A flower for the business Raspberry doodles    

The aims and objectives of the business are -

·         To produce quality art using Watercolours, Acrylics, Mixed Media, Textiles and Digital Arts.

·         To combine techniques and approaches to her art, giving the freedom of expression that it allows.

·         To create wonderful portraits of animals

·         To show the beauty and colours of Scotland in her work

As Pamela is a natural artist, bringing a particular joy to animal portraiture and the beauty of Scotland into her work, I have chosen the flower Magnolia

In the language of flowers the magnolia stands for –

·         Love of nature

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Magnolias are a stunning flower. Crowds of people visit gardens that specialise in this beauty each spring.

Here is some information about this flower -

·         BBC Gardening says that the magnolia is known as the ‘aristocrat of the plant world.’ I love this quote and have to agree with them, there is something high class about this plant and is a favourite in many gardens throughout the world.

·         The Magnolia is available in many sizes from tiny delicate flowers to the very large ‘showy’ flowers.

·         There are 12 genera and about 230 species.

·         They tend to flower from March to April, but some flower in September.

·         The Magnolia family includes trees and shrubs - the evergreen, semi-green and deciduous.

·         Unlike other flowers, the magnolia doesn’t really have petals, but are composed of a structure called tepals.

·         They are native to the Asian and Northern America countries.

·         Fossilised specimens have been found from over 20 million years ago!

·         Thompson and Morgan have produced a guide to how to grow a Magnolia from seed

·         The problems associated with the magnolia, are damage to the buds from squirrels, and frost. The RHS have provided a guide to how you can look after your plant through the winter .

 

Gardens to visit to see the glorious magnolia

·         RHS Rosemoor is a wooded garden nestled in the county of Devon, they have a lovely collection.

·         Exbury Gardens  in Hampshire is a real ‘must visit’ in the spring.

·         Hiller Gardens in Hampshire – A real tree lovers paradise

·         The Royal Botanical Gardens Edinburgh

·         Caerhays Estate in Cornwall

 

As a Christmas gift idea, why now send a beautiful magnolia?

Tree’s Direct has a lovely selection of trees for gifts.

Eden Project

Bluebell Arboretum and Nursery  

To complete the gift we have a magnolia card available. 

I hope you are enjoying our series of a flower for a business.

 

Today we will be looking at the business Studying Online.

 

The aims and objectives of Studying Online are –

 

• To provide professional online English lessons and courses to speakers of other languages.
• To create a course tailored to your English language needs
• To help with everyday English skills, to improve accuracy, fluency and pronunciation
• To help you prepare for exams, entry to college or university
• To help prepare you for the citizenship test

 

The flower that I have chosen for this business is the Lily

In the language for flowers the lily stands for

 

·          Eloquence,

·          Fluency,

·          Articulacy,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The lily is known for its grace, elegancy and beauty.

Here is some interesting information about this flower.

• The lily has about 100 different varieties, from the lily of the valley to the Alliums.
• To see a wide selection of the family of lilies, please visit  BBC Gardener’s World - lily
• You can find them growing in Europe, North America and Asia.
• The growing season of the lily is from early summer through to autumn.
• The lily plays an important part in history, as a symbol in the Christian faith for purity and innocence linked with the Virgin Mary.
• From Greek mythology the lily was said to be associated with the flower of Hera.
• In Roman mythology Venus was so jealous of this flower’s beauty that she caused the flower to have a pistil grow within the flower.
• To the Egyptians the lily represented southern Egypt.
• Lilies are popular in poems, and plays, to see some quotes visit -  The world of Quotes – how many have you heard before?
• The RHS have provided a guide to growing lilies in containers
• Lilies are a favourite food of slugs and lily beetles and sometimes the bulb can be affected by mould.

I cannot talk about the lily without mentioning my favourite series of paintings by Monet; his ‘The Waterlily Pond’ is one of his most famous works, and I just love the detail that he includes in this piece. For all of Monet’s paintings with this beautiful flower please visit Claude Monet Complete works – the water lily.

 

A favourite garden for me to visit is Bennetts Water Garden in Weymouth. It is a beautiful garden to visit to see the water lily. They even have a replica bridge from Monet’s painting.

 

The RHS Wisley has one of the best national collections of water lilies, which is well worth a visit.

