Say it with Art not flowers!

So we've just recovered from the marketing nonsense that is Valentines day. Don't get me wrong, I'm as romantic as they come, but I can't help feel that a day set aside to make single people feel rubbish about themselves and couples feel obliged to do something can be counter productive. It's lovely to celebrate love, but maybe we just don't like being told to do it!
My husband and I spent our Valentines day round the table with old friends, drinking wine and talking for hours. It was truly lovely. We'll do a romantic meal in our own time...

We are now fast approaching Mothers day ( if you're secular and want to celebrate Mothers). The Christian celebration is however Mothering Sunday and celebrates people returning to their mother church on the fourth Sunday in lent. Anyone who did this was commonly said to have gone "a-mothering".

Either way the whole thing has become yet another card fest and present pressure. Which I think is a shame, we could be celebrating our appreciation and thanks to our Mothers, but it seems to be difficult to think of something other than flowers again.


My Mum's birthday almost always lands within a week of Mothers' day, so my brother and I have always had to be a bit more imaginative about our gifts. This year, it happens to land on my birthday!


 Celebrate anyway you choose. Show the ones you love, you love them in any way you like, but  if you can't face buying another bunch of flowers, how about a bit of real art. A small painting is a bit more than a bunch of daffs, but for a really personal, thought-felt present you could get together with your siblings and get a lovely piece of art! Lots of my work is based on places that I associate with family holidays with three or four generations sitting on the beach eating ice cream and soaking up the British sun. At times it's nostalgic and I love it for that.


It's worth thinking about; support a local artisan and buy something unique and beautiful for your unique and beautiful Mum.