Violet Sunshine

Member of Harbour Pointe Floral Designer at Urban Garden

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Activity Check 1/13/2018: Fail

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Iron Chef | Dessert | Team Jamie & Jill

Working with Jamie was nice. He was pleasant enough, and they came to an agreement on how to split the work. Jamie would take the main dish, she would take the dessert.

The dessert in question? Apricot flavored cake roll! She squeezed some apricot juice into the batter of the cake and rolled the fruit into the center of it, holding everything in place with a cream filling. It was simple, elegant and pretty delicious too. It wasn’t the first time she had made this, though it wasn’t perfect. A part of her nudged at the idea that the sponge cake was a little too overcooked.

Whatever, it would be fine. It wasn’t like it had burned, right? She glanced over at Jamie and gave him a thumbs up.

They were ready.

[mycareerisinruins-a]

Holiday Shopping || Jill & Calvin

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mycareerisinruins:

Half expecting it, Calvin looked up as he heard the voice near him and turned to find a person with brown hair who came up to about his chest. “It is, isn’t it,” they agreed with a smile. Picking up the box, they turned part way with it, just enough to show the other the intricate carvings. “I love the detail of the craftsmanship. It really shows the care they had for it, don’t you think?” Their brown eyes raised to meet purple, a casual smile spreading across their five o’clock shadow. 

Jill nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah, absolutely!” She beamed. “The woodwork is stunning, and the wood they chose is very nice.” Admittedly, she didn’t know a lot about wood and carving, but she knew the color of this particular tree very well. 

She broke his gaze to glance at the box again, peering at it from all sides. “How much is it? Do you know?” Jill probably couldn’t afford it, but asking was worth a shot.

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Activity Check 12/30/2017: Pass!

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@harbourflowers

8 months ago they had been window shopping at some of the more ritzy boutiques in the downtown core, looking at things they couldn’t afford now or possibly ever. Talking about things that one day they hoped they could buy. A  pair of shoes had called out to Jill, and the next day Gill knew they would make a good gift for… something. Christmas had been the occasion.

He was still paying off that credit card bill…

The shoes were left in an ornate gift box on the kitchen table, with nothing but a simple to and from tag on it. He had written a card, but was too embarrassed by it to not throw it out.

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Jill was stunned beyond belief when she uncovered the box. 

Flowers were her thing. She’d loved them ever since she was a child, and working with them for a living was nothing short of a dream come true.

When she had first seen the shoes all those months ago, her heart broke. Most would find them gaudy and over-the-top, but Jill thought they were wonderful. She remembered telling Gill wistfully that she would wear them to work as often as possible. It was wishful thinking at best, but of course, Gill bought them for her. She was touched. 

Hopefully, he liked those cufflinks she had left for him just as much. Jill did her best to make them visible, leaving them in a box on his bedside table the night before. If he hadn’t, well, she’d ask about them later, when she thanked him for the shoes. 

[mycareerisinruins-a]

Holiday Shopping || Jill & Calvin

@harbourflowers;

Despite being stuck in the city, at least there was a lot to do. When you were out at a digsite, they were often far from any festivities, and they’d spent one holiday season cataloging finds. It was nice, in its own way, to be out for once. 

The Harvest Market was proving to be a lot of fun to walk around and it gave Calvin a chance to look at different hand-made holiday items while sipping some hot apple cider they’d bought a few stalls down. Currently they were admiring a hand crafted jewelry box, fingers tracing over the inlaid floral design. However, Calvin couldn’t help but feel someone was staring.

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Jill loved the holidays, mostly because it gave her the chance to shower the people she loved with gifts. Even if she couldn’t really afford much, it was the thought that counted, right? Wandering about The Harvest Market was giving her piles upon piles of great ideas. Heck, some were even within her budget range. 

Like that one jewelry box that someone seemed to have their eye on. She was considering sending it to her mom as a gift. Jill bit her lip and very casually approached the person in question. “Isn’t it pretty?”

Had to start somewhere, she supposed. 

[harbourpointe]

Baycourt Holiday Party

Lounge: https://docs.google.com/document/d/10qr4jOh4UnhOPb2v1bnTcjprrg-bdegGaQBtfdT3AUA/edit?usp=sharing

Balcony: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1m2FLs8NWwgcD2dH_4gQ-JIOBgz5ciQPqyXQTUUKBvJU/edit?usp=sharing

A total of 75 pages were accumulated over the first event! If your muse participated in either channel, be sure to reblog this so it counts for activity! 

