Wauwatosa floral shop The Flower Lady blossoms in the Village

From an early age, Deb Fowler knew she was destined to create.

Growing up as an only child, the woman remembers completing all of her homework after school so that she could spend time on arts and crafts.

"I always knew I wanted to be an artist," said the owner of The Flower Lady, a floral shop and gift store on Underwood Avenue in the Village of Wauwatosa.

And Fowler continues to create today; her shop is celebrating 20 years of bringing fresh floral designs and small gifts to the community.

"I love thinking creatively," she said. "I have an entrepreneurial mind."

Shopping small

Fowler said for the first part of her career, she worked in graphic design. Her job allowed her to be creative, but she's a person who "likes to wear many hats."

Making the career change as a florist and small business owner has given her that opportunity, she said. Running advertising, promotion, buying products for the gift shop, designing the store layout and — of course — creating floral arrangements, Fowler stays busy with the day-to-day work of her business.

Fowler said she recently put out all new items on her shop's shelves, just in time for the holiday season. Christmas trees filled with ornaments, and cases brimming with candles, decorated notebooks and other small gifts line the walls around floral bouquets.

"If you have a small business, you just can't stop thinking of ideas," she said.

In an era when turnover of small businesses is common, Fowler said she attributes much of her own success in the Village of Wauwatosa to a loyal customer base.

"We are that full-service, artisanal, locally owned flower shop, which is getting harder and harder to find," she said. The Flower Lady creates arrangements for a variety of occasions, from weddings to large corporate events, she said.

Providing quality service, staying on top of trends and good word-of-mouth are all things important to any small business, she said.

A changing industry

Throughout her time working in the floral industry, Fowler said she's seen a lot of change.

Couples are more "prepared" when it comes to choosing flowers for their weddings, she said. Brides and grooms are adhering to checklists to keep them on track during their preparations.

Gone are the days of brides longing for floral arrangements from the pages of Martha Stewart's magazine, Fowler said. Today's couples use tools like the social networking website Pinterest to collect ideas for their big day, though she noted that Pinterest can be misleading; flowers may be out of season or unavailable, things a florist would know.

Holiday arrangements

Fowler said for those looking to decorate their homes with holiday floral arrangements this season, some popular trends include woodland and rustic designs.

Incorporating ornaments into arrangements can liven up any display, she said.

"We all must support small businesses," she said.