Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Flowers and a NEW GIVEAWAY!


One of the perks, in my five year old mind, for taking ballet lessons was getting to wear a beautiful tutu.  I wanted a pink one more than words could say and I just assumed it would magically appear at my first dance class.

It did not.

But I was a patient albeit fidgety dancer-- positive I would someday be a famous ballerina with a closet filled with tutus, so I waited... thinking at the end of the dance class year I would have "earned" my magnificent tutu, like an angel earns their wings, in time for our dance recital.

No tutu then either.  Not by a mile.

In preparation for our dance recital, which was to be performed on a huge stage with a gigantic audience of about 100 family members, we budding prima ballerinas sat on the floor at our dance studio and received two pink Kleenex tissues and a couple of pieces of string.

There, our five year old hands worked diligently to make tissue carnation flowers.  We carefully folded the tissue into a fan, then folded it in half, tired the string around the center, and fluffed the tissue ends into a "flower".  My flowers looked more like a couple of used Kleenex on their way to the trash but I'd done my best.

When I asked my elegant ballet teacher, who happened to be dressed in a lovely chiffon tutu, what the "flowers" were for, she happily handed me a red plastic head band to attach my "flowers" onto thereby making my dance recital costume to match my red leotard.

My young mind raced-- This could not possibly be my costume.  I wanted a tutu and I wanted it for the dance recital-- now!  As soon as I realized that was not going to happen, I became a very disappointed ballerina with crocodile tears rolling down my face.  In fact, I have vague memories of my mother dragging me, kicking and screaming, to the recital where the idea of wearing those hideous Kleenex flowers in my hair left me in a puddle on the back seat of the car.

At that early stage of my life I learned a hard lesson about expectations.  I also learned I was not a great flower maker but I did have the potential to be a pretty good ballet dance-- which I did til my early 20s....  right up until I realized I enjoyed cheeseburgers, boys and mini skirts far better than I enjoyed blistered feet, salads and tutus.

I hadn't thought of those tissue flowers until I saw one of Attila's flower wreaths.  My flowers were a far cry from the gorgeous ones Attila's posse of creative geniuses makes.  Their handmade flowers are turned into these stunning wreaths-- AND YOU CAN WIN ONE!

SPRING WREATH GIVEAWAY!

Courtesy of Attila the Mom at Cheaper Than Therapy and her fantastic Highland Roses Collaborative Craft Studio, this happy 14" wreath-- with handmade hot pink and purple flowers with green leaf accents, would be a welcome addition to your Spring decorations, or make a nice gift to brighten up a dorm or hospital room, wish someone a happy birthday, or just remind a loved one that you're thinking of them.

It could be YOURS-  Entering is EASY.

Giveaway is available to everyone, EVERYWHERE, as long as you have a blog.  Attila will ship the wreath to you anywhere in the world-- How nice is that!

Leave one comment below to enter.

For a second chance, stop by the designer's shopping store HERE and leave a second comment below telling me which is your favorite wreath.

Giveaway ends, at Midnight, Pacific Time, April 5th.  Be sure I can reach you via email.

Come on-- Check out the Spring Wreaths and ENTER!
Welcome to www.TheFiftyFactor.com  -  Joanna Jenkins 

I was not compensated for this giveaway.  It's a generous offer from a blog friend that I am passing on to you.
Photo Credit: © evgeniya_m - Fotolia.com

33 comments:

  1. Ooh I so want Attila's flowers. I'm heading to my second chance now!

    I can imagine you as a ballet dancer, beautiful and graceful.

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  2. I would love to win the wreath! It is lovely!

    We need photos of you in your ballet days!

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  3. http://www.rubyplaza.com/item/743420-0143/Bring-Spring-Wreaths

    My favorite :)

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  4. That is GORGEOUS!

    I don't want to win one, though. I just wanted to comment.

    I took ballet lessons for awhile. I hated it. My mom eventually realized she was wasting her money when I sat in the corner at class and read a book instead of dancing.

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  5. interesting to know you were a ballet dancer! So was I, all the way up to pointe shoes. Beautiful flowers.

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  6. I bet everyone thought the reason behind your tears was nerves. :)

    That's a kind and generous offer. I love the polka dot wreath with orange flowers.

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  7. Hello Joanna,
    I would love to win Attila's wreathe #0138 with the lovely chickies on it. Happy Easter!

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  8. Yep, #0138 is the one I prefer. Gosh, her workers do such a nice job!

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  9. I loved your memories about the beginning of your dance experience! I studied ballet for years, too, and will never forget my first recital: as a baby duckling with feathered diapers in a ballet version of "The Ugly Duckling." I had always been shy in class and never stood out. However, when I got on stage, saw the lights and the crowd, I came alive and burst into a frenzied, impromptu solo. My teacher had to come fetch me off the stage as my parents sank down in their seats as my two-year-old brother stood up in his seat and screamed "There she is! There's my TaTa!" It was the first sign of my zest for performing. I don't think I ever had much talent as a dancer, but I did have a lot of enthusiasm! Loved the paper wreath, by the way!

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  10. I too wanted a pink tutu ... don't know why. I don't think I got mine either.

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  12. You and I seem to have more in common than one might think! Your stories always seem to bring back forgotten memories for me...even of MY first "year" in ballet class!! Thanks for the memories!

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  13. Oh I so wanted the pink tutu and the pink ballet toe shoes... Sniff!!!!
    They never materialized for me either.
    Sorry hun'
    Hugs
    SueAnn

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  14. She sends world wide? That´s awesome, I would love one! And I´d make her company international. :)

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  15. I always wanted a tutu, too. Lucky girls who get one.

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  16. Aw, total bummer about your tutu dream crashing like that.
    That Attila. Always up to something good.

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  17. So, I'm guessing you eventually got a proper tutu? ;)

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  18. Such a funny story...I was never a dancer but I do remember making these flowers in Girl Scouts! Such a pretty wreath!

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  19. I never had the opportunity to take ballet but had very sore tootsies from stuffin' my socks with tissue and dancin' on my toes for hours just tryin' to make like a prima ballerina. Heeehehehe!

    God bless ya and have a delightful day sweetie!

    I'll be back............

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  20. I'm back.........

    http://www.rubyplaza.com/item/743420-0155/Bring-Spring-Wreaths

    Thanks!!!

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  21. What a sad story! Every girl wants to wear a tutu! Beautiful wreath!

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  22. Wow you danced till your 20s how wonderful. I bet you have wonderful posture. This post reminds me of my adorable niece who pestered her mother to let her do ballet. A few classes into the term she admitted to me that she didn't really want to learn ballet she just wanted to wear a tutu. I didn't tell my sister and the little angel later took up sports instead.

    I have had a wonderful 5 month blogging break and am now catching up on blogs.

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  23. So pretty Emily!! I love this time of year too - everything is so pretty and blooming! Love the photos. :)
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  24. So pretty Emily!! I love this time of year too - everything is so pretty and blooming! Love the photos. :)
    Flowers To Mumbai
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  25. Your story brought back memories of my own ballet days. For our recital, we had white sequined costumes with fluffy white tutus. They were really beautiful and I was so excited. When the recital finally rolled around, I got a massive case of stage fright and refused to go onstage. My mom was more than a little upset about it!

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  26. I can't imagine you being dragged anywhere kicking and screaming. Learning hard lessons to do with expectations at such an early age shows how advanced you were. At least you did have expectations. Do you have any pictures of the dance recital?

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  27. For the senior center I would use the wreath with the baby chicks, my senior friends would enjoy that.

    For my little hippie house, I would like the polka dot ribbons with the two orange flowers off to the side.

    All the wreaths are colorful and beautiful.

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  28. Pleasee don't enter me in the giveaway. Let others have a chance.

    I loved your story! I'm impressed that you studied ballet for so long. It speaks volumes about you. I only took it from K-grade 4. The only things I can still do perfectly are the 5 positions. :-)

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  29. How fun!!!! I'd love to win! :)

    And yes, I totally would have cried too if I thought I was going to get a tutu and none appeared!

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  30. Hard choice of the wreathes! I think maybe my fav is the one with the purple bow and green/purple/pink ribbons. But I'm not sure...

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  31. Oh my, you're poor, disapointed 5yr old self! Funny how vividly these memories can stick with us, isn't it? (Smile) How graceful you're 20yr old, tutu clad self must have been!

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  32. what a sweet memory of paper tissue flowers! and i envy your grace in ballet, even if hamburgers won out...

    thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment. really appreciate it...

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  33. Oh JJ, this made me sad....I know how bad it is to want something as a kid and it just never transpires! Oh well, we learned disappointments at a young age, yes?
    When I was little, my mother would never buy we anything white becuase she said I'd just get it dirty. So when I became old enough I bought white shorts, white shirts, white jackets...just because....

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