Just wanted to update this Blog with a hello and how ya doing! I have been very busy with my mothers cancer treatment so my crafting has been put on hold. However, I have been beading here and there and will post a few pics later on. See you all soon!

Easter Crafts

Hey everyone. Easter is coming early this year, so there isn't much time to play around. There are many different things we can make for this time of year. It will even be more fun since we can bring spring around a little bit earlier, and chase away this nasty winter.

This next craft is easy and fun to do for all ages. It is called decoupage. You can decoupage just about any surface, or item. I will be using ceramics this time. My mom loves to do this, keeps her busy. All you need is some decoupage glue (Mod Podge), a short stiff brush, material, and ceramic eggs and pinking sheers. You can order ceramics online or go to your local ceramic shop and purchase the eggs. I make my own ceramic eggs. My Mother-in-Law has her own ceramic shop in her basement.

Pinking sheers are scissors with a serrated or notched blades. They cut the material and leave a zigzag edge that looks decorative and helps prevent the material from fraying. The material you use should have small patterns on it. It looks better when cut up and glued to egg. Larger patterns get lost and don't look very nice when glued together. When finished, you can decorate egg with ribbon and small flowers.

Decoupage Easter Egg

Supplies:

• Eggs
• Material (cut in small triangle shapes)
• Glue
• Brush (short stiff bristles)
• Pinking sheers
• Ribbon
• Clear gloss spray
• Ribbon
• Small silk flowers (if you want)

First step is to cut all your material into small triangular pieces. Next, use the brush to spread glue on egg in a small spot, just to stick the material on it. Then completely cover the piece of material with more glue. Keep repeating this step until egg is completely covered. Let dry. When completely dried, spray with a clear gloss to give it a finished smooth look. Let this completely dry. Spray the clear gloss in a well ventilated area, outside would be best if not too cold. Finally, you can decorate it. Use little flowers and/or ribbons. What ever you chose. I chose ribbon, just to give you an idea.

You can fill a basket with them, or just set them out by themselves. They make great little gifts for teachers. The following pictures show you each step. Have fun and enjoy.

Being a Florist

OK, so you want to be a florist? I hope you are ready to be overworked and under appreciated. It sounds mean but it is true. You work long hours on your feet. You work 'til your fingers bleed (literally). You work 'til the work is done, no excuses. You have a wedding to put out? The bride doesn't care if you have a 103 fever or you are running to the bathroom every 5 minutes. All she knows is her bouquet better be perfect. You know, the one she ordered filled with roses and diamond studded stephanodis. The one she cried about being $150.00. That probably cost me $149.00 to make. The one that would have cost her $300.00 in a big city. Yes that's the one. After she pays for her limos, photographer, ceremony, reception, and cake, she comes back to you and has the nerve to say we have to cut some of the flowers. There is no money left. Can you believe that?

I love it when they ask "What can I get for 20 bucks?" I would love to just be able to say NOTHING! Just once would be nice. Or say, "How about cutting out the 12 limos instead?" The brides always come in to make cuts on the flowers to save money. I guess they don't realize that the flowers will be in almost every picture.

Maybe I am being a little harsh (not really). Not all Brides are Bridezillas. On occasion, we do get lucky with a bride that loves everything you make and will pay anything for it. We love that kind of bride. You don't mind adding a few extras for the people that appreciate it.

No one really knows how much work goes into making a floral arrangement, of any kind. There is a lot of preparation involved. All the flowers we receive in the shop have to be cleaned. Daisies need all their little leaves removed from their long stems so they don't mold. Everything has to come out of its wrappers and placed in water so it can open up. Roses need to be stripped of their thorns without injuring their stems. This is where the "bleeding fingers" come in. All flowers need to be cleaned and preserved a different way just about. There are some flowers that can't even be stored together. This is do to ethylene being produced by the flower and ruining other flowers in the cooler. Click here for more information on this subject.

