SHOUTOUT SOCAL Podcast Feature | Huntress Florals Evolvement & Life Lessons

Typically a woman of few words, Huntress Owner Jennifer couldn't stop talking during this recent feature on the ShoutOut SoCal podcast!

She shared her background, the evolvement of Huntress and lessons learned along the way. From finding listening to your inner voice, manifesting change, to the perspective that grief brings forth - many topics are covered in this episode!

Please listen, download, share and let us know if any of the life lessons resonate for you! 🏹💐🖤

Thank you to SHOUTOUT SOCAL for featuring inspiring creatives and business owners in San Diego, we’re honored to be included in this recent interview!

Today, I encourage you to go beyond your comfort zone.

Have you ever felt like you weren't ready for something, so you didn't do it? Or wanted to try something new, but opted out because you didn't want to mess up? 

I recently spent a month exploring Maui and there were several times I found myself feeling unsure and afraid. A 10-mile warrior hike - am I even capable? What if I sprain my ankle? What if we get driven off private property?  First time snorkeling (in the ocean I might add) - what if I embarrass myself? What if I panic? Maybe I won't be able to breathe properly. What if I get attacked by a shark? 

Our minds can seriously go THERE, to all the dark places and through all the ‘what if's’…that usually never happen btw.  So why do we allow our minds to crush our dreams? How often has fear stopped you from saying yes? 

A wise person once said, “Feel the fear and do it anyway.”

This became my mantra during the trip. And I have to tell you, completing that hike was EXHILARATING. Snorkeling in the ocean was BREATHTAKING…in the best way possible! Beyond my comfort zone and out of my element, I experienced nature in new ways and got lost in those moments.  I felt the reward of growth on the other side, along with genuine joy, pride, and confidence from moving forward, despite being afraid. Saying yes was BEYOND WORTH IT!

There is something about familiarity that brings humans peace. We like our creature comforts. Yet, as in nature, there are seasons and cycles to be enjoyed and variety that we get to experience in each new day. 

So today, I invite you to try something different. Take a different route to work, pick up a hobby, do something you've always wanted to but haven't, try a food that you've never tasted, walk through fear. Just dip your toe in…even if only for this moment, for this day. Say yes, and see where it leads you.

Take a deep breath and trust that you've GOT THIS!  🖤

Welcome Summer - a seasonal tribute

A season of brightness, energy and motion, Summer is here.

When all living things bask in the sunshine, a time to feel truly alive.

Bees buzzing about, flowers abundant, sun-kissed skin, longer days, later sorbet sunsets.

It is in the heart of summertime where we celebrate the brighter daylight.

The renewed sense of time and making fun memories with friends. All of nature is awake.

Summer, we welcome you. Let's smile and dance and feel it all.

We honor you and celebrate your beauty, light and unique gifts.

What are your favorite ways to spend summer? Any seasonal hobbies, favorite things, or nostalgic memories come to mind? Share yours in the comments, we’d love to hear!

Connection, Friendship & Chiropractic Care

Connection truly is everything.

My beautiful friend and trusted Chiropractor Kris Brew of Vitality Chiropractic was kind enough to share our Devotion to Mother Nature with her clients and on her blog. Thank you Kris! 💐

I met Kris in a fitness class about 8 years ago. She quickly turned into a friend and lovingly helped me get over my fear of Chiropractic care. These days I cannot imagine life without her healing ways and adjustments! This practice of self-care keeps me aligned, especially since floral design work can be tough on my body.

If you’re in the San Diego area, I highly recommend her practice and check out her blog (wherever you are) for helpful tips on health, self-care, mindfulness and lots more!

When you meet someone, you never know where that will relationship will take you and that’s an exciting part of this journey that we all share 💐🖤

Five Year Reflections | Happy Anniversary, Huntress!

In case you missed it, Huntress Florals celebrated its FIVE YEAR anniversary this past weekend, on December 11, 2020.

WOW! How has it ALREADY been five years?? And yet, it’s ONLY been five years?!

I’ve been working in the events industry for about 20 years now, and have had an open floral business for seven of those. There have been many highs and lows throughout the journey, but one thing remains the same — Huntress is all about you and me, us.

Huntress would be nothing without ME and my heart behind it. It was my decision to follow a dream, to reconnect with my true self, that has made Huntress what it is today. I’m thankful for so many amazing people who have walked beside me along the way.

And, Huntress would be nothing without YOU. Your constant support, encouragement, and love for what I do keeps me inspired and moving forward, especially during challenging times.

I am so very grateful…
Grateful to be a part of your story.
Grateful that you are a part of mine, part of OURS — the story of Huntress.

Looking back, I see how much I have opened my heart, found courage, and fought for myself — my true, authentic self and a life with meaning. And here I am. Here WE are.

As I reflect on Huntress over the years, here are just SOME of the fond memories that come to mind —

• The start of it all, with a friend and business partner that I connected with in floral design school. The business began so effortlessly and came together naturally in those early days.

• Learning the trade from a long list of incredible teachers and mentors over the years. They really helped shape and then expand my knowledge of floral design, business, and the industry as a whole.

• I am thankful for the friendships that have been built through various Huntress partners… buyers, wholesale vendors, other florists, event planners, DMC partners, photographers, makeup artists, networking groups, industry colleagues, and so many more! Florals have been the common thread between me and so many other amazing creatives, and I am thankful to flowers for connecting us in wonderful ways.

