Orchid - CSI 128

Hello blog friends, welcome to my little corner of the world.
Today I’m sharing a layout as a double agent for CSI and Meg’s Garden.  

I don’t use a lot of purple, but this photo was just right for the colours this week.

I’d love you to hop over and have a look at the stunning layouts

 created by the Design Team and perhaps play along.  

There is a generous prize pack to be won from Meg’s Garden.
MEG'S GARDEN

I used the gorgeous Correspondence collection, 

"Distressed Letter" P6402 by Kerry-Jean Watson, (green)

 and "A French Account" P6401 (neutral)

The marbled purple (amethyst) is also from Meg’s Garden, 

as is the jewel bright, purple brad.

Texture was added with Jo Sonja texture paste

and a little colour with Tim Holtz distress ink.

The required blue and white colours are in this little cluster

Cream alphas are by Prima and fit within the permitted

 10 percent additional colour.

EVIDENCE
Flowers
Distressing
Pearls
Metal (on the brad)

TESTIMONY
I went to the journal jar prompt and was inspired by this question. 

What little things have happened to you lately that have really touched you or made a huge difference in your day?

The journalling is on the back of the page and it reads:-

This glorious orchid was grown by a neighbour of mine.  He and his wife have been having a bit of a tough time over the last few years, but they’ve picked themselves up, dusted themselves off and created new ways of giving their lives meaning.  Their generosity is legendary, yet they see themselves as ordinary people. 

I called in to see them briefly this week and was given a stem of orchids from their greenhouse.  Their random act of kindness has stayed with me all week.  The vibrant colour, the unusual fragrance and the exquisite shape of the spray, is a feast for my eyes and brightens the hallway with it’s beauty.  Their simple act of generosity has enhanced my week and created a bubble of joy every time I look at it.  Why is it so?  I think it’s to do with the random nature of the gift.  I wasn’t expecting it and somehow that makes the gift even more special.   Just as an unprovoked rude response from someone, can cause intense sadness, so too, does this give intense joy. It has made me to think about how I interact with others and decide to pay it forward whenever I have the opportunity.  “Let us be grateful to people who make us happy.  They are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”   Marcel Proust