Several years ago, my great-uncle Ivan said that I should be thankful for the unexpected. It wakes us up to things we havn’t been paying attention to before. Other people often miss the beauty of this surprise. He has been proven correct many times.
The unexpected thought or whim often presents us with creative ideas. That’s why I like the floral arts. The mind often comes up with a new way to combine elements or to repurpose things. I often see the beauty of the unconventional. That is also part of the beauty of being a non-traditionalist.
Sunday, I spotted a white Fenton hobnail rose bowl gathering dust on my supply shelf. I asked myself, ” Why was I waiting for a rose to place inside of it? Why not make it a home for a spiky succulent?” Now, it looks like it was supposed to be used this way all along.
A couple of weeks ago, I came across a Buddhist Hotei statuette tealight holder. To use it for a small candle, seemed like a bad idea. If it didn’t shatter, the inside would probably accumulate a lot of soot. There was also the matter of a small vent-hole at the top of Hotei’s belly. I brought the figurine home and came up with this.
I cannot take any credit for the third item. It looked pretty much like this on a shelf at the Goodwill Store. The varnished branches grabbed my attention, then the crazy way the flowers were arranged, clinched my choice. I noticed that the branches and flowers are integral with the base because they are extensions of a decoupage. Everything is rooted in acrylic varnish. I brought it home, swished it around in soapy water, rinsed it, and set it out to dry. Now, it’s a centerpiece on my kitchen table.
The next time the unexpected arrives, why not say, “why not?”
Ciao
The Blue Jay of Happiness says to put aside expectations for tradition and be open for a life that’s made rich by the unexpected.
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