When the late-spring session of Blossoms Floral Academy begins in mid-May, instructor Carol Ruffin asks the class how they used their newly acquired skills during their seven-week break.
“I made my first wedding bouquet. I’m nervous to show you,” Tyra Elton says, pulling up photos on her phone.
“Oh, it’s beautiful,” says Carol, who has been making bouquets for 40 years as the owner of Blossoms Florist.
“We’re going to have fun these six weeks,” Carol says in her characteristically raspy voice, “but I’m going to push you.”
They do have fun. In the weeks that follow, the shop fills with light-hearted banter as 11 women gain hands-on experience creating headpieces, door wreaths, floral crowns, charcuterie boards and more. Carol is quick to offer encouragement and applaud their creativity.
But her tone turns serious when she reminds them that hers is one of only three Black-owned floral shops in Greater Cincinnati. “That needs to change,” she says. Nearing retirement, Carol applied for United Way Black Empowerment Works funding so Blossoms Floral Academy can help address the underrepresentation of Black professionals in the floral design field.
She urges the women in her class to take their skills “further than this room.”
Some, including Tyra, are doing just that.
The 29-year-old Westwood resident is a newer member of the class. She loves her full-time marketing and advertising job, but, “If I’m not doing five or six things,” she says, “I feel like I’m bored.” In addition to owning a custom craft business, she does occasional contract work with a florist who specializes in weddings. Last year, Tyra assisted with at least one wedding a month from April to October.
“I love the creative aspect of it. I’m not at the point where I’m going to start a floral business,” she says, preferring for now to do freelance floral work. “But I would love to take more classes from (Carol). I’m very interested in keeping it going.”
Another class member, 46-year-old Kim Easley, would seem an unlikely person to enroll in Blossoms Floral Academy. “To be honest,” she says, “I’m not a big flower person.” In fact, she’s allergic to many varieties. She follows a doctor’s recommendation to take an antihistamine before each class.
Like Tyra, Kim manages multiple responsibilities. By day, she is the director of the Evanston Recreation Center. She also owns and runs a wedding/event planning business. Even though she typically hires a vendor to create floral arrangements for weddings, she wants to be knowledgeable about that aspect of her business.
She’s putting her new floral skills to good use. Kim came to the rescue at a recent wedding when the bride dropped her bouquet and flowers fell out.
And last Mother’s Day, when the rec center hosted an event for about five dozen moms, Kim helped Carol create floral centerpieces for each table.
“Carol helped me make the event even more extravagant,” Kim says. “What I love about her is she wants to share her knowledge with other people.”
Indeed she does. “Eventually, I’m not going to be doing this,” Carol tells the women in her class, urgency in her voice. “Somebody needs to step into this space.”
This story is part of a five-part series by United Way of Greater Cincinnati about Carol Ruffin, the owner of Blossoms Florist.
This article appears in Nov 27 – Dec 10, 2024.