 

 

William Blake wrote a poem about the lily

 

The modest Rose puts forth a thorn,
The humble sheep a threat'ning horn:
While the Lily white shall in love delight,
Nor a thorn nor a threat stain her beauty bright.

 

 

Here is a poem I wrote about the Lily

 

Lily O Lily,

Your beauty portrays such innocence and purity.

Taking part in nature’s spectacular display,

Delighting the artist’s eye.

The moonlight touches your petals with such delicacy,

Protected by your strength and grace.

May your elegance always remain, shining brightly for all to see.

 

Continuing our series - a flower for a business, we are looking at Pimlico flats .

 

The aims and objectives of this business are –

 

* If you are looking for a flat in a quiet, crime free area, then they are the business to contact.

* If being close to local facilities, transport links and being within a green area is important to you, then as they say -   ‘ put simply whatever your needs, Pimlico is the best place to rent.’

* There flats are professionally managed, furnished and decorated to the highest standard, focusing on the detail to make these flats extra special.

 

 

The flower that I have chosen for this business is the Clematis

 

In the language of flowers, the clematis stands for –

• Safety
• Protection
• Shelter

 

 

 

 

 

The clematis is perfect in describing this business, as a landlord Nick is seeking to provide protection, shelter and safety with his properties. 

 

My flower logo for my business is a clematis, as it is a favourite by many of my customers; with my greeting cards, tote bags and cushions. The Clematis is a popular flower, with many varieties and colours.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are some interesting facts about this pretty flower –

 

* They are one of the most popular climbing plants

* Some like to spread out and grow along walls, and trees, but a fairly new variety can be grown in pots on your patio.

* There are so many varieties that you can grow clematis throughout the year.

* There are more than 300 different varieties.

* Some varieties have singular petals and others are double.

* Many like to be planted in dappled shade.

* They can be quite a fussy plant needing the correct feeding and support.

* The ideal time to plant them is throughout spring to summer.

* The strange but fascinating Clematis Vitalba - ‘ Travellers Joy, Old man’s beard,’ is an intriguing flower, as well *as being of a huge benefit to our wildlife.

*For a great database of clematis please visit – Clematis on the web

*The BBC Gardening – Clematis  provides suggestions of Clematis for your requirements and advice on how to grow this tender flower in a pot.

*The RHS have put together a guide on how to take care of the clematis, such as propagation, cultivations and pruning.

*If you would like to know more about the clematis, then please visit the Clematis Society.

* The BBC Gardening has had provided a clematis  guide to how you choose a clematis and where to plant it.

 

There is always a magnificent display of the clematis at Chelsea Flower Show with the master of the clematis Raymond Evision, who holds the coveted RHS Victoria Medal and 7 prestigious gold medals!

One of the main reason’s why I love the beautiful Clematis, is not only is it stunning to look at with either single or double petals, the detail and the huge range available for various growing conditions, but also that there is a clematis for you; never mind whether you live in a rambling manor – to a council estate in London. This amazing plant is there for everyone to enjoy!

 

You will often find clematis dotted here and there in cottage gardens as they are a perfect accompaniment to the other flowers gracing their way around old fence posts, trees, or old brick walls. Roses and Clematis look particularly good together.

 

Garden’s / Nurseries to see the lovely clematis –

 

The Clematis Nursery in Wiltshire, as the name suggests, specialises in the clematis.  – You can visit the nursery or purchase by mail order.

 

Taylors Clematis in Doncaster who offer many categories to help you choose the perfect flower.

 

Thorncroft Clematis Nurseries – who are also winners of the prestigious  RHS gold medal.

 

If you visit a local National Trust or RHS Garden, you are most likely to have your senses indulged by this popular climber.

 

 

 

With such a large range, I'm sure you will be able to choose the perfect Clematis for you.

 

 

Today we are looking at a flower for the business My Kitchen Store

 

The aims and objectives of this business are –

-          To help you give your kitchen a fresh new look; from the traditional to contemporary, sleek designed kitchen fittings, appliances and accessories.

-          They seek to provide everything you could need, from hinges to glass splashbacks.

-          If your budget doesn’t stretch to a whole new kitchen makeover, they provide many accessories to give a boost to your new look.

