Invitations And So Much More ...

An idea bloomed... and is coming alive in Walnut Beach. We all love brides and have a pretty good wedding following so Brides on Broadway will be a cool gathering place for everything bridal. The really neat spin that we are putting on our event is that we will be hosting an honest to goodness vow renewal. Yep, we chose one lucky couple (who you met in our last blog post) and they will renew their love in front of family and friends. One of the business women that they met with was Liza Sivek owner/designer of B.Enchanted. Their meeting was fun and fact filled and Liza was able to create invitations that speak to the guests about just who Elisabeth + Don are.

From the cool depiction of the car that Don once cherished to the state emblazoned surf boards, Liza captured it all !

If you would like a true artist to create one of a kind paper art and/or invitations for your next event,

contact Liza

at www.benchantedcrafts.com

Her work is available at

Wild Expressions Florist

+

ARTFISH42

Our Brides On Broadway Vow Renewal Couple

So here we go folks ! We have chosen a fabulous couple to be a part of the very first Brides on Broadway taking place on Saturday May 16th. Here is their love story told by Elisabeth, the lucky bride, to their children. The pictures were taken on their first visit to all of the fabulous shoppes in Walnut Beach !!!

How I Met Your Father

Telling my kids how my husband Don and I met and fell in love never seemed
like it would be of interest. I imagined Edward would cover his ears as he does
 at every mention of the word "romance". Bella would roll her eyes, I was sure
of it. But then I realized, it's not just the story of us. It's the beginning of them.
And  zombies, sharks, and secrecy were involved. So they liked it and it has stayed
 fresh in my minds since.

Don and I met in college. He was from LA and I was from CT (NY originally). I
had planned for a year or so. He decided at the last minute.

We had both some how ended up in the same class.

My first impression of Donny was he was a big, tough looking guy. And nowhere
near my type. I'm not even sure I had a type.( He's my only type now)

I didn't really want to date, let alone get married and have kids anytime in
the near future. My dad told me to always have a plan, and I did. The only thing
on my 19 year old mind was getting through school and starting my career
...I was struggling.

Donny had started a study group, so I joined. Slowly but surely, I started to
learn that he was a real sweetheart. And the most responsible and stable 21
 year old man I'd ever met.

I had a horrible egg-like Ford Taurus that kept breaking down. A classmate told
me Donny was good with cars, but I hated asking for help. One day I broke down right near his place. So I basically had to knock on his door that Saturday
 morning. He answered in his robe, grumbled something, and went to make
coffee. I don't remember the details of that day, other than we ended up talking
for a while and he begrudgingly helped me with my car. I left thinking he hated me.


A couple of classmates had pointed out that Donny was staring at me in class.
.Often. I just thought it was odd. It never occurred to me that he was all that
 interested in me romantically. But to be quite honest, I would have to be
hit over the head by any man who was interested. It just wasn't on my radar.
...Stick to the plan.

Maybe a month later, a big group of us were planning to go to Universal Studios
 for "Halloween Horror Night". Donny was kind of organizing the whole thing
and I think he called me once or twice to confirm the details. Which I observed
as "nice" and "efficient". These were the days before Facebook and texting.

So the plan was to meet at the entrance to the Jaws ride. I made my way through
zombies and other creatures in the Central Florida humidity. Suddenly, I see
see Donny just standing there, hands in pockets, sheepish grin. I can't say
for sure there was a glow around him, but I'd like to think there was. And that
was the moment I realized this was not just some guy. This was the guy I'd marry.

I learned later that Donny secretly planned that whole night just to spend time
me. ;)

Unabashedly, I pretended to be scared of zombies for the rest of the night. He
held my hand, and never let go. And so the girl with all the plans of moving
back to the east coast had a new plan.

To be honest, I probably wouldn't have made it through school without him. We
moved to LA, got married, had a baby, moved back to the east coast, had another
 baby. And those babies I never dreamed of, and the husband I never knew I needed,

are everything to me. Everything.

The moral of the story is something I tell my kids often: Always have a plan...
 But someone else out there might have an even better one for you !

If You Need A Little Christmas ...