Just loving flowers isn't going to make you a great florist. You really need to LOVE the flowers even after the long hours and sore backs and bleeding fingers, and broken nails and blistering feet and whining brides. Should I go on? I think you get the picture. Before you jump in and say HEY! this looks like fun, remember that it just "looks" like fun for the most part. It really is a lot of hard work.

If you really want to open your own shop, I suggest that you go work in one for about three months. You will learn flower arranging techniques and tips. You will learn to work with fresh flowers, dried flowers and silks. You will either love it or hate it by then. That's what I did. I went to buy a woman's shop and ended up working there for five years. I really LOVE the floral business. I would still consider opening a shop of my own some day.

Buying out someone else's business isn't always the best route to go. Customers love their florist and when a new owner takes over they don't think you can keep up with their needs. When word got out that this woman was selling her shop and I was their learning the business, a funeral director called and complained about the casket spray. He said the new girl doesn't know what she is doing and everything was a mess. The best part about this is that I didn't make the casket spray; the owner did. So loyal customers assume you won't do well. I think I would be better starting from scratch without someone else's troubles and building my own clientele. That way I can't blame anyone but myself if I fail or succeed.

Lastly, don't be discouraged. If this is something you truly love and can be dedicated to, you will do well. You definitely need to be positive and believe you can offer services someone needs. Make sure you also have a sound business plan. You can get in over your head quickly with bills. Plan wisely. Think about it for a while before you jump in

Easy Flower Arranging

I love flower arranging. I love to do up a vase or a bouquet just to see the joy it brings someone. Fresh flower arranging is my favorite. The colors and the scents are magnificent. You don't have to be overly creative to do this as long as you follow a few basic tips. You can go to your local grocery store and buy a mixed bouquet with all you need to make a beautiful arrangement.

One of the first tips I will share is, make sure you always snip the end of the stems, at an angle, before you place them in your arrangement. This fresh cut allows the flower to drink up the water. Also, use a preservative in your vase. This usually comes with the bouquet. It helps them last longer. A little known fact; when florists receive their flowers from a wholesaler, they are often dry packed in boxes, and could have been in cold storage with no water for over a month. So be sure to hydrate them. Do this even when you receive a new bouquet.

My basic flower arranging instructions:

• Fill vase with plain water and any greens that may have come with the bouquet or that you may have purchased. This can include baker or tree fern, or other greens used as fillers. Tree fern is fluffy and looks nice to finish off the edge of a vase. Place them in one at a time at an angle, so they crisscross in the vase. This will act as a grid and allow you to hold your primary flowers in place. I used some Seeded Eucalyptus in my vase. I love this stuff

• Place primary flowers in vase first. A primary flower is usually your focal point, or the prettiest and largest flower you are using. Cut stems as you place them. If they are big, put them a little lower so the arrangement doesn't look top heavy.

• Determine at what length you wish to cut your flowers. You can easily do this by moving the vase to the edge of the table or counter, where ever you are working. Hold the flower up to the greens, where you want it to sit in the vase. You will see the stem lower than the counter top. You then snip the bottom, right where it lines up with the counter top.

• Next, use the smaller flowers to place in between the larger ones to fill in the spaces. Cut them to the right length as above.

• If you have tall flowers like Liatris or Snapdragon, use them in the top to give your arrangement some height.

• When finished arranging flowers, grab the bouquet tightly and remove it from the vase. This will allow you to dump the water and put fresh preservative water in the vase. If you have two of the same vases, arrange in one and display in the other. You do this when arranging in a clear vase. Flowers are actually pretty filthy and the water turns brown and nasty when arranging. Plus, little leaves and pieces of stems will be floating about.

The following pictures show some steps. This will give you an idea of how easy this is. You will want to give flowers to someone special every day, and they will think it came from a florist.

Grandma: The Afghan Queen

Nothing in the world like an afghan from Grandma. Sure they are a similar stitch you have seen before, but in Grandmas, you can see the love. Wrap it around you, and it feels like Grandma is giving you a hug. They are a treasure. I cherish every one she ever made for me. If this was a Grandma blog I could go on forever. She was awesome, and still is to me. I wish I knew how many she made over the years. I am sure the yarn could wrap around the earth at least twice.

Even after she passed, my new born children were brought home in their own "Grandma B" afghan. I remember crying in the hospital to my mom, after my 3rd child was born. (She died earlier that year.) Telling her how Michael won't be coming home wrapped in one. Well much to my surprise, Grandma, in her infinite wisdom, already had one made for him. She had it tucked away in the attic for me, just in case. I think I cried even more when I saw it. When I had #4, there was an afghan for him too. Apparently she made a few, just in case. She even had a box full of doilies made for me, for when I had a bigger house.

I can still see her sitting in her favorite chair, crocheting Barbie clothes for me. She would make me headbands to wear in my hair, ponchos, vests, booties and more. I thought they were the greatest things she ever made. I finally asked her one day to teach me. I must say, I didn't know Grandmas could lose patience with their sweet granddaughters so quickly. She kept telling me "No! not that way." and "Your stitch is to tight." She would rip out what I did and start it over. Her joy of passing along her craft was soon forgotten. I think she was thrilled when I gave up. She was able to relax and enjoy it again. Every afghan I ever started, she finished. I still have her crocheting needles someplace around here. When I find them, I am going to give it another shot. It wont be the same, since she isn't her to yell at me anymore, but I am determined to complete one on my own in her honor.

Her favorite pattern was "Birds of Paradise", as shown in this picture. She would crochet them in any color you wanted, usually two. I am having one heck of a time finding this pattern online. If anyone has a clue, please leave a comment I would love to see it. Not being a crocheter, I am not sure what all her patterns were called. There was a zig zag, a clamshell, one with long rows and tassels. Many others too. Some of my favorite afghans were the ones that she made from all her left over yarn. Multi colored is an understatement. They ended up pretty funky looking.

She always used Red Heart yarn. She would save the label and search for a certain dye-lot when she needed more. Now I see they have "no dye-lot" yarn. She would have loved that. When she would give someone an afghan she would always include a Red Heart label so they would have the washing instructions. She always said Red Heart held up the best. You didn't get fuzz balls after washing it.

This post is more like a tribute to my Grammy. I couldn't help myself. The joy over the years with her is priceless. Now we have her heirlooms to enjoy and remember her with, and we can still feel her love. You all go out and crochet an afghan for someone special, so they have something to wrap themselves in when they want to have you near. I think I just might go wrap myself in one now. Happy Holidays!

Comments

Posted by: Pam Lenihan on Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Hi Susan, I believe your Grandma's Bird of Paridise pattern is a shell crochet, changing color every row. I loved reading your description of how wrapping up in the afghan was like a hug. I believe thats what she wanted to leave you, unending hugs. Blessings to you.

Some Craft Show Tips

I am writing a few tips for crafters that do shows. These are a few of the things I like to do, to keep up with the competition. They are simple but sometimes forgotten.

• Don't get stuck in a rut. Don't only make things you like. Not everyone shares your tastes. To be productive and profitable, you have to think of what others may like. For instance, I made this wreath. I threw it together with scraps I had laying around. I took it to a craft show and it was the first thing I sold. I wouldn't want it for free. I was shocked. The best part was, the woman who purchased it asked me to hold it for her for a bit. So I put a sold tag on it and kept it on my display. Would you believe I received two more orders for that nasty thing and had to go dig for stuff to make it again. So, in short you never know what people will like. You have to be versatile and willing to try new things.

• Pay attention to new yearly styles and ideas. I like to browse magazines and even store flyers for new ideas. Some of my best sellers were things I saw in magazines, and I would say "Hey I can make that!". Then I would make it for much less and make a great profit. There is nothing wrong with seeing something someone else has made and then making it yourself. You put your own twist in it. It is like receiving a recipe. No matter how many times you make, it will always be a little different each time, and it never tastes like the original.

