a lot has changed

Hello all...first of all! sorry it has taken me so long to post...It has been forever. I haven't forgotten about you, I've just been very busy.

I have dealt with a lot of trials the past month. Car issues, Financial issue and relationship issues. I am currently a very single man and...I wouldn't say loving it...but getting very used to it again! for the past 3 years I shared my life with another person and it's going to take some serious getting used to. Because although I have been single before..I have never been this alone, I lived at home during the times before.. But this too shall pass

I'm still searching for that awesome window of opportunity to take me away from mediocrity! and now I have even more drive to do so! but until then, I am taking some great advise I got from a great friend..and I am making the most out of what I have! so until then.....

My Idol!!

I have been following this man since I began in the idustry. He is amazing and I hope to work with him someday!! Preston Bailey is AMAZING...Check him out.
http://www.prestonbailey.com/PORT-artistry.htm

My Passion

My passion for this industry started over 15 years ago. And it was when I worked with my first flower that I knew that I wanted to be apart of this industry in every way possible. That passion hasn't gone away one bit, if anything it has increased. I see where I can be and what I could be doing and that frustrates me. But I was told by a good friend...(SHOUT OUT TO NAT NAT!) that I can only get out of my job what I put into it, and that I need to work with what I got! and I Am reminded that I have a lot more then some people and I need to be thankful for what I have...but I will never loose sight of my dreams and I will never stop striving for better.

Today was a very trying day at work. I am very passionate about my job, not just what I do, but the company as a whole. Because we are a small company when times are slow everyone feels the crunch, and when times are tight we all band together and work through it. But today It was revealed to me that we didn't have a team player on board, and that really made me mad. People would ask why? and I have the answer. I have been with Kent for 8 years and what effects the store effects me; and I take things personally, and I feel that, that store is as much mine(Lora, Laura, and Phylis) as it is his. And if there is no Kent's then that means there is no job for Jeremy. So during times of financial strain we bind together and we do what we can, we watch what we spend out of the company account, we watch our hours. If it is dead slow we will all volunteer and go home. Because we only have he health of the company in our best interests. We all need the money but if there is no money to be had then we are all S.O.L!! So when I approached a fellow employee, and mentioned to this person that if it stayed slow that they could go home. This person goes behind my back and talks to another employee and tells them that they are not leaving because they need the money. OK! for one...Kent is gone for the week so when he is gone, either I or Lora have authority! so do not Undermine me! and secondly! thanks you for showing your true colors! When I am loyal I am loyal, and I will have your back 200% and when I've invested so much time and energy into something I take it personally. And I took this very personal.

Tomorrow I am going to go in with a positive attitude and do my job the way that I know and I will let God reveal all the things that I have seen. And I don't have to do a thing! just sit back and wait. Like my late grandmother used to tell me all the time "Son, you have to just call on the lord and wait on time" and that what I am going to try and do from now on. I might get discouraged, but God has a bigger plan for me. A plan even bigger then I can imagine! so for now....

Really?

I am sitting here on my sofa wondering what I could be doing right now. I could totally be working on some of my projects that I have to do but I am totally not motivated. I have a couple wedding bids that need to be planned and typed...but yet again, not motivated. I have been doing a lot of soul searching lately, wondering what I want to do with my life. I have applied for numerous jobs nationwide and I have to say that I am getting very discouraged. But I have to tell myself that I am talented and that the right opportunity will come along. I have to wonder though...Am I good enough for the jobs that I'm applying for? or is the timing wrong? Or is God trying to tell me something?

I couldn't imagine that God wants me to stay here where I am not happy, and not living up to my potential. My talents aren't being utilized to their fullest here where I am, and I know that I would be much happier in a larger city, where I can make more money and do what I really love to do; DESIGN! I feel like my day is filled copying a picture or making things that I really wouldn't put my name behind if I were the owner of the store. I understand that even in a larger city, I may not be doing million dollar arrangements, but my talents and skills would be utilized and appreciated.

I also feel that my growth is being stunted a lot in my current position, for example; just the other day a woman called the shop and ordered an unusual and unique arrangement, I did something very cool, yes! it was off the wall, but it was very unique and outside of the box. The woman received it, called and complained....She brought it back in, said that it was ugly and that she felt like it wasn't a "bouquet". My boss proceeded to tell her that this is the look that we do at the shop, and she said she would prefer an arrangement in a vase....or get this....A MUM plant!!! Really??? lady, a mum plant? that's different an unusual? give me a break! so yea...I need to be in a place where the general public doesn't consider a mum plant as being different!