More events should be posted soon and if you have any feedback to give on how this event went down, please let the admin know!

[yoursunflowerqueen-blog]

Retail Therapy || Haley & Jill

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yoursunflowerqueen:

Though the bouquet was small, Haley sat a little taller in the waiting area, her eyes widening and beginning to sparkle.

Somehow the tiny bouquet only emphasized the broad, fresh heads of the flowers, playing up the beauty of them that she loved so much. Like…even though there were only a few of them - not enough to overwhelm someone who held them in their arms - they were still strong enough to stand on their own.

Haley didn’t realize she was sitting there with her fist pressed against her mouth for a long moment, and then she dropped it into her lap. “Could I have, um, two more? Exactly like that? Maybe?” She’d fill her apartment with bouquets. Cost wasn’t a factor.

Jill tilted her head at the woman curiously. Two more was doable, absolutely. More than doable, with the staggering amount of flowers they had. The woman seemed to brighten when she brought them out, it was almost as if the sunflowers breathed life into her.

She shook off the curiosity and smiled. “Yes, of course.” She had to stay professional. “Absolutely.”

Now that Jill knew what it was she wanted, and liked, pulling together the other two bouquets was a breeze. Less than five minutes later she was carrying an armful of sunflowers in two separate bunches over.

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Activity Check 12/16/2017: Pass!

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Jill was never really one to miss a holiday party, so naturally, she dressed up for it. Holding true to her flower motif, she felt like she represented the florist’s shop well. Dress to impress, right? At least everyone would know where it was she worked. 

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Retail Therapy || Haley & Jill

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yoursunflowerqueen:

Such selection…before they’d even reached the sunflowers, Haley was already staring at all of them with wide eyes.

They were the most beautiful things she’d ever seen. Something about their thick, wide heads called to her - like they were nodding to her specifically, and she was nodding back. She hesitated, touching her lips, sliding her gaze from one to the next.

There were far too many to choose. It only made her heart pound all the more fitfully.

“A bouquet.” Pause. “Of sunflowers.”

It was her job to come up with what they should look like, right? Or to give suggestions? Haley didn’t have to do it all on her own. She didn’t have to choose, she just, she could just…

Jill nodded. “Absolutely. You can take a seat if you like, I’ll bring your arrangement to you in a few minutes.” She knew exactly how she would go about it. Sunflowers were bright and happy, something the woman looked like she needed.

After directing her to the seating area, Jill picked out their best flowers; the largest, brightest and freshest they had and wrapped them in purple tissue. Perfect. She returned to the woman and handed her the bouquet. “Is this alright? I could add more variety if you like.”

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stragglers in the bar [Chase/Jill]

@harbourflowers

Tonight had been quiet, Chase had spent most of his time smoking by the window rather than cooking, due to the lack of customers and the missing presence of the head chef causing him to slack off a bit. What was he supposed to do? Wipe the already sparkling counters? Prep food that would get thrown out at close.

No, looking at the sprawling city and sighing to himself seemed like a better plan. He had been at this damn restaurant for so long, and he knew he had so much potential– but what was the point in trying if he was just going to waste away here?

Getting the heads up from the manager that he was free to leave, since the restaurant was closing now, Chase grabbed his coat and was instructed to shoo away anyone he saw on his way out, which he gladly agreed to.

Walking slowly through the quiet restaurant he only crossed one person, sighing at the troublesome situation he slowly tapped the woman on the shoulder. “Hey, miss, you gotta leave. Restaurant’s clo… sed…” His voice slowed down, eventually stopping all together as he stared wide eyed as the brunette in front of him. A face he hadn’t seen in about four years.

“… Jill?”

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Jill had decided she wouldn’t be there long. Just a drink, then she’d leave, she told herself. It was late, the restaurant would be closing soon, the last thing she wanted to be was That Person. You know, the one who came into a restaurant at the last possible moment to order a meal? That one.

Ten minutes later, her drink had been reduced to ice, and she was just about ready to go. Just as she had put down her money to pay, someone tapped her shoulder. 

“Hey, miss, you gotta leave. Restaurant’s clo… sed…”

Her eyes met his, and for a moment she was sent about four years back in time. There was no way. Was it really him? After a moment of heated silence, he said her name. It really was him. 

“...Chase.”

How long had it been since she’d seen his face? Dared to let his name escape her lips? She felt her heart shudder to a stop for a moment. Stupid Chase, with his stupidly handsome face. He broke her heart, but it didn’t feel like it mattered that much. After all, she was still standing there, feeling some kind of way over him. Chase still had a little piece of her.

