Christmas is for Creativity with Family and Friends

Christmas is undoubtedly my favorite time of year.

The dark and quiet of Advent makes space for contemplating the glory all heaven anticipated that first Christmas Eve, with angels singing and shepherds worshiping the birth of Christ our Lord! The time of preparation allows us to greet Christmas morning singing with gusto, Joy to the WORLD, the Lord is come!

Though some complain about the busyness of the season, I enjoy seeing the preparation and beauty EVERYWHERE! Each year I find that decorating our home is one of my favorite things to do. The time and effort are totally worth it. There is so much scope for possibility!

A key part of this blitz of creativity is the annual wreath making party hosted by a very dear friend, and her husband, who kindly keep us fueled with incredible smoked meats, cheeses, scones and wine...what's not to love! 

Our first attempt over twenty years ago was a bit timid, but our kind and creative mentor gave us the tools and courage to experiment. We all went home with a wreath we were proud to say we made ourselves!

Over the years our personalities have come out in bold and subtle ways, with our styles and tendencies ranging from wild and crazy to symmetrical and well planned. We've all gotten more adventurous, busting out square shapes, balls, triangles and family heirloom vases (it doesn't have to be wreaths all day long!). The end result is an evening of delightful fellowship AND some pretty stellar projects.

Last night's wreathing extravaganza may have been the most epic yet, due to the synergy of fine minds creating in one place (or maybe it was the wine!). Here's what went down:

a. yours truly decides to make a wreath using a giant embroidery hoop. Having never tried this before, it was good to experiment with friends around to give appropriate encouragement.

b. yours truly feels that the wreath is still lacking something, even after piling it with a LARGE variety of greenery and add ons.

c. wild and crazy friend says, "I think it needs....... ANTLERS!" Said friend encourages yours truly to loudly proclaim her need for antlers to the room, including the two gentlemen brave enough to hang out with all these ladies!

d. seconds later, the man of the house disappears into the garage and returns with...wait for it....... ANTLERS!!!!!!!

e. yours truly places the ANTLERS on the wreath and they fit perfectly! BOOOOM!

I'm sure wonderful things are happening in your home as well.If not, maybe it's time to gather some friends and family, find a mentor, and get creating!

Wishing you will all have a chance to make your homes beautiful in some meaningful way. Enjoy this season full of the light and love of God, and don't be afraid to bring some of His good creation inside to fill your house with joy.

Merry Christmas!

Posies and Bouquets are not just for Weddings

Anderson Shore photography here

I had the privilege of listening to a wonderful lecture years ago by Roger Scruton. His topic, a book he wrote called Beauty. It's a philosophical read, better suited to the dark days of winter than the light and breezy days of summer, but a question I asked of him after the lecture has been rolling around in my mind of late.

And here it is, "How do we build a love for beauty in children?"

His answer was simple and so encouraging. 

Set the table.

Do you remember when you learned to set the table? I believe I was learning about it from my dear grandmother, long before I could put the forks and knives in the right place.

My grandparents both died before I turned eight, but those vivid memories of happy meals at their home, mostly Sunday mid-day after church dinners (at lunch time no less!) remain fresh and clear. We feasted on china, with real silver, cloth napkins, table cloth, candles and always a centerpiece...those aromatic roses my grandfather grew himself in the yard. 

My grandfather loved and cared for an orderly bed of roses, and the climbing red roses that grew on his fence. He always clipped them carefully, dusting and feeding them. He did his gardening in his dress pants and starched white shirt...I think he loved beauty and order for everyday, not just on Sundays.

When you set the table tonight, give yourself the pleasure of a little bowl of flowers. Life is too short not to fill it with as much beauty as you can!

When Garbage and Flowers Meet

Every job has its portion of tedium. Some work can even be unpleasant, but usually these duties are necessary in order to reach the enjoyable goal, the beautiful or delicious result. 

For me that means vases are cleaned, unnecessary leaves and thorns are removed, garbage is taken out and floors are swept. Being an orderly, as well as a creative soul, I have to do a bit of this along the way to maintain a happy workplace.

And music, there is always music or a podcast to keep my mind OFF the tedium and on the enjoyable goal ahead.

Last week, after creating 23 different arrangements of various sizes for a corporate banquet, it was time to transport my little works of art. It's a bit nerve-racking. Avoid dropping them, check. Don't break flowers as you load them in, check. Drive to the venue through city traffic without an accident, check. Find said venue, check. Figure out how to get them safely inside to the appointed location for the banquet....hmmmm.....not so fast......checking this off was NOT going as I had hoped.

I planned ahead, had a contact number to call, etc, but finding the loading dock ended up being a bit of an adventure. Getting cooperation from the banquet staff person assigned to bring me a cart (they brought a luggage cart, took away the first batch and left me at the loading dock NEXT TO THE GIANT OVERFLOWING GARBAGE DUMPSTER the size of a train car! waiting for them to return for over 15 minutes) WHERE WERE THEY??? and where on earth was this banquet location??? and was that a rat????

Those gorgeous peonies, ranunculus and tulips were not coming out of my car into that stench until I could be sure they would be heading out of there immediately! 

So I did what any intrepid florist would do. After calling my contact for now the fourth time and getting the excuse that the person was stuck in the elevator because it was housekeeping time, I searched around the loading dock for someone someone who looked willing to be helpful. A young man at his computer in an enclosed room (to keep out that wretched SMELL) kindly got up to see what I needed, and in seconds offered to help me load the flowers on the dolly he provided. I told him I was good to go, but thanked him for his helpful, kind spirit (what a contrast to little miss luggage cart!) 

When my contact finally showed up in the highest heels I've ever seen, she proceeded to lead me down the narrow cement hallway as I dragged the dolly along through the bowels of the hotel, past a few more garbage bins and storage areas, past a kitchen prep area that would not have won any cleanliness awards, through more doorways and slippery hallways that sloped so steeply I imagined us both on the floor, knocked down by a runaway flower cart, glass vases careening and smashing on every side like fast and furious! 

At last, after navigating through the stored patio furniture, we arrived safely, she of the high heels, having never lost her footing, and me, with every single vase and flower still intact and looking fairly unscathed.

and I thought about this:

Just like the actors who come from backstage to amaze the audience, flowers aren't meant to be seen until the guests arrive. The work done in any big establishment behind the scenes may have its tedium and perhaps even its unpleasant smells, but for those who come to enjoy the event, it's only the beauty they see. 

I'm grateful to be able to see both sides of that story, and grateful to those who work in the service industry for working so hard to create the calm and beautiful surroundings others enjoy. May God bless them with beauty in their lives, as well.