Champaign, IL Florists

Champaign Flower Shop News

Brighton florist achieves title of certified designer - AdVantageNEWS.com

Muenstermann, owner of Leanne’s Pretty Petals in Brighton, has earned the title of Illinois certified designer during the Illinois State Floral Association’s annual floral design show March 14-18 in Champaign, Ill. She was assessed in theoretical knowledge of advanced design styles and techniques. She was required to create three “advanced design” arrangements during a timed test. Internationally recognized floral industry professionals evaluated these advanced designs. Muenstermann is one of only five florists in Illinois to earn this accreditation. She earned her title of Illinois certified professional florist during last year’s annual floral design show. She is one of 58 florists in the state to earn this distinction. She is working toward her national certified floral designer accreditation through the internationally recognized American Institute of Floral Designers. To maintain the Illinois certified designer accreditation, the designer must continue to accumulate continuing education credits each year and maintain his or her membership in the ISFA and ICPF program. This program is designed to give ICPF graduates the opportunity to develop and broaden their knowledge of the flora... https://advantagenews.com/news/business/brighton-florist-achieves-title-of-certified-designer/

For Campus Florist owner, the bloom is finally off the rose

CHAMPAIGN — In the years since it opened, Campus Florist has survived two fires, student protesters smashing its windows and a burglary in 1997 that left owner Anne P. Johnston in a coma for a week.A mainstay at 609 E. Green St., C, it has outlasted countless Campustown stores that have either moved or closed.But after 77 years, Johnston said, "I think it's time."She's planning to close the shop at the end of October."I always told them I wasn't going to retire, and I had no intentions of retiring until this mess came up about the high-rise, and it just seemed the time to call it quits," she said. "I wanted to make it to the 80th birthday (of the store), but that wasn't the case."A 17-story high-rise is slated to be built on the southeast corner of Sixth and Green streets. While it won't directly impact her building, Johnston said she didn't want to deal with the construction."It's going to be bad for anyone out here while they're tearing it down," she said. "Because when they tear it down, they're going to go through the alleyway, and we'll have no place to park. ... I'm too old for that."The high-rise is also leading to the closing next month of Campustown bars Firehaus and The Clybourne, and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship's The Loft above HomeTown Pantry has already moved across the street.Tom Harrington Jr., director of acquisitions for CORE, the high-rise's developer, declined to comment.Johnston, who jokes that she'... http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2018-08-23/campus-florist-owner-the-bloom-finally-the-rose.html

After 77-year run, Campus Florist to close

Questions? Ask 'em hereCHAMPAIGN — A Campustown mainstay plans to close at the end of October.“We don’t have a set date yet,” said Anne P. Johnston, whose Campus Florist has been at 609 E. Green St. for 77 years.As for why, Johnston said that “after 77 years of being here, I think it’s time.”The shop is just to the east of where a 17-story high-rise is expected to be built on the southeast corner of Sixth and Green streets, and Johnston said that played into the decision.“I had no intentions of retiring, until this mess came up about the high-rise, and it just seemed the time to call it quits,” she said. “I wanted to make it to the 80th birthday (of the store), but that wasn’t the case.”The high-rise is also leading to the closing next month of Campustown bars Firehaus and The Clybourne, and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship’s The Loft above HomeTown Pantry has already moved across the street.The building’s developer, CORE, declined to comment.Johnston, who jokes that she’s 125 years old when asked, opened Campus Florist in 1941 after she moved to Champaign to attend the University of Illinois.It started on South Wright Street, but moved to its Green Street location a few months later for more visibility and a larger shop, according to a 2016 News-Gazette profile of Johnston during the shop's 75th anniversary.Campus Florist has survived two fires, stu... http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2018-08-22/after-77-year-run-campus-florist-close.html

Local designer shaping Governor's Mansion renovations

Candice Hart, owner of Pollen and Pastry located at 2121 Morrissey Dive in Bloomington. “I started my business during Grad School [at University of Illinois in Champaign] and kept going with it.”When Gov. Bruce Rauner first moved to the mansion in 2014, he found peeling paint, over grown trees and shrubs, buckling walls and other problems including problems with the roof, but after a $15 million renovation was announced on July 18, 2016, by Illinois First Lady Diana Rauner, that paved the way or ‘planted the flower’ for Hart.“This was really an opportunity to kind of partner with Illinois flower farmers,” added Hart, who’s business offers flowers and desserts. “Another flower farmer Becky Newton [owner of Wren’s Gate Garden and Studio] out of Decatur kind of helped organize this event for us. Basically we took all of the products from the farmers who were willing to donate and everything came from a 100 mile area of Springfield which is relay awesome. We used things like Sunflowers, Vivias, a lot of different perennial cut flowers that we were able to harvest really a lot of great products that we were able to use that were locally grown.”A Facebook page called ‘Central Illinois Flower Farmers,’ blossomed into six designers and six flower farmers across central Illinois working hand-in-hand to volunteer their time to harvest, plant and design flowers for the new renovations at the Governors Mansion.“It’s totally volunteer. The farms donated the product [flowers] and then the designers donated their time to put it all together,” added Hart. “We [farmers accross central Illinois] knew that it would be great idea to give back to the state in general , but then also to have kind of an opportunity to promote local grown products. We wanted to get it... http://www.wjbc.com/2018/07/13/local-designer-shaping-governors-mansion-renovations/

