All round creative junkie

I find wreaths odd. For me they represent funerals. Looking back, I’d say that nearly all of the funerals have been to have taken place in the run up to Christmas or just into the New Year. Cold, bleak and sad.

Until now I’ve always had a shiver run down my spine when I see wreath and never understood why people put funeral wreaths on their doors for Christmas.

I’m still not entirely sure if wreaths are produced all year round for funerals, or if they’re only used at funerals around Christmas as they are in abundance in the florists. I should look into it really.

Things may have changed this year though. I decided to run some Christmas Upcycling workshops at The Nest Cafe and Community Rooms, taking unloved decorations and turning them into fabulous new ones. I wanted to demonstrate how you could use coat hangers, old baubles, coffee sacks, tinsel and fabric remnants to create alternative wreaths and decorations. All of the christmas materials were sourced from St Oswalds charity shop in Low Fell. Added to my endless box of ribbons and buttons from Hobbycraft and coloured jute from RE Found Objects in Corbridge, and lots of glitter paint from Rustoleum these are the results of a few hours fun.

After starting with the usual comments of “I’m not very creative you know…” they all went home with amazing creations. See the baubles they created here.

A few of my other favourites are these below. Great examples of upcycling at Christmas!

This beautiful burlap one is from Sarah Ward at Delaney Designs. A fellow #Upcycledhour member on twitter. More about #upcycledhour coming soon!

I love this tin can wreath from Home Talk  and the cork one is genius for the wine lovers out there from Recyclart .

So I think I may have changed my opinion on wreaths at Christmas. Maybe they are for fun and not just for funerals after all.

Merry Christmas  x