December Open House

In December, we had another great open house with over 100 people in attendance to see great tablescapes from the design team of JP Parker Flowers. We also raised hundreds of dollars worth of toys for Imagination Station's fund raiser for Riley Children's Hospital. You can see more photos from the evening on our Open House Gallery for December.

An Interview with Pam Parker of JP Parker Flowers

What was your inspiration for the Toy Land theme?
I want to give some ideas for some unique twists for holiday entertaining. Our four animal settings coordinate a particular jungle animal such as lion with a golden elegant décor , the Zebra is fun and contemporary, tiger rich bronze and coppers, and the giraffe a Morocco theme. All very different for the holidays. When you combine the holiday glitter, lights plus the stuffed animals it becomes a fun unique theme. Because she is such a "hot" holiday item, we had to throw Barbie in the mix for her own tablescape We are mixing fun, fantasy, and elegance.

What are your favorite floral arrangements for the holidays?
There are so many ways to represent the holidays. We can do Winter Wonderland, Santa and His Helpers, Ice, Toyland, on and on and on... What I really like is the new challenge everyday to create something that will inspire or create warm holiday memories for someone. Every year when we bring out the fresh pine it is like "Wow I love that fragrance"! It is so wonderful to just soak in the smells, colors, taste, and glitter of the season.

As we all know, the economy is making it more difficult for people to spend money on special events. What advice do you have for people on a budget who still want to make their event beautiful?
The difficult economy is a plus for forcing us to be more creative. We all are being more frugal. We can still have a big look by choosing wisely. I find we often have too many unnecessary components in a design. Maybe we dig out some items we have had for a while .Refresh and recycle. I truly believe this economic change is good for us creatively. Simple is elegant.

An Interview with Melissa Mudd of Sweet and Savory Catering

What are the reasons you decided to become a caterer?
Coming out of culinary school, I was working at a very trendy, very creative restaurant, and the great thing about that was, I was given the freedom to experience every aspect of the kitchen, and really learn a wide range of skills. When I had my first child, I wanted to have a more "family friendly" schedule, and so I went to work for a catering company. I absolutely fell in love with it. Every event is different, and gives you an opportunity to create a really special enviornment for your clients. They become like family, and you don't always get that experience in the rest of the culinary world.

What inspires you?
My two daughters. They make me know every day, that I need to put forth the effort to give each and every client the very best of us. They are great creative muses!!

What is your most popular dish?
I would say, entree, our Sweet & Savory Stuffed Chicken with proscuitto, pine nuts, baby spinach, cheeses. Very popular. With regard to hor d'oeurves, our Cheddar Pecan Torte, and our Mini BLTs. They are a staple for every event.

What advice can you give someone who is on a budget but does not want to skimp on taste or presentation?
What so many people run into is over ordering. Especially on appetizers. On the more expensive items, you can order less quantity. Within reason, any caterer should be able to work with almost any budget.