This past week has been a bit of a busy blur. And one of the things I do to ground and reconnect with ‘me’ is to pick up my camera and wander on out to the garden. I clip a few flowers. Bring out a favorite old patina covered chair. Find a magic filled spot on the path and wait for that beautiful light to start dancing in the background and capture something full of magic like these with bottles and blooms.
The light from a sunrise or sunset is fleeting, it lands perfectly in your view for just a few minutes before moving a little bit out the way bit by bit. So, I start to snap photos just as it first appears and continue clicking away, adjust my angle or the flowers just so as needed. My camera captures what I see and brings that beauty and moment to the page of a book or share on my blog. Taking photos of beautiful things & whimsical moments is therapy for me. And when the day or week goes a bit wonky, my camera, flowers and that magical golden hour light in the garden bring serenity and make me feel reconnected.
As a photographer, I am always finding and chasing beauty in moments. And creating beautiful moments to capture is part of my jam. I will admit, my stylings or photos aren’t always practical. But I am not looking for practical- I am looking for whimsical. Which can be something crazy inspired- or maybe something simply inspired. That is for another story that might involve something crazy I brought home recently. Stay tuned there.
You might remember this dahlia styling from my book FRENCH COUNTRY COTTAGE IN BLOOM (currently just $23) This setting was all about those vintage decanters and delightful dahlias on the table and in the background.
But today it is about a set of dainty little crystal decanters I found at the thrift store and why they talked to me.
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Dainty Decanters & Dahlias
I bumped into a shelf full of small little crystal type bottles. With little stoppers and lots of different designs in a dainty size, I was loading them into my cart before even counting how many there were. Some were etched. Some were cut crystal look. Some were simple glass. They were around $1 each since they were marked down for the sale week and I grabbed them and went on my merry way. These were likely little salad dressing or syrup restaurant kind of decanters, they each had a stopper. But I was not thinking of using them practically- I instantly imagined a table setting centerpiece with a dozen dainty decanters filled with flowers or place setting bouquets.
After I got them home, a dozen or so dahlias, a lovely table in the little hollow in the trees and the dainty decanters filled with flowers became a beautiful view marching down the table.
Of course, you know when any of those stylings come together, there is an old chair just waiting to hold them and create a simple moment too. I mean, of course a chair is for sitting traditionally. But I love a charming old chair holding flowers and will admit that when I find a chair with a unique shape, patina or something else that talks to me, I am imagining it with flowers and the beauty it will create. That is almost the key as to if a chair will come with me.
And since I have a bit of a vintage old character filled chair collecting disorder, think it would be safe to say, I find inspiration in all kinds of them. But if you view the world as magic filled moments waiting to be captured and shared- you keep finding the potential in an odd chair. And vintage decanters. And the light and flowers in the garden. And so many other things. What do you think? Would you have brought these little bottles home with you? What would you use them for?
Happy new week friends.
My hose is always knocking over blooms! This is great idea!!