Styling the Season – December

Styling the Seasons, by Apartment Apothecary and Lotts and Lots :“Reflect the change of seasons and show those changes in your own home, by styling any surface (shelf, dining table, mantelpiece) with something you like to reflect the new month and what it means to you”

I have wanted to make my own wreath for years. I am not an early Christmas decorator and a wreath seems like the perfect advent adornment to gently welcome in the festive season. It’s just always been one of those things that I’ve had to put to one side and just haven’t had enough time. I always vow to book a workshop, but as well as being ouchingly expensive I just haven’t managed to fit it in.

I’ve recently joined a new WI and so was delighted when December’s meeting was a wreath making demonstration and a chance to make your own. We all bought our materials with us and then shared whatever was left. Add to that some Christmas nibbles and it was the perfect evening.

I toyed with many ideas for what I wanted my wreath to include, orange slices, cinnamon sticks, gold pine cones, berries, but as the evening drew nearer and my Pinterest searches more frequent I decided I wanted a really simple, green design.

I insisted on a family foraging trip to our local woods, an awesome little advent activity too, where the two smaller children collected pine cones and MM, armed with his knife and I collected fir, pine and holly offcuts. I then bought half a bunch of eucalyptus and some Rosemary as I knew I wanted both to feature.

Getting started was the hardest part, but once I got going I found more confidence and love the end result. There are a few pine cones, some larger holly leaves and lots of pine. I think I could have done with adding a little more, in fact I still could, but I love the paired down green and silver look to it. I want to stop everyone who comes to the house and say “I made that!”

This is definitely going to be an annual thing, especially now I know how easy and effective it is.