News : Florists Kalina, Cashman decorate Terrace Hill again for Christmas

Vinton florists Joanna Kalina and Emily Cashman helped decorate the State Capitol for Christmas again this year. The pair, who design floral arrangements for Nature's Corner, had been among a group of florists decorating Terrace Hill last year and were invited again this holiday season. "Joanna is on the board for the Iowa florist association and she was asked to do a room again, as she did one last year," Emily explains. Joanna also invited Maggie Milby from Pella. "We decorated a bedroom in the upstairs of the mansion and brought our own things from our shops to use to decorate," says Emily. "As we were decorating Terrace Hill, a man who works for the mansion asked us if we would decorate the tree in the Governor's private office at the capitol as well, since he had no one else lined up to decorate it." The three quickly said yes. "We were so excited and thrilled to go! We rounded up leftover decorations from the mansion and went to the capitol, which was my favorite part of the decorating since I've never been there," Emily says. "We decorated and left after that. The Governor wasn't there but Mrs. Branstad was there at the mansion with everyone. It was a really great experience this year."