I know. This sounds terrible. But on top of sounding terrible, it sounds complicated. And it is...in a way. But here's the deal. It's not that bad. And I have actually learned to LOVE this idea, and I use it often. (OK, my secret is out)
So, now that my friends and relatives think I am horrible for sending a "thrift store" arrangement to their hospital room......let me explain. I didn't go into some thrift store, and buy some dingy old dried flower arrangement, that looks like Aunt Betsy made it in 1965, and the dust has turned to....well....OLD dust and send it to your hospital room. But I WILL tell you what I DID do. Here goes.
Every one knows how expensive floral arrangements are. I know this first hand because I have owned a flower shop. And don't let this fact convince you that in order to make a "thrift store" flower arrangement you have to be a previous floral shop owner. Because you don't. So, anyway, I start my focus on the container being purchased at the thrift store. Why?? Because everyone I know that has received many floral arrangements has no idea what to do with all the vases, baskets, and ceramic containers they received them in. So, what do most people do?? They donate them to a thrift store. So as you shop around a bit, you will find a section with baskets, vases, and containers that actually say TELEFLORA, or FTD on them. This is where you have hit the jackpot. You have just purchased a genuine Teleflora flower container. For like 1 dollar. Yeah!!! So, now is the time you need to decide how creative you want to be.
If you purchased a basket, I recommend going to your local grocery floral department, or Lowe's or Home-Depot, and buying a couple of small green house plants....(in dirt), one being trailing Ivy, and the other being whatever you feel like. It could be blooming, or not. You can then place a plastic liner in the basket...(like a thick portion of your garbage bag), and fluff them up a bit, top off with some wet moss you purchased at Michael's, and you are done. AND....if you really think this is too intimidating, just get on your computer, go to www.teleflora.com, click on flower baskets, and you can literally view tons of examples, and just copy them.
If you purchased a vase, you need to get a bit more creative. You can then go to your local grocer's floral area, and buy some "cut" flowers, and get creative and place them in the vase. Remember teleflora's website, you can get some great ideas from that!!!
If you have purchased a ceramic container, you need to go to a store like Michael's, and buy some wet floral foam, and then place it in the container, buy your cut flowers and get to work. Check on the teleflora website, and don't forget you need some greenery along with the cut flowers. Leather fern is the one I use most, and you can sometimes buy it at your grocer's floral shop. Just ask for it if they don't have it out.
So, now that you have your arrangement made, what do you do with it from there? Here's my favorite tip that I KNOW works, as I have delivered flowers for my own floral shop and for myself. So, if you have a relative in a hospital room, this will be a piece of cake. All you need is a floral card (the small 1.5" by 2.5" card that says..."get well soon" or some other message. Sign your name to it, and get a floral pick (the plastic pick that holds the card) all from your local grocer's floral area. Also grab an envelope that the card goes into, so you can write the recipients name on it. When you have attached the card with the envelope and the pick, all you need to do is bring your arrangement to the front desk of the hospital your relative is in, and drop it off. The little lady at the desk may ask you if you would like to deliver it yourself, if she thinks you are NOT delivering for a floral shop. So just act like you have done this a million times, and odds are, no-one will ask you anything.
You can do the exact same thing with funeral arrangements. Just drop them off at the funeral home, but make sure you have a "funeral" sympathy card attached, and these cards have a space on the back for your address and other information so that they can give it to the family.
Well, I hope all this was helpful, and I hope you haven't totally changed your opinion of me.....but I truly LOVE to save money. And if you go to your local flower shop to have a "get well" delivery to the local hospital, it will cost you $50.00 or more. Yikes. The only advice I can give you is this. Make the arrangement look NICE. Make it look like it CAME from a floral shop. Otherwise, you might be better off just paying the $50.00 and calling it good. Oh, and feel free to email me if you have any questions or need a bit more help, I would be happy to do what I can to make this easier for you. Happy Shopping!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment