Yes, events - weddings, memorials, holidays, parties, as well as prom flowers. I also do workshops. For instance, for the past 4 or 5 years I've run wreath-making workshops where participants come and make fresh wreaths with my help. I provide all the materials and the choose which greens to use, any ornaments they may want to add on, ribbon, etc. This year I'm planning to do a spring workshop as well. I've found that you can really make connections with customers who will then remember you when they need flowers for an event or occasion.
Unfortunately there is little in the way of corporate work here. We are a very small community on an island. We do have a 'golf and country club' that gets flowers periodically (again, from a home studio designer), but that's the only one I know of. In fact, once the economy starts looking up, I may try and interest some of the local businesses in using my services. But we really don't have places like law firms and big salons that you'd find in cities and more suburban types of areas.
I did consider a retail shop and I guess if the right situation arose, I would consider it again. But to be honest, all the floral designers in my area that I most admire do exactly what I'm doing. And I love being at home, being able to stroll through the garden (I was a gardener long before I decided to get serious about floral design) and pick that yellow phlomis that just came into bloom to work into a design.
I personally believe there are many ways to go about one thing, that variety is the spice of life, and that there's room for all of us. I am extremely fortunate enough to live in a community that encourages small creative business and where 'the competition' is often out there giving classes to encourage new people to open their own business!
