The Christmas songs are playing on the radio, there is deep snow on the ground - ooo its lovely.
I have been out to my studio to finish something off. So thought I would show you in case you think that on the days I am not posting, I am lounging on my sofa with a glass of sherry in my hand, stuffing my face with chocolates, and pulling crackers.
On Friday afternoon, rather recklessly I went out in all the snow to a workshop in a village about 12 miles from here. The day before I had been out in the snow, and sleet gathering foliage, got soaked to the skin, chilled to the bone, and pricked by ivy. I packed my car the night before - so what the heck!
Sadly I could only stay an hour and a half as the conditions were so bad that I wanted to drive home whilst it was still light.
Its proving to be a bit difficult to photograph.
I only have a little lounge and only one table
You can get the idea of it though can't you. It's a wreath - with a bit of a modern twist to it.
I did a lot of the preparation work whilst there which took most of the time.
The hour and a half to be precise.
Cutting 8 twigs 2ft long, and cutting dozens coloured stick into tiny bits.
Then on two long lengths of wire, I had the tedious task of winding the wire three times one way, then in reverse, then twisting it around on itself before adding the next one. (I felt like 'life's too short to faffing about doing this'!. It really made my fingers sore, and I am not sure that it adds anything to the arrangement - but I always do as I am told - and it's the 'in thing' this year.
So I have been making the wreath at home. With fresh foliage, wild holly which I sprayed here and there with gold. Some box hedge, holly, conifer, and pittosporum from the garden. Silk poinsettias (in the place of red roses which is like finding chickens teeth in the wilds of Norfolk)
I have improvised madly with what I could find, gold ribbon to create 'roses', gold beads, a few sprayed nuts and cones, and a candle in the middle to finish if off.
Next came the hard part of creating a 'tepee' of twigs, then swirling the wired little coloured twigs around - clockwise then anti-clockwise. Then taking apart a decoration to wire the 'bauble's' to finish it off.
(I took this last night by the light of the Christmas tree - minus the fruit etc.)
It actually looks lovely on the table with nuts and fruit around it, with the snowy backdrop of the garden behind it - but it proved impossible to take a photo of it like that as the bright snow made the arrangement look dark and in shadow.
I have been making more presents which I can't post - and am now off cooking!
