The gift of flowers...from Matthew Mead

peonies...purchased by me...for me!

Matthew Mead finishes up his guest stint this week with me, and being the thoughtful guest he is, leaves us with some flowers...all dressed up as floral inspiration from him to us!! As I visit with so many of you, I see that most bloggers are feeling weighted down by winter...tired of snow, ice, frigid temperatures, and days that grow dark far too soon. To help lift your spirits and get you in the mode of thinking of the cheerful, bright days of spring, Matthew Mead makes us heady with the scent of flowery goodness.

He said: Inspiring Thoughts of Spring...

"Spring flowers in shades of yellow, lavender, pink, red, apricot, (and many, many more) equals multitudes of color combinations and fresh possibilities for spring inspiration... " (Matthew Mead)

We have touched upon a great many things during these last few weeks in an attempt to re-inspire ourselves in the New Year. I must say, it worked well for me and today I finished a two-step process of painting the floors of my studio. I choose a chocolate-brown for my kitchen floor and I am so happy... I've still got some touch-ups to do, but the cleaning out of spaces and the resurfacing of floors and walls really breathes new life into a room and vanquishes all the cobwebs and trapped negative chi... just as placing a fresh bouquet of flowers on your desk or dining table can do for your mood... which brings me to the final topic and frontier in this series- FLOWERS.

I entered the design realm in my childhood... with flowers. My grandmother had a large garden and grew so many beautiful varieties of blossoms. Cut flowers were part of my life from my earliest memory; and I enjoyed watching my grandmother create lovely arrangements while encouraging me and my sister to place single blossoms in bottles or vases. You really discover, as you grow, not only how enjoyable it is to have flowers around... but the pure joy that is derived from the simple act of cutting stems and arranging them to best please the eye. As children, we would also pick flowers and leaves and force branches as soon as possible in early spring, all under the watchful eye and guiding hand of our knowledgeable grandmother. In the fall, we'd gather large bouquets of wild flowers for drying and weaving into wreaths and garlands.

Flowers and their beauty is of primal enjoyment... it is in our human nature and I would surmise that even cave people gathered them to bring a spot of beauty back to their abodes...

It has been difficult lately to summon up that "Spring fever" as where I live is so reminiscent of a frozen tundra at present! However, I persist - with trips to florists, garden centers, price clubs and grocery stores in search of daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, primrose and whatever else I can pluck from my community sources. We are fortunate to have an anemone grower nearby with miles of green-house, and I am always moved to see their blossoms appear in the market-place. I must say, that incorporating flowers into your life means you will have the task of preparing and arranging them... and that very activity is obviously an actionable and involved endeavour.

Incorporating fresh flowers into your decor is an unfailing way to inject new life, colour and fragrance into your home...all the while, chasing the "cobwebs of winter" away. So, bring out your favourite vases and vessels, and hit the grocers or your local flower shop, and try some of these colorful ideas:

Potted, forced bulbs and primrose, arranged in a vintage basket and dressed with moss, makes a stunning spring centerpiece or gift for a friend with the winter blues...

Recycled glass jars or tins can be filled with water, tied with ribbon and outfitted with your favorite forced bulbs... Float primrose flowers amongst candles for a simple dinnertime centerpiece... Jenny, my wife, was inspired to create this daffodil applique using hand-dyed linens...

(all photos: Matthew Mead)

She said: "Let the flowers extend from beyond the vases...let them pull up a chair and be front and center in your decor scheme..."

photo source: www.cathkidston.com

I, too, love fresh flowers...the more natural and old-fashioned the better. I love peonies, daisies, cosmos, sweet william, stock, black-eyed susans...basically anything you'd see growing in your grandmother's garden. Unlike Matthew, my experience with flowers as a young girl was limited to buttercups, dandelions, and plucking daisies from the side of the road. I loved playing "mama had a baby and its head popped off" , but arranging them in anything but my grubby fist after a day's play outside was beyond the scope of my imagination. I remember watching my mum picking weeds from her flower beds, but after a few attempts to help, I'd end up doing more harm than good and I'd be "encouraged" to be on my way. So, off I'd go to investigate whether there were any more peas on the pea plant, and I'd hurry to pop them in my mouth before my little brother could find them first!

Flowers in decorating have had a long and variable history. Floral brocade for the more formal, versus the lovely calico prints of the more unassuming prairie-country style...right up to the decidedly "bad" eighties trend of plastering ivy and sunflowers all over one's kitchen (from wallpaper borders to oven mitts...place mats to curtains...), the use of flowery patterns in decorating can either make one swoon or shudder.

(photo source: unknown)

I am a definite blend of the two opinions. I love floral prints when they are used in a fresh, subtle palette; or when they are bold, modern, and surprising. I personally use them in only smaller doses, but when done right, they can be fantastic in a more predominant scheme. In contrast to Matthew, I think we are either flower people or not. Whether we bother to bend over and pick a stray daisy or add a flower-embroidered throw pillow to a chair... or we banish anything flowery from our homes save for stiff, perfect roses (methodically placed in the perfect square and unbending vase for only those moments when flowers are expected)...we dig them, or we don't!!

photo source: www.countrycream.com

Personally, I love flowers in their natural state, the wilder the better...and used in my decor in rather unassuming ways: not too carefully planned, and definitely not overgrown!!!

I am so thankful to Matthew Mead for collaborating with me on this series and for sharing his inspiration and advice to those of us who admire his work and his many talents. Please leave a comment here for Matthew, sending him some "blog love". Maybe, just maybe...he'll come back and share with us further...!