The Risk It Took To Blossom

A bit of a change from the heritage pages.
Last week I was working in my garden and when I finished I cut a bunch of peonies, went inside, and casually plunked them down on the kitchen counter. Then I glanced at them and had an "ah-ha" moment, got the camera and snapped this photo. I just love peonies, so many lovely layers of beauty!!
This layout was inspired by a painting that I particularly love - "Giant Magnolias On A Blue Velvet Cloth" - by the American artist Martin Johnson Heade, painted about 1890.
The quotation in the upper right is by Anais Nin, and reads: "And the day came when the risk to remain tight inside the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom."
Bits of old silk velvet, pieces of antique doilies and dried garden items were used on this layout. And it is so very difficult to photograph velvet!!! I gave up trying to find the correct light, just about drove me crazy, lol!