A new week, a new month, and the beginning of the holiday season! What comes to mind first for you when you think of the holidays?
For me, for more years than I can tally, November and December mean Making Christmas Wreaths. I have had my own flower arranging and wreath business since I was 14. Each Fall I would spend weeks producing and selling my creations at craft shows and to businesses that decorated for the holidays. Last year, when I had a 2 month old baby, was the only year I’ve ever skipped. I made just one wreath. 🙂 But most years I make dozens and dozens. And yards and yards of garlands. And roping. And door swags. Oh, and some cold, hard cash!
This year Jeremy and I have decided to try to make some extra money around the holiday season to save toward our goal of purchasing our next vehicle without going into debt. We live in grape country – there are wineries everywhere, and they like to decorate for their holiday rush, which usually comes in mid-November. So we’ve been going around to all the local wineries with a sample wreath and a price list, to take orders.
Last week I made follow-up phone calls to confirm orders. This week we’ll begin gathering materials and making wreaths, to be delivered by the 14th. I have been cooking freezer meals in advance so that we can still have yummy dinners on the days I will working all day.
In some ways I dislike a seasonal business that calls for so much energy for a certain period of time, but I am VERY grateful for the skills I acquired as a teen that enable me to help support my husband now. I’m also glad the businesses we cater to celebrate Christmas early – we’ll be done with all of this by December and then I can embrace the holidays with my family!
All that to say, if the blog is a little quieter this month than it has been, it’s ’cause my fingers are too covered in pine sap to get near the keyboard! For a Tutorial on making your own Christmas wreaths, check out this post.
Lovely Trina! The past couple of years I've started making wreathes for family (skipped last year 'cause out of town), and I really look forward to trying it again this year. Of course I don't have your expertise….It is wonderful that you can do that. I keep getting people asking me if I'm going to get a job. (sigh) Can't they just let me be a wife? That's the way Allen likes it anyway.
If I lived nearby I would definitely buy one of your wreaths! I'm confident they are uber elegant and I have quite the fetish for wreaths.
Hope you're having a great November! 🙂
Amanda G~
New layout!! I like it 🙂 I actually thought about putting my sidebar on the left when I moved to my current layout..
It's awesome that you can earn money at holiday time – though I understand the frustration of trying to get everything done in such a short amount of time. I used to make quick breads for the people in the office where my Dad worked. Everyone wanted so much and I was trying to make it turn out…. baking late at night and getting so tired that I wanted to not even care if the middle was gooey or not. But it was great experience for me!
OOOOHHH! It was the image going to the top all the time that infuriated me to tears! Only kidding… but I had no idea you could drag it around. I'm really going to have some fun now!
Thanks so much, Trina.
O.K. – I've wanted to place photos within my text like this SINCE I STARTED BLOGGING! Who knew it was so easy? You know what did it? I had my techy husband looking over my shoulder. 🙂
I uploaded a photo with the add image option while I was writing the post. I chose the small size, and justified it left or right – it gives you a choice, and I uploaded them one ata time so I could have one of each. Once it loads, it appears always at the top of the post. And I realized that if I click on the image, I can drag it to wherever I want in the post!
Hope that makes sense – I can't believe I am helping you now! 🙂
Hey Trina! It's my turn to pick your brain! You know that pic you justified to the right? I've been trying to get blogger to do that forever and I finally gave up. What's your secret?
Is it just the new template? It's such a pretty blue.