Flowers in the home elevate mood

I received much-needed emotional support this past week from photographing a bunch of grocery store carnations.

Displaying them about the house helped ensure my whole family reaped their mood-elevating benefits, too.

Handling each flower, cutting the stems and immersing them in water, and arranging them to be photographed draws my attention to colour, texture and pattern, to the softness of the petals and the particular green of the leaves and stems. It helps me recognize the beauty of flowers, which opens my heart to feelings of joy and love.

I bought three bunches of orange and pink carnations for $20.00. A bit of baby's breath was mixed in each bunch.

I like to break up the flowers and arrange them in separate vessels of varying sizes.

Place your bouquets in rooms where you spend the most time and in areas where everyone can see them.

Seeing them first thing in the morning is important since they help set your mood for the rest of the day.

The kitchen is an excellent spot since it's where we tend to gather before we start our day. Plus it's the most convenient room to change the water!