• You really need to update your inventory. Selling the same thing year after year gets old quick. You have return customers who are looking for that special item that they know only you can make. They tend to find a liking to your style and creativity. They get excited when they know a show is coming up. They can't wait to see what you'll have this time. You can still keep your best sellers around. New customers are always browsing. Try making something that you usually wouldn't tackle, like crochet a baby blanket or knit a scarf. Both of those items would be a challenge for me. It would also keep you from being bored doing the same holiday crafts over and over.

• Another tip for shows, always be courteous and smile. Talk with your customers. It lets them know you care about them and appreciate them. They will come back time after time if you are friendly. Help them find the best gift for someone, or help them in selecting a piece that will suit them. I have had customers like a certain piece but wanted it in another color. I would offer to make it for them and deliver it with in the week. They love the personal service and the care you give them. They are more likely to tell friends and family about that beautiful floral arrangement you made, when you are nice to them. Customer service is key to having a great business.

All this crafting, and writing about it, is really getting me in the mood to do shows again. If I decide to embark on this endeavor again, I will need to find some shows to participate in. Some shows are easy to get in. For instance, local schools and charitable organizations do them as fund raisers. They are easy to get in because they are not always juried. They are usually on a first come first serve basis. The larger juried craft shows can be tough. The organization hosting it will basically judge your work on originality, creativity, and presentation. It usually costs more to be in this type of show, but it is worth it. They tend to draw in a larger crowd and you have the potential for greater profits.

One of my favorite art and craft shows to attend (shop) is the "Christmas in the Country" arts and crafts show in Hamburg, New York. It is spectacular. I was in heaven walking through it. They hold over 400 vendors in 3 different buildings. You need to make a day of it to enjoy everything they have to offer. I never applied for this show (yet) but I know there is a waiting list. I think I should start out small, don't want to be overwhelmed.

For some great craft show information. You should check out the Sunshine Artist Magazine.They give tons of information that every crafter should read, especially if you are doing this as a business. I find it very helpful and full of information. I enjoy reading the reviews for the art and craft shows, and scanning the listings of show dates. If you have any questions for me please leave a comment. I would love to help if I can. Have fun crafting and selling!

Ribbon Angel Craft

Here is a quick and easy craft for all ages. My cousin received one from a friend. I thought it was adorable. Her friend was making them for the Veterans that she visits. She made them in patriotic colors, I believe. The one I saw was made in blue with silver accents. She also had a little note, thanking the Veterans for their service. It was tucked in the bottom loop of the angel. These men and women are truly Angels to us, everyday of the year, not just Christmas. Volunteering for them is a great thing to do. Many Veterans Hospitals can use help, especially around the Holidays.

Well after checking out the angel, I came up with my own way to make it. Very simple, which I like. She sewed a few stitches in the ribbon to keep it together. I don't sew. Give me a glue gun and I rock! I have hot glued hems and ducked taped rips in jeans before. Don't get me wrong, I do sew some things and I do own a sewing machine. (My daughter uses it as a television stand in her room.) I just prefer not too use it. With a little patience, a pipe cleaner, and a glue gun, I had the angel finished in under 5 minutes. No sewing involved.

You can make the angels in any color you chose. There are so many options considering all the types of ribbon out there. The best to use, no matter the color, would be a wired edge ribbon, about 2.5" wide. This helps the angel to hold its shape. You can also decorate it by adding a little floral touch right at the neck or a small bow.

You can hang them on trees or use as gift tags. I will be using them as napkin rings this year for Christmas Eve dinner. I will slip the napkin through the bottom loop and stand them on their plate. Everyone can take one home with them as a little gift. They also make great magnets for the refrigerator. I figured that one out when I stuck a magnet in her skirt to hold it while I took the picture. See, ideas just pop in your head.

I always begin by laying out my supplies and tools. This makes me laugh because it is the only time I am ever organized in my life. There is nothing worse than having to stop in the middle of working on a craft to get something. That drives me crazy.

Supplies:

Ribbon (large and small)

Small glass ornaments

Pipe cleaners

Small floral picks

Tools:

Glue gun

Scissors

I begin measuring and cutting my ribbon. You can make them as big or as small as you like. It's up to you. I made the body 10" and the wings 11". The first thing to do is to make a loop for the body, pinch the two ends together, place a dab of glue in there and wrap it with one end of the pipe cleaner to secure it.