-          Because they like to provide an excellent service, you can be assured of the highest care taken with your order, providing regular special offers.

 

The plant / flower that I have chosen for this business is the seasonal Holly and Fuchsia.

 

In the language of flowers the Holly and the Fuchsia stands for –

 

    

    Holly - 

    Domestic happiness, 

 

 

 

  Fuchsia –

  Taste

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two important aspects of a new kitchen!

 

Here is my recipe for kitchen design success.

 

(1) First prepare the scene. 

Consider which ingredients you want to add.

-          Review your budget.

-          What do you want to change about your kitchen?

-          Do your kitchen appliances need updating?

-          Is space a consideration?

-          Consider who uses the kitchen – do you have children?

-          Do you consider your kitchen to be the centre of your home?

-          Do you enjoy cooking and love having the latest new kitchen accessory and gadget?

-          Are you seeking a fresh new look in keeping with a contemporary style?

-          Or

-          A more traditional warm scene?

 

New Season? New Colour?

-          If you are going for a complete kitchen makeover, you will need to choose a colour of paint, tiles and / or wallpaper to complete the look.

-          To help you decide, our favourite colours can often be linked to various seasons of the year.

As we looking at a flower for a business, lets look at colours associated with seasonal flowers  -

-          Spring – referred to as a season of new growth, fresh colours.

-          The flowers of this season are the delicate white and green of the snowdrop, yellow of the aconites, lilac of the crocus and blue of the bluebell

-          Summer – colours for this season tend to be warm and vibrant

-          The flowers of this season can be a beautiful mix of blues, oranges, yellows and reds of the summer meadow 

-          Autumn – rich and luxurious.

-          Natures spectacular show of fiery reds and golden browns of the maples, beech, and oak, chrysanthemum,

-          Winter – colours of a frosty morning, white as ice, pinks and blues.

-          The flowers of the season are the Pansy, Christmas Rose, Cyclamen

 

(2) Secondly you need to get the correct temperature for your design 

After deciding what look you are after, style and colour, now it’s time to consider the heating and lighting.

 

My Kitchen Store can help you with this decision.

Have a look at their –

heating range –

-           Designer radiators and Glass fronted radiators 

lighting accessories –

-          Is energy saving important to you? My Kitchen store has HD LED light sets which currently have a 10% discount.

They also provide lighting to create the right mood –

-          Colour-Changing LED Light Set  which is a featured product in their online shop.

 

(3) Add ingredients

Prepare a blank canvas for your new kitchen; whether you are going for a complete makeover or accessorising. 

If DIY isn’t your thing, then My Kitchen Store provides a useful directory of tradesmen for your kitchen fitting needs

If you are looking for a bargain then don’t miss out on their kitchen special offers page

As you seek to add ingredients to your recipe, make sure you add various flavourings to create the right taste for you.

If you love flowers My Kitchen Store has a lovely Flower style pewter handle  and for children they have a lovely flower coat hook.

 

To complete a contemporary or traditional floral look, you could add a few stencilled designs or a wall sticker -

-          Henry Donovan Stencils are a lovely range,

-          Spray Paint Stencil have 7 free downloadable designs to make your own stencils.  

-          Nouvelle images has a wide range of wall stickers.

 

How about adding a personalised blind to finish the look?

Many companies can now add your photo image. Blinds supermarket and Creatively different blinds have a range of various photo images that you can use, or you can send them one.

 

Personalised tiles -

Jill Campion – Custom hand made tiles, has a wonderful selection. You can also have some tiles made to your order specifications.

You may want to consider updating your tableware – I love the Wedgewood Sarah’s Garden and the Portmeirion Botanical garden set.

 

As you mix your ingredients together, season with a touch of fuchsia for taste and a sprinkle of Holly for domestic happiness and mix carefully.

 

(4) As with a good roast... take time to rest, and sit back, before you enjoy the feast.

When your kitchen makeover recipe comes to a close, take time to finish your kitchen to the highest standard, so that your care and attention to detail will not only make your kitchen look better, but will also last longer.

For wonderful kitchen fittings, appliances, accessories why not make a visit to My Kitchen Store, you will not be disappointed.

