I'm really trying to get the holiday spirit started up here. I keep blog hopping and can't believe the amazing efforts of so many. Dizzying. Can't help thinking about taking it all down and putting it away in a few weeks. All that art-making last week didn't do much for the jolly, jolly part. Or it didn't last long enough. Or something. But I have a few friends that I like to create for at holiday time...that almost always works. Scrolling through my old images I ran across this wreath I made for Suzanne a few years ago. She is a marvelous cook...food-writer...chef....teacher...caterer. Her kitchen is one of those huge, rambling 100 year+ old farmhouse rooms with a wood-burning stove, comfy couch full of teenagers, husband Tom's knock-out driftwood mobiles twirling in the air, Watson wagging his friendly tail, best-ever magazine baskets, big windows and doors to the deck, kids' art and family snapshots everywhere you look, chunky wood beams, long counters full of bookbags and stools for hanging out on....and always something delicious and magazine-worthy in the works on the stove!
Even though it is a holiday wreath, it hangs in there all year long which makes me proud. (I think she should take the Santa ornament off now.) So glad she likes it that much. It's pretty easy to make and if you have time to hit the thrift store or clean out a junk drawer, maybe make one for a foodie-friend. There are lots of funky, vintagey food tools out there in the shop's backroom kitchen bins. A big dishtowel tied in a knotty bow with a spoon through it is a good finish after you wire on a bunch of kitchen gadgets. And then a holiday recipe card or an ornament hanging off one side is nice too. On my website I wrote about doing this with baby things...maybe for a nursery door. Maggie and I were just talking about making one with old tools for the workshop door. Yeah, let's decorate the workshop...what about the living room?
Anyway, those grapevine wreath shapes come in all sizes and are so cheap and sturdy...no end to ideas. But what am I going to make for Suzanne this year? Still no clue. Feel free to comment with suggestions.
xo C