Although the days are shorter and the nights are longer there are so many reasons to keep your chin up and make the most of your waking hours. There is such a hustle and bustle in the air trying to do everything that we have all put in front of ourselves. Beginning on Black Friday, ( really think there has to be a better name for this day that doesn't sound so bleak ) Wild Expressions is offering 30% off all of our vintage inspired décor as well as free gifts for everyone who "checks-in" on facebook while browsing. Our Third Thursday Art Stroll is going to be a great Holiday Event for the entire family to enjoy ! The Boys & Girls Club of Milford will be creating bio-degradable ornaments for our tree that was donated by Jones Tree Farm and will be located under the Walnut Beach Archway. They will decorate the tree at 5:30, during our Art Stroll, and sing their little hearts out marking this holiday season extra special. Word on the street is, that Santa himself will be there to light the tree and bestow wishes on all of the little ones. ( Parents, be sure to join us because Santa rocks if you BELIEVE ) Hot chocolate & hot apple cider will be served at Taste & See Gourmet Cupcakes to go along with their yummy treats and the St. Gabriel Children's Choir will be performing at Wild Expressions at 7. The Beach Gallery will wrap your purchases and Scoot & Paddle will have gift certificates available, that make perfect stocking stuffers. Walnut Beach is so fortunate to have it's first Pop-Up shop located in the former Sobobo Gallery. The saying "buy local" really does help so many ... So if you need a little Christmas, come to Walnut Beach and enjoy all that we have to offer.

                         For any questions or more information please call ~ 203-882-WILD

Re-cycled, Re-purposed, Re-used

In keeping with the idea of creating something new out of something old ....

 giving something a new life ...

 + let's do our part to save the planet,

 here is what adorns my front door this fall.

 

 

Raking leaves can be cool, but creating this was a blast !

 

www.wildexpressionsflorist.com

www.facebook.com/wildexpressionsflorist

203-882-WILD

 

It's O.K. To Close Your Eyes

Everyday I see Rose pushing her granddaughter in her stroller. Everyday, Rose smiles + waves and I head outside to ooh + ahh over Giada. I have heard about poor Giada's troublesome entry into the world, her colic and her allergies. Today was different. Rose told me in a quivering voice, that Giada sleeps for only about one hour at a time...all night...every night. Her Mom who is prone to depression, now adds the effects of no sleep to her diet and the entire family is in flux. When Rose was finished, I leaned over Giada and decided to have a heart to heart with her. "It's o.k. to close your eyes pretty girl, " I cooed. "You will see fairy's and princesses and beautiful colours. " You will travel to far away places in your dreams and the moment you open your eyes you will be back home safely in your crib with your Mommy + Daddy very close by. Please find your balance Giada ... sleep some, be awake some, eat some, drink some, smile some, cry some." The entire time I was talking to her, she was looking right into my eyes with her own tiny tired ones. When I got to the words, "cry some", she did. She cried just for an instant, with real tears and everything, as if to say thank you for giving me permission . As an after-thought I told her grandmother, Rose that I would look for a dream catcher to hang over Giada's crib. My question to you my dear readers is, do you know where I can purchase the perfect dream catcher to settle little Giada's woes, or can you give me some guidance on how to create one for her ? .... Sweet Dreams Giada ...

Signs, Signs, Everywhere A Sign

Have you been to a wedding lately ? We are loving the sign trend that has become and essential part of your wedding décor.

                                                     Signs that tell you where to go ...

                                            Signs that remind you how to have fun ! ...

                                Signs that tell you where you are and what to do ....

                                                          Signs that make you smile !

                                                  Let's throw in a sign that rhymes ;)

 

 

 

 

How fabulous would it be if you got adventurous and created your own sign ?

You can do it !

 

 

 

Poetry, Prose + Lyrics

Are you a writer ? Do you have pages and pages of your written word

 collecting dust in a box under your bed ?

 The world would be a better place if

we all fostered our creative side so please

 submit your poetry, prose or lyrics to questions@wildexpressionsflorist.com  

Be sure to include your first name and the where you are from.

 

 

What Would Have Happened To Us ?

 

Would we have remained together

Bonded by love and a commitment to each other ?

Would we be that couple sitting ,on the beach

 on the fourth of July, our child sitting between us ?

Time has been our friend

Our daughter looks happy as she jumps from her chair in delight

I pick up my camera to capture what I can

And you, look calmly at the water, and the lights bursting in the sky

What would have happened to us

if we had waited

to marry the ones we had chosen first ?

What would have happened to us

if we had believed that holding hands meant more than simply the touch ?

What would have happened to us

if we had been older, wiser, and more brave ?

What would have happened to us

if love truly always wins ?

 

~Wendy,

Toronto

 

Poetry, Prose + Lyrics

It's time to bring back Poetry, Prose + Lyrics.

