All about Ribbons!

Hello! I'm Alicia from Flourish Sussex Flower School. I founded the school in 2017 and have been lucky enough to welcome many students through our studio doors. We moved to our permanent studio here in Sussex last June and we have created a beautiful space for students to get creative in.

This blog is where I share floristry tricks, tips, inspiration and guidance. I want to share my passion of floristry and hopefully get you to get creative with flowers. I hope you enjoy!

I love ribbons. I think they can add such beauty to any bouquet. But as a florist it is really important that you know the different types of ribbons that are out there. In this tutorial I discuss some of the ribbons we use at Flourish Sussex Flower School and who are my preferred suppliers.

LINKS:
Northern Hands: https://www.northern-hands-uk.com/

Lancaster and Cornish: https://www.lancasterandcornish.co.uk/

CFleurs Design Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Cfleursdesign?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=569996199

Confidence or lack of!

breathe in courage and breathe out fear

Yesterday I put up this motto on Instagram . Aw yes Instagram. The platform that has transformed so many small businesses profiles. It has allowed exposure in a way that no small business could have ever dreamed to of gained ten years ago and bonus its free!

This incredible platform has allowed businesses to connect, reach potential clients and customers in vast numbers. The advantages for this social network are endless. However and this is a big however, it in turn also forces business owners to be extroverts or pretend at least and this is where the problems begin.

Extrovert or Introvert?

As part of the business class I teach here at Flourish Sussex Flower School I discuss this idea of being an extrovert or introvert. Many people, my friends including, would probably think I am an extrovert. I appear comfortable with my friends, I like hosting parties and I am confident talking about subjects I feel passionate about. However I do a great deal of masking. I believe this comes from the fact that I was diagnosed with dyslexia when I was six. I spent a lot of time in my teenage years through to my early twenties trying to hide it from others. I was so worried about being labelled as unintelligent, so I hid it from the world and worked twice as hard to achieve exam results.

Although I may appear confident and do have a level of self belief (mainly due to me caring less as I have become older), I also deal with imposter syndrome. The inner dialogue that I have can be exhausting and my worst critic is myself. Sometimes that has it’s advantages. The level of work I produce is probably always quite high, as I am always trying to push myself to be the very best, as if I failed the inner voice would tell me it loudly.

I would like to add to this I am not like this with anyone else. In fact completely the opposite. I would never expect my kids to achieve so much and I am constantly telling them its ok to fail.

So despite the world maybe labelling me as an extrovert, there is no doubt in my mind and in those closest to me that I am an introvert and I am fine with this. But when it comes to running a business I believe it is harder for us introverts.

IGTV, REELS, STORIES, GRID

Can you feel the anxiety rising? As much as Instagram helps businesses it also requires you to ‘put yourself out there’. We probably know ourselves with the businesses that we follow and buy from, we like to be nosey. It’s not enough looking at the product anymore, we want to know a bit about the person behind the business, especially when it’s a small business. We want to hear their voice, see reels, see what they do in their daily lives. We live in a time where small business owners don’t just have to know their numbers, be the creators ,but they have to put their face out there and that is where anxiety, imposture syndrome can stop people from pursuing their dreams or give up on their business all together before its even begun.

One of the proudest parts of the school for me occurs on the Friday, the last day of our Foundation Course. We have a session about mental health. I state I am not expert, but I share my own experiences as person who has run two businesses, but who is essentially an introvert. Through this a discussion is formed. I am firm believer that sharing stories is a great way for people to realise that so many others feel exactly the same and that helps.

To feel less alone is the starting point to feel like maybe you can do it.

I am not saying that everyone on Instagram should come out and say, ‘yes isn’t this bloody hard and uncomfortable’, but maybe there needs to be more honesty and thats why I am such a fan of podcasts.

Podcasts

Podcasts are a great way of listening to high profile and successful people share their own experiences, fears and how they have overcome their feelings of inadequacy at points in their careers. We all have feelings of self doubt and imposture syndrome, but it is how we manage them which is the real challenge. What I have seen in my work at the school, is that there are so many talented and creative people out there, who are on the verge of turning away from their talent simply because that voice inside them becomes too strong and that feeling that everyone else is braver or stronger becomes too loud.I strongly believe that it would help everyone if we were tad more honest. It is difficult to do this on Instagram and perhaps we all like to see the shiny perfect life, but I am not sure it helps the business owners much and that is why I believe podcasts are so helpful.

