Cone Garland

A woodland home, or basket in this case, is not complete without pine cone garlands!  This is an easy project that takes no time at all.  You'll need plenty of cones of varying shapes and sizes, bind wire (or the green twisty-tie wire usually found in garden stores), a drill with a drill bit slightly larger than the diameter of the wire, and beads to be used as spacers.  Some pointers as you create your own: If you use closed Spruce cones (see right cone in bottom photo), leave plenty of room on the wire to allow them to open.  The middle photo shows how the cones will twist on the wire and face in different directions if you don't leave room.  If you're especially particular about creating the most perfect garland, pay close attention to the curve of the long Spruce cones in determining where to drill the holes.  Most importantly, have fun!  Share the experience of creating the garland, or give it as a gift!

Personalized Christmas - Birdseed Bags

Since Thanksgiving is not at our home this year, my mind has shot straight to Christmas - gifts in particular.  Did last Christmas catch you off guard too?  The things I brought home from the stores... ufda!  This year, Christmas preparations began in August.  Hopefully the gifts this time around will be a hit!

This year's Christmas gifts will be all things homemade.  Green tomatoes from our garden cooked and canned into Green Tomato Relish.  Sunflower seeds grown just outside our back door will mix with bird seed for each family's personalized bird seed bag which were also homemade.

The first of many, I had to try out the hair-brained idea of birdseed bags with our last name.  After that first bag, I listed them in my Etsy store Wildwood Floral to see if anyone would buy them.  Wouldn't you know it, the next day I had an order!

Ready, set, GO!

Seventy-nine bags cut out - an accomplishment worthy of a photo!

Mom's old sewing machine still going strong!  A gift from her dad when she was my age, this is one of my favorite gifts from her.

The weekend was spent holed up in the basement, covered from ears to toes in burlap fuzz.  Seventy-nine bags and fifteen orders later, I still love them!

Now instead of counting down the days until Christmas in fear of finding the perfect gifts, I can't wait for it to come!