Cheerful Giving~Romantic Bouquets

Like many of you, I love collecting things. I collect just about anything that is feminine and romantic-vintage jewelry, beautiful ribbons and fabrics, vintage saucers and bowls...the list could go on. To continue on with the subject of gratitude and being less selfish, I wanted to share with you a way that I use my love for collecting in a way that will uplift someone else.

In the corner of my kitchen on the highest shelf, are rows of vintage vases that I have been collecting/saving for several years. These vases are not intended for me to keep. I have purchased these vintage vases at flea markets and yard sales with the intent of giving.

I don't know much about flower arranging (I've never taken a class or read a book), but I have a hard time buying flower arrangements from a florist-the arrangments within my price range are quite boring. How many times do you see florists' arrangements with stock flowers placed into generic clear glass vases? You know the glass vases that you see stacks of at yard sales that no one can get rid of?

So, for years, I have been creating my own flower arrangements as gifts-for friends who have lost parents, for family who has been sick in the hospital, for friends suffering from terminal cancer. But I must say, that I haven't done this enough. Sadly, there have been so many times that I have felt led to do something to offer encouragement of comfort and I have failed to do so because I was selfish with my time and money and lazy.

I hope to change that.

Flowers from your garden would be the most thoughtful and unique, but sometimes that's not possible-your flowers may be out of season, you may not have enough blooms, or all of your rosebushes could be dead from a drought:(

Flowers from a local flower market would be beautiful, or if you live in a rural community flowers from a local grocery could suffice with a little love and creativity.

I made this arrangment for my husband's grandmother, who recently broke her hip due to a fall.

The hardest part of creating an arrangment at home is the lack of greenery. These beautiful pink roses were beautiful on their own, but I felt the arrangement had too many empty spaces.

So, I went out to my barren yard and clipped a few sprigs of what was still living-
rosemary and basil.
The soft rose fragrance infused with rosemary and basil was heavenly!
Using one of our champagne glasses from our wedding, I created a minature arrangement with the unused rose, basil, and rosemary. This small arrangment can be just as meaningful. Really as cliché as it sounds, a gift to someone hurting is simply in the thoughtfullness of the giver.

Grandmother's romantic flower arrangement cost about $10.00-

(dozen of pink roses - $8.99 and the vintage pink vase was $1.00).

By doing the work yourself and by using vintage vases, one may be able to afford to do this more often-to become a frequent cheerful giver-someone I hope to become.

I also want to thank each of you for the heartfelt comments you shared in my previous post. It is reassuring to know that I have friends out in the blogosphere that I can share my most personal feelings with-thank you.

_{images by à la parisienne}