a homemade christmas wreath

Somethings in the air this season. I'm feeling really crafty. And creative. And ready to play. So on Tuesday during Elsie's nap, I took Ivar outside to gather pine branches to make a Christmas wreath. 

I have made a wreath one time before, when we lived out in Montana. It was at the Advent Retreat at Flathead Lutheran Bible Camp and though I remember having made a wreath, I didn't remember the technique at all, But I did remember that I thought it was easy enough that I boasted I would never have to purchase a wreath again. 

And I'd say that again. It is pretty easy, but it is also very prickly. 

I didn't have a wire base to built my wreath on, but I did have two wire hangers from the dry cleaners. Keeping the hooks as they were (so handy for hanging later!), I just bent the triangles into circles and then used wire to tie them about an inch apart to provide a bit of a wider foundation.

I also didn't have green floral wire. But I did have white string. I started by tying my bottom most layer and then adding more and more. By the end, I was able to tuck little pieces in strategically so that I covered up the white string. The wire would have made it a whole lot easier, but it turned out great! And for the bargain price of zero dollars, I'd say this was a great afternoon project.

 ...and check out this sweet picture from that Advent Retreat in Montana. We lived out in Montana for a winter while I wrote my masters thesis and Rory wrote his weather software. Annika and Jedd lived in the cottage at the Bible Camp and we lived in the nurses cabin. It was a dreamy six months, living on Flathead Lake, sharing most suppers with Annika and Jedd, and spending my afternoons and evenings with my adorable nieces. What a dream! And seven years later I am so glad we lived so fully and so freely before we started a family. What a sweet season to have shared.