In the opening of my book Returning Home, you will find a welcoming page describing its contents including why I developed a passion for creating this book, who it is for (which is anyone who has ever grieved for a loved one and/or works in any facet of the funeral industry), and why I chose Returning Home as the title. The preceding page is a note to grieving families. This page expresses why this book is so important to utilize when choosing floral pieces for a memorial and how grieving families can keep things simple and sustainable, while still enjoying floral pieces that are thoughtfully reminiscent of their loved one. It gives ideas on ways to maximize the purpose of the arrangements and how to re-purpose the materials and vessels after the service. The closing of this section includes a personal funeral experience that helped to shape my convictions regarding funerals and funeral flowers, along with a prayer/encouragement for anyone who has struggled through the loss of a loved one. The following page is a note to funeral directors and home funeral guides. This section explains why the book is so important to incorporate in funeral homes across the Earth and why every funeral home should have this book on hand for grieving families to browse. It expresses to the non-floral portion of the funeral industry why they are so crucial in assisting florists in sourcing from farms in the local area, state, or country and that they are helping florists design in the intended way that has been lost in the funeral flower industry for nearly a century. Lastly, explaining to them how their continued use of Returning Home will improve the way future grieving families will envision funerals. In the opening of my book Returning Home, you will find a welcoming page describing its contents including why I developed a passion for creating this book, who it is for (which is anyone who has ever grieved for a loved one and/or works in any facet of the funeral industry), and why I chose Returning Home as the title. The preceding page is a note to grieving families. This page expresses why this book is so important to utilize when choosing floral pieces for a memorial and how grieving families can keep things simple and sustainable, while still enjoying floral pieces that are thoughtfully reminiscent of their loved one. It gives ideas on ways to maximize the purpose of the arrangements and how to re-purpose the materials and vessels after the service. The closing of this section includes a personal funeral experience that helped to shape my convictions regarding funerals and funeral flowers, along with a prayer/encouragement for anyone who has struggled through the loss of a loved one. The following page is a note to funeral directors and home funeral guides. This section explains why the book is so important to incorporate in funeral homes across the Earth and why every funeral home should have this book on hand for grieving families to browse. It expresses to the non-floral portion of the funeral industry why they are so crucial in assisting florists in sourcing from farms in the local area, state, or country and that they are helping florists design in the intended way that has been lost in the funeral flower industry for nearly a century. Lastly, explaining to them how their continued use of Returning Home will improve the way future grieving families will envision funerals. In the opening of my book Returning Home, you will find a welcoming page describing its contents including why I developed a passion for creating this book, who it is for (which is anyone who has ever grieved for a loved one and/or works in any facet of the funeral industry), and why I chose Returning Home as the title. The preceding page is a note to grieving families. This page expresses why this book is so important to utilize when choosing floral pieces for a memorial and how grieving families can keep things simple and sustainable, while still enjoying floral pieces that are thoughtfully reminiscent of their loved one. It gives ideas on ways to maximize the purpose of the arrangements and how to re-purpose the materials and vessels after the service. The closing of this section includes a personal funeral experience that helped to shape my convictions regarding funerals and funeral flowers, along with a prayer/encouragement for anyone who has struggled through the loss of a loved one. The following page is a note to funeral directors and home funeral guides. This section explains why the book is so important to incorporate in funeral homes across the Earth and why every funeral home should have this book on hand for grieving families to browse. It expresses to the non-floral portion of the funeral industry why they are so crucial in assisting florists in sourcing from farms in the local area, state, or country and that they are helping florists design in the intended way that has been lost in the funeral flower industry for nearly a century. Lastly, explaining to them how their continued use of Returning Home will improve the way future grieving families will envision funerals. The reconceptualized arrangements begin on page 8 with the winter section, leading to spring, late spring & early summer, late summer & early autumn, autumn, tropical, and patriotic. Every arrangement displayed in Returning Home was created by me during each corresponding season with local and American grown flowers and foliage. This was intended to show families an array of flowers and foliage available in the season of their beloved's passing. I encourage anyone who acquires this book to flip through and uncover the floral pieces, color schemes, and design styles that best suit the funeral type (cremation, casket, military honors, etc.) in conjunction with the season (winter, spring, summer, or autumn) the departed returned home. Bare in mind, the styles are interchangeable but the seasons can affect the availability of the flowers used. For instance: if a grieving family member likes a style from the winter portion, but their loved one passed away in the summer, their florist can use the same color and/or style but with local and American grown summer blooms. I encourage you, even if you are not someone grieving a loved one, to simply enjoy the blooms/arrangements in this section that we are graced with in each passing season. Page 47 is the start of the designer reference guide for the Returning Home florist. This section expresses to the florist why it is important to withdraw from the uber-consumerism of the commercialized industry and return to repurposing vessels, supplies, etc. and design from their hearts. It encourages florists to remove themselves from the ubiquitous and financially predatory online services that promote unnatural and outdated arrangements. I explain how to hearten grieving families to utilize this book and encourage all florists to stop undercutting themselves when pricing out arrangements. Florists, you have a skilled craft, your time is the product, not the flowers!! Page 48 to 91 is the step by step guide for the florist. It is laid out in an easy floral recipe form including the exact number of flowers and foliage used in each piece, along with any dried flowers and foliage used, construction materials, dimensions, tips and tricks here and there, and even suggestions to offer grieving families along the way. Some arrangements will have extra pictures showcasing how the arrangement was internally constructed with only re-purposed/donated items. I have yet to meet someone who doesn't like the natural, seasonal, garden style aesthetic over the outdated style that reminds grieving families of a sorrowful and uninspired funeral. Let's collectively help take these saddened families back to a time when our ancestors carried out a thoughtful and personal remembrance for their loved ones; a parlor room, a shaded area beneath a tree, or a bluff overlooking breathtaking scenery adorned with wildflowers and blooms from their gardens. A time when florals were arranged in vessels handed down from generation to generation. I pray this book will serve us all by helping us get closer to removing the commercialism, toxic and outdated funeral style from our businesses and the Earth. I hope to help change the floral and funeral industry one funeral flower book at a time. I welcome everyone back to memorializing our loved ones, not materialistically, but beautifully and naturally simple. We are returning the floral industry home! Your Returning Home florist, Nicole 🤍