Beautify Decatur Coalition planting flowers in downtown - WAND

K settlement By: Matt Loveless2017-05-30T10:24:38ZCvijanovic's allegations of player abuse and medical mistreatment sparked a series of investigations into the program.Gunfire rings out at Champaign mall2017-05-30T13:35:44ZCHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) - Police in Champaign are investigating after shots were fired at the Market Place Shopping Center on Monday evening.  Decatur man injured in Sunday night shooting2017-05-29T15:25:02Z2017-05-29T15:04:36Z2017-05-29T15:25:02ZDECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - The Decatur Police Department is investigating a Sunday night shooting that left one man injured.Stolen flags at Graceland Fairlawn Cemetery2017-05-30T14:30:23Z2017-05-29T22:23:28Z2017-05-30T14:30:23ZDECATUR, Ill (WAND) - Flags play an important role every Memorial Day, especially at Graceland Fairlawn Cemetery.  There are 115 flags placed to honor service men and women, living and deceased. This year, however, four flags have come up missing. David Goebel, the general manager at Graceland Funeral Home and Cemetery is not happy and said, "this is not taken lightly." He also said that the cemetery plans to take precautions next year by installing cameras and i...Woman runs into store to avoid gunfight at Quick Stop2017-05-30T16:17:43Z2017-05-30T15:33:07Z2017-05-30T16:17:43ZDECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - Decatur police continue to investigate a gunfight that happened at the Monroe Quick Stop Friday night. By: Megan O'Dell2017-05-27T01:46:52ZSPRINGFIELD- Over the course of two weeks there have been at least five different shootings and violent crimes, all suspects under the age of 18.  .a href="http://www.wandtv.com/story/35... http://www.wandtv.com/story/35519655/beautify-decatur-coalition-planting-flowers-in-downtown

Sugar Flower owner creates intricate cake designs in backyard of her Cedar Rapids home - The Gazette

I was dabbling in both things — design and food.”After operating her own cafe for three years, Smith earned a degree in graphic design from Southern Illinois University in 2007. She and her husband, Loughton Smith, moved to Cedar Rapids in 2011 and she began working at the Hotel at Kirkwood Center, operated by Kirkwood Community College’s hospitality management program, in 2013.“They wanted me to work with edible flowers, and I’d never worked with the stuff before,” she recalled. “It just kind of fell into my lap, and I just started helping the pastry chefs with wedding cakes.”Smith became an adjunct instructor — “basic, advanced and wedding cake classes” — in Kirkwood’s baking program, where her husband is an instructor. She started thinking about starting her own business about three years ago.“I just decided I wanted to steer my own course,” Smith said. “I thought, ‘Well, I’ve got my studio here and I can make it into a little cake boutique.’”Sugar Flower launched in late 2019. Smith continued teaching but stopped working regularly in the hotel kitchen. The studio is a small building in Smith’s backyard. It may have been built as a hobbyist’s workshop or children’s playhouse, but it has stainless steel countertops, plumbing, electricity, and ample natural light.Smith bakes Sugar Flower cakes in her home’s kitchen, then takes them to the studio for assembly and detailing.Working out of her home means low overhead costs at the expense of some convenience and efficiency.“I have to do certain things in one p... https://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/business/sugar-flower-cakes-cedar-rapids-jennifer-smith-20201113

