Handmade Christmas Wreath

In a previous house, we always had a beautiful fresh wreath on our door at Christmas. Every year I'd stop at the teeny weeny nursery I'd pass on my way to and from taking the pooch out on the forest, and hand over a fiver for a large, fresh, totally handmade wreath. Even then it was a total bargain!

Out on a walk the other day, I passed someone in a layby selling wreaths, again for a fiver. They were tiny! I'm sure it'd look fine on Bilbo Baggin's front door, but on any normal size door, it was sure to look a bit out of proportion. And I certainly couldn't afford the prices they were charging in the shops for anything of a decent size. I do love the look of a real wreath but, due to being laid up ill for a good ten days, there wasn't much opportunity to get out there and grab the leaves and lovely goodness I'd need to make one myself and our own garden couldn't fulfil those needs either. But whilst recovering, I did come across an idea for a fabric wreath. It was printed in Prima magazine, but I believe it is something they've taken from a company who actually make them - for far more than it cost me!

 

What it did cost me is time, which is probably why those online are more pricey - and of course, I already had a stash of fabric to delve into! It's basically little strips of fabric and ribbon tied onto a florist's wreath frame (I got mine on Ebay, still new, but cheap). I chose one that was '3D' rather than just flat but it all depends on what you like. I also cut my strips with pinking shears to minimise fraying but if you like the frayed look, then it would certainly add texture.

 

 

 

It's on the inside of the door because we see it more that way and I didn't want it getting dirty at all from anything carried in the air as I certainly don't fancy untying all those bits and washing them!

 

I'm definitely pleased with how it turned out and it's something a bit different from what's in all the shops, which always makes me smile.

 

I hope you like it and I'd love to see any hand made wreaths you've made for your home this year!

 

 

Love, Maxi



Journal Your Christmas 2012

This project is something I did for the first time last year. It's run by Shimelle Laine (who has all sorts of interesting courses both on her own website, and on the Two Peas site.

Journal Your Christmas is about taking Christmas back. Rescuing it from the avalanche of commercialism it has become buried under, and remembering what the real meaning is of it - for you. Once you sign up to the course, you are a member for life, so you'll get the prompts every year, without having to hand over any more cash - which is nice! You get prompts every day for 37 days, starting on December the 1st, and you can do every one, or just a few. You can take photos every day or none. You can journal every day or hardly it all. It's all up to you.

I definitely enjoyed creating my journal last year, even though it wasn't properly finished until (gasp!) June! I did learn from doing last year's, and am changing a few things this year. Which is apt as Shimelle has changed up the prompts.

Today was 'Manifesto' day. Whilst there is one in the handout, I created my own - mainly because I missed seeing the one that was there, but that's ok. I like what mine too.

 

 

I decided that this year I'd most likely just pick and choose which prompts to do, so I'm not numbering the days or anything. There were a few last year that didn't really 'speak' to me, and I struggled a bit with those. This way allows a bit more flexibility which I think will work better for me.

 

If you're fed up with Christmas before it's even started, thanks to supermarkets moving everything in order to make room for mince pies in September, I'd highly recommend joining Journal Your Christmas and start claiming it back.