 

A flower for the business - Epiphany Training Ltd

 

Their aims and objectives are to –

 

-          Transform how you work by coaching and training you and your staff to use your software technology

-          They strive to help you use your computer more efficiently to help you save time in your business to focus on other important matters

 

The flower that I have chosen for this business is the Anemone

 

In the language of flowers, the anemone stands for-

 

-          Expectation

-          Prospect

-          Anticipation of change

 

 

 

Epiphany Training work with you to make the software changes you require; to help make your business more efficient, so you can expect a positive change in how you run your business.

 

I have to say that Anemone’s are one of my favourite flowers. I love the detail and colours. 

 

 

All about the lovely Anemone –

 

- You may be surprised to know there are about 150 different species with a wide range of colours.

- Varieties include spring, Mediterranean and the larger anemones (as included in flower image) that flower in late summer – early autumn

- As the Japanese varieties grow in September they are often related to birthdays in this month.

- There are two types of garden anemone – single and double, belonging to the Buttercup family.

- They are loved by cottage gardeners, as this delicate plant looks lovely in  cottage garden borders.

- They like a variety of soil conditions, some varieties prefer a shady area in the garden.

- The name anemone comes for the Greek word anemos which means 'wind' – wind flower, which means that the wind will blow open the delicate new petals and the dead ones away.

- They are a perennial herb

- The woodland Anemone is a true beauty, providing soft carpets of delicate flowers for us to enjoy, it is one of our earliest spring flowers that grow just before the tree cover is too dense.

 

 

Some specialist nurseries

 

Avondale Nurseries specialise in this flower, have a look at their website to see the various anemones that are available.

 

Long Acre plants based in Somerset but has an online shop

 

 

Love Anemones? – Here are some gift suggestions

 

 

The V&A Museum shop have a lovely collection of jewellery and home ware inspired by the anemone

 

Franz Porcelain - stunning home wares and jewellery collection. There is a beautiful anemone vase in the hand painted collection

 

RHS Anemone collection – note blocks, notebook, weekly planner ...

 

Anemone Greeting card  by Nita Joy Craft Design            

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our anemone print on to a tote bag 

 

        

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see the Anemone is a lovely flower, the meaning behind this flower makes it extra special.

For my next blog, I am continuing the series about the language of flowers, particularly focusing on a flower for a business.

 

Today we are looking at the business - CV Services 4U

 

The aims and objectives of this business are to provide a -

• Reliable, personal service
• Knowledgeable, friendly, first class service
• Affordable and professional portfolio of products and services incorporating, CV preparation, Cover letters, a Free CV review service, CV Templates, and more.
• A professional service with a satisfaction guaranteed!
  
  They state -
• “We believe all clients deserve products & services that lead them onto continued growth within their chosen career path, our aim is to provide lifelong career development success".

Through reading CV Services 4U information, recommendations, blogs and so on, they not only provide a professional service, but also genuinely want to help people to reach their desired path to career success.

 

The flower that I have chosen for them is the Christmas rose (Helleborus Niger)

 

 

In the language of flowers, the Christmas rose stands for –

 

·         Relieve my anxiety

·         Reassurance

·         Restore confidence

 

These are all the things that people need when they have been made redundant for example.

 

 

Some interesting facts and details about this lovely flower:-

• The Christmas rose flowers in the winter months, a gorgeous display can be seen around Christmas through to early March
• The Christmas rose (as the name suggests) is linked with Christmas and is considered a true Christmas flower.
• The Christmas rose and the Poinsettia share a similar theme of a suitable offering at Christmas; the Christmas rose’s story is that a girl wanted to offer a gift to Jesus but had nothing to give and began to cry, an angel saw her hearts desire and blew onto some snow below her feet and a small white flower was formed.
• This plant is a woodland, evergreen perennial, growing 12 – 15 inches tall.
• They need to be fed well, protected from wind, craving a little attention.
• Even though they are called Christmas rose, they are not related to the rose family
• The RHS has provided a guide of how to grow and cultivate the wonderful Hellebore
• For more information on the wondrous Hellebore please visit the Hellebore org.

Gardens/Nurseries to visit to see the amazing hellebore –

• Ashwood Nurseries in Staffordshire specialise in this flower, winning many horticultural accolades since 1993.
• Cotton Manor in Northamptonshire
• RHS Wisley in Surrey
• Bosvigo House in Cornwall

The aims of CV Services 4U is to help their client move on in their career path, by looking at what they have to offer in terms of their talents, qualifications and experience. They work to provide them with the confidence of a professional CV for their next employment.