Chicago Florist Delivers Free Pandemic Pick-Me-Ups - WTTW News

There haven’t been many special events since mid-March – even before the statewide stay-at-home order took effect – when, in an early attempt to prevent spread of the coronavirus, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker put the kibosh on gatherings of 50 or more people.“I had a bunch of St. Patrick’s Day events coming up. Within that week they were all canceled. And within a matter of days the event industry laid flat. Everything was canceled. The entire (special events) industry was at a standstill,” she said. “I would say 95% of my business was done with or forfeited within a matter of days … I didn’t even think something like that was possible. It was like a dream, one long day, because the days blend into each other, you know?”Since then, Breslof pivoted, from special events to special deliveries.She created a gender-reveal arrangement (in pink) to expecting parents.She delivered flowers to a bride who postponed her wedding, sent from the woman’s bridal party.“She said ‘This is the best thing that was ever given to me – other than my ring of course.’ And I was a part of that … when I hear feedback like that, I cry,” Breslof said.And it felt good when – for the first time in weeks – she crafted a bouquet for a bride who went through with an early May wedding on its long-scheduled date.Ananda Zoe Breslof and her 21-month-old daughter. (Courtesy Ananda Zoe Breslof)Then there’s the arrangements sent to bereaving relatives.Breslof said she doesn’t ask customers questions about the circumstances, though a couple have shared with her that she’ll be delivering flowers to someone who lost a loved one to COVID-19.“I’m hearing stories … I hear the way,” she said.Sometimes the stories are more tender than they are sad.“I’m getting people who are ordering flowers for friends who are having a difficult time with this, birthdays they can’t really celebrate. People who just really want – they’re stuck inside now – they want something pretty to look at,” she said. “It’s nature, isn’t it? Being in nature elevates your mood exponentially. Flowers provide that.”Some flowers have gone to people who never ordered or paid for them.Breslof, who has been using Facebook to promote her business, has also been using social media to solicit requests for health care workers, volunteers and lonely hearts deserving of a free floral pick-me-up.“I’ve been doing … several free bouquets as a thank you,” she said.People can nominate anyone who they think could use flowers to “cheer them up a bit.”Deliveries have gone out to an ER nurse whose husband is an ER doctor, a team at Northwestern Memori... https://news.wttw.com/2020/05/09/chicago-florist-delivers-free-pandemic-pick-me-ups

Josh Bilicki, Rich Mar Florist and Lemons of Love Bring Cancer Awareness to the Roval - Kickin' the Tires

Now today, Lemons of Love shares chemo care packages with cancer patients around the world and also provides programming at its Lemons of Love Cancer Resource Center located in Mt. Prospect, Illinois.This weekend at the @CLTMotorSpdwy Roval, we’re partnering with @LemonsOfLove14 and @RichMarFlorist to bring breast cancer awareness to the forefront. We’ll be running this beautiful #51 Ford Mustang in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race. Learn more ????https://t.co/eU9QgRUygR pic.twitter.com/v1VLnmxBHg— Josh Bilicki (@joshbilicki) October 6, 2020This weekend, Rich Mar Florist will adorn the hood of Bilicki’s No. 51 Ford Mustang as a co-primary sponsor. The company isn’t new to NASCAR as a sponsor or tracks in general as the florist company is now a proud track partner of both Pocono Raceway and Dover International Speedway.“Josh and I have worked on small sponsorships these past two seasons, I am honored to finally have a primary sponsorship with him,” said Jonathan Morrissey, Vice President of Rich Mar Florist.  “Cancer awareness is near and dear to our family, so I want to thank Josh and Rick Ware Racing for embracing it.  Josh is a great road course driver, and I am very excited to see the results this weekend.”This Sunday’s Bank of America Roval 400 will be Bilicki’s 18th start in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2020 as he also will also have partners The Builders Outlet Super Store (BOSS), Custom Fiberglass Molding, Insurance King, and Fort Worth Screen Printing on board.In 18 NCS starts this season, Bilicki has a best finish of 25th twice coming at both Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway.The Bank of America Roval 400 NASCAR Cup Series race will take place on Sunday, October 11th at 2:30PM ET.  It will be televised on NBC.?????? pic.twitter.com/6JAfZs8YFQ— Josh Bilicki (@joshbilicki) October 7, 2020Photo Credit: Josh Bilicki Racing... https://kickinthetires.net/nascar/josh-bilicki-rich-mar-florist-and-lemons-of-love-bring-cancer-awareness-to-the-roval/

Illinois Hospital Plants Flowers To Represent COVID-10 Patients - q985online.com

Edward Hospital in Naperville, Illinois is using a flower with a very special meaning to represents inpatients that were treated and released for COVID-19. Not only is it significant to show the recovery rates of this pandemic but it also looks great too.The frontline heroes at Edwards are planting daffodils outside of the hospital, each represents their COVID-19 patients. The daffodils are near signs that read, "a flower for every COVID-19 discharged and healing at home."Edward Hospital & Health Services (Facebook)Edward Hospital's Facebook post explains why this is an important message for its local community.The daffodils will provide an uplifting representation of those who are winning the fight against this deadly virus.This would look great outside each hospital of hospitals along the state line.TRENDING: Dixon Man Asks if Anyone Knows Whose House Door Landed On His CarJB Love is ½ of  Q98.5's Lil Zim & JB In The Morning, weekday mornings from 5:00 a.m. to 10 a.m. Follow h... https://q985online.com/illinois-hospital-plants-flowers-to-represent-covid-10-patients/