 If you love to write + are yearning to share

 (on a small scale, like my blog) here is your chance. E-mail your original work to questions@wildexpressionsflorist.com

 Be sure to include your first name + the town you live in.

If we all fostered our creative side, would the world be a better place ?

 

 

Hello

It's been years

How do I hold back

Wanting to share it all

I am blurting out words

Not in any order

And certainly not in response

To what anything you are saying

I wanted to remember every moment

Now

I can't even remember what you were wearing

I wanted to play it cool

Now

I feel my underarms are damp

I wanted to somehow draw you back in to whatever it was we had

Now

I can't even remember what that was

 

Dierdra ~ Princeton

So the hustle + bustle of your big day is over ... whew ... How did you do planning your honeymoon ?
Planning your wedding can be overwhelming but don't wait until the last minute to start thinking about your honeymoon. Depending on your destination + time of year that you will be traveling (some couples opt on a mini-moon right after the wedding + then a big trip at another time) you should begin planning approximately 6-9 months ahead of time.
Not sure where to go ? Why not think outside the box ? There is nothing written in stone that says your honeymoon destination has to be warm + tropical. Forget what you think a honeymoon has to entail + plan according to what you both would like it to be ! It never hurts to have travel insurance. You never know ... Most honeymoon arrangements are prepaid + nonrefundable. It is far better to expect the unexpected than to be disappointed. After all, you planned the perfect day and now it is time to recover, relax + renew.

Do You Sniffle At Weddings ?

When I was a little girl my Dad would carry a handkerchief in his left back pocket. He was a builder who spent countless hours outside so this accessory was something that was well used. The funny part was that his handkerchiefs had to be ironed ... the right way ! lol. When the job was first past on to me, he would look over my shoulder and give me pointers. First it had to be ironed flat, on both sides. Then folded in half ~ ironed ~ folded again ~ ironed ~ folded the other way ~ ironed ~ folded one more time ~ ironed. It looked perfect. So needless to say, I love the charm of a REAL handkerchief. Why not bring them back in a real way, by having them on "hand" for the "tears of joy" your guests will shed at your wedding ? And now they have a keepsake from your special day ... who knows, they just may iron it too ! ! !

Poetry, Prose & Lyrics

 A few years ago I had a nice discussion with a young man who had seen his share of troubles.

 We were talking about peace, love and creativity.

 I asked "Do you think the world would be a better place if we all fostered our creative side"?

 "Yes", he replied  ... that was the last time I saw Aaron.

 Hopefully peace has found him on the other side.

 

“To raise new questions, new possibilities,

 to regard old problems from a new angle

 requires creative imagination.”

 -  Albert Einstein

Celebrate !

                                                      Changes CAN be good !

 Wild Expressions is so happy to announce that we now have an awesome

 event planner sharing out studio space with us.

 To celebrate the union between Wild Expressions + Events by JR, we had a launch party !

 You cannot imagine what a wonderful time we had.

 The party took place in conjunction with the monthly Art Strolls that take place in Walnut Beach.  Let me help to set the scene for you.

 

Here you are on the outside looking in to our inviting space ...

 

Please sign in

 

 

 

 

 Our table scape is so festive

 

Our holiday Christmas Tree is fashioned from used books !

 

 

Did someone say S'mores ?

 

 

S'mores + hot chocolate ... what a pairing !

 

 

That's adorable Jill Reis ... Events by JR

 

 

And yes, that is Jill with our Mayor, Ben Blake !

 

 

Talented musicians filled the air with music !

 

 

 

With unparalleled vision + follow through execution Events by JR will design your next one of a kind event experience !

For more information ;

 

www.wildexpressionsflorist.com

questions@wildexpressionsflorist.com

 

or

 

www.eventsbyjr.com

jillreis@eventsbyjr.com

 

Thank you everyone for sharing in our perfect evening !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking Back ...

As another year comes to a close, should we look forward to what lies ahead, or reflect on what we have left behind ?
Did you make choices and decisions last year from a place of love or a place of fear ?
Even under the most difficult of situations, were you able to keep your heart open ?
Were you able to forgive (+ pray) for someone who wronged or betrayed you ?
Simply close your eyes right now for just a moment ...
What is it  that that you feel inside ?
Is it anger, angst, confusion or uncertainty ....
What would it take, beginning today, to fill your heart with PEACE ?

