MEET JACKIE AND CHELSIE OF JACKIE’S FLOWERS

JF:  Let’s see…we normally get up and call our vendors to check on orders, then if we are lucky we take our mutt dog on a walk to Starbucks.  After our coffee run it’s responding to emails and calling or meeting with customers. Monday and Tuesdays we restock rentals from the weekend prior, then prep and sort what props we need for the coming week.  We get flowers midweek and design until we drop!  Basically craziness calls the shots…there is no telling when things might change up.

(p.s.s…..this is chelsie)

JF:  Our design style would for sure be eclectic.  It would be comfortable, not stuffy, with lots of natural elements…kind of an organized chaos.

TBC: Describe your client?

JF: Our clients are usually quite eclectic. Mostly more earthy or sentimental types of people. Those are our favorite J

JF: The whole Pinterest thing is great for inspirational purposes, but when you get 5 brides all coming in with the same exact photos its gets to be a little much.  We try and get people to be more flexible and open-minded. 

TBC:  Where do you find inspiration? 

JF:  Magazines, old movies (we watch a lot of Turner Classics) color, form, drape, and textures.  It’s also fun to listen for key words that brides will repeat in our appointments.  Just getting a sense of their style and personality gets us excited.

JF:  The FLEA MARKET!! That’s a no brainer.

Jackie:   I would have to say that being able to do what I love and still be a mom.  Being able to have a flexible schedule was great when my kids were growing up.  I’m very lucky.

TBC:  What advice would you give to upcoming floral designers? 

JF:  It’s not as easy as you think it is!  Also, to definitely learn the business side of things.  With the bridal industry taking off in the last few years, it really helps to know the business side and not just the fun design stuff.

Jackie:  Ariella Chezar!  I just came back from her class in Sonoma, it was amazing!  I love how her work looks so effortless.  All of the soft textures just blend so well, it is so refreshing.

Chelsie:  We have quite an impressive collection of dollar VHS tapes that we watch.  Chelsie (daughter): My mom buys them from garage sales; I always tease her about them.  But they are fun to listen to while we design, lots of Liz Taylor, Fred Astaire, and Doris Day.  My loud house music stresses her out so if I want to listen to that I have to resort to my headphonesJ Or we can always meet in the middle and jam out to some disco tunes.  We like “old school” too!

Jackie:  I’d have a prop house, so I could do staging.  I love rummaging antique fairs for cool stuff!  Everyone in our family is really into antiquing, so making it a family business is a dream.

Chelsie:  I did an internship with anthropologie doing window displays, which was fun.  But I would love to get into marketing, advertising, or PR (I was a design marketing major in college) I loved it.  I’m a people person, so it was way cool.

Jackie:  J. Crew and anthropologie.  I really like clean classic looks and easy comfy stuff.  I have a massive cowboy boot collection.  My house is the same.  It’s a mix of custom pieces and cheap flea fancies. 

Chelsie:  I feel like I’m my mom, but 20 years younger.  I have a nice collection of platform heels and going out clothes.  Anything really obnoxious… sequins, neon, gold-craziness and half hippie boho.  I’m all mixed up. I like mixing looks.  I’m definitely my mom’s child.

COFFEE!!  We love it. 

TBC:  Do you prefer blogs or magazines?

Both.  But we have been known to hunker down in the decorator/fashion/wedding section at Barnes and Noble (when you could would find one). 

TBC:  Do you prefer Grey or Colour?

Colour!  We love grey, but can’t live without color. 

TBC: Do you prefer heels or flats?

Am I allowed to say cowboy boots? 

TBC:  And, I have to ask…what’s your favorite flower?

Oh…that’s hard!  Anything that is strange and weird.  If we have never seen it before we go gaga over it.