We are a google favorite place!!!

So many people searched online for Blooms on the Square Florist & Candy Shop in downtown Carrollton that the shop has been named "a favorite place" on Google.

Google reported searchers found Blooms on the Square Florist & Candy Shop 10,449 times between July 1 and Sept. 30 and requested information 621 times.As a google "favorite place," our shop at 1015 S Broadway received a Google window decal with a bar code that anyone can scan with a cell phone camera to read customer reviews.

The list of favorite places was determined based on the popularity of a business' Local Business Center listing, as determined by how many times Google users looked for more information about a business, requested driving directions to get there, and more. Google users "decided" based on their actions and the local businesses were sent the decals. "We were ecstatic about getting the decal. We are part of the less than 1% of the 28 million U.S. businesses that got picked!"

We are thanking customers by offering a free gift to people who scan the bar code and stop in through Jan 4.

In July, we changed locations and expanded to include nostalgic candy and chocolates. Since then the foot traffic has more than doubled and they add new products each week at the request of our customers. When it comes to candy, if they still make it, we will find it and bring it in.

We've always offered same-day delivery on flowers. Now our customers can order candy bouquets and gifts and get the same great delivery service.

For information call 972.416.1220 or visit us online at http://www.bloomscarrollton.com

Poinsettias & Pets

Lets just put it out there, poinsettias are not poisonous, and munching on the occasional poinsettia leaf won't kill your pet. According to the American Association For the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) Poison Control web page, a nibble of a poinsettia will probably just produce gastrointestinal tract irritation, but no serious symptoms or harm. However, if your pet is elderly, ill or very young, take extra precautions. With some well thought out placement, poinsettias can still brighten up your pet friendly home.

Picking a Poinsettia

Look for plants with vivid, dark green foliage and fully colored flowers. The best choice is a well-balanced plant. When selecting your plant, be sure to view it from all sides. As with most plants, ideally, a poinsettia should be twice as tall as the container it comes in. Also, if possible, try to find plants with young flowers. You can distinguish them by the small margin of green on the tips of the bracts (flowers). Younger flowers will look better and last longer.

Poinsettia Plant Care

Even though it may look attractive, make sure that any decorative paper does not prevent drainage from watering. It is not advisable to let your poinsettia to sit in water. Locate your plant in a place that is protected from heat vents and cold drafts. Check the plant soil every few days and add water when the surface soil is dry to the touch. Poinsettias like an eastern facing window, or one that gets some morning light, but is protected from harsh afternoon light.

After the holidays, trim your poinsettia back to about six inches tall, and re-pot it in early summer. In order to keep the plant symmetrical, rotate it often so that all sides of the plant are exposed evenly to a bright but not hot light source. To encourage branching, pinch the plant back about half an inch every three weeks or so. Keep the plant well fertilized throughout the summer with a balanced liquid fertilizer.

Getting a Poinsettia to Bloom Year after Year

It is possible to keep your poinsettia all year long. Poinsettias are sensitive to how much light and dark they receive over the fall months. They use this to determine when to flower. In order for poinsettias to flower, they need 12 hours of total darkness each day starting in the beginning of October. If they don't receive that cycle of darkness and bright light each day, a poinsettia will not bloom. One advanced method to creating this light and dark cycle is to install grow lights, on a timer, in a windowless closet. Water the plant during the day, and let nature do the rest. This is quite an investment of time so to make this program worthwhile, you might want to buy a few more poinsettias, but what's the harm in that?

Power to the Flower

Nicole

Win an 8 lb. Chocolate Santa!!

From now until December 19th, stop by our shop and see our latest candy addition! Meet 8 lb Santa! He's approximately 2' tall and 8 lbs of milk chocolate that will definitely be something to be remembered at your holiday party or if given as a gift.

If you stop by and sign up to be added to our mailing list you will be automatically entered to win him in our drawing on December 19th.

He's in the shop now so come by and check him and the rest of our Christmas Candy, Holiday Candy and the rest of our fun Nostalgic Candy too! We have a great selection of fun holiday stocking stuffers including chocolate covered s'mores, chocolate marshmallow coffee spoons, gourmet cookies, solid caramel chocolate covered suckers and much, much more!

Power to the Flower

Nicole

Sugar Plum Wonderland December 5th

Come join us in Historic Downtown Carrollton for SUGAR PLUM WONDERLAND / Christmas on the Square!

