Okay, alright, enough already.
I know that I am seriously challenged in some things.
Like cooking. Or baking. Or sewing. Or floral arranging. Or…. you get the drift.
Last year, I tried to make Christmas arrangements. The best I can say for them? They made people laugh.
But every saint has a past and every sinner has a future, and since this is the Advent season, I am full of hope for my own redemption.
So I’ve been trying to make Christmas arrangements again. A solitary, mindful activity that suits my Advent mood well.
First off: I had no budget. So all, or almost all, the ingredients had to come from my own garden, or from inside my house somewhere.
The first result is a bit uneven.
I used:
- Red dogwood twigs
- Evergreen spruce
- Dried hydrangea flowers
- Pine cones
- A couple of grapevine balls
- A few Christmas ornaments.
The second one, with much the same ingredients — plus an old fake bird and a single dried rose still on its long stem — showed more promise. Maybe it was just shaped better.
That encouraged me to try a different, larger design. I used mainly spruce branches, dried hydrangea, dried astilbe and a reddish branch of something.
But this one was not quite right – I’m still not sure why.
Maybe the blue Everlasting flower from an indoor arrangement doesn’t fit? (Yes, I kept the dried-up flowers from arrangements sent us when my husband was ill.)
Finally, I felt bold enough to confront the long plant stand. You may remember that arrangement from last year – it was an inelegant mess.
Could I do better this year?
Totally intimidated at first, I cheated.
I bought some discounted southern magnolia branches – 3 bunches at 5 bucks a bunch… a major steal. At least, I think that’s magnolia – those leaves that are shiny-green-on-one-side, rust-coloured-on-the-other.
And here is the arrangement:
My mother used to say: “Self praise is no recommendation.” So I shall make no editorial comment.
Instead, I shall sit back and await your accolades.
Don’t let me down, now.
Fishing for compliments is exhausting.
**
Dedicated to my sister Pat and all domestic divas, including many in my blogging network (you know who you are).
Cynthia Reyes 