I have been a fan of Fearne Cottons Happy Place since it started. It really has set a president on how conversation of mental health have to happen more. It’s a great podcast to hear some of the most famous people out their share their stories and dealings with anxiety.

I have recently discovered Conversations of Inspiration by Holly Tucker, founder of Not on The Hight Street and Holly & Co. I think every small business owner and new start up should listen to this. Hours of inspiring, real and honest conversation. It is so much more fruitful then just scrolling yourself down a rabbit hole on Instagram.

Action

If you are reading this and finding yourself saying ‘yes, yes, yes!!’ then probably you are on the same wave length as many of my students. But the question is once you recognise it within yourself, what do you do about it? If things are very dark and bad then please go to see a doctor or tell someone close to you. There is no shame in doing this. Life is difficult and when it gets to much asking for help is so important .

If you are feeling that that inner voice is getting too loud please do check out the podcasts above and also there are some amazing books out there. I am currently ready ‘Why has nobody told me this before’ by Dr Julie Smith. She also has an instagram page. This book has so many tips and I believe it should be read by everyone. It is such a good coaching to life.

Don’t let the inner voice stop you!

I guess the point of this blog is start a conversation. It is something we do at Flourish Sussex and I hope that if you are reading this it might help you. It is not easy to start a business or to enter a new creative industry, especially if you are an introvert. We are increasingly in an age that is demanding that we are all extroverts. But perhaps if we are more honest and just put our hands up and say, ‘yes I am an introvert, this is me. This is my creative business. I will share what I can in my own way, but no I am not going to do funny reels, as that is not me and you know what I am ok with that.’

By

Alicia

Links:

Happy Place

Conversations of Inspiration

Dr Julie

Routes into floristry: Where do I train?!

Hello! I'm Alicia from Flourish Sussex Flower School. I founded the school in 2017 and have been lucky enough to welcome many students through our studio doors. We moved to our permanent studio here in Sussex last June and we have created a beautiful space for students to get creative in.

This blog is where I share floristry tricks, tips, inspiration and guidance. I want to share my passion of floristry and hopefully get you to get creative with flowers. I hope you enjoy!

I want to become a florist where do I train?

Making the decision to enter a new industry is so exciting, but can also be fairly daunting. One of the questions I get asked a lot is; ‘Do I need a diploma to become a florist?’ The simplest answer is no, however it does depend what area of floristry you want to go into.

Traditionally florists would either embark on an apprenticeship or go and get a diploma at a college.

Training on the job can give you a great insight into what real floristry is like and how the industry as a whole works. It can give you a good understanding of time management, conditioning, working in a shop and dealing with customers. The down side can be some florists only allow trainees to do the basic jobs, which can be frustrating and not allow a student to progress .

What is a diploma?

Diplomas are set by the City of Guilds. Colleges that offer diplomas usually offer part time or full time courses. Full time can be two days a week for a year or two years for an advanced level three. The courses are structured, students cover all the popular arrangements in floristry. Students learn the techniques and follow traditional rules. Students are assessed and have to take exams throughout the courses.

What are the traditional rules in floristry?

In traditional floristry certain rules of design are taught. This includes working in odd numbers, not putting certain colours together and making sure arrangements on the whole are made in tight shapes. Students arrangements are assessed and need to meet certain criteria in order to pass assessments.

Some view this style of floristry as more traditional and perhaps a little out dated. More and more floral designers are being led by flower movement; leaving the more traditional rules behind.

Often courses that result in diplomas, require students to supply their own flowers. This can be an exciting part of the course, although it can be expensive and sometimes when you are starting out your knowledge of flowers is limited. The combination of expense and limited knowledge can leave students feeling overwhelmed and choosing flowers which are not suitable for the arrangements that they are due to make.

Do I need a diploma to work in the industry?

The simple answer is no. I ran a wedding and event business for eight years and at no point did a client ask me to see my diploma. Clients were much more interested in my portfolio and me as a person, as opposed to my qualifications. Some more traditional florists shops might ask you for a diploma, but it depends what area you want to work in. If you want to start up on your own you definitely do not need a diploma.

What is a Flower School?

A flower school is an education setting dedicated to running bespoke floristry courses. Unlike colleges flower schools tend to leave more traditional methods of floristry at the door and lead students to become designers in their own right. Techniques, skills and business knowledge generally are taught. Courses can be spread throughout the year or in the form of intensive training. No qualifications is issued.

Advantages of flower schools is that they tend to focus on a more modern approach of floristry. Areas such as the business side and social media are covered and students are able to develop their own styles of floristry as opposed to being restricted by assessment criteria.