Saturday, December 5, 2009
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Enjoy the Holiday season with a “Sugar Plum Christmas” event around the square. Hundreds of vendors, food, entertainment, a 100’ snowslide and a living pony carousel for the kids, a pet parade with Santa, pet pictures with Santa and the kids, a children’s mall and an old fashion baking contest and sale!



10:00 Pet Parade around the square

10:00 Baking contest in the Plaza Theater

10:30-11:30 Pet pictures with Santa in the Gazebo

11:00-4:00 Snow slide

11:00-3:00 Children’s Mall in the Marketing Store @ (address)

12:00 Bake Sale in the Plaza Theater

12:30-2:00 Pictures with santa in the Gazebo


Christmas on the square is sponsored by:

Van Hyundai
Hart
Dallas Observer
The Global Exclaimer

We will be collecting entries for our Christmas Drawing for an 8 lb solid Chocolate Santa! Drawing will be held on Decembe 19 - Need not be present to win! Stop by and make sure you get your name in!

Power to the Flower!

Nicole

Made in Texas Products

We are really excited to now carry a whole line of made in Texas products in the shop! We just added several of Cutter Dan's products to the shop last week.

Stop by and check out the salsas & hot sauces all made in Cedar Creek, Texas.

In addition to the salsas and hot sauce we also have some spicy new made in Texas chocolates too!

Redstone Foods texas chocolates are fantastic spice sweet mix for your favorite hot food fan. We have Milk Chocolate, Salted Peanuts & Jalepeno, Red Chili & Chipotle Dark Chocolate and also Red Chili and Curry.

We have added tons of new candies and chocolates lately. Stop in for a suprise!

Ready for the Chocolate Walk!

On Friday evening from 5-9 PM we will be participating in the Dowtown Carrollton Chocolate Walk (Ladies Night Out) event.

We are excited to participate as this is our first event in our new space!


Stop in to see our new home at 1015 S. Broadway in Old Downtown Carrollton.

On Friday evening we will be serving belgian truffles and dessert wine as a special treat. During the event all of our chocolate will be 10% OFF. Join our mailing list and you will be entered to win a great big Halloween Candy Basket valued at over $100.

Bring a friend and join the fun down on the Square in Carrollton.

Power to the Flower
Nicole
Blooms on the Square
http://www.bloomscarrollton.com

We are Moving!

On Thursday, July 1st we will begin moving our flower shop to a new location 1 1/2 blocks down Broadway in Downtown Carrollton.

Here's a sneak peek at the new shop

We are really excited about the move as it puts us closer to the higher traffic area on the square. We will be located next to Mary Lou's gift shop and across the street from Amici's Italian and the Carrollton Square Spa.

In addition to the move, we are going to be adding a huge line of nostalgic candy, chocolates and gourmet candy into the mix. We are working on a new line of candy bouquets to compliment our floral designs and think this is going to be a great addition to our retail shop.

New fixtures, new space and new ideas! We are really excited and hope to share more pictures with you very soon from the new space!

Stop by and see us:

Blooms on the Square

1015 S. Broadway, Ste A

Carrollton, TX 75006

http://www.bloomscarrollton.com

972.416.1220

Mother's Day & Flowers

Mother's Day is May 10th!  

Elvis Presley was a mama's boy.  Its reported that he slept in the same bed with his mother until puberty.  When Elvis entered high school she finally stopped walking him back and forth to school each day but still made him take his own silverware to school so he wouldnt catch germs from the other children.

Remember those days when you felt your mom was being over protective and it drove you crazy?  While she may not have been as overprotective as Elvis' mom it probably felt that way, didnt it?

From making you wear a hat when it was only mildy chilly, to cutting you peanut butter and jelly sandwhich into triangles with the crusts cut off... mom was just being a mom.

Show her you appreciated every crazy, overprotective thing she ever did for you this year and really make her smile. 

We have a fantastic selection of special Mother's Day Flowers on our website here.

In addition to flower arrangement we have a great assortment of gift items available.  From spa gift certificates from the Carrollton Square Spa to chocolates, truffles or garden totes, take the time to check them out on our website.  

PS - Mom, I know your reading this.. so thank you!  Happy Mother's Day, but I'm still not going to forgive you for making us eat those horrible sesame seed health food store candies.  That wasn't candy!!!

Power to the Flower!

Nicole

New Product - BloemBox As Seen on Oprah's O List!!!

We are happy to announce a new addition to the shop and our webpage.

BloemBoxes!

These were featured on Oprah's O List!!!