Next, take the piece of ribbon for the wings and overlap it, then pinch the center, and again add a dab of glue, then wrap the pipe cleaner around the wings to secure them to the body. You can follow these steps in the pictures below.

We then add the head, the small glass ornament. Put some glue at the base of the ball by its neck and stick it where the wings and body meet. Wrap the pipe cleaner around the neck once, leaving the pipe cleaner end up in the back. When the head is secure you then take the remaining pipe cleaner and make a loop, then position this over the ball as a halo.

Final step is decorating. You can make a small bow and cover the neck to give it a finished look. I like to add a small floral pick under the bow. I always have to go one step further, I'm to fussy sometimes. Have fun with this part. The little touches make it your own. Everyone will love these and think it took you forever.

With a little guidance children can help make these too. They would be great for arts and crafts in school. The directions are easy enough for them too. Kids love to make things as gifts. They are so proud when you make a fuss over them.

Remember, everything I have made so far can be used for almost every holiday. All you need to do is change the color or theme. These angels would make great Easter gifts, or even favors for a wedding or baby shower. Share your ideas in a comment. I would love to hear what you are doing with them. Happy angel making!

Homemade Christmas Garland

Homemade Christmas Garland

Posted Friday, December 14, 2007 by Susan Bowman

I would like to share with you one of my favorite things to make for holiday decorating. The Christmas Garland, made from fresh greens I gather myself. This is a little more time consuming. It involves gathering, trimming, wiring, and finally decorating. A labor of love for me.

I only make a few pieces of the natural garland for myself. I place it around the front door of my home, my mail box, and my lamp post. I use the fake stuff for everything else. Makes my decorating much easier. I'm just a tad bit lazy sometimes or too busy to fuss.

Here are a few pro's and con's for using fake garland:

Pro's

• I can start my decorating earlier and not have to worry about it dying on me.

• It is easier to add lights to.
  

• It has metal in its branches to wrap the wires and decorations in place.

Con's

• They don't smell good like the natural evergreens.

• After a few years they need replacing because they tend to get out of shape from storage.

• When used outside, the metal wires rust and break.

The greens I use are gathered from around my home. I live in a wooded area and it is easy to find. Most of the greens come from my yard. I don't let my husband trim my trees during the summer so I will have enough to make my garlands. I mainly use the cedar trees and my holly bush that are a part of my landscaping . My holly doesn't have many berries on it. Apparently you need to plant a male and female plant together in order for it to have berries. Luckily, I have nice neighbors. They let me cut theirs. The white pine I use is found in the woods near my home. I can go hike through the woods and cut it. Or, when I am in lazy mode, I go to Lowes and buy it. I also have juniper but it is very picky and I don't like to work with it.


When I have all my greens collected I begin trimming them. I like to cut each piece around the same length so my garland will look uniform when I begin to wire it together. I would say the branches are about 8 inches in length. It doesn't have to be perfect. I keep them in different piles so it is easy to pick up each piece as I add to the garland as I wire it.

Christmas Garland Supplies

Evergreens (Your choice. I chose cedar, white pine, and Holly.)

Lights

Ribbon

Pine cones

Berries (Either artificial or real)

Small red ornaments (Plastic, even though I hate plastic. They are better for outdoor use.)

Tools:

Spool wire

Wire cutters

Trimming shears

Scissors

Gardening gloves

Now that I am set up and organized, I am ready to begin. My first step is to pick up a nice full piece of cedar. I hold it in my hand, pretty side up (they all have pretty sides). I then wrap my wire around the end a few times. Next I add a piece of the white pine, wrap the wire around a few times. Next is a piece of holly. As you add each piece you will see that you can add more than one piece to each layer to make it fuller. As you go, you add each piece or layer, up a little further on the end and keep wrapping. You will gradually give it length doing this over and over again. It is important to wrap the wire around tight in order to hold it together. It gets very heavy, depending on how much you add. When you hang it up, the weight will stretch the wire and it will pull apart if you don't use enough.