• The honor of working with amazing wedding clients. Being part of their love story on their wedding day, and then slaying for them as time moves forward too, is incredible. Watching both their love and families grow over the years is a unique experience that I cherish!

• The amazing retail customers that have become true friends over the years. The loyalty of our clients-turned-friends is humbling and encouraging, especially as Huntress continues. And, the way that these friends refer their own friends and families to me, has expanded my network in the most heartfelt ways.

• My corporate clients. Afterall, it’s my background and a joy to bring event visions to life year after year. I enjoy focusing on the creative aspect these days and the freedom we’re given to infuse our style and elevate their experience as one to remember.

• Acknowledging that I’ve been able to continually innovate and make forward progress with Huntress. Over the years, we’ve evolved, shifted, and grown, providing more expanded offerings (like Flower Therapy), giving back through flowers (#cgfloralfinds and Hospice of the South Coast), making connections (@strangerswithflowers), aligning in our purpose more fully, and so much more.

Flowers are a tremendous gift! …and they’re such natural and insightful teachers, too.
Everyday flowers remind me of beauty, grace, strength, resilience, and life. These are our guiding principles and those I come back to when I need to be reminded of my being and the heart of Huntress.

Over the years, I have tried, and stumbled, and tried again. I’ve learned that it’s all about resilience and strength, coupled with beauty and grace, to make up this messy and awe-inspiring thing I get to call life.

To celebrate this life and the five years of Huntress with us, we’re offering an Anniversary arrangement! This unique arrangement will be available to you in one of our square wooden vases, as the traditional five year anniversary gift is wood!

For the remainder of December and throughout January, help us celebrate all that Huntress is, by requesting our anniversary arrangement in a wooden vase, during our biweekly offerings. Purchase on our website for $55 or email us to customize for more.

THANK YOU for being part of the Huntress story!
I’m honored that you are here.

~ Jen
Owner and Chief Creative, Huntress Florals

PS — enjoy a blast from the past! Have fun flipping through some Huntress photos that have been snapped over the past five years…

Joshua Tree | Destination Wedding Recap

The funky, weird and beautiful vibes of Joshua Tree...

A destination wedding...

Connecting with other creatives...

It was a whimsical and special time spent in Joshua Tree a couple weeks ago as Jen of Huntress designed florals for a destination wedding.

(Which, by the way, did you know that we offer destination wedding services?!)

We know that weddings and events as a whole are small right now, not happening as they were originally planned for. Given the current COVID-19 landscape, large-scale events have been adjusted to more intimate gatherings.

But here at Huntress, we choose to see the positive side of things. These intimate ceremonies are often the most memorable. We love them! And, we can’t wait to get back to even more destination weddings soon.

Destination events as a whole, are a favorite for Huntress Florals, as travel — whether near or far — is a part of our DNA. So, road-tripping to this local spot was such an incredible experience for us. There is so much magic in Joshua Tree… it’s artsy, grounding, and overall one of our favorite places to re-energize locally.

The wedding was beautiful and filled with personal touches — our favorite kind.

Here’s what Jen had to say about it:

Bride Bella is part of my friend’s family and we were fortunate to meet and spend some time during her visit to San Diego a few years ago. We’ve stayed connected since then, so I was thrilled when she decided to have her ceremony on the west coast and asked me to be part of her day!

The days leading up to the wedding were filled with close family and friends, Instagram-worthy AirBNBs, morning yoga, local vegan food, a stunning gown, a pair of cool boots, and of course the most kind and fitting fiancé.

Bella and Chris are a couple that radiates warmth and are so welcoming — their love and admiration for each other could be felt instantly. They put a lot of trust in my vision and let me do my thing with bringing their wedding florals to light…which I always appreciate, as my best work flows this way!

Bella & Chris:

the lovely bride & groom

So much goes into preparing for a destination wedding, from ordering the flowers, to remembering all of the tools and essentials, the travel, booking the right space to design and stay at, and more. Jen will elaborate on those details another time! It’s all part of the exciting adventure for us!

There’s something about expansive space that we’re all craving right about now, and Joshua Tree delivered! The warm glow of the sunshine, the nature sounds, the magical vortex energy of the location… Joshua Tree showed up and SHOWED OFF! It is an incredible place, and we got to rub shoulders with amazing people while we were there this time, too.

Meet Jessica

Jessica Castro Photography

The wedding photographer, Jessica (pictured above), was an individual that Huntress happened upon last year, during a day of doing the “Strangers With Flowers” project. Jessica’s energy resonated with Jen, so she asked her to pose with a Huntress bouquet.  After snapping her picture for Strangers With Flowers, they easily struck up a conversation. Turns out Jessica is an incredible photographer that moved from LA, and is currently living in Joshua Tree.

So, when the bride, Bella asked for local photographer recommendations, Jessica immediately came to mind and Jen HAD to connect the two. Bella offers Yoga online so she knew their soulful energies would mesh! And get this, turns out the bride and photographer went to the same college — wild! Talk about small world connections!

We live for these kind of heartwarming universal nods — when people and details come together and sync up almost effortlessly. When inspiring, creative people gather together, things come together so seamlessly! You never know when a random run-in could be the start of something amazing — a connection, a friendship, a collaboration, and experiences and memories to share.

So…

Here’s to traveling, even locally. 
Here’s to getting back into florals specifically for destination events.
Here’s to Joshua Tree and its unique, expansive space.
Here’s to creative people making magic together. 
Here’s to the universe connecting us humans in unexpected, beautiful ways.

Wedding Photos | @jessicacastrophotography

Bella’s Yoga | YouTube