Did it feel as if 2012 was your hardest year yet? It seemed as if I was not the only one who felt this way.
The economy has yet to rally. More relationships have ended than begun. Important people in your life may have passed away. With the election looming, it was difficult to be excited about Christmas and don't forget, the end of the world was upon us.
With victories few and far between, It's easy to get caught up in such a pessimistic philosophy. But I say: The heck with that! No sunshine? Buy a blue light. Bad weather? Dance in the rain. Feeling drab? Have flowers by your bedside. Feeling down? Call a friend who makes you laugh - it's infectious. But most of all, truly live in gratitude.
This year in particular has been shapeshifting. I have felt an urgent need to do or die. Whatever higher being you believe in, I have to believe that we were put on this earth to be part of some incredible journey. But if we are so focussed on within we can often miss opportunities that lay at our feet.
This year brought an opportunity for everyone at Petals to work with Amanda. I truly value her friendship and while this blog is supposed to be about flowers, it is also about everything they provoke. Sometimes when you see something every day, you stop enjoying them as fully as you once did. I love that Amanda's photographs encourage me to see our flowers in a very different way. I never want to lose that feeling of butterflies in my tummy when I fall in love with something. That sensation reminds me of the purity and innocence of life.
When Amanda called to say the images were uploaded, she laughed with excitement: 'Just wait until you see the photos'. Her enthusiasm was infectious. I couldn't wait. And there they were: Flowers do not have the ability to be anything other than what they are: Raw. Honest. Vulnerable. Beautiful.
As the year draws to a close, these incredible images remind me that while 2012 didn't turn out as expected, I would like to think the turmoil has forced me to determine all that is important in my life. The end of the world forced me to think about my own mortality and to lay the groundwork for an amazing year ahead. Part of that has been the redesign of Petals; to create a concept of seeing flowers in a very different way and in an environment that made one want to linger.
If you are going out to someone's house for New Year's Eve or would just like flowers for your home, stop by the studio. The new layout is bound to make you linger. Collect a bouquet or ask for them to be sent ahead. And don't forget, every purchase of $75.00 or more will enter you into the draw for a photo shoot with Amanda and hair and make up by Vernon at Strands. I can't think of a more beautiful way to start the year!
Hydrangea - For the giver it means gratefulness and the receiver - understanding
Peonies - Mischievous nymphs were said to hide in the petals of the Peony, giving it the meaning of bashfulness in the Language of Flowers.
Combined with hyacinth - beauty
Image at top - double lisianthus: appreciation
No comments:
Post a Comment