanukkah started today (the 20th) and will end on the 28th.  There are many different traditions associated with the holiday, traditions that are quite interesting.

The menorah is placed in the window and features nine candles, eight of which are lit over the course of the festival.  The middle candle is used to light the others.  Every night, another candle is lit until, on the 28th, all nine burn.  These flames represent the relighting of the eternal flame at the Holy Temple, a flame which should have only burned for a day but the oil lasted over a week.

While Hanukkah is quite different from Christmas, there are some similarities between the two.  Decorations, mostly done in white and blue, are hung around the house.  Children also get gifts during Hanukkah—a small gift or some money are given on each night of the festival.

There are traditional games, stories, and songs that go with Hanukkah, of course.  Many families tell the story of the Macabees and the miracle of the oil.  The dreidyl game and its accompanying song are played during Hanukkah.  Most people recognize this four-sided top, even if they don’t know how to play the game.

There’s also some great food associated with Hanukkah.  The two traditional items are latkes and sufganiyot.  Latkes are fried potato pancakes, while sufganiyot are jelly donuts.  The two are traditional Hanukkah food because they’re made with oil, another connection to the Macabees story.

 

Hanukkah Flowers, Kansas City, MO.

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Dec
15

Make Christmas Day Less Hectic

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Christmas Day is coming!  If you’re visiting someone else’s home for the holidays, you don’t have too much to worry about.  However, if you’re hosting the big day, you probably have a dozen little things going through your mind.  This needs to be done, and that, and the house needs cleaned, and there are cookies to bake, and oh-my-gosh, there are a few gifts still to be wrapped!  Even on Christmas Day, things may seem a little hectic.  However, there are a few things you can do to make it less crazy.

First, do what you can ahead of time.  This includes cleaning, decorating, and even doing some cooking and baking.  You don’t have to make cookies Christmas morning—you can bake them a day or even two days ahead of time.  The same goes with pies, cakes, and some other desserts.

Give yourself plenty of time Christmas Day before your guests arrive.  You’ll need some time to start cooking, of course, but you’ll also want time to do one last quick straightening of the house.  You can delegate this job to your spouse and children if you like (and if they agree).

You can also have your kids pitch in by setting the table, putting together trays of finger foods, and doing other tasks that don’t involve a lot of supervision.  Yes, it can be hard to motivate them into helping, especially if all they want to do is open gifts, but some children will enjoy helping put together Christmas dinner.

Have trash bags on hand for cleaning up while opening gifts.  It’s easier to put the wrapping paper in the trash right away than to wait and have to pick it all up later.  Also be sure you have batteries for anything that needs them.  It may also be useful to have scissors or a box cutter on hand for opening those difficult-to-get-in-to boxes.

If you don’t want to have a lot of dishes to do, use paper plates, napkins, and plastic cups.  You can even use plastic forks and knives so there’s very little to clean up.  All you’ll have to wash are your serving platters and bowls.

That’s about all it takes to make Christmas Day a little more organized and a bit less chaotic!  If things to seem to get crazy, you can always ask for a little help in cleaning up.

 

Christmas Flowers in Kansas City MO.

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