My Happy Place

The wonderful gift of creativity is given to us long before we get here, and those of us who have it, certainly know it. The very first recollection of my creative self began at the age of four when I began playing piano, and later, graduating to organ and songwriting. Since then, however, I have become devoted to one single craft. I have found my happy place through making wreaths.

We are special, make no mistake about that. Crafty people, like us, will always have their very own “happy place!” My wreath-making is a daily obsession of which I am not the least bit ashamed. I work tirelessly on my wreaths well into the night until the weight of my eyelids overtake me. When the sun silently knocks, shining into my bedroom window the following morning, the excitement starts all over again. There is always a new level of excitement on the horizon just wondering what can I do in the new day that is different from what was done the day before. I am always trying to think of new and innovative ideas to make my wreaths more creative. No doubt, this is part of the thrill (for me) that comes along with wreath-making.

We have all gone through a lot in the past year or so. Because of the pandemic, people have lost homes, jobs, and worse, family members and friends. The pandemic has caused us to shelter-in-place and do things we’ve never done before. When I first started working on these projects, I began with Dollar store supplies. I quickly realized that I needed something better. My one-dollars scissors just weren’t “cutting it”. 😁 I went to my trusty Walmart and found a Fiskars craft package that included a self-healing mat, a rotary cutter, a pair of “snips”, a thread remover, and a beautiful pair of purple scissors. The difference in the speed (and quality) of my work was like night and day!

I watched YouTube videos day in and day out until I became confident and proficient in my new skill. Oh! I almost forgot to tell you, in addition to the “thrill of the skill”, I must let you know that there is an added benefit to wreath making. It is also incredibly serene, peaceful, and therapeutic, a very important piece of life these days. One of the wreaths high on my therapeutic list is one that I make with plastic table cloths. Yep, that’s right, plain, simple, plastic tablecloths. While it requires patience, the end result is another aesthetically beautiful creation that will make you stand back, put your hands on your hips and smile.

I know you’re wondering how it’s done, so here goes. The biggest requirement for tablecloth wreaths is a “great” pair of scissors. Leave the tablecloth folded, length wise, just as it comes out of the bag from the store. Cut it down the center. Now you have two pieces. Cut these two pieces down the center as well. Now you have four pieces. Once this is done, fold all of these cut strips and cut them in half. (The end pieces will require cutting again because they have a folded edge from the initial factory fold, but you can wait on that until later). You will now need to cut the tops and bottoms of these strips, at an angle, to form a point. You can also cut them into a half moon, if you prefer. Now begins your exercise in patience by tying all these pieces onto your wreath form. That great pair of scissors I mentioned earlier? “This” is the project that requires them to prove their worthiness.

I have names for all of my wreaths, because they are so special to me. So without further ado, I will present to you one of my favorites, “Anytime Sunshine” (yes, you guessed it, the yellow wreath) and a few of her friends. Isn’t she beautiful? Yes, this is my “happy place.” While wreath making may not be for you, I challenge you to pick up “your” scissors, find “your” happy place, and “Create Your Happiness!” You will be more than glad that you did. I promise you, It’s there!