Day 68 - Five fabulous women and cake. Lovely!

Saturday 9th March

A day that I am quite sure I will always remember - my first flower school on Hazelbank.  It is two years since I have done a flower school and I have missed them in my life.  I always intended on running courses and workshops from Hazelbank but it has just taken some time to get organised. 

Five wonderful ladies joined me for a really enchanting afternoon creating lovely flower arrangements.  I am fortunate in that all my courses have been enjoyable but today the atmopshere was quite special.  The ladies made two arrangements and in each case I don't think they could believe that they had created such beautiful pieces.  As the tutor I loved that they were all so different.  I always resist the Blue Peter moment when I produce something I have made earlier because the temptation is for the participants to copy and they lose their individual creative voices.  I give them the basics and then it is over to them.  I am , of course, there to give advice when asked for it but I resist any temptation to influence their creativity.  The result is always much better because you can feel the sense of achievement in the room. 

All five ladies produced truly stunning arrangements and in my post tomorrow I will put together a proper photo gallery.  There was also real generoisty in the room as everyone supported each other.  I am not sure how you ensure that that is present but it is so important. 

The ladies made an arrangement suitable for a table centre or a hall table and then we had tea and cake thanks to George and Pete.  George's cupcakes were a huge success so well done that man.  Pete was so helpful with tea and coffee confirming how good he is with people.  After tea break I taught them how to wire flowers and they made a buttonhole that they then wove into a wicker heart.  This is something that takes practice but once again the ladies rose to the challenge and produced delicate and enchanting designs. 

At the end someone commented that we had failed to notice the terrible weather outside and it was, indeed, a lovely way to spend an afternoon.  I want the courses at Hazelbank to be life affirming.  I want to offer experiences that are full of seamlessly acquired technique while allowing for buckets of creativity.  I want the participants to surprise themselves and to discover new things to love.  Today, I feel, did all of that and I was so very proud of each and every one of them.  We were already planning our reunion as the pioneering group as we were going out the door.  I am not sure we could ask for better than that.

I am very tired because I might have been ever so slightly bonkers putting the course on my busiest weekend of the year.  Pete phoned the shop that sells my flowers only to find that they had almost sold out so I set about doing more arrangements for those last minute purchases tomorrow.  They are already in the shop.  I am off for a soak and a large glass of wine.

To all you mothers out there.  An early Happy Mother's Day from me. 

Until tomorrow. xx