Although it’s traditionally a day for the men to remember, why not spoil your man with something special on Valentine’s Day? Men love flowers and plants, yet only a third of women buy their husbands floral gifts for Valentine’s Day, and we think that number should go up! Here are some ideas for you:

-Birds of Paradise. Paired with orange carnations and purple statice, the arrangement will pack major visual punch without looking feminine.
-Bright roses in a clean, contemporary vase with bold foliage—it looks great on a desk or a meeting room!
-Bold, modern looking blooms and plants, like dendrobium orchids, cacti, or bamboo, are a great choice (and will probably distract their attention, too!).

Here are some of our Academy Florist favourites!
Paradise Island

Spicy

Mango Mini Calla Lilies

You’ll be able to interact with quality vendors one on one, see gorgeous table and linen designs and sample some delicious treats, and every bride or groom attending will have a chance to win the Grand Prize Give Away full of free services and discounts for your big day! Academy Florists is giving away a dream wedding bouquet, and we’re putting together INCREDIBLE looks for your centrepieces that you will definitely want to steal and a bouquet bar for you to check out gorgeous bouquets!

There is no charge to attend this event, but we ask that each person attending bring a non-perishable food item that Madeline’s Weddings & Events will donate to Winnipeg Harvest.

All brides and grooms are welcome to attend but you MUST register for your FREE tickets here. Here is a preview of just some of the vendors participating in this years show!

Madeline’s Weddings & EventsDelta Hotel
Michelle Zerr Photography
Academy Florists
Fine Eyes Make Up
A Moving Pictures Studio
Dwayne Larson Photography
Cake Studio
Marc Desrosiers – Marriage Commissioner
Sunlife Financial – Kate Brito
Harp Oasis
Tania Jane
The Bagpiper
David’s Bridal
The Floral FixxSteven Fehr – Marriage Commissioner

Plus, here’s a look back at one of Madeline’s previous wedding shows at the Delta Winnipeg. Thank you to Michelle Zerr for these awesome photos!!

Heading to the Wonderful Wedding Show next weekend? Don’t stress out about it – with these helpful tips from us at Academy Florist (and trust, we’ve been to a LOT of wedding shows!), you’ll know just what to do!

1) Wear comfortable shoes. As much as you want to look cute, after about 10 minutes of walking around, picking up pamphlets and asking questions, you’re going to want to pull the shoes off your bleeding feet. You can take that as a warning from personal experience.

2) Keeping organized is as simple as bringing a pen and small notebook—rather than writing notes and reminders on everyone’s business cards, you’ll keep all of your important info in one place.

3) Pack lightly. It’s not as though you’re going away for the weekend or anything, but you’ll definitely want to choose the smallest purse you have and keep it as empty as possible to avoid super sore shoulders.

4) Go with a game plan. The Wonderful Wedding Show is the perfect place to seek out the vendors for your wedding that you still need to book, but to keep your time running smoothly, choose 3 or 4 main categories and focus on them so you aren’t distracted by everyone you don’t need to see.

5) Bring preprinted (sticky) labels. If you’re planning to enter every draw you see, get ahead of the pack and bring labels printed with your name and contact info (note: you have to include your email address to be entered in these draws, so it’s a good idea to set up a wedding-only email address. Something like: laurenandwayneswedding@yahoo.ca is perfect.

6) Don’t feel pressured. Many vendors will offer special booking rates if you book at the show, “This weekend only.” If it’s not exactly what you need or it makes you feel nervous, then just walk away. There’s no need to feel rushed or hesitant: there are many vendors out there, and you need to choose the ones right for you.

7) The Wonderful Wedding Show is also a great place to just get ideas. Walk around to all the booths that are elaborately decorated, and just look at them: Do you like the colours they chose? What about the flowers? Are the linens the most perfect things you’ve ever seen? This is a great way to get inspiration for your big day.

Go home and do your research. It can be daunting coming home with a big bag full of cards and brochures. Sort through the stacks, and check out the websites for each and every vendor you’re interested in. Do they look legitimate? How long have they been in business? Then, book some appointments at their office/warehouse to see the product firsthand and ask all of your burning questions.

And the most important thing…don’t forget to come and say hi to us! The girls from Academy Florists will be there to answer all of your wedding flower questions and show you some beautiful ideas for your wedding! We’ll be there all weekend, at booths 205 and 207! Tickets are available for $12, right here!

The Academy Florist Favourites!
Try one of these plants, perfect for your festive decor!

Braided Money Tree: Looking for some good luck? Money Trees are traditionally good luck plants, said to reach for money with their leaves and trap it in a cage of braided branches. It’s a great gift for a business grand opening or a new house purchase. See our Braided Money Trees here!

Lucky Bamboo: According to an ancient Chinese tradition, the Lucky Bamboo plant brings happiness, wealth, and longevity—all the ingredients for a happy life. Perfect for work or home, this gift can create harmony in any environment. See our bamboo options here or here!

Azalea: Many Chinese families will have blooming azaleas in the front entrance of their home during Chinese New Year where guests first enter the house. Our beautiful azaleas are here.

Sunflowers: Having sunflowers in your home generally invokes having a good and prosperous year. Check out some of the Academy Florist sunflower arrangements here!

The most prominent colors of the Chinese New Year are red and gold. Red symbolizes happiness, while gold points wealth. Prior to the first day of the Chinese New Year, many families decorate their living rooms with vases of pretty flowering blossoms, platters of oranges and tangerines, and a candy tray with eight varieties of dried sweet fruit. What will you be doing for Chinese New Year?