And please don't get me wrong, I am not bashing Kent's or Columbia. I love my job, and I love my hometown. Kent has been so good to me and he is an amazing boss. I love him like my own family. And everything that I know is here in Columbia, my family, my friends and my home. But there is a whole world out there that I have yet to see. I have never been one to accept mediocrity, and I don't intend to start. My issues aren't my boss or where I work, my issues are with the amount of money that I am not making, and the people that call themselves our customers.

so...yea....REALLY??

great things...

Hello all, I was just walking my apartment looking at how nice, neat and clean it is. I cleaned for 4 hours yesterday and it is spotless, and It makes me smile just looking at it. It's amazing how the little and simple things in life can make us happy. And yet we are always striving for something new and exciting to fill some make believe void that we have inside of us. I believe that all the happiness we need is already within us, we just have to channel it. But that is not to say that we shouldn't strive for new things, but not for the sole purpose of being happy. As I digress, the purpose of this post was to share some exciting news (well to me at least) I applied for an awesome job yesterday and I would hope that you all would wish me luck.

The Job I applied for is located in Los Angeles California. It is with a Company named Teleflora, A huge pillar in the Floral Industry. The Job is in the Marketing and Product design department. I know that I wouldn't be working with flowers very much at all, but It is another side of the business that I would love to be apart of, and besides I feel that I have some really great ideas for some new products and some marketing tools that they can use. And I also have a lot of valid input, and opinions of some of the products and marketing tools that they already currently use. I want this job for a number of reasons; for starters I would be seeing the floral industry from a different perspective. I also would be employed by one of the largest players in the industry, and the opportunity to grow and do so many different things within the company is endless. And lastly I want this position because I feel that I need it, I need it to become more rounded and experienced in this industry. My main goal is to get the job, but I will settle for at least an interview, because just because this position may not be for me, there will be something else that comes along with Teleflora. To me being apart of such a staple in this industry would not only be an honor, but a great opportunity to meet some of the best people this industry has produced. So feel free to Google Teleflora, read up about how great of a company it is, and wish me luck!

It's just flowers

Today was one of the most stressful days of my life. The day I turned in my capstone project for my MBA doesn't even hold a candle to how stressed I was today. My boss was being a Major spazz, and when someone around me is spastic that puts me on edge. I am very responsive to the emotions and mood of those around me. So I can't be at ease when someone around me isn't. I have been off work now for about 3 hours and I am still jittery and I still have a pounding headache and my job doesnt have to be this stressful. But at the end of the day its just flowers. We aren't doing rocket science or saving a life here, we are just making the world a brighter place one flower at a time. But it is not necessary to get stressed out over it.

On a happier note, I am starting to really focus on "Jeremy Estes Designs" If I Can book at least 6 weddings for 2010, I can cut my hours at kent's and start doing more things on my own. And if all goes to plan, I can have my own space by spring 2010. I need to do my own thing for myself no one else. I am being hindered by the negative sides of retail, and my creativity is being stunted as a result. If anyone has a need for fabulous flowers for a party or wedding hit me up! I need the exposure!

Well I hope all is well with the rest of the world, and I will hope to talk to you all soon!! take care and love long.

Getting Ready for Autumn

School is back in session and the weather is getting a bit cooler, and football season is getting underway. The holidays are coming quicker then we think. So I have a couple tips and idea's to help get us ready for the holiday season. My purpose for creating my blogspot account was to share with the world my passion and love for Floral materials, and to hopefully inspire someone with a tidbit of information.

As times have presented themselves to be tough the past 2 years, we can not let money or the lack thereof prevent us from enjoying everything that the Holidays have to offer. Fall is upon us and there are some simply ways that we can enjoy our autumn without breaking the bank. It is always a tradition in most family's to go out and purchase pumpkins and set them around their home, and then closer to Halloween pumpkin carving is a Fun family past time. Buying pumpkins from a retail store can be a bit expensive, even Wal-mart. Buying Pumpkins locally, from a local grower (whom often times have more then they can maintain) can prove to be cost effective and you are supporting an independent farmer, and boosting his buying power in this struggling economy. But for those family's that aren't on a budget and can decorate for fall and Halloween, I will share the big trends in Fall and Halloween colors. There are a lot of Traditional Black and White items being shown for Halloween this year. Traditional Halloween in my mind goes back to those old black and white movies of Dracula, that sticks out in my mind, and that makes me think HALLOWEEN! So if you want to be in the new! and the happening, go classic and get black and white, and like clothing and furniture, black and white never goes out of style.