Do I need to train at all?

There are some very successful floral designers out there who have trained on the job or taught themselves. It is certainly possible to do this. My argument against this would be creating flowers for someones wedding for example can be stressful and often things can be challenging or go wrong. Having training will allow you to deal with these challenges. You can draw on the knowledge that you have learnt and use it to help you navigate through the slightly more tricky aspects of your career.

I believe you can never stop learning so I am definitely in the pro camp for training!

There is no right or wrong way to enter the floristry industry. It is about finding an avenue that you believe will meet your criteria and lifestyle. Open days are a great way to check out if an environment is right for you.

Useful links:

Flourish Sussex Flower School

City of Guilds

Sharing my Love of Flowers!!

Hello! I'm Alicia from Flourish Sussex Flower School. I founded the school in 2017 and have been lucky enough to welcome many students through our studio doors. We moved to our permanent studio here in Sussex last June and we have created a beautiful space for students to get creative in.

This blog is where I share floristry tricks, tips, inspiration and guidance. I want to share my passion of floristry and hopefully get you to get creative with flowers. I hope you enjoy!

Where do I begin?

This is such an important question. If you have always wondered about flowers, or keep day dreaming about blooms when you are sitting at your desk or at home, you might wonder where might be a good place to start. I am a big believer in reading and purchasing a book. A book can give you an insight into the type of floristry you are drawn too.

Are there different types of floristry?

YES! Floristry is evolving and I believe we are at such an exciting time in the industry. In the past we might of associated floristry with carnations, chrysanthemums, brash colours, odd numbers, cellophane, and although this does still exist in the industry, there is a whole other side to floristry that is a long way from this. At Flourish Sussex Flower School we leave traditional methods at the door and focus on individuals creating their own style of floristry. We want each student to embrace their own creativity and see what they are capable of.

So why a book?

Books give you a wonderful insight into the industry and can show you what the top growers and floral designers create on a daily bases. There are so many books to choose from but I have listed some of my favourites

• Cut Flower Garden and A Year in Flowers are by Erin Benzakein Based in the state of Washington, Erin has the most beautiful flower farm. Her Instagram is incredibly inspiring and her books contain valuable information about growing, with some floristry tips too.

• The Flower Hunter: by Lucy Hunter. Lucy is one of the top floral designers in the UK. Her work is an example of how as an artist we can bring paintings to life with flowers.

• The Flower Fix by Anna Potter. Anna runs Swallows and Damsons, a small florist shop in Sheffiled. But don’t be deceived by the size of the shop, Anna is one of the most successful florists in the country. She is famous for her earthy tones and imaginative Instagram page and her book gives you an insight into her creative brain.

• Flower Colour Guide. This is a glorious cut flower guide book that I give my students when they sign up to The Foundation Course. There are many cut flower guide books on the market, but this one has fantastic photography and shows the colour varieties that you can get with each flower.

• Flower for Everyday by Florence Kennedy. Florence Kennedy along with her husband run Petalon Flowers. They moved to Cornwall to start a flower farm and this gorgeous book takes you through all the popular displays in floristry.

Open Mornings/Evenings

If you have a few books already and want to know more have a google and find out about some of the flower schools and colleges around you. Open mornings are a great way for you to visit the education setting and meet the teacher and see if it is the environment that is right for you.

A Sneak Peek into our Sussex Studio..........

Nestled beneath the south downs you will find Flourish Sussex Flower School. A floristry school based ten minutes outside of Brighton. The school offers floristry courses n Sussex for complete beginners taster days to professional intensive career courses.

As well as the Brighton floristry courses, Flourish Sussex also offers yearly wreath kits. These beautiful DIY kits are shipped nationwide, offering seasonal, unique designs for people to create their own beautiful wreath at home.

As you enter the studio you are transported into a world of creativity and beauty. Across the wall House of Hackney wallpaper is beautifully presented, along with an array of dried flowers hanging from the ceiling. Around the studio inspiring art work is presented, along with stunning seasonal displays.

Hanging installations, along with with silk dyed ribbons decorate one section of the studio, while a fireplace is left for students to use to display their creations.

The studio also has a separate room used for installations and photography. With photography playing such an important part of floristry it is so important that students become comfortable off and in front of the lens.

The studio is a space of beauty, creativity and inspiration to students. With being so close to the city of Brighton and Hove, but with its surroundings of farmland, sheep and the occasional horse, students will be transported into a world of colour and nature.

We can’t wait to welcome to our studio at Flourish Sussex Flower School.