Just in time for Mother's Day, I decided to create myself as a vase of flowers. Some of the flowers that were just coming in to bloom in the garden were the peony (Paeonia) and the rose (Rosaceae). Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens have tons of them in many different colors. I also enjoyed seeing the Dogwood (Cornus) in full bloom not only at the garden but all around Richmond, Virginia. Did you know that the dogwood is Virginia's state flower and tree?
For my outfit, I decided to try my hand at making clothes. I'm far from a seamstress so it took some trial and error but I realized quickly that I now have a new hobby. The top and skirt are made with 100% cotton and organza. Boning was added to the bottom of the skirt to bell it out and wire and wooden sticks were added to the top to help give it structure. I accented the top with 2 dried Dogwood flowers. The headpiece was made with foam, wire, plant stakes, and crepe paper peonies, roses and dogwoods that I made larger-than-life. I painted my left cheek with a large Carpenter bee hovering over a pink peony.
Flowers from the garden:
A larger-than-life walking bouquet for mothers:
Happy Mother's Day!