Wow how things have changed.
So after my mom worked in the industry for about 15 years she decided to up and buy a flower shop. Awesome for her, right! It was her dream and she did it. I however never seen myself doing all that flower nonsense, it just wasn't for me. I did however do numbers, soooooo.... I agreed to work in the office for her. Still yet I was not going to touch the flower part. That was her. All her.
As time progressed I was slowly talked into just doing a bud vase and see what I thought. I agreed, and here I am 15 years later, heading off to take the PFDE test at the AIFD 2018 Symposium.
What the hell happened?
I did get to spend some time at home raising my boys, working the farm, riding my horses, but when life decided to flip on it end and I became a single mom I needed a full time job again.
Fun stuff right there.
So upon taking on a full time position, I agreed to design more. And guess what, I kinda liked it! So when it came up a little over a year ago about heading off to AMF classes I jumped at the opportunity. Never really knowing what, or where it would lead.
Now just over a year later I found myself in DC testing for AIFD.
I just can't begin to tell you how crazy this seems to me.
When I headed off to Little Rock for my first class I was excited about the opportunity that this would be. Little did I know that it would open a entire new world for me.
When I started, I thought, this is going to be a breeze, I know how to design and I have been designing and I was doing good....so I am sure I will learn a few new tricks. Ha, how cocky was I. But when we started our first class, y'all I was like, what in the name of all that is good and holy is this?
My head was all kinds of mixed up.
Luckily we had some amazing teachers and mentors there to help pick me up and set me on the right course. Each class I learned more and more and I felt like a sponge. I just wanted to soak it all in.
Y'all I found my passion.
In my world were there had been no passion for a career or anything I found what touched me, it woke me up. Now I had always had passion when it came to my kids, they were and are my life, but this.... this was for me.
It wasn't easy most times, it challenged me to step outside my comfort zone and really tested me. But most importantly it taught me something and man I was hooked.
Then testing came and honest to goodness I was freaked out. What if I didn't pass, what if I sucked and just had been lucky the past few weeks..... the list goes on.... clearly I am not to nice with myself.
But I passed, and I became AMF, Arkansas Master Florist!
I wanted more, so I took another test and became CFD, Certified Floral Designer. I still wanted more.... I wanted to learn everything I could and do everything I could. So here I am.
Fast forward 1 year and I am standing in the TSA line at the airport, having checked one of my bags, there are tons of people everywhere and all I can think is what in the holy shit am I doing. I am about to get on a plane and fly to Washington DC and take a test I don't know if I am ready for. How did I get here? I had the biggest holy shit moment I have had in awhile.
When my plane landed in DC and after I ubered it to the hotel, got settled and headed out to find something to eat, I found myself sitting there and all I could think was, holy shit this is happening, I am really doing this. I don't know if I had this crazy look on my face that said, "girl you need a drink" or what but the waiter came by and stopped, tilted his head, smiled and said,' honey, you ok.... would you like a drink, something a little stronger maybe,?'.... bless him but no, wait yes.... lets!!!!
After a glass of wine, and one of the best burgers I have ever had I walked back to the hotel to try to get some rest.
The next morning, the morning of the testing, I woke up ready to do this. As I stood in the line to get my packet and registration paper work, I felt a kind of calm but still had some nervousness. Seeing all the people from all over the world who had the same look on their face as I did, I didn't feel so alone, so freaked out. I started a conversation with the lady standing behind me and the wait in the line seemed to fly by, and the nervousness that was left was now gone. I had worked and stressed and there really was nothing left to stress about.
We were instructed to be back at a specific time to go through orientation, we were told what we could and could not bring with us, and off we went to wait.
Sitting through orientation was fine, we got our list, listened to the rules once again and we headed off to the room where we would test. We had our # for our table and you basically find your table marked with your #. We had some time to get our flowers ready, get our table ready and then begin with time started.
