Around the Corner...A Little Sweetness from The Sugar Shack!

I vaguely remember when I was a little girl, going into my Grandaddy's old store, and being able to pick out candy for just a few cents.  It didn't happen a lot, but when it did, it was something special.

Today, I happened to pop into a (fairly) new shop in town.  The Sugar Shack has been opened for just about a year now, and is the cutest little candy store around.

Of course, the first thing that caught my eye was the old-timey cash register (that still works!) That definitely took me back to watching Willy Wonka!  But, as you look around, that feeling of being a kid rushes back as you see all the endless jars of candy.

They have a whole wall dedicated to multiple Jelly Belly jellybeans, any flavor you so desire, and chocolate gems in any color you want. Plus, an entire collection of organic candy!

There is table after table of tried and true favorites as well as hard to find specialty selections.  And, everything is $8.99 per pound, so you don't have to wonder how everything is priced.  

However, the sweetest part of this little shop was how it felt to be there.  The happy colors of candy and friendly staff was eager to have a visitor.  And, don't you dare tell my kids that I went without them, because there was even a cute little kids table for children to be able to sit and color.  (not to mention the mouthwatering snack selection.)

This Saturday is the Sugar Shack's first anniversary...or as I would say 1st Birthday!  They're putting on a fun party with pretty hefty swag bags for the first 30 people. Balloon Artist, Magic Christopher will be there from 12-2, and face painting from 3-5 done by Allison Wood. But, no matter when you get there, you're sure in for a treat!

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I've decided Thursdays are going to be my "around the corner" posts.  I'll be highlighting a local business or event that you don't want to miss.  Make sure you check back on Thursdays for an upcoming local outing that's sure to please! And, if you are interested in being our spotlighted business, feel free to email me with information.

Know your flower STYLE...with 5 simple questions!

So, we have been chatting about fleurs for the last couple of posts.  And, funny enough, you might not think style has a lot to do with flowers.

When you think of "your style", what immediately pops in your head?  Clothes?  Jewelry?  Or, maybe shoes?!?  

You probably weren't about to say flowers.  And, strangely enough, flowers are what can really make or break the style of your wedding or event. However, many times, it's the flowers that people have the hardest time knowing how to explain what they want.  (And, here's a hint...sometimes it's showing what you don't like that gives the best clues!)

I've found that the more communication you give your florist, the more they are able to understand your vision for the day. With that understanding, should come the look you're dreaming of for your wedding.

When you describe what you like (or don't like) to your florist, make sure they ask you these five things...and, if they don't make sure you tell them!

Five Questions Your Florist Should Ask...

1.  Do you prefer hand tied or cascading (trailing) bouquets?

2.  Do you prefer a mixture of flowers or all one type of flower 

(composite is their fancy word for this)?

3.  What is the style of your wedding?  

(elegant, natural, whimsical, classic, modern?)

4. What are your favorite flowers, and your least favorite flowers?

5. What colors do you want to use?

If all you told them was what flowers you like, you never know what look you will really get.  Those five questions will give them a starting place to know exactly what your style is.

chatting about fleurs...

Apparently, I'm just like Fancy Nancy.  Everything sounds prettier in French.  Thus, flowers become fleurs, and oh, so pretty!

Before You Go...

You might have heard the old Southern saying, "Don't arrive empty handed."  Well, going to your florist is no different. Don't go empty-handed!  Your florist cannot event begin to think, design, or create what you will like without having some idea of what your vision for your flowers is.

Pin It.

Have fun pinning away and make yourself a board or, you can go the old fashion route and clip out from magazines.  Your florist will be thankful for pictures, either way.  As you pin, you will begin to see a trend with colors and arrangements, that will help to show what your style is.  (Don't take mine as an example of similar tastes and styles...Mine is the opposite...it's a starting board for finding out which ones are clients favorites, so that then I can begin to narrow down which ones are their style.)  But, just from looking over a few pictures, you can begin to see which style and colors you like the best with flowers.

The last thing you want is to have your flowers show up at your wedding and be completely off from what you were thinking your flowers were going to look like.

So, if you're in the middle of planning, that's your homework...find pictures of what flowers you absolutely love, so that you know you're all on the same page.

flourish{ing}

 Flowers are amazing.  

You have a bare space, and then all of a sudden, you add flowers or greenery, and there's life!

But, similarly to color schemes, the trends with flowers change over time.  What I picked for my bridal bouquet (13 years ago today actually!) was perfect...then.  

Maybe I'm just too fickle, and vary my taste too much, but my flowers would be completely different now, than what I chose in August of 1999.

Over the last decade, {like many things in the wedding industry} the floral industry has taken quite a turn.  There is a whole movement toward more organic and natural arranging, and not your grandmother's (no offense!) florist.

For years, I didn't like the term florist.  It just felt stuffy, and unexciting, to say the least.  But, I love flowers!  It wasn't that I was unhappy with the flowers, more of how I would see them arranged.

There is a huge difference between having someone do the flowers, and someone being a floral designer.

In the next few posts, I'll be giving some tips on how to pick your favorite flowers, and how to make sure your style will truly flourish.

On Saying Yes.

I could have said no.  It would have been less messy and a whole lot less time on her part.

It started with her asking for the last fourth of the watermelon that was sitting on the counter.  I thought at first, how I knew she couldn't really eat all of that.  But, then I thought how cute she would be putting her whole face into the huge piece of watermelon.

The next time I looked, she was not eating, but working.  Creating.  Dreaming.

As she scooped and mashed and juiced away, I saw delight in her heart.

She said,

"Mom, this is going to be for all the people walking by!"  (to which I thought, 'all the people' meaning, the very few people walking their dogs?)

I could have spoken realism into her hopeful heart. I could have corrected her spelling.

But, then, I wouldn't have had the best watermelon juice I had ever tasted.  And, even though her only customer was her very own Mom, she felt like she had just served the queen.

Sometimes, you have to say no. But not always. And the times that I choose to say yes, seem that much more important.

What are you saying yes to this week?