 

I can think of no other flower that meets this businesses aims as much as the glorious Christmas rose; being out of work can be one of the most stressful things you go through – reassurance, restoring confidence and relieving anxiety.

National Anti-bullying week

                                           16^th-20^th November 2009   

 

Stay Safe in Cyberspace  

 

 

Today my blog is about the other love in my life! Not only am I known as Anita or Nita to my friends and family, Nita Joy Craft Design, but also I have an alter ego – a pigeon of all things.

 

Yes, before you think I have totally lost it! There is a good reason that sometimes I am known as Percy the Pigeon! Percy needs help with typing on twitter, his website and facebook page as he is a little bird and his beak often gets sore from all the typing.

 

Percy the Pigeon is a pigeon on a mission! He has the important task of spreading his message –

‘If you are being bullied, please tell someone.’

 

My Children’s novel ‘Matty-boy & The Secret Pigeon Racket’ was launched in April this year and this is our first involvement in National Anti-bullying week. We work to help raise the profile of bullying charities and raising funds for Bullying UK, as well as encouraging discussion in families, schools and communities about this important, but sensitive subject.

 

I have always known that if we can work together we can make a difference and Percy is no different! He positively encourages people to be involved and spread his message in whatever way they can.

 

Percy has several online nests as he likes to call them, through various online forums, his website, blogs.... As the National Anti-bullying weeks message is ‘Stay safe in cyberspace’ he is looking for friends to offer a home on their blogs and websites, displaying his ‘stay safe in cyberspace’ widget or ‘I support Percy’s anti-bullying campaign’ widget, so that more people are aware of what he stands for.

 

For this National Anti-bullying week

 

• We give advice on how to stay safe online – Stay safe in cyberspace 
• Suggestions for parents and carers if you suspect your child is being bullied.
• Our Children’s novel for 8-12 year olds ‘Matty-boy & The Secret Pigeon Racket,’ has a special offer running until the 21^st November! The price has been reduced to £8 plus p&p.
• We are running a special competition to win a fab pack of Matty-boy and Percy goodies – for more details please visit our website – www.areyoubeingbullied.com
• We have special Percy t-shirts, printed by the lovely Pauline from www.teesonline.co.uk Pauline is running a special offer for BT Tradespacer’s this week only. Buy – ‘I support Percy’s anti-bullying campaign’ t-shirt in white and have your website added on the back for no extra charge! For more details please visit her blog - National Anti-bullying Week  from every t-shirt purchase a donation of £2.99 is given to Bullying UK.
• Balloon Baboon   Julie is selling special Percy balloons this week! A donation of £1.00 will be made to our fundraising campaign for the charity Bullying UK from every purchase.

 

 Here are a few suggestions of how you can be involved –

 

·      Adding Percy’s widget/s to your website or blog

·      Mentioning Percy’s message on twitter, facebook or other online forums

·         Telling your friends, family and work colleagues

·         Making a donation to our fundraising campaign for the charity Bullying UK  through our Just Giving Page , we are aiming to raise over £2,000 for them.

·         If you are a parent, ask your child’s school what their anti-bullying policy is and work with the school to make sure that it is effective.

·         As it’s National Anti-bullying week, this is the ideal opportunity to talk to your children about bullying; make sure they know that if they are ever bullied that they can come and talk about it with you, and that they are aware of the help that is available to them through various charities.

·         Make a Bullying UK Poster – http://www.bullying.co.uk/index.php/make-a-poster.html

·         We are looking for help with PR, could you spare a few hours to help spread Percy’s message?

 

 

The most important aspect of Anti-bullying week is to talk about the sensitive subject of bullying, as it’s still very much a taboo subject. Many charities (some of which are included on our where to go for help page) are always in need of funds to provide the support that is so desperately needed, and volunteers to help with their work.

 

Thank you for your support, we have really valued the support from BT Tradespace  and tradespacers!

A group of BT Tradespacers  have been involved in a blogging competition throughout November, which I am really enjoying. I like the structure it gives me; to have the opportunity to think about relevant subjects to comment on each day. I am also thoroughly enjoying reading all the other blogs written by those taking part.