2012 is your year!

Are you full of resolutions? Here are some of our favourites…
-Become a more loving spouse/partner/parent. Showing your love is as easy as speaking three little words, and the more they pop out of your mouth, the more you’ll think about them – and the more thoughtful of a loved one you will be!
-Take care of yourself better. As the year goes on and stress climbs and climbs, the best way to take care of yourself is by eating healthily, going to bed early, drinking lots of water, and getting physical activity. After all, you’re the one who will benefit from it!
-Try new things, and don’t be afraid to become the best version of yourself possible!

-LW

Tis the season for many things! Savouring delicious baking treats and hot beverages with family, watching the snow drift down slowly outside covering the world in a glittering blanket of white. While it can best be enjoyed from indoors, winter is a very magical time for all, and especially for us at Academy Florists..

We love what we do, and we love how our beautiful flowers can make such an impression on the recipient. That’s why we just can’t stop giving flowers away! It’s like giving away free smiles that last for weeks, that fill your home with colours and aromas, and leave a lasting impression on guests.

Although we hold our Bouquet Giveaways all year round, we especially love giving them away in the Holiday Season, because it’s the official season of giving.

Do you know of a special someone who’s day would be brightened by a gorgeous floral arrangement? Is there something missing on your dining room table? Be sure to keep an eye on our Facebook page as we will announce when the give-aways are to take place. Customers can call in to one of our locations and see if they will be the lucky recipient of another beautiful Academy Florist creation. We have an incredible variety of floral designs for the holiday season, form traditional Norman Rockwell arrangements, to unique and festive non-traditional colours and styles. There is certainly something for everyone’s tastes available. Good luck and enjoy the holidays!

Pumpkin Scones:

2 cups all-purpose flour
7 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
6 Tablespoons cold butter
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
3 Tablespoons half-and-half
1 large egg
Sugar Glaze Ingredients:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons whole milk
Spiced Glaze Ingredients:
1 cup powdered sugar
3 Tablespoons powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons whole milk
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 pinch ginger
1 pinch ground cloves
Scones Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Lightly grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.
3. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices in a large mixing bowl.
4. With a fork, pastry knife, or food processor, cut butter into the dry ingredients until mixture is crumbly and no chunks of butter remain. Set aside.
5. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk pumpkin, half and half, and egg.
6. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Form the dough into a ball.
7. Pat out dough onto a lightly floured surface and form it into a 1-inch thick rectangle (about 9 inches long and 3 inches wide).
8. Use a large knife to slice the dough into three equal portions. Cut diagonally to produce 6 triangular slices of dough.
9. Place on prepared baking sheet from step 2.
10. Bake for 14–16 minutes until scones turn light brown.
11. Place on wire rack to cool.

Sugar Glaze Directions:
1. Mix the powdered sugar and 2 Tablespoon milk together until smooth.
2. Brush glaze over the top of each cooled scone.

Spiced Glaze Directions:
1. As sugar glaze firms, combine the spiced icing ingredients.
2. Use whisk to drizzle over each scone and allow to dry before serving.
Makes 6 pumpkin scones.

Pumpkin Muffins:
2 cups pumpkin puree
1 cup sugar
1 cup olive oil
4 eggs
Mix first four ingredients and then add:
2 cups flour
1 cup bran
½ tsp salt
3 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp each baking powder and baking soda

Fold in 1 cup chocolate chips if desired. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes.

Pumpkin Seeds:
Pumpkin Seeds (from 1 pumpkin)
1-2TBSP olive oil
Salt, chili powder, or other spices to taste
Combine all ingredients and roast on a greased pan at 400F until deep golden brown (about 15 minutes).

Pumpkin Penne:
Penne con la zucca (Pumpkin Penne)
For 4 portions as a main course you’ll need:

1LB penne or other pasta
1.5 cups fresh pumpkin puree
2 large yellow onions, sliced
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
half a cup heavy cream
nutmeg and black pepper to taste
Cook pasta.
Carmelize onions with a litte butter in a heavy pan – about 20minutes on low heat. Add pumpkin, nutmeg and Black pepper. Remove from heat and add heavy cream. Add sauce to pasta and then add parmesan and mix. Garnish with extra parmesan if desired.

Strawberry Mango Salsa

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2/3 cup orange juice (optional)
1/4 cup lemon juice (optional)
2 tablespoons lime juice
zest of one lime
2 diced fresh mango
2 pints strawberries, diced

Combine all ingredients and let sit for a half hour before serving.

Pico De Gallo Salsa

2 cups choppped fresh tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
2 TBSP fresh lime juice
salt to taste

Combine all ingredients and let sit for a half hour before serving.

Corn Tortilla Chips

8 – 6″ corn tortillas
cooking spray (i.e. PAM)
salt
optional seasonings: garlic, onion powder, etc

Spray tortillas with cooking spray on both sides. Salt and season both sides. Cut each tortilla into 8 wedges using a pizza cutter. Bake in a single layer on a cookie sheet for about 10 minutes at 350F or until golden brown and crispy.

Sweet Tortilla Chips

4 – 10″ Flour Tortillas
cooking spray
2 TBSP sugar
2 TSBP cinnamon

Spray tortillas with cooking spray on both sides. Season both sides with 1tsp cinnamon and 1tsp sugar. Cut each tortilla into 8 wedges using a pizza cutter. Bake in a single layer on a cookie sheet for about 10 minutes at 350F or until golden brown and crispy.