BloemBox brings a new approach to gift giving. These gifts are handcrafted with superior quality and are really two gifts in one: a colorful keepsake box for saving found treasures and a delightful reminder of that special day or event. The bulbs/seeds grow into a beautiful garden of blooms and the sachet releases a heady fragrance for years to come. Personalized tags are available adding that special touch to gift giving.

Each box contains a 15" biodegradable, plantable tissue paper seed ribbon with growing instructions. The gift tag reads, "Happiness held is a seed. Happiness shared is the flower" and includes a poetic reference to the flower. They are 3 1/2" dia x 3 1/2" H.

Unmended thoughts time affords me:
these solid forms of pots,
flush with zinnias,
and the sun patch fading.
— Michael McClintock

TINY TINS EDIBLES

Marigold, Viola, Cornflower, Nasturtium, Apricot Stock and Calendula.

Enjoy the saffron-like flavor of orange Calendula petals in soups, rice and salads; the peppery, tangy flavor of Nasturtium flowers and leaves in salads and sandwiches; the spicy, clove-like flavor of blue Cornflower in fresh fruit salads; the spicy, bright yellow petals of Marigold on fresh lettuce salads and soups; the sweet to spicy petals of Apricot Stock on salads and cakes; and the mild wintergreen flavor of Viola flowers on cakes and in cold beverages.

Each window-top tin is filled with seed, labeled with growing instructions and tied with a gift tag. Wrapped with a band that reads, "Happiness held is a seed. Happiness shared is the flower."

2" dia. x 2" h.

These are perfect gifts to accompany your floral arrangement for Mothers Day or anyone who enjoys gardening.

You can check them out on our website here.

Prom Styles 1983 - Flashback!

I havent posted a while so I thought I would make this one fun and functional.

As you may know we have a plethora of antique items that we found in our shop.  One of our prized posessions is the Prom & Party Floral Fashions book.  

What a handsome couple!  I know that back in high school I had always dreamed of dating someone that had hair that looked like a loaf of split-top honey wheat bread, didnt you?

All kidding aside, while some of the floral designs do look dated, there were some designs that did stand the test of time in the book.  I will refrain from posting them here though as this post is just pure unadultarated fun.  ENJOY!

Power to the Flower!

Nicole

Just send the Flowers already!!!

As a part of our “marketing bli”… we sent out a special mailer to Friends and Family of the shop this week.  (I wont call it a marketing BLITZ because one email blast only qualifies for the “BLI” in blitz.)

 

As a matter of course, due to the friends and family we keep, I was expecting some “feedback”.   I was not disappointed.

 

Our friend Ron, ever clever, responds to the email by forwarding the email to his wife as follows:

 

“Here you go babe, pick one out and blow it up so you can hang it at the office for V-day.  And a big thanks John and Nicole for providing such beautiful pictures.”

 

As you would expect a colorful exchange ensued via email.

 

While I applaud his creativity in expressing his undying affection and thoughtfullness for his beloved, I have to wonder if we haven’t lost sight on whats really important this Valentine's Day.  For women, of course, it’s the Office Strut. 

 

The Office Strut describes the activities that occur immediately following the phone call from the reception desk alerting you that there is a delivery for you.  At that point you immediately rise from your chair, head held high, shoulders back, and strut to the front door to receive your “delivery”.  Once the amazing delivery is retrieved, the “strut” continues back to your desk/cubicle/office/broom closet, proudly holding your flowers/chocolates/balloons to the envy of all other ladies/gentlemen in the office.

 

You’re the center of attention and EVERYONE knows that someone cared enough to let the world know that they were thinking of you.  The rest of your day is spent answering inquiries and responding to the comments…”You got FLOWERS! … YOU got FLOWERS?...Who sent you FLOWERS?...Who sent YOU flowers?....etc., etc., etc.  It’s all about YOU.

 

So to you (ahem) "gentlemen" out there…. Just send the flowers!  Remember, the best part of giving can sometimes be the Thank You at the end of the day…    ;)

Power to the Flower!

Nicole

Valentine Bamboo for YOU

The Blooms family is excited to bring you some new stuff for Valentines Day this year!

Over the weekend we were unpacking all of the new product for Valentines Day and now are able to offer a cool new exotic product (at left).

Say hello to our little friend...heart shaped bamboo plant!

This plant is approximately 10" tall and is made up of two intertwined stalks of bamboo.  We havent decided on a container style yet but we are thinking something clear so that we can showcase the natural stones used to support the plant.

