Tulips Times Two, Old Better Than New: Zigzag Brag Reigns Until Next Rhyme

Sweater: Hearts & Roses London, Zulily; Top: Almost Famous, Macy's; Skirt: Mudd, Kohl's Shoes: Chase & Chloe, Zulily; Bag: Nine West, Marshalls

Sweater: Merona, Target; Skirt: Amazon; Shoes: Chase & Chloe, Zulily; Bag: Amerileather (even though it's wooden!), Zulily; Belt: Wet Seal

Forget tiptoeing through the tulips.  Why not blow through them with the swagger of an Olympic sprinter going for gold?  

I say this to show how excited I was about making this Polka Dot Tulips Barrette Brooch.  I thought, I'm not going to make those stylized, zigzag-topped tulips like always.  I'm going to make these tulips realistic, with overlapping, rounded petals.  So I did, adding the pizzazz of polka dots on the leaves and in the bright yellow background.  Then I put my new creation next to a zigzag tulip barrette that I'd made ages ago and realized, oh, there's a reason why everyone makes tulips the zigzag way -- they look better!  So dramatic and graphic and pointy, like a brand-new blade of grass shooting up after winter.     

Polka Dot Tulips Barrette Brooch, Fabulous Felt Tulips Barrette

Still, I wasn't too disappointed.  One of the reasons I work with felt is that if something goes wrong, then I can't take it as seriously as I would if I were working with something like marble (not that I harbor any illusions about my prowess with a hammer or chisel).  Not all brainstorms pan out the way we want, but that just means that we're closer to getting it right the next time.  For example, now I want to try a combo of zigzag tulips and polka dots.  And that may be the best design yet!  Until then, I appreciate my wonky tulips in all of their imperfect glory.      

No shame in that game -- or in sometimes bagging bronze.