Monday, April 25, 2011

If Life Were Like The Movies...

...I would have been a florist. Well, actually, if life were like the movies (where everyone is beautiful, has plenty of money and plenty of spare time) there are a lot of professions I'd love, but florist is toward the top of the list. To feed my inner florist, I can often be seen tip toeing around my yard filling a basket full of clippings of this and that. I never know what I'm going to do with it until I am inside with my bundle of blooms and an assortment of bottles, but that is all part of the creative process.

Grandpa George plants and Chives
I have discovered over the years that I have a certain aesthetic when it comes to flower arranging that comes partly from personal taste and partly from the reality of using garden blooms from my own yard.

Roses and Thyme
First, I like mini-bouquets. This is because in addition to being adorable, they allow you to stretch the number of blooms you have (which can vary wildly between seasons). Instead of having one large lush bouquet on your kitchen table you can have five little ones scattered about your house, bringing little bursts of joy in unexpected places.

Carnation and Mini Roses
Second, I like tightly bunched short flower arrangements. Packing a large number of blooms into a tight space makes them pop and look far more lush and put together than a loose bouquet. Short arrangements are also easier to make because long straight stems are often not what you find when collecting garden blooms. I only go for sparse if I have a few particularly beautiful roses and an equally beautiful/interesting vase. In that case, I clip them at different heights and sort of let them lounge in their vessel.

Roses and Mint
Third, I like to incorporate non-traditional plants. There are plenty of things growing in most peoples yards that they wouldn't think of as traditional choices such as herbs, horsetail reed and vining flowers. These work great to add a new texture to your arrangement or to simply act as filler around some beautiful flowers.

Roses and Lavender
Lastly, and I suppose this is more of a recommendation, interesting containers are a good way to shake things up. When working from your garden you are going to be using the same types of flowers a lot, so different containers can add variety and pose fun new challenges. Thrift stores are a great place to look and don't just think traditional vases, old soup cans, canning jars, and carafes make great "vases" too!

Grandpa George plants with Jasmine buds

9 comments:

Jennifer said...

I think this is my favorite post of yours! Your bouquets are so cute and I think you should be a florist with a shop when you're a little old lady.. That's when I'm going to have my bakery ;)

The Fearless Fickler said...

You two should have a bakery/florist shop. Just sayin'.

Robin said...

Jennifer, we could have our shops side by side and I could give you fresh flowers to decorate yours in exchange for little baked goods to give my customers!

This is fun! Anyone else want to finish the sentence: If life were like the movies, I'd be a _______.

River City Grace said...

I was so lucky several days ago to come home and find my house overflowing with these tiny flower arrangements....bathrooms, bedroom, the window over the kitchen sink. Robin had been there and made beautiful spots of color inside from my flower beds outside. You have a real talent there, kid. Thank you for sharing it!

River City Grace said...

OK, I sent this from work so it came up River City Grace.....I filled in my name but forgot to hit the little button.....happens when you get really old.

T said...

OK--so I'll be the nasty voice of reason here.....

If you would like to be a florist, why don't you be a florist? Seems like it would be a nice fit for you!

Just wonderin....not like you're wishing you got to be an astronaut or Queen of the World. Florist seems perfectly attainable outside of a celluloid reality!

Robin said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Robin said...

Theresa: The point isn't how attainable it is, the point is that proffessions are always far more fun and idealized in the movies (especially Romantic Comedies). You never see the down side of a certain career. For example, I imagine florists don't make great money, and probably have to work weekends, and deal with CRAZY brides who didn't feel something was quite perfect enough. In the movie version however, the florist would somehow be able to afford an amazing Sunset inspired house, work just enough to fill her creative needs and all her clients would adore her.

This isn't to say I might might not still like a career as a florist in the real world, but it definitely looses a bit of its shine in the face of reality.

T said...

Sorry to have missed the point.