For those that can not let go of color, Plum and Shades of pink are also hot to mix in with the other beautiful fall tones(Oranges, Reds, Greens, Etc) And lets not forget the color that is sweeping the nation, GRAY! Gray is so hot right now, so mix it in any way you can. And most colors pop off of Gray beautifully, so why not Paint the door to your home gray! and see how beautiful that fall wreath or swag looks against it. And a note on that, a door adornment doesn't have to be a tradition wreath, wall pocket of swag. We can be very creative when it comes to how we present our door, because the door is the first impression of the house. If the door has some creativity and some edge, then that says a lot about the homeowner and the rest of the house. A simply idea for the upcoming season, and for any season really. Go to you local craft store, (some small retail store sell them too) and buy you one of a couple of those over sized letters;they can dictate you initials, or you can just pick something random, like and "F" for fall, or you can Spell out the word "FALL". Once you have you desired letter(s) then you can either buy them in the finish you like, or paint them accordingly to the season or the colors of your home. If you paint your door gray think about how fabulous those letters would look in Orange! or Yellow! Affix the letter(s) to the door in you desired placement, and to them you can add ribbons, leaves, or any other fall treatment that you see fit, or they can stand alone which I think would make a great statement!

I hope that I have inspired someone to do something cool and different this upcoming season, and I will do my best to post another segment about thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Eve. It will be probably either later this month or early October because my schedule is going to get very hectic in the next couple of months...One last thing while its on my mind, there is nothing wrong with being ahead of the game. Plan you holiday decor and festivities now so that you have more time to spend doing all the wonderful and fun things that Fall and winter have to offer!

Mortified

I went to a Fall and CHRISTMAS floral showcase at Mears Floral Products in Springfield MO yesterday, and I am still appalled. The Wholesaler was set up very beautifully, and they have remodeled. It was such a breath of fresh air to be down there seeing as it is 3 hours away and we at Kent's don't often get that chance to go down there and shop and see the product first hand. As I digress, the commentator/designer for the show was horrible! And I have no problem with posting this, and I have no problem with her finding out about the things that I am about to say. The Purpose of a Design show such as the one that we attended yesterday was to inspire, teach and share...and she did the exact opposite.

The show was supposed to be about holiday and fall decor, In the first segment I learned about one product (a Vase) that she used and for the rest of the time, I heard about her, her shop, and how wonderful her children are; and how without her family (not one mention of her employees) she wouldn't be as successful as she is today. In the second segment she spent the first 30 minutes talking about a ladder that her husband bought her, and about how wonderful her daughter is, and how wonderful things are in her shop. When Questions were being asked of her, she danced around them like hot coals, and wouldn't share too much information about her techniques used because she didn't want to give away her "Secrets" as she kept saying. My question is, "so why are you here?" The last segment she made 4 arrangements ahead of time that didn't have anything to do with each other, and had nothing to do with what the segment was supposed to be about. She did design on piece on stage, using the techniques and teachings that she learned while studying ikebana, but she didn't relate it to the show, I felt it was just her bragging about being a student of ikebana. During 3 segments out of the day, she only mentioned 2 times the things that she used from the Mears Showroom. That is part of your job as a commentator is to plug the merchandise and materials that you are using. I heard more about these fancy Japanese Clippers that her wonderful daughter got for her in NY, by the way none of us can get them from our local wholesaler cause they are only available in NY... Anyone else seeing the issues here?

The icing on the cake was when she was ending her final segment, and she looked at a girl in the audience that she had spoken to during break. The Designer was going on about tweaking the rules and principles of design. It was at that moment that she looked at this woman, and said "You won't be able to design like this, or design like me, and you may never be able to, you just a beginner".... SO much for inspiring you audience. This woman is so self-centered and delusional. and she needs not every do design shows again with that attitude. I have always said "the moment that you feel that you know it all, is the moment you should quit the business" She totally belittled her audience, and misused the opportunity that she was given. She had to opportunity to share, inspire and teach people some things that they might not have known, but instead, she was protecting her "Secrets" and that's very sad. I hate to break it to her but every concept and every idea in this world is derivative from something else, there are very very few original ideas in the world. The floral Industry has not gotten where it's at today by people keeping their "Secrets" to themselves. This Industry is very rich with knowledge and talent, and I hope that one day when I am doing Design shows that I can inspire, teach and share anything and everything that I can to help out someone.

