About Us
About PETALS N BLOOMS
Florist
About DeNyse and The Petals N Blooms Team
When DeNyse started in the design business 30 plus years ago she never dreamed of owning and operating a flower shop at The Air Force Academy. The business was familiar because she started out delivering flowers for the local florist in her home town as a teenager and worked in the business for several years before going on to design school, giving her a good foundation for the floral industry. After graduating she worked in commercial interiors, Parade of Homes and Model Homes. In addition, worked with a company that imported distressed and antique furniture from Mexico. A new chapter started 15 years ago when she opened up Petals & Blooms at USAFA. It had been empty for almost a year and needed someone to bring life into its unoccupied space. People from all walks of life came on board to help support the cadets and their families as they started creating beautiful floral arrangements and building Cadet Treats, a munchies basket and baked goods part of the business that helps bring food mixed with encouragement to our hungry cadets. Many who have worked with Petals N Blooms have served in the military, are officers wives, parents of cadets, and students. Our common ground is knowing that this is a labor of love and we all have gifts and somehow we blend together using our strenghts for this business and common purpose. Teaching floral design has always been a passion for DeNyse who taught at Pueblo Community College and Colorado School for Deaf and Blind. She believes that God levels the playing field and we all come to the table with many talents and gifts, regardless of the ability or disability. Observing the students and learning that blind, deaf and mentally challenged folks can arrange flowers just as good if not better that their peers gives all of us our two-fold mission today. It is simply this...To love and support our families and the USAFA community and to encourage those around us to be the best they can be and keep looking for that gold ring that we know is right there in helping people with various disabilities (turned into blessing) to become self sufficient. There have been many set backs and obstacles along the way for all of us but we have learned the key to success is being open to all the possibilities around us, seeing good in all situations and that failure is in many ways progress. Drawing out the artist and determination in others is now our focus.
