A Holiday Miracle

My name is Wendy and I'd like to share a story with you about a holiday miracle.  I have been a florist for over 20 years, and have been with Bank of Flowers for just over 2 years. Being perpetually single, the holidays are always a tough time of year for me, this year especially.
A few weeks ago, I was preparing the blog about the new adoptee "Monte" the cat, who joined the Pewaukee store from the Washington County Humane Society.  While on their site to link to our blog, I looked at the dogs who needed homes, and that's when I first saw Mary.  Mary Puppins was the longest resident of the shelter and in need of a home, but I just couldn't afford to adopt her and get all of the necessary supplies to bring a dog home.
All of the shop gals were gathered for our Secret Santa Party just before Christmas, and I got a little stuffed dog that looked like Mary Puppins as one of my gifts.  It sparked a discussion of the shelter dog, and before I knew it, some of my co-workers chipped in and gave me enough money to adopt Mary.  Others gave me the supplies I needed to bring a new dog into my home.  I was so happy, I started to cry.  I got a companion for Christmas, and Mary Puppins got a home!
It's only been a week, but I am happy to report that Mary and I are adjusting very well to each other and we are both very happy.  It's a holiday miracle for both of us!  Thank you to a wonderful team of ladies at Bank of Flowers! 

Wendy Walker
Bank of Flowers

Happy Holidays!

It's hard to believe that Christmas is this weekend!  It sure does sneak up on us fast!  Here at the shop, we are as busy as Santa's elves!  We are knee-deep in hustle and bustle between the designing, wrapping and delivering, and with all of the snow it feels like the North Pole around here!
And speaking of delivering...if you are feeling behind on your holiday to-do list, we are here to help! A bright poinsettia plant or holiday centerpiece makes a great gift for just about anyone on your list.  We even have the cherished Thomas Kinkade collectible in stock for those collectors you know.  Stop in today, or give us a call for your last minute holiday emergencies!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all of us at Bank of Flowers in Menomonee Falls and Pewaukee!

A Winter Wedding Wonderland

Jaclyn and Jason

Month: December
Ceremony and Reception: Rotunda, Waukesha
Florist: Bank of Memories & Flowers
Photographer: Cream City Weddings

With the spirit of Christmas around them, Jaclyn and Jason said their I Do's on December 12th.  The smell of fresh pine was in the air on this perfect winter wonderland day.

The groom's daughter was beaming with excitement.  She personally wrote her chalkboard sign that she carried down the aisle, announcing the arrival of the bride.

The couple incorporated winter details like a picture kissing booth under the mistletoe, wooden mugs to do their toasts, and holiday cheer around every corner.

The blinged out bouquets had deep red roses, fresh cedar, gray brunia, cream roses, red ranunculus, seeded eucalyptus, scarlet berries and angle hair twigs. Sparkling rhinestones where added to some of the roses and the handle was covered with a band of rhinestones.

Thank you Jaclyn and Jason for letting Bank of Memories & Flowers be a part of your special day.

~Melissa Maas
Owner
Bank of Memories & Flowers

Make it Merry!

 Hosting a holiday gathering for family and friends this Christmas?  Looking for some inspiration to make your table sparkle?  Check out these dazzling fresh designs, sure to impress your guests!

This rustic wooden box overflowing with fresh pine and bright holiday blooms creates a stunning focal piece for any room.  Sprinkle a few pine cones or ornaments around for the prefect finishing touch.  When the holiday is over, the charming wood box can be re-purposed as a home decor accent!

Decking the halls with a touch of cranberries!  Deep reds and bright whites with winter greens are the perfect colors to accent a vase full of floating cranberries.  Add a few keepsake ornaments and you're got a custom flower arrangement that can create a rich look to your home for the holidays.

TULIPS in December?!  Yes, it's true.  Bank of Memories & Flowers has holiday tulips in vibrant red and bright white, sure to warm your heart on a cold winter day.  Let us help you get inspired this holiday season!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!

Krista Roskopf
~Manager, Menomonee Falls

The Poinsettia - A Bit of Holiday History

When we see those big, bright red blossoms, we can't help but think of Christmas!  But how did these Mexico-native plants that grow larger-than-life end up in cute little pots in our homes in Wisconsin?  Let's step back in time, all the way back to 1828, when Joel Roberts Poinsett brought the first Cuetlaxochitl plant from Mexico to the U.S. for propagation.

Poinsett was the son of a French physician and an avid botanist.  He was appointed as the first Ambassador to Mexico from the United States by President Madison. While visiting Mexico in 1828, he was amazed by these bright blooms and immediately shipped plants to his South Carolina greenhouses.   There, he grew small versions on the large tree-like plants, and gave them to family, friends, and botanical gardens.

The Cuetlaxochitl plant blooms in the winter months in Mexico, when it cools down, which coincides with the Christian holiday of Christmas.  With it's large vibrant blossoms and blooming season, the Cuetlaxochitl plant, now widely known as the Poinsettia, named for Joel Roberts Poinsett, has become the official plant of the Christmas season, and an important botanical crop, creating more than $250,000,000 in annual wholesale revenue for the industry.   The poinsettias we carry at Bank of Memories & Flowers are grown right here in the Milwaukee suburbs in greenhouses!

Today, December 12th is celebrated as National Poinsettia Day, marking the anniversary of Poinsett's passing.  We continue what Poinsett started so many years ago, giving the gift of an amazing plant as a way to spread joy and cheer throughout the season!

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Wendy Kaye Walker
Floral Designer
Bank of Memories & Flowers

Christmas at our Pewaukee Shop!

Believe it or not, we only have a little more than two weeks left to go before Christmas is here. Is it catching you by surprise this year? Or do you find yourself pleasantly ahead of schedule? Here at the Pewaukee location of Bank of Memories & Flowers, we began preparing long before Thanksgiving. After all, it's not an easy task transforming the floor shop to a winter wonderland so we might as well enjoy it as long as we can!

Perhaps one of the most time-consuming and difficult parts of preparing for the holiday season is those "hard to shop for" people on your list. Just what DO you give the person who has everything? Or the parent who says "Don't bother"? If this struggle sounds all too familiar to you, then we think you should stop by our Pewaukee location!

We pride ourselves on offering gifts for everyone on your list from Christmas flower arrangements for Aunt Sue and Grandma Jean, wonderful caramels or a gourmet food basket for Grandpa Joe, or fun garden gifts for the sister who is always digging in the dirt.

For the out of state cousins we carry book about Christmas in Wisconsin or 

gifts for the Up North cabin!

We also offer a fine selection of wine-inspired products including hand soap in scents of Chardonnay & Apple or Merlot & Oak.

And if you simply can't decide, we have lots of fun putting together some premade gift baskets or we would be glad to help you put one together! 

Regardless of where you are at with your shopping list, everyone here at 

Bank of Memories & Flowers wishes all a very

and

Luan, Pewaukee Shop Manager