There are some great prizes that have been offered as part of the competition and I wanted to be able to take part. My prize is very small in comparison with the others, but I hoped a poppy tote bag would be useful.

There has been much humour in the competition, with the usual banter and it became a bit competitive to win the bag. 

Sarah Arrow from Arrow Light Haulage suggested and co-ordinated the November blogging competition and also wrote a fab post called 'The most coveted bag in the online world'.  Sarah mentioned there were no waiting lists yet for the eco-friendly tote bag, this made me laugh and straight away I went off into dream land imagining this very scenario! Could it be that one day Nita Joy Craft Design would have queue's waiting for the latest item, like the latest Next sale? With customers staying up all night and sleeping in tents for the first one .... (I am not sure my landlord would like that.)

Well, the detail of how to enter the 'win a poppy tote bag competition', was to write a creative blog post mentioning the word poppy on 11/11/09. I had the tricky job of judging which entry would win the tote bag.

The entries were all very different and personal.

Here are the entries for you to read :-

• Arrow Light Haulage - The blog with the poppy in it
• Curved Vision -  Remembrance Day Poppy Service Speaking
• Clear as Crystal Web Design - We shall remember them
• My Kitchenstore - Poppies: In Remembrance
• PPJ Banners 'N' Qualitee Shirts - Remembrance Day
• Studying Online - Haiku

After great deliberation I have chosen -

 Elaine Sturgess  'My Kitchenstore' Blog entry - Poppies: In Remembrance

Please visit her blog to read her entry. It's full of imagery and emotion that the sight of a poppy can bring. Everytime I see poppies they will always be forever linked to what those amazing men and women did and are doing for our country, so that we may remain free.

Many thanks to all who took part, I really enjoyed reading your entries.

(If you would like to buy a Poppy Tote Bag, £1.00 will be donated from each purchase to the Royal British Legion)

We will remember them

 

 

 

 

Today’s flower for a business, we will be looking at - Curved Vision

 

Curved vision’s business objectives are -

• They aim to help with your presentations.
• To help you to communicate your message in a professional way.
• They work with you to reach your goal.
• They will give you training on public speaking and presentation skills.

The flower that I have chosen for this business is the Iris

 

In the language of flowers the Iris stands for –

• Message
• Communication
• Getting your idea across

 

 

The above Iris is called - 'Media Luz'   and the variety is a Spuria Iris - Stiff upright stems with delicate butterfly-like flowers. This flower is ideal as a cut flower

 

 

Here are some interesting facts about this stunning flower:-

 

• There are over 200 species of Irises.
• The name ‘Iris’ comes from the Greek Goddess of the rainbow, (as there are many colours).
• Irises are closely related to the lily and amaryllis family
• Irises grow throughout the northern hemisphere.
• Some Irises grow in desert conditions and others prefer damp growing conditions.
• There are so many varieties that you can have various irises flowering from November to June.
• In order to grow this flower successfully, it is recommended to divide the clumps. The RHS have provided advice on how to do this in order to keep your Irises healthy – Iris advice.

 

There are many gardens throughout the UK that include this wondrous plant. For the ‘wow’ factor The Chelsea Flower Show and Hampton Court Flower Show always have this flower incorporated somewhere in the designed gardens and within the floral pavilion, giving you ideas of how you can include irises into your garden design. RHS Wisley also has a lovely collection.

 

Irises have always been an inspiration to painters, for example Vincent Van Gogh’s ‘Iris’ and a favourite of mine - Claude Monet - Irises in Claude Monet Garden

 

 

A sample of specialist nurseries to buy Irises -

• Clare Austin Hardy Plants to see the many varieties please visit their Iris plant catalogue
• Iris in Sissinghurst
• Seagate irises – You can also visit their show garden displaying over 50 varieties May-June.
• Woottens of Wenhaston – A plantsman’s Nursery. They specialise in the bearded Iris.

 

 

For more detail on the Iris and the many varieties, the British Iris Society is the website to visit alongside the above specialist nurseries.

 

 

 

Please wear a poppy this remembrance day, as we remember those who lost their lives for us.

