homegrown wreath for the front door

Two years ago I happened upon this video showing how to make a wreath; I bought a large frame and green wire just like she uses there. but never got around to it that year. Last season I intended to make a wreath, but we had more snow than I wanted to wade through. This year I also was looking for an opportunity.

The library's been closed this week, getting new carpet. I took the week off but many of my co-workers are there in the back room working on a project, and we decided to have our Christmas party in there today.

After a string of sunny days today was overcast and it began lightly snowing before we started out; when I got home I had enough of that holiday feeling from the snow and the party, and I was already in my boots and jacket - I decided to go out and cut some greenery around the yard for a wreath.

I had to force myself - I didn't know what I was doing. Making my way around the property I cut mostly arbor vitae and some yew. I was happy to see the azalea leaves which gave a different reddish blackish tinge and across the brook was a patch of a broad leafed evergreen that I think the birds must have planted, with leaves that are small, glossy and dark. It may be inkberry - we used to have one of those shrubs.

I really liked the evergreen above but could hardly reach it; I didn't want to slip into the brook.

I brought my collection inside and began with the method described in the video,

running out about two thirds of the way through and having to go back out, but I finished! I searched through the pretty ribbon and found a beautiful red length with gold edges to fill in one small sparse area. It's on the front door now!

I love it! Tomorrow I want to go back out to look for some berries or bits of color I can stick in here or there. But it's just the kind of thing I like - sort of undone and natural looking.