26.5.11

What inspires you?








A question from a journalist. The worst sort of question.

You are going to sound either pretentious or idiotic no matter what you answer.

I don't know what inspires me, i do know what makes my heart lurch (coral charm peonies) or that moment when a boy rings and just before you answer you see his name on the screen. I know what makes me clap my hands and squeal, and do a little jump, most things, I am incorrigible. I also know what makes my blood boil, or what makes me turn my nose up in a "have it taken from my sight immediately sort of a way"

Quite how any of this manifests in anything creative i do, is beyond me.

That's why i always use the line, "my inspiration comes from the flowers themselves", that has everybody reaching for the sick bag.

When brides book in for a consultation i ask them to bring with them anything that inspires them, and their wedding breakfast menu.

The menu is just because i like food, and i am inherently nosey.

Things that i like at the moment
1. Customers who buy old cameras and then actually put film in them and make a picture.
2. Polaroid greetings cards
3. Tomatoes
4. It is summer, i am once again all about the 4711.

Answers on what is currently inspiring you in the comments section if you please
xx

17 comments:

flwrjane said...

My garden. Pink grapefruit body wash. Butter nail polish in Jaffa.

Homemade lemonade, your pictures, and fresh mint in homemade lemonade.

xo oh, and apparently Alys Fowler because we just planted vegetables in with flowers and vice versa:)

bowstreetflowers said...

This is a slightly easier question than " what's your favorite flower", but sitting here over coffee I had to give it some thought, then Google up the correct spelling of the French flower artist who knocks me out ...and her containers are swoon worthy...Anne Vallayer Coster.

Kim Fisher said...

4711- A true classic- my mother had huge bottles of it- I wonder if I can find it in N.C.?

Jennifer Tetlow said...

Butterfly colourful fluttering between flowers and flitting between showers - not the caterpillars eating my apple tree!

Anna Wilson-Patterson said...

Skinny sighthounds
Derek Jarman's garden
Black fishing huts
Teasels
Vintage tractors
Paul Smith
Dots and stripes

Martin & the Magpie said...

Growing vegetables and plants (we finally have a reasonable sized garden WITH sunlight!! Always a bonus!).
Our new neighbours - 70/80 years old and seem to be living their life to the fullest. I want to be like that when I'm their age!
Summer flowers - best season to make lovely loose, gardeny bouquets
Pinterest.com - very inspiring and a lot of 'why-didn't-I-think-of-that?'-moments..

Unknown said...

Inspiration changes and evolves doesn't it?

At the moment, I am loving shepherd's huts, Mirri Damer jewellery, the sight and even more the smell of rain in my garden, first of the David Austin roses, wasabi peanuts, and now martin and the magpie for saying he loves 'loose, gardeny bouquets'- yay! I am also being charmed witless by the tumbling acres of wild dogroses in the hedgerows.

Mrs T-J said...

Beautiful scenery of all kinds
Sark
Wildlife of Africa, all wildlife
My nephew
My Fur-babies (all fur babies)
Captain & Mother Hen
Great chefs & cookery books
Those who exude passion & talent for what they do
My Hubster
The Queen
Flora & Fauna

Becca said...

Currently I am inspired by the notion it is almost 5pm but I will check back in later with more worthy comment

x

Mrs T-J said...

.....and of course - You Miss P! xxx

Mother Hen said...

Life...."with all of it's sham, drudgery and broken dreams it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful, strive to be happy" xxx

Unknown said...

Apologies for the rogue apostrophe earlier. Hate those.x

Anne Wheaton said...

skylarks overhead

Becca said...

Ha finishing at 5pm. Ha.

I am inspired by Jane Austen. I am inspired by my beloved's very blue eyes that (sometimes rather unfortunately when discussing the cost of shoes) see into my soul. I am inspired by old fashioned lights on bridges. I am inspired by mountains. I am inspired by White. I am inspired by my past. I am inspired by our future.

Mainly now I am inspired by sleep.

Primchick said...

Sepia old photo's...off pink/tea stained ribbon..rusty anything..old china tea pots... dried lavender, hydragers, & roses...french hemp,old brown bottles & anything to do with paper of any kind... Yep, I know I know...I should get out more!!

Mrs Beard said...

My home in London.

My new country life.

Raise the Red Lantern

Before Night Falls

The crazy ten-storey peonies that have hatched in my garden and show no sign of stopping.

My various cameras old and new.

South East Asia, specifically Phuket when I was 11.

Gustavo Santaolalla
Julian Schnabel
Lars Von Trier
Monica Bellucci
Neko Case
Javier Bardem
My Grannies
Michael Clemmens - psychologist
Mr Beard.

cara said...

Oh lord, I hate that question. There is no answer I can give that doesn't make me feel like a tit. Strangely, other people's answers almost never sound stupid and almost always fascinate me.