It's true. I don't really excel at anything much, but neither do I fail miserably. I get by, I know my limitations but don't feel bound by them so I often leap blithely in and then flounder worriedly to the other side, but I get there.
Today, I pushed myself. I used my imagination. I don't have a lot of imagination, although when someone else has an original idea, I can join in with enthusiasm and run with it.
We've got an Open Gardens event on Sunday, you see. Our garden isn't open, I was bound sufficiently by my limitations not to get myself landed there, but I did agree to decorate a windowsill at the church. I'm a reasonably competent flower arranger in that I know a few rules but I don't have much flair nor enough knowledge to know when or how to break the rules. What I hadn't gathered was that there was a garden theme. Well, I knew that garden rather than florist flowers were to be used, but I was still thinking of a conventional arrangement until I discovered one arrangement in a wooden wheelbarrow and Dilly's in several watering cans - and very effective both of them are.
I know. I've got a nice flat trug that I bought in Cornwall three or four years ago. That would be fine - I'd do a horizontal arrangement ... such as I've never done before. Bugger.
So I looked out some clay pots that have a nice growth of moss on them, emptied the newspapers from the trug into the recycling bin and went to have a go. Darlings, it took me two whole hours. My friend Gill had the good idea of sticking stalks into the oasis as if they were the ends of the flowers clustered at the other end, but I did the whole thing - and awkward it was, having to straddle two pews and clamber over the backs of them to get to each end of the window.
The picture doesn't show it well because, of course, it was taken into the light (I've had to lighten it considerably in iPhoto as it is). I'd have to take a photo at night to make it look good. But actually, I was pleased with the result. I'll probably have to replace the roses on the left by Sunday, so I didn't take too much care with their placement and they're a bit low. But overall, I got the effect I had in my mind's eye, and that was more than I'd hoped for.
Today, I pushed myself. I used my imagination. I don't have a lot of imagination, although when someone else has an original idea, I can join in with enthusiasm and run with it.
We've got an Open Gardens event on Sunday, you see. Our garden isn't open, I was bound sufficiently by my limitations not to get myself landed there, but I did agree to decorate a windowsill at the church. I'm a reasonably competent flower arranger in that I know a few rules but I don't have much flair nor enough knowledge to know when or how to break the rules. What I hadn't gathered was that there was a garden theme. Well, I knew that garden rather than florist flowers were to be used, but I was still thinking of a conventional arrangement until I discovered one arrangement in a wooden wheelbarrow and Dilly's in several watering cans - and very effective both of them are.
I know. I've got a nice flat trug that I bought in Cornwall three or four years ago. That would be fine - I'd do a horizontal arrangement ... such as I've never done before. Bugger.
So I looked out some clay pots that have a nice growth of moss on them, emptied the newspapers from the trug into the recycling bin and went to have a go. Darlings, it took me two whole hours. My friend Gill had the good idea of sticking stalks into the oasis as if they were the ends of the flowers clustered at the other end, but I did the whole thing - and awkward it was, having to straddle two pews and clamber over the backs of them to get to each end of the window.
11 comments:
Excellent composition and very clever.
Just goes to show you're more creative than you give yourself credit for.
Brilliant! So, what you're saying is, you're not creative, except when you are ...?
Thank you, LZM, and thanks for your other comments too. Lovely to see you again x
Adequate there too, AQ - who knew?
Sorry Tim, you popped in while I was typing. And ... yes.
Oh well done! Looks lovely - more than adequate. I'd have made a pigs ear of that..utterly useless with flower arranging. I'd just bung 'em into a vase, add water and hope for the best. :)
The secret is not to be tentative but to act with more confidence than you feel. Flowers are like horses or small children - act as though you're in charge and they'll believe you.
Darling, we need to work on your concept of adequate.
They are gorgeous.
It's not very good really, but it's good by my standards so I was pleased with it.
Very good! My late Mother was a qualified flower arranger. She would have approved!
John, you are kind.
All of you are, thank you xx
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