This year we have a special tote bag with a red poppy for remembrance day

£1.00 will be donated to the Royal British legion from every poppy tote bag purchase. We also have a greeting card  to go with it if you wish to purchase a gift set. If you would like this option, please choose from the list in our gift shop.

Win  Tote Bag competition

If you have a website on BT Tradespace there is a blogging challenge running throughout November.

On the 11th of November we are running a competition to win a poppy tote bag. All you have to do to have a chance of winning is by writing a creative blog, mentioning the word poppy in your blog post.

For Sarah Arrow's blog (Same day couriers ) about the competition please visit - 'The most coveted bag in the online world'

How to enter:

As Tradespace is updating, if you would like to take part in this competion, please leave a comment with your details and link to your blog post, so I can read your entry.

You can add a link until 11.59pm on the 11th Novmber 2009.

I will announce the winner on this blog and my BT Tradespace in a few days time.

 

Today we will be looking at an appropriate flower for Clear as crystal Web Wesign.

Clear as Crystal’s objectives are -

 - To understand what your business is about in order to develop a website for your business and client needs 
 - They work to provide the perfect package for you
 - They provide a ‘clear as crystal’ professional service.

The flower I have chosen for Clear as Crystal web design is the wisteria

In the language of Flowers the Wisteria means -

• Steadfastness
• commitment
• promise
• assurance

The Wisteria is a beautiful plant, providing wispy branches of purple, lilac, blue , pink, white or cream blooms, that has a lovely delicate scent.

Wisteria flowers in late April / early May – June. The flower grows from spurs, and is often seen as a trained plant along old cottage walled gardens, bridges, arches and so on. They are part of the wonderful climber family of plants, with woody, flexible stems as they branch out.

Gardens to see the wonderful Wisteria -

• Heligan gardens  has a wonderful display 
• Kew Gardens has a wisteria dated back to when it was first introduced in 1830.
• Besthorp Hall in Norfolk
• Apple Court Garden in Hampshire
• RHS Wisley in Surrey
• RHS Rosemoor in Devon
• National Botanical Garden of Wales

Here are the species and varieties -

• Brachybotrys Species
• Floribunda Species
• Hybrids
• Sinensis

For advice on how to care for your wisteria the RHS have a guide on how to prune your wisteria 

The 2 species that are usually seen as Wisteria Bonsai for example are the floribunda Japanese wisteria, and the sinensis Chinese Wisteria.

To see their various varieties please visit the website gardening data

The wisteria is often seen as quite a romantic flower; for its delicacy and ever reaching boughs of perfumed flowers. If you lavish care and attention on them each year, your wisteria will come back year after year, committed in giving us a spectacular show. I can’t wait for them to be in flower next year how about you?

A flower for Arrow light Haulage

In order to choose an appropriate flower for your business we need to look at your business objectives.

• Arrow Light Haulage is a professional Essex Same Day Courier and Van Delivery company.
• Their objective is to collect and deliver time critical goods and deliver them anywhere in the UK.
• Their drivers are polite and well trained; they know that your reputation is in their hands.
• They do the job right the first time, - a professional courier.

I have chosen the beautiful bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) to describe Arrow Light Haulage.

In the language of flowers the bluebell stands for 3 key aims and objectives for their business.

 

 

• Constancy
• Reliability
• Dependability

The bluebell is a favourite of mine, as soon as the New Year begins I look for snowdrops, then I count the days until bluebell season. I have a favourite wood near by that I simply must visit every year.

Bluebells grow and grow searching for any dappled sunlight, as the leaf coverage on trees are not at their full capacity. When the trees finally catch up, bluebells finally begin to drift off back to sleep to regain their strength for another year.

 

 

 

In Britain we have three types –

• Native (which can also include the white bluebell)
• Spanish
• Hybrid ( a mix of the above 2)

Bluebells flower from April – June. The English bluebell is a delight to see, but due to the spread of the Spanish bluebell, true English bluebells are becoming quite rare.

If you would like to learn how to identify a native bluebell, the Natural History museum has provided a description and drawings to help you – identifying bluebells.

