Our guest blogger is Connie Chandler of The Treehouse Florist, 22 W. Main St – New Freedom, PA 17349 717-235-6540

As florists, we all have “down times” when we need to keep ourselves busy with things we won’t be able to do when we’re really busy. So here are a few things we call “Busy Work”, or things we do when we’re not really busy at The Treehouse Florist.

Here’s a picture of things we do with ribbon in the shop. We call these “speed bows” – satin bows wired with an extra length of ribbon attached to wrap around a cello-wrapped bouquet. We keep them handy, hanging on a styro wreath on the side of the cooler. And curly ribbon blips, picked, taped, and ready to use in baby arrangements, birthday arrangements, etc.

 These slow times are perfect for giving those tired baskets a fresh coat of paint, sprucing up your shop displays, creating silk arrangements for any occasion or season and planning out some new marketing ideas.

Of course, there are always things we do seasonally to fill in time not spent designing or on other important tasks. Tracey from Twigs in Yerington, NV – tells us that they wire pine cones brought in by friends or from a tree in their yard. Also for the holidays, you can make ahead velvet bows for wreaths, green-up centerpiece trays with holiday greens, and put together “kits” of lights, garland, mm balls etc for decorating those boxwood trees.

See other blog articles from The Treehouse Florist.