On the job training...

If you have spoken with my mother lately you probably know that I started working at a flower shop! She was super excited about it and I think she is secretly living her wanna-be life of a florist through me. :) Which is ok, it's fun to have her interested in what I'm learning! I only work there two days a week- on the days I'm not at the coffee shop- and I have only been there a total of 6 days all together. Thus far I have learned:

• How to use the big tank of helium to blow up balloons, and have popped only 2! We put this gooey stuff inside the latex ones and let me tell you, it is super sticky when it blows up in your face and gets on your clothes!
• How to take an order properly.
• Wrapping carnations with filler/tissue paper/water tube/plant food/ribbon
• How to make candy bouquets
• How to "green" a basket in preperation for an arrangement.
• How to make a bud vase, double bud vase and triple bud vase
• How to unpack the flowers when received from the wholesale guy
• How to wrap pots with foil
• How to make deliveries and wrap the flowers/plants accordingly

Here is my first triple bud vase! I had to take a picture, and good thing I did because it was sold within a couple hours.

Oh yeah, and the floors are ALWAYS messy--this pic above is when the floor is quite clean actually.

The latest most difficult thing I have learned is to make bows!!! Oh man. It's a lot harder than those ladies make it look! Last night I went home early and got "home work"....I had to watch a video on how to make bows and then bring two of them to work with me this morning. After a while I kinda caught on, but my hands were hurting me by the end of the night- more like after making two bows!

Here was my progress last night. I'm MUCH better today, my boss actually said I was doing very well, I just needed practice. YAY! At least I'm more comfortable with it now. I got to practice on bigger ribbon today, one inch I think, then on some REALLY BIG cloth ribbon with wire in it, which I love. :) It's so much easier with wire in it.

Anyways, I will keep you posted on the next new thing I learn!

I am my Mother's daughter

For we both are coffee lovers. I can't get through a day without having at least one cup of java. I try to limit myself to just one however. But I am definately addicted, I know, because if I don't get it then I am on the road to an all day headache. I guess working at a coffee shop doesn't help my addiction. I just makes it easier to have free java and therefore not allow for coffee spending money in my budget- yes I used to have a coffee fund! Otherwise the $$ would come out of the grocery money or from somewhere else, I just had to face that fact and make room for java...but not since I have had my coffee slingin' job which I love dearly. Anyways.... I am trying to eat better this new year and so I'm also seeing the health benefits of drinking coffee like my Mom also posted about earlier on her blog. In Health magazine's Jan./Feb. 2009 issue, swigging java was their number 6 point in their 30 fast, new fat-burners! It said that the caffeine in about two cups of coffee boosts your metabolism for about an hour and a half after you drink it! Sweet. Though the results are best when drinking it black, no cream or sugar (as that blunts that effect). I am a little sad, as I do love a good americano with a bit of cream and of course the yummy sugar-y lattes. But hey, at least it's got caffeine to boost my metabolism, even if it is a touch slowed down by the milk and sugar.

Here's a picture of my afternoon cup o' Joe I brewed myself- since the coffee shop is closed on Sundays. It was yummy none the less...especially with a few valentines hugs to go along with!

Here's to you, my good friend Joe!

Eat your fruit!

Lately my Mom has been reminding me how important it is to eat your fruit daily....but I mean like 3 servings a day!! Wow. Well, I know I probably won't eat that many servings of fruit in each day, but I am trying. I just picked out a new glass bowl (from a gift card I received for Christmas) so I decided to put my fruit in it on the table to remind me and my hubby that we need to eat it. Otherwise the fruit sits in the drawer in the fridge and I forget about it until it's growing mold...eeiiiwww. Plus it makes a pretty center piece!

Happy New Year!