5 Questions with a Vendor – Manuella Tollis, Florist

5 Questions with a Vendor – Manuella Tollis, Florist

We are chatting with Manuella Tollis, a Toronto-based freelance floral designer, currently working at King West Flowers, a trendy flower shop at King and Bathurst. Manuella creates unique designs for every occasion and budget. Today she is sharing with us her passion for her craft, and how it has enabled her to find her bliss. 1. Good morning! Tell us what got you started in your business. I used to be a wedding planner and while that started off to be a fulfilling job, over time I realize that it lacked a creative outlet and I found myself slipping into misery because of it. I made the decision to find something that would make me smile every single day. I took a course in floral design, loved it, and decided to try it as a profession. I feel more fulfilled and more thankful than I ever thought possible in a career and I will do this until it doesn’t fit anymore, which I hope is never. 2. I hope so too, because your work is amazing! As a florist surrounded by beauty every day, you must have the best job; there must be no stress! Flowers are used to convey a million emotions, and as a florist I have to channel each of those emotions as they’re being felt. No matter the occasion, I have to choose appropriate combinations of colours and textures to impart the right feeling, but there is so much more to it than that. For example, with sympathy flowers, it’s about honouring and thanking the person for the life that was lived and all the...