Thursday, January 15, 2015

Hyacinths


Mrs. MacDonald presided over the Grade 2 classroom. Grade 2 doesn't hold the same impact that Grade 1 with Mrs. Cook did. That year, my first in school (no kindergarten), I learned to read. That accomplishment changed my life forever.

Looking back, though, Mrs. MacDonald was likely very creative. It's in her classroom that I remember making paper fans, Valentine envelopes, and all sorts of flowers.
  

She taught us to cut blue, purple, yellow or white paper into strips (using a ruler as a guide) and then to draw the strip carefully but firmly over the edge of a scissor blade to create a curl. To one end I applied glue and then fastened the curl to a sheet of construction paper. More curls were added to form an oval mass of curls that resembled a hyacinth. We cut a stem and two long green leaves and glued them carefully in place.
  

Yesterday the sun beamed into the living room creating stripes of warmth between the window blind slats. Two potted hyacinths, purchased a week ago, began to open and filled the room with fragrance, triggering memories of long ago.

Tell me, did you make hyacinth blooms from paper the same way?
 

Nana spent some time with a Little Miss yesterday as well. Her mother had an appointment so we ate breakfast together and made pompom tea. Washing dishes is so much fun! Her eyes are as blue as the hyacinth blossoms.

29 comments:

  1. I love hyacinths and your photo. I never made paper hyacinths, only paper roses. My Dad who was my teacher in a one-room school for grades 1 - 8 taught us to build birdhouses and many other projects, but no flowers. Guess it wasn't his forte!

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  2. I love the scent of hyacinths. January is the time for potted bulbs in the house. We learned to make carnations from Kleenex. Your Little Miss has a lovely smile!

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  3. Hyacinths are such a cheery bulb and their fragrance so rich and sweet...lovely picture of your little miss. Have you ever thought of becoming a professional photographer? You have such a great eye and capture such lovely images.

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  4. Kleenex carnations, as Madam Là-bas, but never curled paper hyacinths. What a sweet smile to go with those blue eyes. . .

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  5. That is such a lovely memory from your schooldays and it seems both of those teachers had an influence on your life. I can’t imagine my life without books to read can you?
    We made paper chains prior to Christmas at school using green and red crepe paper, scissors and glue.
    My best such memory was making sand saucers and creating pretty little gardens with petals and whatever we could find - it's a long time ago!
    I'm imagining that heavenly soft hyacinth fragrance wafting through your house - delicious.
    Oh Little Miss is gorgeous, chubby cheeks and I love the wee dimples on the knuckles, what fun you two have together - such precious moments for both of you.

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  6. What a sweetie she is - that smile is lovely!
    We made Kleenex roses and carnations and thought they were gorgeous. This post has made me quite determined to have hyacinths in the house this weekend.

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  7. What fun to have pom pom tea together with such a sweetie pie. We never made flowers of paper - but I planted 30 hyacinth bulbs this fall - so should have a pretty showing in the spring - and the deer never touh them.

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  8. What a lovely post!
    The colour of your hyacinths is really beautiful, and we love their fragrance too. (For us it's a scent of Christmas.)
    Your granddaughter is so incredibly cute!
    Have a great weekend!

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  9. Beautiful, beautiful photo of your Little Miss and I loved the hyacinth photos! I am ready for the bulbs of spring:)
    Blessings, Aimee

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  10. My hyacinths have just gone over, so they will go out in the garden bed.
    What a lovely photo of your little one!

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  11. What a little angel...she is adorable!
    I never made a paper hyacinth, Lorrie but I adore the real thing. I think I need to purchase at least one to make the house smell like Spring. Thanks for the push.
    Enjoy making those special memories with Little Miss. They grow up too fast!!!

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  12. Little Miss - I love your top - did your clever Grandma sew that one for you? You certainly are a sweet girl - tell Grandma, if I lived closer I be over there having a cup of pompom tea with you gals!

    Lorrie, I don't recall making paper hyacinths however real, heavy fragranced blue ones are my favorite too - I need to buy some this weekend.

    Have fun with your adorable Little Miss - she looks like a real charmer!
    Hugs - Mary

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  13. What a great memory. We made Valentines, too, and fans. Today, art isn't important, at least here in the states. We didn't make pretty flowers, though. Hyacinths do smell sweet, don't they? And such a little sweetie MIss. A great photo of her, too.

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  14. Lorrie, you must be a professional photographer; your photos and portraits are so lovely. You've captured a moment with your granddaughter so exquisitely. We didn't make hyacinths in school, though I do recall walking in one day and seeing boxes and boxes of Kleenex tissue which we later turned into carnations with pipe cleaner stems.

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  15. I don't remember making hyacinth blossoms at all! We made lots of tissue paper flowers though!

    Your Little Miss is so sweet! You'll have to teach her to make the hyacinth blossoms!

    Deanna

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  16. We didn't have hyacinth blossoms but used crepe paper to make other flowers. Your granddaughter is a sweetie, must be fun to have tea parties with her.

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  17. My boys both had a Mrs. Macdonald as a Kindergarten teacher! Beautiful colors in your blooms, but that adorable little happy face just makes one smile !! Enjoy the week end!

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  18. No, I missed out entirely on the joys of hyacinth making. Little Miss is giving you one of her megawatt smiles! So cute!

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  19. I can't remember doing it, but it sounds like a lovely idea! What a sweet little granddaughter you have!

    Happy weekend!

    Madelief x

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  20. What a lovely remembrance of grade 1 and your creative teacher. I don't remember doing that but I do remember making Valentine's day envelopes in one of those early grades. I think I still have one in the hope chest. Must look. Little Miss is a cutie. The hyacinth is beautiful!

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  21. Little Miss has the sweetest smile! I've always enjoyed the combination of purple and green and these hyacinths really show that off beautifully!

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  22. She really is as beautiful as a flower. And it's fun to share memories of school days. Happy weekend sweet friend. Hugs, Diane

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  23. Lovely to see such a sweet smile. How lucky you are to be spending time with your dear Little Miss! How lucky she is to have you in her life...

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  24. Such a lucky Nana, your hyacinths are beautiful too.

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  25. No I don't remember making flowers like that, but I do love how children enjoy washing dishes! I still do!

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  26. Oh I can smell them from here! They truly are the most fragrant flowers to ease us into spring (even though there is a way to go yet). Have a wonderful weekend with your lovely Little Miss xx

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  27. Your Little Miss looks like she is enjoying her special tea time.
    No I never made hyacinths from paper. Now I am imagining the fragrance.

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  28. Little Miss is sooooooo adorable!!!! And, no, I never made those from paper!

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  29. Little Miss is beautiful and growing up.

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