We’re so happy to bring you The Jubilee! April showers bring us May Flowers, so our entire newsletter is dedicated to you’ve guessed it, flowers! Flowers can elevate your mood, they can be used as crowns, used in drinks and desserts, and are even part of our Jubilance logo. We want your May to be as splendid as those first spring flowers!
“Even Pharaohs arranged Flowers”
Flower arranging dates back to Ancient Egypt! There are all kinds of pictorial references to flower arranging and using flowers with metaphorical significance to their ancient religions. For example, a common flower arrangement featured lilies representing the goddess of Life and Magic. They were used for decoration, in ceremonies, and also as garlands for the Pharaoh to wear!
The ancient Greeks to the wearing flowers to heart and used them to adorn themselves and their homes using mostly Roses, Lilies, Violets, and of course Grape Leaves.
The Romans took from the Greeks and used the flowers to make more crowns, think the Olympics, and also started using the fragrances for perfumes. In Metamorphoses by Ovid, the god of poetry and archery, Apollo, falls in love with a nymph, Daphne, who then manages to escape by turning herself into a laurel tree. Apollo cuts off a bough from her tree and states, “Although you cannot be my wife, you shall at least be my tree; I shall always wear you on my hair, on my quiver, O Laurel.” (557–559). The crown became the symbol of victory. You can feel victorious too wearing your favorite flowers as a crown!
“Which Flower should you buy that reflects your personality?”
Do you have a particular favorite flower? Do you have a flower that just makes you smile? Which one are you the most like? Take this quiz and find out!
1. Which of the following colors are you most drawn to?
a. Yellow
b. Pink
c. Blue
d. Purple
2. What’s your favorite activity after work?
a. Cooking
b. Heading out on the town
c. Having a chill night in
d. Hanging out with Friends or Family
3. Which dessert do you prefer?
a. Fruit
b. Crème Brule
c. CHOCOLATE!
d. Cupcakes
4. Where’s your dream vacation?
a. Thailand
b. Paris
c. Greece
d. London
5. What’s your favorite genre of movie?
a. Action
b. Romantic Comedy
c. Drama
d. Mystery
Find out what flower you are!
Mostly A’s: You have a great taste for the world and want to see more of it! You’re bright and happy and always up for an adventure! A daffodil reflects your personality with it’s always cheery disposition and grows everywhere, just like the trips you’ll have! Put them somewhere where you see them when you wake up to keep you smiling throughout the day!
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Mostly C’s: You are unique, attractive, and talented. You dream of the ocean and relaxing under a palm tree. Why not try some tropical plants in your home? Let your flowers reflect that uniqueness with Birds of Paradise!
Mostly D’s: You are hardworking and loyal, and love to learn. You’re interested in the unusual and go after new knowledge. How about trying some wild flowers? You can find them yourself, or hit up a farmers market or even Trader Joe’s!
“The Case for more Bouquets with Becca”
Have you ever received a fresh bouquet of flowers from a partner or friend and felt your cheeks rise up to your ears? Did you feel a sense of fluttering, joy, or even validation? If so, here are some reasons as to why receiving flowers can reaffirm intimacy and love with your partner or yourself!
- When someone gives you flowers, they are showing you that they appreciate you and that you are worthy enough for something fresh and beautiful.
- Dr. John Gottman (1995) states that nurturing fondness and admiration in relationships is one of the few principles that happy and long-lasting relationships carry. When your partner presents you with flowers or a spontaneous gift of appreciation, they are doing just that! So tell your partner to keep them coming. J
- Also, receiving a fresh token of appreciation boosts your mental wellness by releasing stress!
When you feel gestures of love, your brain does too. If you aren’t partnered, try showing some of that admiration toward yourself! You deserve it!
Becca Lantry is currently pursing her MS in Marriage and Family Therapy from San Diego State University. She currently holds her MA in Counseling and Education and works with youth, young adults, and families around confidence, love, relationships, and empowerment. Becca has been taking Jubilance for the last few months and she is able to love herself more during those times of emotional PMS because of it.
“Add flower to every drink!”
It’s the season of the Bachelorette, and so you need to hand out those roses now! A way that you can bring flowers to every drink is by putting them in the ice cube! It adds fun color and classiness to any party or stay in night! Try it for a girls night, a wedding, or hanging out at home!
What you need:
- 2 Large Ice Trays
- 1 Dozen Roses (or any flower you prefer!)
- Water
- Freezer
How you make it!
- Cut each rose so you cut off the stem and just have the head of the rose.
- Place each rose in the large ice trays, put the flower bud in down with the stem up
- Fill each water tray halfway and freeze (otherwise the flower will float up)
- Freeze
- Top off the trays with water
- Freeze Again
- Take out the trays and put one cube in each drink!
Voila! You’ve added some pizzazz to your drink!
“Adding Color to Your Yard….When You are on a Time and Financial Budget with Kellidawn”
My sister has a beautiful flower garden. She works hard making sure her roses and plants are healthy and they are absolutely stunning.
My yard on the other hand has shrubs and grass. Just green (when we don’t have a drought) no bright colors, and no beautiful flowers. I would love to have a beautiful flower garden like my sister, but I don’t have the time or money to spend on it. However, I love color and May flowers make me smile and enjoy the spring.
Instead of planting flowering plants in my flowerbeds, I keep my yard simple with shrubs that are green year round, but I add color by finding colorful flowering plants to put in various pots around my yard. I have found that this still gives my yard the beauty of spring, but is very low maintenance. I don’t have to worry about weeds and watering is minimum. I still enjoy the beauty, but with less work. Some of my favorite potted plants are:
- I like to put a small elephant ear plant with them and the two paired in a pot are fantastic.
- ; they are lovely and they make great centerpieces for outdoor dinners.
- I love the fragrance and it helps keep mosquitoes away.
- ; I know, not technically a flowering plant, but great to cook with and also a great fragrance.
- . These are the best because they create variety in color and size and can be used anywhere.
I hope you find your way to enjoy the beauty that spring brings us. Have fun with flowers, have fun with spring, and remember to do what makes you smile.
Kellidawn is a true southern girl at heart. When she’s not wrangling her three boys, she can be found broadening the minds of high school seniors in her English class. This former college twirler is also an avid Star Wars fan and movie buff who loves spending time with family and friends.
“DIY Flower Crowns!”
Nothing makes me happier than waking up and smelling the roses. Corny, I know, but just putting flowers on the table makes you smile! So do it! Or better yet, pretend to be a princess, or BECOME ONE like Meghan Markle, and wear a flower crown ALL YEAR LONG! It’s perfect for Festival Season, or just hanging out in a park for a picnic!
You don’t have to be a Princess to wear a flower crown though, all you need are a couple of items!
List of Necessary Items:
- Florists Tape
- Florists Wire
- Flowers
- Scissors or Wire Cutters
- First start out by cutting the wire and measuring it around your head.
- Wrap wire around itself so you have a circle of wire that fits your head!
- Then you can start adding flowers
- Put the flowers next to the wire and wrap them with florists tape
5. You can layer the flowers on top of each other
6. Repeat however much you want
7. Voila! You’ve got a flower crown!
Meghan Markle, you ain’t got nothing on me!
Flower crowns in Manhattan, where I live, range from $50-150! That’s so crazy! I bought all the supplies at Michaels and the Flowers at Trader Joe’s and spent about $35 making three crowns!
You can be a princess too!
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