Writing a first blog is a lot like writing a college essay; it should be engaging and personal yet entertaining and grammatically correct.  I'll do my best.  But be warned!  Grammar is not my strong suit - I will likely use too many commas and exclamation points!!!!

Hello world! Welcome to month three of Atelier Ashley Flowers!  Would you believe one of the most difficult things about starting a new flower studio is choosing a name?  I chose the name Atelier Ashley Flowers because atelier is a somewhat old fashioned word for an artist's or craftsman's studio.  I felt this was a word that was all encompassing of the many different techniques that I bring to my floral design.  It also gives a nod to the nostalgia I feel for tradition. 

I have been designing in Old Town, Alexandria for the last 10 years.  But, up to this point, I have been almost exclusively occupied by the flowers in front of me.  Always listening from behind the scenes, I was very content to let my colleagues talk with customers and associates and relay the information to me.  This is a thing of the past!  

In the last three months, I have met and talked to more wedding professionals, joined more Facebook groups, and posted more to Instagram than I have in 10 years!   What a whirlwind!  I have also solicited a lot of advice.  Some has been uplifting and some brutally honest but it all boils down to putting in the time, effort, creativity and persistence. 

My ultimate challenge will be staying focused and not getting sidetracked by all the creative ideas in my mind.  So, to that end, I would like to make myself accountable by announcing my 2017 goals here for everyone to read.  They are as follows:

* Stay Authentic * Quality First * Write one blog entry a week * Post one Instagram picture a day * Book 12 weddings in 2017 * Meet two wedding professionals a week * Use locally sourced product whenever possible * Figure out Pinterest * Run a CreativeLive Video * Keep evolving * Relationships first, business second * Be Happy *

I think this is a pretty good place to stop for today.  Thank you for taking the time to read this, and please join me next week for my attempt at an artist's statement.

Dutch flower field