These are super easy to grow/maintain and even ec0-friendly.  Great Valentine gift idea for a man too!

We are offering these unique plants for $29.95 and they can be ordered by phone at 866.461.3814 or directly on our webpage by clicking here.

Power to the Flower!

Nicole

Valentine's Day Flowers

 

Valentine's Day is a holiday where you can openly express love to your beloved.  What a better way to do so than sending the unexpected gift of a beautiful flower arrangement? Every year lovers use flowers as the medium to convey their feelings for their Valentine. The most common flower sent on Valentine’s Day is of course, the red rose.  The red rose is symbolic of love and passion.  The red rose is by far the most in demand flower during this holiday season.  From a simple, single red rose stem to an artfully arranged dozen roses with lush greens in a vase they all will bring the feeling of love to the receiver. 

With evolving trends, more than a third of today’s rose sales are of other colors including mixed spring colored hues.  In fact, almost half of today’s valentine flower sales are mixed fresh cut arrangements; lilies, tulips, irises are increasing in popularity every year.  It is said that fresh cut flowers represent the genuine feelings of love towards the recipient.  Its no wonder that there is such envy of the recipient of an arrangement on Valentines Day!

 

Origin of Rose as a Valentine's Day Flower

 

According to popular legends red rose is considered to be a favorite flower of Venus - the Roman mythological Goddess of Love and Beauty. Hence the red Rose came to be associated with love and romance. Historians believe that the tradition of giving red rose on Valentine's Day became popular in the 1700s when Charles II of Sweden introduced the Persian custom of "the language of flowers" to Europe. Books giving details about meanings of particular flowers were published which demonstrated to people how entire conversations could be carried out using just the flowers. Poets and romantics at heart also eulogized red rose as a symbol of love, passion and beauty that helped to create strong association of rose with love and Valentine's Day

 

 Meaning of Different Colors of Roses

 

Rose of different colors symbolizes different emotions and feelings. One therefore needs to be careful while presenting a rose to loved one:

 

Red Roses - Love and passion 

White Roses - True love, purity of the mind and reverence 

Yellow Roses - Friendship, celebration and joy 

Pink Roses - Friendship or Sweetheart, admiration 

Peach Roses - Desire and excitement or appreciation 

Lilac Roses - Love at first sight and enchantment 

Coral Roses - Desire 

Orange Roses - Enthusiasm and desire 

Black Roses - Farewell or "It's Over" 

Bouquet of Red and Yellow Roses: Happiness and celebrations 

Bouquet of Red and White Roses: Bonding and harmony 

Bouquet of Yellow and Orange Roses: Passion

  

Arrangement of Valentine's Day Bouquet

Traditionally a bouquet of dozen red roses is considered to be ideal and most romantic Valentine's Day gift. However, you may try and be a little more creative. A bouquet can be made to look charmingly different by adding balloons, candy or small stuffed animals to it. Besides ribbons, hearts, and toys can also be used to spice up the arrangement. With the help of your local florist one can make a mixed flower bouquet by selecting flowers that convey the emotions of your heart. As Valentine's Day comes at the end of the winter season one can find a large number of spring flowers in their full bloom.

 

 Tips on Presenting Valentines Day Flower

Select the flower with love and use your own knowledge of the recipient’s tastes to do so. Your bouquet does not have to be enormous to show your love, only selected with the recipient in mind.  It is the feelings that are evoked when the bouquet is sent/received that matters most.  Thoughtful additions to the traditional bouquet are a personalized note or sentiment, a small indulgence of chocolates or a stuffed animal, or even an interesting vase that can be treasured and used again.  Do something unique in your own sweet way to make Valentine's Day more special for your beloved.

  

Women should not think that it is their sole right to receive flowers as surveys reveal that most men have the secret desire to be pampered with flowers by their sweethearts. It has been noticed that men like crisp colors like red, orange and yellow. A gift basket, balloons or blooming plant is also a great Valentine's Day Gift Idea for men.

Valentines Day Preparations

Havent posted in a while as I have been busy with my paying job ;)

We have all been working ourselves silly with panic over the impending Valentines Day.  We have been researching, creating mailers, working out our marketing plans, specials, etc.

For the moment things seem to be under control, we have done our flower pre-order, selected the items we will carry, ordered supplies, chocolates, teddy bears, balloons, etc.  We have several friends lined up to help over the weekend, the beer is on ice and the pizza place is on speed dial.

Now for the big question.......will I get flowers for Valentines Day?