As I stood at my table I started thinking about the reason I was doing this, My kids, I set out to be a better designer and here I was. So much had happened before I left that I almost just didn't go. Chalked it up as a loss and stayed home. The storm had hit the shop and messed a bunch of stuff up, I was house hunting and had 6 weeks to find a house and close and get moved out of my house by the end of July and I was going to be spending all this time in DC. There was so much other stuff going on in my personal life with my mom and my kids, and the past 2 months had put a strain on my stress level that I felt like just falling into a puddle and hoping to God no one stepped on me. But I tell my kids, don't let anything keep you from what you want, your goals or dreams. If you want it you have to go get it. So this was me. Going to get it, come hell or high water I was doing this. To do just what I tell my kids they need to. To work hard and put in the time and make it happen. And if by chance it doesn't work out the first time, try it again. So I couldn't turn back, I had to go.
After the testing started I just did what I always do, I took the flowers they gave us and filled the orders just like I was back at the shop.
When it was over and we cleaned up I felt pretty good about it. So I know I gave my best. I have to say I thought how they do this entire process from start to finish was great. I had a chance to talk to some people who had to do it the old way and wow. I'm glad the industry has changed and evolved. That's one thing about this, it's always changing and growing so if you are apart of it and you take advantage of what AIFD has to offer, you are always changing and growing as a designer. So as our industry grows so do you, and your clients will see that as well! I just love it, trust the process and let it change you, make you better!
I have to say I am so glad that I didn't give up. That I went and tried.
After the testing was over I got to spend some time working the flower room putting together some corsages and boutonnieres. Here are a few!
I got to work alongside some fantastic designers and learn so much from them.
The classes were fantastic and I learned so much, and then the main stage programs were outstanding.
All week long I had the privilege to live and work and learn surrounded by some beautiful art.
I have to tell you all of this was so over whelming, I had to take some time and just go see some sights and walk around and clear my head!. I had to get out and about, find myself wondering around the city just being normal for a little while.
I did the typical tourist stuff, I totally walked around with my phone up in the air taking picture after picture. And instead of taking the metro back I got the bright idea to walk back 3 miles to the hotel. I walked through the sweetest little residential area, and of course all these house had little gardens and I being the crazy person that I am had to stop and check out the flowers that they had, I really am some kind of strange sometime. It was a much needed walk, to clear my head. I love to hike and get out of town and just see the beauty of nature, this was the closest thing to that I could find in the middle of the city. It's what I do.
All in all it was an unforgettable trip. It was my first Symposium but it wont be my last. Did I pass my test? I have no clue yet, we will be notified soon I hope but either way, I learned a lot from this trip, and that in my book was a win.
I met some amazing people from all over the world, seen some of the most amazing designs, ate some fantastic food and celebrated out nation's birthday on the capitol lawn, I really don't know how I could have topped that!
So someone asked me, if you pass then what? Then I set my next goal, and I work my ass off to get there.
I wont stop learning, perfecting my craft, and becoming the best designer I can be. Not just because it help in my shop, but for me. I found what drives me, I know what drives me as a mother, but what drives me for me. And as long as I can I will learn everything there is to learn, so I can teach it to the ones that come next.
The flight coming home was a mess. But look at that view!!!
First the TSA craziness,*side note: don't take a full water bottle through TSA check point and don't and I really can't stress this enough don't look at the TSA dog and make a comment of how sweet and cute they are*, then the flight was delayed for hours. My bags some how made it home hours before I did?! I started out getting to the airport at 11am on Friday and finally made it home to my bed at 4am Saturday morning, only to get up a few hours later and drive an hour to a funeral, and then an hour back after the service to a wedding. I was ready to be home. It was kind of a shitty end to the trip, but I wont let it dampen my high from the Symposium.
And now I wait for my test results. I think this might actually be worse then the anticipation leading up to the test.
I would say life is getting back to normal but I'm not really sure what normal would be anymore. If normal is chaos then yes, my life is right back to normal.
Here are a few of the photos I took of the flowers just around and some of the art pieces!
Strange how things turn out. From not wanting any thing to do with the flower biz to here I am neck deep in it and loving ever second of it.
It's been a journey full of discovery, and I cant wait to see what's next!
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