Where flowers bloom, so does hope.

Tonight, Hubby and I meandered around our local hardware place so I could purchase some new flowerpots and soil for our little balcony garden. Some flowers, some herbs (actually, quite a few herbs), and happily, my beloved lilies are alread peeking above the soil. As we rode home from the store, I shook the little seed packets close to my ear, inciting a laugh from my husband. My response was that the sound of seeds rattling away in their little envelopes is the sound of promise, promise in a packet. And they say money can't buy happiness...

Since childhood, I've adored flowers, particularly lilies - especially lilies of the valley, my favourite flower. (It was kind of cool that I played the character of Lily in the musical The Secret Garden, a role I'd love to play again...) Flowers are so wonderful because they really do inspire hope - hope in a new beginning, new chances and opportunities. In their gentle, lovely way, they are capable of reminding us that no matter what is going on in our lives and the world around us, life goes on as before, full of beauty and struggle, death and glorious life alike. Indeed, it is in the death of the blooms we find so lovely that new life is able to begin, and, in the wild at least, the following year's seeds gain richer life from the remains of their parent flower as the roots take nourisment from the fallen leaves, petals and stems that returned to the earth. It isn't that we think about these things so literally when we see a flower, but I think that they're in the back of our mind as part of our human consciousness.

Of course, a lot of us love flowers based on their beauty alone, and there's nothing wrong with that, right? (Every good and perfect thing comes from God, and I suspect flowers are at the top of His list of favourite things too.) So it's no surprise that flowers are such a common subject of and on our clothing, jewelry, handbags, hats, and other accessories.

This beautiful, springy yarrow flower brooch from eye felt is a way to have the beauty and meaning of flowers with you every day. Made of 100% wool felt and accented with a pretty wooden button (I should start a whole new category for wooden accessories, shouldn't I?) and simply perfect contrasting stitches. The 6.5" wide flower pin has been hand dyed with yarrow and indigo - producing the gorgeous colours you see here.

Pins like this are great not just for your favourite cardigan and blouse, but will look briliant placed on your handbag, scarf, the edge or hip of a favourite skirt, a light spring jacket...anywhere! I really think the colours are perfect for spring, but this classic celadon and dusky blue is good for just about any season. This one is only $12.50 from the charming little shoppe of eye felt of New Mexico. Enjoy!

(If you're curious, the title of this post is actually an Eleanor Roosevelt quote.)