This was today's project. I'm lucky I can still type with all the rose pricks to my fingers! Before I had my lampshade business I was always up to some crafty project. Now, they seem to be few and far between. Being creative ALL day on my work days (how lucky) does often mean I do other things on my day off, besides antiquing and flea marketing. It's been a bunch of years since I have made these wreaths. I used to sell them, but now I'd only ever make one for my mom. I think I'd have to sell them for at least $300.... many hours but so beautiful.
Best laid plans. Last Wednesday was my day off and I was to make my rosehip wreath, but the power went out. No glue gun, no computer, no refrigerator noise, no hot tub noise. It was delightful. Earlier in the morning Ziggy and I headed out to the fields with clippers and big bag in hand in search of the wild rose hips. I had an early massage to work the kinks out of my overworked shoulders and home to make the wreath. NO such luck. Wind was howling, trees down, things flying around the yard. Off the power went. Nice I think. Okay, a little reading and a nap! perfect chill day.
I was between books. What to read after the Swedish Thrillers, my book group was taking December off. So I picked up Phillip Ackerman-Leist's new book, Up Tunket Road, the education of a modern homesteader, pub. by Chelsea Green, 2010. How appropriate to read right after the power clicked off. Phillip is a beautiful writer and an super nice guy, but gosh, I could never live up there w/o all the things we take for granted. It was a a blast for one day, but....... Tunket Road is a beautiful piece of Pawlet, VT. where I live. I haven't finished his book, but learned so many cool tidbits of knowlege of the land. I read as long as my eyes could take the candles.
To make the wreath: I gathered as many rose hips as I could find, grabbed a couple of strands of wild grape vines and grabbed my glue gun from the shop. This ISN'T an easy project but it is lots of fun especially if you like tedious, long projects like me. Crazy, huh? You could always buy a base, either grape vine or a wire base. I've done that before. I wound the vines around into a small wreath. Then I started weaving the rose hips into the vines. I did have a glue gun on hand for stubborn vines that needed a little extra hold.
Keep working around the wreath building up the berries. I'd say the more the better. I stripped back the thorns with my hands. Yikes you'll get jabbed a few times..... sorry to say. A little acupuncture. Keep turning and finding spots to add more. I'd say it probably took 4 hours.... A cup of tea and a little food channel..... I never watch daytime tv, but was sort of fun today. Wouldn't be doing that at Up Tunket....
now the hard part will be to ship it....
And what to do with the extra berries. I enjoy making garlands at Christmas. I usually make either boxwood or princess pine garlands to decorate the mantel or around the table. So I figured it might work with the rest of the berries. I had some green floral wire, my clippers and started in by wrapping a few together and adding more berries and ouch, I scream as my husband is snoozing watching golf... more acupuncture, must be good for the circulation.
A new holiday tradition is born.
A start to my holiday decorating. And the only cost was one glue stick! The rest came for my yard!
Very nice :)
Posted by: Brooke | 10/28/2011 at 08:40 AM