The length you need depends on where you are hanging it. When I hang it around my door, I measure from the bottom of my door frame to the top and halfway over to the other side. I make two this size. When I have them made, I hang them from the center of my door frame over to each side. I have nails I hook this on. (My husband couldn't believe I could hammer 3" penny nails into the siding of my house. He thinks I am crazy.) Where it meets in the center I overlap it and wire it together. I then add a bow giving it a finished look. I use outdoor red velvet ribbon for this.

OK, with that said, I made a mistake this year. I made mine too short and I was way to lazy to take down my garlands from the house. So, in order to give it a finished look. I made a swag with the greens. I put a bow in the middle and added that over my door. You will see that in the pictures that follow.

The swag is made the same way you make the garland. You wire together the various greens and continue adding them until you reach the desired length. When you have both sides finished, you wire them together, end to end, and add the bow in the middle, where you wired it together.

Decorating your garland is the fun part. You can do this before you hang them up or after. Whatever is easier for you. I do it when it is hanging up so I can see exactly where I want the decorations. I start decorating my garlands with the lights. I wire them into place where needed. Next I add the berries, here and there, giving a natural look to it. I then wire in a few pine cones. Being lazy again, I bought the pine cones. I can find them almost any place in the woods. I like to buy them since they are dried and ready to go. I found them at KMart this time. My next step will be weaving the red velvet ribbon through it. After the ribbon I add some ornaments for a little bit of glitz.

To finish this presentation of my home, I add a wreath to my door. The wreath is an artificial one. I decorate it to match my garlands. Now it is done and ready to enjoy. You will get the hang of it as you go. It does get easier. It is truly something you can brag about. If you have any questions please feel free to leave a comment. I will be happy to respond to you with an email.

Happy decorating!

The following pictures show me wiring the garlands and different stages of assembly as described above.

A Traditional Kissing Ball

A Traditional Kissing Ball

Posted Saturday, December 8, 2007 by Susan Bowman

The Kissing Ball is a lovely time honored tradition. It dates back to the eighteenth-century English and was made of mistletoe. The use of mistletoe dates back even further to the ancient Celtic Druids. Over time, the Kissing Ball has become a lovely decoration used for all occasions. You can find them anytime of the year decorated for the season or that special day, like a wedding. I have made these covered in daisies for little flower girls to carry in weddings. For this post I will be making one for Christmas, 'Tis the Season!



I can make a very easy one by buying a kissing ball already made of silk greens and just adding decorations to it, or from scratch so to speak, starting from the base. I chose to make it from scratch. That way I can truly say, "I made this all by myself," which gives me a sense of pride. It makes me feel good to know others are enjoying the things I make for them. I love to see the joy that a simple handmade item can bring someone. This particular Kissing Ball is going to be a gift for a friend of mine from England. I think she will enjoy having one here in the States. I hope it makes her feel at home.

Kissing Ball Supplies

1 Styrofoam Ball (4" in diameter. Chose the size of your Styrofoam ball carefully. They get big fast.)

Spanish moss

Greening pins

Evergreens (silk)

Christmas floral bush

Berries

Ribbon

Tools:

Glue gun

Spool wire

Scissors

Wire cutters

I was going to use natural florals for this project; but since I decided to give it as a gift, I don't want it to dry up and fall apart on her. To begin, gather up your supplies. We will be using a Styrofoam ball as a base, Spanish moss, various silk Christmas greens, ribbon, floral picks, and berries.

A tip to make it easier to handle is to place your ball in a glass or mug to hold it steady.This will keep it from rolling away from you so you can work on it. I cheat. After the ribbon is attached, I tie it to my bakers rack where it can hang while I decorate it.

First step is to make a loop of ribbon to be attached at the top of your ball. I like to glue it in and use the floral pins also, to make sure it is secure enough for hanging. After you add all your decorations, the ball does tend to have some weight to it. You don't want it to come off after you finish all that work.