My favorite weddings this year

Here are some of my favorite bridal bouquets that I had the privilege to create over this past year. All of these are dear to me, because I was allowed to apply my own creative and special touches on them. And one in particular was for a dear friend of mine, and it was really a joy and an honor to play such a big part in her wedding day. Thanks to all of my amazing brides whom make my job both enjoyable and easier!

The bouquet above left was a bride that I spent a year planning her wedding but it turned out beautiful. She was really great to work with but she had more ideas for her big day then we could fit into one room. This bouquet is composed of white, pink and blush peonies, and pink rannunculus, to the back of the bouquet I pinned an antique broach to the handle. Super chic and classic beauty as was the bride.

The bouquet above right was for Natasha Nosic, I am very proud of this one because this is only the 4th bouquet that I have ever made in a holder, in my entire career(12 years) I think this bouquet turned out fantastic. I started by stringing white dendrobiums on fishing line, I made about 10 strands, all at differnt lengths. In the bouquet I used white hydrangea, Sahara Roses, Peach lilies, Cream Garden spray roses, Apricot Parrot Tulips, Green Hypericum berries and finished it off with the Orchid strands, and Roseo Leaves. The felt and looked like a princess on her wedding day!

The bouquet above center was created for my Friend Natalie "Noack" Freeman, She is a very earthy and natural type girl and I had a lot of fun doing this bouquet because some of my favorite materials to work with are pods, grasses, and berries, In this bouquet I started with white astilbe, then collared that with White Scabiosa, Scabiosa Pods (I DIE!), Blushing Bride, White Cottage Yarrow, and Skeleton Leaves. I wrapped the stems with white satin ribbon, and attached a robin nest (w/eggs) to the handle. Totally Cute and totally Natalie!

I hope you enjoy my pictures and I hope to post more soon! Take care....

Follow the links

Here are some links to some pretty amazing and outstanding uses of floral materials! I DIE!


http://www.pbase.com/jjgallery/flowershow2009

http://theflowershowblog.wordpress.com/2009/03/04/those-amazing-aifd-shoes/

????

I had an epiphany today...is it that people just don't get it? or is it our job to educate them. WE will never know if people will "get it" unless we show them something different. I decided that today; well kinda. I decided that I am going to make what I want, and sell it to the customer, opposed to selling the customer what they want. If I go through my career doing the same roundy moundy bouquet of roses and lilies then that's all the customer will expect. Its time to change it up! and if that means moving then so be it! I want to be where I am appreciated as a floral artist not a DESIGNER (by the consumer)! I have proven that I am more then a Designer..... It may be time to travel to Europe or japan and learn something : ) So this weeks design technique will be inversely proportional designs. Inversely Proportional designing is when you design primarily on he inside of a vessel (container) the focal an emphasis of the arrangement is primarily contained inside with very little material above or outside of that container. I think that if I challenge the "standards" that creativity will prevail! OK so the randomness ends here! I am not even going to proof this post because I know that it is super random and I have not the energy to edit at this point. Take care all.....

randomness

Today was a great day at Kent's we were pretty busy, and we are selling a lot of merchandise. I think part of it is because of my impecable merchandising skills, but I don't want to sound concieted, just very confident. And I have to say that everyone was in a good mood, and we all got along for the first time in a while. I have been praying a lot about the situation(s) at work. And my prayers are getting answered.

I am totally looking forward to the holiday season. I have a lot of ideas for Christmas, and I hope we get some kick butt fall and Halloween Parties. Seeing as Halloween is on the weekend this year I am very hopeful that people will host some halloween parties with fabulous floral Arrangments at Amazing Invitations by Pen Point Paperie! look them up! they are amazing!

well I guess that will be all for now, Take care everyone!

Hello All

Hey! this is my new blog, I used to have a blog on another site but some of the content on it was a little less then professional to say the least. I will use this blog to express my feelings concerns or just thoughts on life, love, and my Career. I am happy to tell all of you that I have reciently been notified that during my Time in Kansas City at the AES process for AIFD I achieved the needed scores to become a covited member of AIFD. Also with that I can use the letters CFD behind my name which stand for Certified Floral Designer. In July I will be inducted and pinned into AIFD in Boston Mass. I am super excited and can't wait to see the direction that my life will go in now. To find out more about AIFD and the CFD program, good AIFD or just go to AIFD.org and check them out! It is a very cool organization and what they have done for the Floral industy is life changing. The Industry would not be where it is, without AIFD. And now I am apart of that! I think this is all Im going to write for now, seeing as I am on a crunch for time. But please check me out from time to time and leave me comments...thanks guys!

XXOO
Jeremy