Those who know me know that I love Christmas: the music, the food, the decorations, especially the lights. But, to be honest, I like all of this without lifting a finger. I don't like decorating my house, and I think it's because I don't consider myself very artistic in that area.
Do you believe in love at first sight? I do! And when I saw the trees at Cheekwood Mansion, I was stunned and in awe. Not just by the quantity, but by the details. Laura Dowling, chief floral designer at the White House from 2009 to 2015, created dazzling displays that made the season memorable and enchanting.
So when I heard that she herself was going to be teaching a decorating workshop, I broke the bank and signed up for the class, inspired to start my Christmas decorations with my topiary tree that I would decorate there.
The festive air was palpable in the room. My classmates, with whom I exchanged a few words, were not professional florists; they had simply seen the mansion and decided to take the class, just like me. This made me feel better because I have no idea about decorating. In fact, I think the most I've ever done on a Christmas tree is put the hooks on the balls (haha).
The class started, and we were all focused on our projects. But when I looked around, I realized that these women were no amateurs. They decorate more than one tree in their homes and are super fast and confident in the vision they have for their projects. They earned my respect and admiration, and gave me a new perspective on those moms who make Christmas a magical time and their homes a cozy place.
Did I learn to decorate? Of course not. For that you need practice (a lot of practice), patience, talent and continuous education. It is a discipline that is acquired little by little; it is not a matter of just one class.
What I can say is that I learned a lot of tips that make me feel more comfortable decorating my own tree. I even learned a new word that I not only plan to add to my vocabulary, but also hope will be reflected in my new projects: whimsical . It means someone who is creative, unpredictable, and has a quirky or imaginative sense of humor.
I can share some of the tips I took away from this class:
Never compare yourself: Create your projects according to your unique vision and have fun. Don't worry about what others are doing.
Let your project speak to you: I often try to repeat patterns over and over, but art isn't like that. You have to let the project itself take shape. If you have to start over, do it! There is no right way in art.
Paralysis by analysis: When you start to feel stressed or think that you are not on the right track, take a breath, take a break and take a few steps back. From a distance you can better see what you want to leave behind and what you need to change.
Laura Dowling gave us an exclusive interview for Azul615 . Don't miss it on our website and social media!
But most of all I hope you have a Whimsical Christmas!
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