Next step is to cover the ball in Spanish moss. Secure the moss in place using the pins. If you cover it in hot glue, it is next to impossible to stick anything in it when decorating because the glue gets very hard once it cools.

Begin adding your greens, spacing out the different types to cover the ball evenly. You don't need to cover it completely because you are still going to decorate this. You can make it completely round with every piece being the same length, or make it a little more stylish with different lengths of greens. I go a little more stylish. After you add all your greens, hang the ball up and make sure it hangs correctly and it has the look you want.

When finished adding your greens, you can begin to decorate your ball. If you are adding a bow, save that for last. It usually gets messed up and dirty from handling. Add your decorations one item at a time, placing them evenly throughout. This will ensure symmetrical placement of the items, and the ball will look fabulous when done.

After adding all your decorations to the ball, hang it again, making sure everything is balanced. If so, then you are finished. See. Easy. And you did it all by yourself. Way to go! Enjoy!

Check out the different steps below.

A Christmas Wreath Recipe

Posted Friday, December 7, 2007 by Susan Bowman

We have all seen wreaths throughout the year on doors of many homes. Wreaths have many purposes, decorative being the most popular, but there is actually a history. Wreath history goes back to ancient times, beginning with fabric headbands adorned with jewels, or wreaths of laurel leaves being used to crown victors of Olympic Games. Another is the advent wreath for religious celebrations. For this post we are going to stick with the use of Evergreens symbolizing the continuance of life through the winter. We will be using silk flowers for this floral arrangement, so you can enjoy it year after year.

I love making wreaths as gifts for friends and family. They are very easy and very pretty. You can make an expensive looking wreath for a few dollars. I like to shop around for my supplies hitting the local Craft Stores for their sales. A.C. Moores, Jo Ann Fabrics and Michael's are my usual stops. Michael's has a better quality silk flower. It's a little more expensive, but their wreaths are usually on sale for $2.50 which is very cool.

To begin, I always gather up my supplies and tools to be a bit organized. This wreath will be basic red and green with a little touch of gold. I always like to mention, BE CAREFUL! The glue is very hot and can cause burns. I like to keep a bowl of ice water next to me when I am using my glue gun. If it gets on you, quickly dip hand or fingers in bowl. It takes the heat away quickly, reducing the degree of the burn. I have scars from hot glue accidents. Not pretty. I have actually dipped my glued up fingers in my cold drink before when I forgot my ice water. Another glue stick tip: when finished making your item, go over it with the hair dryer. This eliminates the spider webs from the glue.

Basic Wreath Recipe

1 Wreath (24")

1 Silk Poinsettia Bush

Ribbon (Wired is the best in my opinion. It holds its shape.)

Glass Christmas Ornaments (I prefer glass to plastic because there are no seams in them that make them look cheap.)

Berries or Floral Picks

Lights (optional)


Tools:

Scissors

Wire Cutters

Glue gun or pot (I use a glue pot when I am making many items and have a lot of gluing and sticking to do.)

Spool Wire

I like to keep to a specific theme or color, not all thrown together so your eye can focus on it without being pulled in to many directions. I begin with the bow. I make mine by hand, very easy with a little practice, that will be another post on its own. After I make the bow and attach it to the wreath, I set out my florals, ornaments, berries or floral pics. I start by cutting apart my Poinsettia bush, leaving at least 2 inches of stem under the flower to glue into the wreath. I glue in the Poinsettias first since they are the largest item. Then I add my next set of items like the floral picks then the glass ornaments and so on. When I am finished gluing in all my pieces, I add a string of 50 white mini lights to it. This is easy to do. With the plug end at the top by the bow, I weave the lights around the decorations, making my way around the wreath. I finish the lights back at the top, where I began. I always add my lights after I decorate so they are easy to remove when they need to be replaced. Lights are optional, some people don't care for them. When that is finished, I add some extra ribbon through it to bring it all together. Very easy and very elegant.

It is a great gift for friends and family. You can find out what they like and what colors they are using in their home to decorate and make the wreath to complement what they already have. Different themes work well also. Enjoy!

The following pictures show the different steps.