Week of Wreaths

 

Front Door Wreath

This wreath cost me $6 to make! I already had the pre-lit wreath that I bought a few years ago but had never used. I found all the decorative accents, including the sparkly "D" at Walmart in their Christmas Shop. Check it out at http://www.walmart.com/cp/christmas-decor/633379

While planning my Christmas decor for my new house I searched "the mother land" http://www.marthastewart.com/ for ideas and inspiration. She of course had 41 wreath ideas to choose from. I already have a jingle bell wreath that I love and thought making them as gifts would be a nice idea. As in most family's gift ideas get more difficult every year so rather than do the unthinkable and repeat a gift from Christmas past I decided homemade is the way to go. Something thoughtful, made just for them. To make Martha's jingle bell wreath head to http://www.marthastewart.com/good-things/jingle-bell-wreaths

I decided to make my own version of this wreath with large red and silver jingle bells I purchased at Walmart. I used 20 gauge floral wire since I was working with the larger size bells. I found Noel ribbon in my craft box and my wreath was born.

Due to lighting the bells look gold but I assure you they are silver and red. In total this wreath cost $11 to make and I love it so much I just may have to make one for myself too!

The third and final wreath of the week is the glass ball wreath, also inspired by the wonderful Martha. The instructions for this wreath are found at http://www.marthastewart.com/article/glass-ball-wreath?backto=true&backtourl=/photogallery/holiday-wreaths#slide_24

I chose this wreath to hang on the large gold mirror in my dining room. I purchased gold, silver and red shatter proof balls to coordinate with the rest of my Christmas decor. This was the most expensive( approx $15), time consuming and difficult of the three wreaths but it was absolutely worth it. My best tip is to make sure you have ALL the necessary supplies before sitting down to make it. I made three trips to the store since I underestimated how many ball ornaments it would take. Have all your tools organized, pour yourself a cup of tea( or better yet a banana smoothie: recipe below), or even better still... a Cadillac margarita ;). Turn on some tunes and don't rush. Patience is key for this wreath. Take my advice and you will be very happy with your finished product.

I skipped the step of covering the wreath form with seam binding so from the side you can slightly see it. Looking head on it's not noticeable. If I make one of these again I will opt to spray painting the form with glitter paint.

Banana Smoothie

• 1 banana, sliced
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1 cup ice
• 1 tsp vanilla

Blend first three ingred's. Add vanilla while blending. Finished when smooth.

Enjoy!

The Nana Afghan

This is my Nana ( and Bubba), my Father's parents. Growing up my Nana was always crocheting. She made all sorts of items including baby clothes, baby doll clothes, and of course afghans. She often used multi color yarn or stripes and when it came to color, the brighter the better!

Last spring break the kids and I headed down to Calabash, NC to visit with my Aunt Kathy( my dad's sister) at her beach house.  I knew my aunt also crocheted and was hoping I could get my paws on some of my Nana's old patterns. Unfortunately she didn't have any of them but she did have an afghan pattern that she often used. It was also very similar to the pattern Nana used for afghans. Thus beginning my ripple afghan project.

My biggest hurdle with crochet or knitting is that I am a perfectionist. I can be 50 inches into a 72 inch scarf and if I think my gauge is a little off I will rip the entire thing out and start all over in an instant. My aunt shared a Nana story that quite possibly reveals where this trait comes from.-  One day a niece of Nana's came over with a king size afghan that she was very proud of and wanted to show off to her. After looking it over Nana noticed that her ripples were a bit off and made her undo the entire thing and start over. Maybe my urges to rip out imperfections and start over is just my Nana keeping me in my place.

With moving, summer vacation and getting the kids back to school I am finally back to work on my "Nana Afghan". I'm planning on making some in a baby size to sell in my etsy shop. Completing a large one is no small task and not one I see taking on anytime soon... once I've completed this one!