“I’m sorry,” Jill apologized quietly. “I was just leaving.”

[tomato-tyrant-deactivated201808]

20 and bitter. [Gill/Jill]

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tomato-tyrant:

“Oh.”

He wanted to say more, something along the lines of ‘I didn’t think you’d remember’, but that seemed a little bit morose for the situation, especially when Jill’s smile was lighting up the room like the afternoon sun.

“This is…” He paused to open the box, staring at the pen with wide eyes. It was actually something he would use, something he wanted. Every professional gentleman should have a pen, a nice pen, a very mature pen. Everything from the sleek design to the old fashioned style was very him, and he couldn’t stop his mouth from pulling up at the corners, smiling sheepishly at Jill.

“This is very thoughtful, I don’t know… you didn’t have to. I love it.”

Jill beamed when she saw his reaction. He liked it! She was so glad! “Of course I had to!” She laughed, waving off the comment casually. “I mean. we’ve lived together long enough, no? It warrants a gift. I’m so glad you like it!” She clapped her hands together and hopped, clearly overjoyed. 

“That isn’t everything, though! Like I said, I can make you dinner if you’re hungry. Maaaaybe risotto?” She offered, tilting her head in the direction of the kitchen. “Or ratatouille? Whatever you want! But, only if you want it. If you want to like... maybe go out, or just stay at home and sleep, it’s ok too.”

[yoursunflowerqueen-blog]

Retail Therapy || Haley & Jill

Sometimes it was just…too hard.

Nothing made it too hard, necessarily. She didn’t wake up one day and realize that her life was over and she’d never accomplished anything and that she was nothing but a plate of meat to people, she just… It came on slowly, over the course of the day, until she had to close her project at 4:45pm and go to the bathroom and work her way through it the only way she really knew how.

And after, when she’d cleaned her eyeliner up and freshly powdered her skin again, making sure that there was nothing to reveal the tears but the redness of her eyes, she took herself somewhere to buy herself something nice. A treat.

“Excuse me,” she said sharply as she walked into Urban Garden and frowned at the girl behind the counter. “Do you have any sunflowers?”

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The woman in front of the counter didn’t look too great. 

Well, at first glance she did, sure. Proper makeup and delicately styled hair, but behind all that were red puffy eyes and the telltale frown. Jill was, admittedly, a bleeding heart. The whole reason she went into floristry was to brighten up people’s days. Spread happiness. 

So, when she put in a request for sunflowers, Jill nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, of course!” She smiled, “Right this way.”

Making her way around the counter, Jill gestured in the direction of their sunflowers. “We have a variety of dwarf sunflowers and tall sunflowers, as well as terracotta, earthwalker and chianti sunflowers.” It was a broad selection, honestly. “Are you looking to make a bouquet? We can make an arrangement with a small selection of flowers if you like.”

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20 and bitter. [Gill/Jill]

“I’m home.”

Gill put his bag down by the door and strolled the short distance to the fridge, taking out a bottle of water and opening it with a sigh. What a long and garbage day. It baffled him how people thought that going into a law office and shouting at the secretary would somehow change the outcome of a court case, but then again… people were stupid.

“Jill, are you home? Or are you out drinking?”

Without inviting him, too. Not that he could go. Not for another year, at least.

Jill and him had been roommates for a few years now, and Gill found it surprising that he had become almost completely tolerable to live with. Besides the off mess that she would track in, she was quiet, kind, and didn’t bring over many guests, which Gill appreciated.

Slouching into one of their rickety kitchen chairs he took a moment to just sit and breathe. He had hoped 20 would have started out better than this. Day to day life was just starting to feel… so mundane.

@harbourflowers​

[harbourflowers-blog]

“Out drinking? Really? On your birthday?”

Jill poked her head out from her room with a smile, amused at the very thought. She wasn’t much of a social butterfly, and they’d lived together long enough for her to remember his birthday. Hell, she’d been saving up for a while just to get his gift. He was a good kid, always working hard and doing his best. That law firm ran him ragged, Gill could really use a break once in a while. 

She walked out and gave her roommate a gentle squeeze, handing over a rectangular velvet box. “I got you this, and thought maybe I could make you something if you’re hungry? Happy birthday, Gill.”

The gift in question was a pen. A very fancy, designer pen that had his name engraved on the side. It was fancy, and high end, but also practical. He’d appreciate it. Probably. Hopefully.

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