Favorite Holiday Song (s)

I so not listen to Christmas music until long after Thanksgiving. If a song comes on the radio, I change the station ! Why ? I want to enjoy the end of football season and cooking a Thanksgiving feast before I start singing Christmas Carole's. When I am ready, this is my fav of them all. If we could all live this song every day .... oh what a world it would be.

Here is my favorite memory of a Christmas song. I believe that I was in sixth grade. The mandatory holiday concert was upon us and our music teacher chose my friend Ronnie to sing "A Little Gray Donkey"solo.
 His voice was magical ... his expression angelic ... & the effect on me has lasted many, many years.
 Thank you Ronnie !

This is the version of The Little Gray Donkey that Ronnie sang :

The little gray donkey Joseph led, was as tired as he could be
But Mary was riding on his back, so he walked most carefully
At night he dreamed of angel songs, that echoed down the air
And he woke to see the baby Christ and the Sheppard's kneeling there
So reverently he came to rest
And great was his reward
For caring Mary safe he shared the Birthday of our Lord.

What I Created Today

I like to drink wine....mostly reds ~ Merlots, Pinot Noir etc... So that being said, I have a LOT of corks. (I know that some wine snobs will tell me that twist offs are just as good... but not for me ;) ) I decided to re-use and re-purpose the corks that I have in a jar in my sitting room. (albeit it is a pretty jar with a cork lid) This creation was a very easy one to do. Wine corks, hot glue, red and green magic markers, small rhinestones and one large rhinestone to adorn the grossgrain ribbon on top of the tree. It took me hardly anytime at all to make. ( I was talking to Jill from Events By JR the entire time ... we both have a LOT to say :) . If you have any questions about how I created this cork holiday tree, feel free to contact me at questions@wildexpressionsflorist.com or call 203-882-WILD

we are water

I just finished reading "we are water" by Wally Lamb and I have to be honest. At times, I felt like I was reading two different books. It started out really well and I found it difficult to put down but at times it dragged on and I was overcome by all of the details. Parts of the storyline were quite disturbing as well and I am choosing not to divulge it now so as not to give it away to anyone who has yet to read the book.
" Il destino mischia le carte, ma siamo noi a giocare la partita.
Destiny shuffles the cards, but we are the ones who must play the game."
One of the quotes I enjoyed was found on page 21 and the other one can be found on page 519 :
"Look back on the past but don't stare."
Who else has read this book ?

Fall Weddings

Mid November weddings give you lots of options as far as decor goes. It technically still is Fall ... but winter is right around the corner. So do you opt for jewel tones of red, yellows, oranges and greens with plenty of leaves, branches and perhaps pumpkins and gourds. OR, do you lean toward the season that comes next and go with whites, silvers, golds and perhaps blues ? This past weekend I had the pleasure of designing the flowers for another one of my fabulous brides. The reception venue was Aria Wedding and Banquet Facility in Prospect Connecticut. My initial consultation with Cassandra lasted for hours ! We talked about her likes and dislikes. Her vision for her special day. How she was going to wear her hair and her accessories. I felt like I had known her for years and was so excited to make all of her wedding dreams come true. Let's talk table centers. A sphere of white carnations on a round mirror and adorned with a pretty brooch of rhinestones and crystals.  Lace covered square votives were then placed around the mirror which added a warm glow and romance to the room. Sprinkled on the mirror among loose white dendrobium orchids were clear glass gems that played with the candlelight. Simple, elegant and breath taking. One other aspect of Cassandras wedding that I would like to share with you is the tree I created for the place card table. In a three foot clear glass vase, I added more clear gems and silver sprayed willow branches that wove delicately thru the air. I then cut thirty, ten inch long lengths of thin chiffon ribbon and attached them all the way around the tree on the lower branches. At the bottom of each piece of ribbon I added a single white dendrobium orchid bloom. On the table there were lots and lots of lace covered votives illuminating the entire area.I named this beautiful tree, "The Orchid Waterfall Tree." Working with Cassandra was fun and I enjoyed all of the work and creativity that I shared with her on her special day !

For pictures of the work done by Wild Expressions

can be found on the gallery page of our web-site

www.wildexpressionsflorist.com

Happenings !

Thursday, November 21st is the date for our annual Chili Contest ! If you have a secret family recipe OR you just love to create call Tyyne' at 203-882-WILD and register the name of your chili. Bring it already prepared in your crock pot ... please remember to bring the cord ... and let the tasting begin !
Bon apetite !!!