When my mom passed away a year ago, Marian aka Miss Mustard Seed and her lovely mom Kim sent me this gorgeous bouquet of roses.
Right before the roses bit the dust, I hung them upside down to preserve them and enjoyed them in this very spot for a long long time.
(how I preserve real flowers is HERE)
However, over time, they started to just get tired, so I took them down. I placed them on my bedroom TV top instead.
And then they just got dusty and I felt perhaps it was the end of their time.
But their dried appearance stopped me. They really were still gorgeous in their own right. The roses took on a paper crepe texture, wearing the loveliest weathered hue and the leaves were beautifully shaped. So, I tried them out with a new look instead.
Remember the cute $5 mini shutter I found during my birthday junkin’ day?
How sweet is this?
The shutter is just the cutest thing ever and created a perfect base/tray for this centerpiece.
Check out the faded charm to these rosebuds. So many soft blended tones!
The leaves are truly amazing.
They are in perfect shape, super thick and held onto the most graceful curves.
The cute enamel jug is from my recent trip to Ikea.
I meant to take a hammer to it to bang off some paint… maybe I still will. 🙂
Here is a bit more layering with a touch of galvanized metal.
(I’m told it’s a pizza pan!)
But I think I prefer it just like this the best.
Marian and Kim, I still love my flowers. Maybe even more now!
Wonder what’s next for them? 🙂
I’m linking this up to SNS’s themed shutter linkup. Have you checked it out lately? Just for fun, here’s the shutter portion again. If you have any new shutter project to add, please do!
And be sure to check the master list from time to time to see what else you can add to the vault. 🙂
(themed linkup button is located on the sidebar)
This is absolutely gorgeous!! So soft and pretty and such a wonderful way to hold onto those precious flowers!
I totally understand your reluctance to discard the roses, not only because of Mom, but also because the roses mature into beauties of time, just like we do! And the colors that remain are so sweet.
Donna I love the shutters and the layering effect you made with the shutter, the metal tray and the white pitcher! Beautiful!
Susan @homeroad
I love the pizza pan addition. and I hope my ikea has a french water pitcher!! Thanks for the tip. Having lost my mother last month I can really relate to how uour last year has been and I must compliment you with all that you have accomplished during this time. I find staying busy is the best medicine working through this. The flowers are still lovely and it is so neat that you are still finding ways to enjoy them.
I have a hard time throwing out meaningful flowers that have dried so beautifully. My family had a tradition of pressing a flower in plastic wrap and keeping it in a family Bible with letter explaining what the flower represented. Not sure if you read her post, but Yanet at 3 Sunkissed Boys lost her mom this week. I hurt everytime I hear that someone has to go through that. I know how hard that road is.
I love the idea of using the shutter flat on a table – perfect layering! I get roses every year on my anniversary, one for every year, we’re up to 32. I tend to keep them around long after they’ve lost their freshness. Love the texture and the sweet sentiment.
This is so beautiful for so many reasons! I love the delicate yet powerful statement those beauties make. And yes, it is a pizza pan. It’s an air bake pizza pan at that! (We have one and use it ALL of the time for our favorite Freschetta pizzas!)
You did some fun and creative things with that shutter! Beautiful centerpiece as well. I too just picked up some lovely white pitchers from TJ Max for a song! I love the old fashioned charm of a pitcher with flowers in it.. I have forsythia blooming in mine at the moment…
Thanks for a fun link up!
Deb
who knew dead flowers could look so good?! great idea.
Lovely!!
Donna, What beautiful flowers (then and now). I love your shuttered centerpiece – and layers are always fun (especially the pizza pan!)!
Kathy
What a beautiful life your roses have had! I think they look prettier now than ever, your shutter sets off the whole display!
What a great way to “preserve” the memories… I can’t ever throw out old roses either.
You were able to get yet another new life out of those roses. Look so pretty!
I have a set of smaller shutter similar to those. I have a plan in my head for them. Just need to see if it will work out for real. 🙂
I so love the new centerpiece! What a lovely display for the roses! Perfect!!
Hugs
SueAnn
Donna – Your roses look so pretty in all the different ways. Good for you for keeping them around and getting so much joy from them!
p.s. Love your themed linkups. Thanks!
I would not have thought to use them as a tray! Love it!
Aw, I love seeing those roses done Donna style. They really are beautiful!
I like the dried ones much better, even tho they were pretty when fresh.
The little mini shutter is so cute. Never saw one that small.
I love everything about shutters…even have one on my post today. :))
Oh What a sweet memory….the roses seem to be appealing @ both ages!
I like the texture of the dried ones!
Hi Donna,
You’re post of flowers ” saved ” touched my heart.
Hugs
Absolutely beautiful. I agree — I think I like the dried roses before. I don’t think they’re “dead” at all. This post brought me to tears.
I’m not a regular subscriber of your blog just bc the funky junk is not my personal style, but I come back every once in a while to check out your recent posts. So glad that I stopped by this morning. Hugs to you.
Ack, I put “before” but I meant NOW!! I like the dried roses NOW. 🙂 My coffee hasn’t kicked in yet.
Sure…now you’ll have me obsessing over shutters, great! haha
Here is a pallet wall you might like
http://pinterest.com/pin/10821624/
No shutters to link up but loving the inspiration and your dried flowers. I much prefer them faded too! How thoughtful of Marian & her sweet mama.
They were beautiful before & gorgeous after!
I have always had a ‘thing’ for dried roses & the aged rustic look they acquire when they dry, more than fresh ones.
All the shutters look so beautiful….smart in different colours.
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