Wreathing the Time Away

The cold winter months bring boredom to all who find themselves stuck inside but finding a hobby which includes creating something beautiful and being able to use it for gifts throughout the year can bring much joy and activity to an individual who find themselves idle in the cold months.  The hobby I chose to fill my spare time is designing wreaths. 

A couple of years ago I found my mind preoccupied with anxiety and felt like I was losing my sense of self with my new lifestyle of being a stay at home mom who once was busy with work projects to keep me and social outlets to keep my mind active.  Not that being a stay at home mommy is easy and not full of work, but I needed an outlet to express myself.  I felt like I needed a way to separate myself and produce something tangible.  I decided to tap into my creative side and make autumn wreaths after assisting my creative friend who owned a floral shop and interior design business the Valentines prior. 

My mind recalled the beautiful fall shades the trees possess in the mountains when my family travels to upstate New York from North Carolina in September or October for the basic colors in my wreath.  I had my mind set and went to the local craft store and to my luck all fall floral was half-off.  I realized the trick to making this new hobby affordable is finding coupons in the local paper and making sure the craft store is having a sale on their flowers and foliage.  Now I must interject this is the first real hobby involving craft and design appeal.

However, after purchasing my flowers and foliage I felt excited to start my new project.  I put my baby to sleep and began my new project.  It took me awhile cutting the flowers using regular scissors before realizing they were not going to cut it, and I needed a special tool. I then decided to visit unfamiliar territory, my husband’s huge toolbox with six different drawers, which to my surprise seemed extremely organized, wishing that he kept his desk as tidy.  I found some heavy-duty cable cutters that worked out perfectly to cut the wires in the stem of the flowers.  I was on my way and began poking and prodding the foliage and stems into my twig wreath ending with the final product, which I took great pleasure in hanging on my front door.  I received many compliments on my first craft and seasonal hobby I would be undertaking, making four additional ones after my mom requested two for the church doors, and my two sisters requesting one.  They paid me for supplies and extra cash for my time, which gave me a little mad money resulting in gratification for earning money, and fulfillment in my individuality. 

I then went on to make Christmas wreaths and this year I will take on my first spring wreaths adding all the beautiful colors of North Carolina springs.  I have decided to make one for my mother-in-law, sisters and mom for an Easter gift.  I found having this hobby and outlet gave me something to look forward to and fulfilled the extra time in my thought process previously used to worry about everything and anything that could happen to my son or family.