Nests- Vessels that Hold Love

 

     Nests are vessels, woven from bits of twigs, grasses and moss, that hold and protect new life. Finding empty nests blown down from trees after storms I couldn't leave them behind as they looked so forlorn. So I'd take them home and tuck heart stones or crystals, or little symbols of things I wished to grow in my life inside. Nests are symbols of building a happy home, new beginnings, life, protection, good luck, commitment, and prosperity. 

     So when I began Flora Sophia, The Wisdom of Flowers, a symbolic dried flower business, one of my first inspirations was to create manifestation nests or "Soul Nests" as I call them. I've created nests to be used as a tool that help aid one in manifesting Abundance, Healing, discovering Spiritual Purpose, and Love. The design above is a Housewarming Nest gift bringing the blessings of the flowers to the household as they build a new happy home. This design has three eggs which are symbols of new life and new beginnings and of the Earth. The number three is a sacred number that represents the unity of body, spirit and mind as well as past, present and future. Truly a nest is a meaningful gift of blessing to mark the joyous transition into a new home.  

     

                                                   "Love Nest" Manifestation Nest

     All of my nest designs use flowers, herbs and preserved greenery that bring their special meanings to the energies of the nest. 

     Using the nest as a manifestation tool I suggest first creating sacred space. Then holding the nest in your two hands while visualizing that which you wish to bring into your life, speak your intention out-loud. Then blow your breath fully into the nest. See your intention, Feel your intention and know that your nest will hold it protected within. Set the nest on your home altar or any place where you will see it everyday so that you will be reminded. Then fill your nest with symbols that represent your intention; stones, crystals, hand written notes, etc. Use your imagination. 

Soul Nest of Healing.

My Wild Heart Creativity Nest

Another Soul Nest design for Healing Energy.

Christmas Nest Ornament.

     Being from Scandinavian descent a nest was always included on our family Christmas tree. We would fill it with candy or coins or a sweet little mushroom bird. It symbolized good luck for the coming year and blessings to the home. I've taken it a step further and decorated the nest with berries, preserved greens and flowers that bring further blessings of well-being, prosperity, and embracing change. 

Visit my Etsy shop for these designs and more as well as other dried florals that will add beauty and meaning to your home and life.  https://www.etsy.com/shop/Florasophia?ref=profile_header

Blessings

Tussie Mussie Talk

Dried Tussie Mussie with a message of Love. Flora Sophia. 

A Tussie Mussie, a small bouquet of flowers, herbs and greenery may appear to be sweet and reserved but they can speak volumes and carry a big message. They first became popular in the 1700s but at that time they were mostly silent, their purpose was more practical providing a lovely scent in a very smelly environment! They could be held to the nose or pinned to a dress in order to make the odors of the time less harsh to delicate constitutions. Victorian England had a garbage problem. It was once believed as well that the fragrance of flowers could actually save you against catching the plague. 

Lady Mary Wortley Montagu was the wife of the Ambassador to Constantinople and she is attributed to introducing the Language of Flowers to Victorian England where they became all the rage. Victorian English society had a strict code of morality and proper conduct which made it very difficult to communicate ones true feelings. Lady Mary, a travel writer and aristocrat, wrote about "Selam" which means 'greeting' and introduced the Turkish language of objects where encoded messages were passed between women of the harem and their lovers through flowers, stones, herbs, fruit, etc. Everything has a meaning. On another note flowers were considered a more proper adornment for women than jewelry and they were widely given as gifts as well. 

                                     Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, lithograph in Turkish costume. 

                                                          National Portrait Gallery, London

                                                           

              The Victorian Era not only saw the fervor for growth in business during the Industrial Revolution but also the madness for exotic flowers and plants which were considered prizes to the wealthy. During this time many nurseries began to employ plant explorers to go out into the Far East, the American West, and South America collecting plants, tubers and seeds. They could be gone for years and the expeditions proved costly and dangerous. Orchid mania or 'Orchidelirium' as it became known became an obsession and vast sums of money were spent in their collection and cultivation. So perhaps the wealthy had their exotic Orchids, their Amazonian Water Lily's and their Chinese Rhododendrons but for young women and their admirers they had Floriography, the Language of Flowers, and the delights of simple flowers. During this time many flower dictionaries were written and published. In fact it is believed that 98 books were written and offered in 227 editions between 1800-1937.

Symbolically designed 'Get Well' Bouquet. Flora Sophia.

I think it is a charming tradition and so I decided to design dried flower Tussie Mussies to give as gifts. With each bouquet I include a listing of flowers used and their meanings. This Get Well bouquet features Oats for Wellness and Good Health; Ammobium for Love and Light; Bunny Tails for Cheerfulness; preserved Cedar- a Healing and Protective Evergreen; Coxcomb for Vitality and Strength; and golden Yarrow a Healing and Protective herb; and more.

I Love You Tussie Mussie, Flora Sophia.

One of my favorite dried flowers/pods is Nigella-Love in the Mist as seen here in this Love bouquet above, the pod with the striped coloring. It represents Love and Harmony, the Bonds that Bind Us together, the perfect sentiment for a Tussie. 

A lovely bouquet to give a dear Friend. A friendship Tussie Mussie, Flora Sophia. 

Another favorite dried herb to use in my Tussie Mussies is Oregano. The purple cluster in the bouquet above is Greek Oregano and the multi-petaled cream and lavender flower is Kent Oregano symbolic of Friendship. It is a Greek tradition to give newly married couples Oregano for Joy and Happiness as it is known as "Joy of the Mountain." 

There are many wonderful books available if you'd like to learn more and perhaps try your hand at making your own fresh flower bouquets. One in particular "Tussie Mussies-The Victorian Art of Expressing Yourself in the Language of Flowers' by Geraldine Adamich Laufer, published by Workman Publishing, NY 1993. A lovely book with color pictures of each bouquet, instructions on making each fresh flower bouquet and a thorough "index of sentiments." 

And I invite you to visit my Etsy shop Flora Sophia Studio if you are interested in purchasing and gifting a loved one a dried flower tussie mussie. 
https://www.etsy.com/shop/Florasophia

Flora Sophia bringing beauty and meaning to life. 
Thank you for stopping by...
Noel