 

For some recommended places to see this beauty –

• Milton Abbas and Delcombe woods and surrounding area in Dorset
• Badbury rings and Kinsgston Lacey in Dorset
• Emmets Garden (National Trust) Kent
• Royal Botanic gardens Kew London
• Royal Botanic Gardens Wakehurst Place Sussex
• Arlington Bluebell walk and farm trail East Sussex
• Coton Manor Gardens in Northamptonshire

I am sure there are many other wonderful gardens to see the magnificent bluebell, check the RHS or the National Trust to see some suggestions in your area. The Good gifts catalogue has a great gift available for someone who loves bluebells. You can help protect a bluebell wood for £50 through the Tree council.

 

If you want to fill your garden with bluebells, the process from seed can take a couple of years to flower; here is a video by Gardener’s World on how to grow bluebells from seed. Bulbs are available through most garden centres. Please make sure that you buy native bluebells, and that they haven’t been taken from woodland as they are a protected species.

 

So next year, plan a trip to your local bluebell woods and enjoy the stunning colour and smell of the gorgeous bluebell. Enjoy!

 

 

Eco friendly bags and gift wrapping

The cotton shopping bag has grown in popularity over the last few years, as we try to consider the environment and cut down our use of plastic bags.

Nita Joy Craft Design wanted to provide a bag that we could add our designs from our collection, or by personalising them with a customers photo.

Christmas cards

As the clocks turn back an hour and thoughts turn to warming casseroles and preparing to meet up with friends and family over the Christmas season, we thought we would share with you, our new cards and services that are available this Christmas.

With the various Royal Mail postal strikes, this would be the ideal time to choose your cards, so that there is plenty of time for your order to be delivered.

Being aware of the recession, you may have to be re-evaluating your christmas gifts this year.

Sending a special card with your message can be a great way to show your loved ones, friends and collegues how much you value them.

We have a few options for you to choose from this year.

 

• We can provide a completely bespoke greeting card service , turning your precious photo and wording into a special card.  

 

 -You may have a family photo from a past celebration that would be great to send to friends and family.

 - You could have a fun day out and be creative in capturing the perfect photo for your christmas cards. Do you still have that santa hat or reindeer antlers ?... maybe a bit of tinsel thrown in for good measure?... let your imagination grow :)

 - If you would like a larger pack of cards, please email  us with what you would like and we will get back to you as soon as we can with a quote.

 

 

• We have various packs of 10 and mixed Christmas card packs of 20 - 25.

 

 

 - If you would like to choose these options, we can personalise the cards with your message on the insert, which can be different in each card at no extra cost.

 - please let us know any wording you would like, otherwise we will not add an insert.

 - We also have a range of gifts  that are suitable for Christmas, so please take a moment to look at our range.

 - Soon we will selling 'Pocket Garden' and the 'Bee Good' range which compliment our floral cards.

 

 

 

 

 

• As getting ready for Christmas can be quite stressful, we can make your cards, add your message and also post the cards from your chosen pack to the intended recipients. This will then leave you to focus your attention on all the other things you have to do.

- Please contact us  if you would like to take advantage of this service.

- We will need a list of addresses to post the cards to (we will only use the addressed for this purpose) and we will also need to add a small p&p rate to cover the additional postal costs.

 

We look forward to making a special selection of Christmas cards for you.

 

 

To celebrate our 2 year anniversary, yes 2 years!
We have had an update, re-launch as you may say with new products, giving greater flexibility for you to be able to personalise a special card.

Here are the new things that you will spot -

 - Free post and packaging on greeting cards ( except for our special Christmas card service, where we post the Christmas cards seperately from your chosen pack)

 - Packs of cards! - We have special offers on packs of small medium and large cards

 - Small cards are now only available as floral notelet packs - suitable for when you need a card quickly, to say thank you for a thoughtful gift, or to say thinking of you when a friend or family member who may be not well.

 - We are able to offer a bespoke service, turning your special photo into a greeting card with your wording. We can also offer this service for Christmas cards.

 - Christmas card packs! This year we have Special Christmas card packs available in 10, 20, 24 and 25 in various sizes. Each card can have a message included on an insert for free. 

 - We have a selection of gifts suitable for Christmas, birthdays, celebrations or even to treat yourself!

 - Soon we will be stockists of 'Pocket Garden' and 'Bee Good'! a lovely range of gifts that are perfect to go with our flower cards !

So please visit our new website, we look forward to helping you personalise the perfect card for you!

www.sendaflowercard.com