Walkersville’s Award-Winning Floral Designer
Lori is the owner of Abloom Ltd with more than 30 years of experience in the floral industry. A frequent presenter at regional and national conferences, she has served as a principal designer at high-profile events such as the Philadelphia Flower Show and Mardi Gras Week in New Orleans among many other awards, memberships and affiliations.
Question and Answer Session
For our Q&A session, our current members submit questions to ask the member of the month. They are a mix of business, personal and random questions.
WBPA: What do you like to do in your spare time?
Lori Himes: “Spare time is rare, but when I do have some, I like to read mysteries, romances, and biographies. I also like to create floral arrangements for my home and listen to recorded books at the same time. The best of both worlds.”
WBPA: What’s your favorite quote from a TV show/movie/book?
Lori Himes: “Every time a bell rings, an angel gets their wings”
WBPA: What was your first job? What do you remember most about your first job?
Lori Himes: “My first job was working on our family farm. For $100 a month that was put into a savings account for when I turned 18, I milked cows, raised calves, unloaded hay wagons, fed cattle, mowed acres of grass. This started when I was about 10 or 11. The baby calves would bawl when they saw a school bus go by because they thought I was coming home to feed them. A good life and lots of lessons that taught me to figure things out on the spot. A good prep for the floral biz!”
WBPA: What do you like most about your job?
Lori Himes: “Every day is different, sometimes it changes from minute to minute. It keeps me on my toes and always thinking.”
WBPA: What’s the career highlight you’re most proud of?
Lori Himes: “Being inducted into the American Institute of Floral Designers. It is the equivalent of a masters degree in the floral industry. It took me 27 years to work up the nerve to test, and I passed on the first try. It has been 10 incredible years of inspiration and camaraderie with some very talented designers.”
