In the beginning…

I have been just itching to make something with my lavender since I started harvesting it a couple of weeks ago.  I knew I wasn’t going to have the time to make lavender wands. It had to be a relatively quick and easy project.  Since my wreath from last year was fading a bit, I decided another wreath was in order.  I made two different style wreaths last year, but I didn’t want to do the same again this year.

One of last year’s wreaths

Where did we go for ideas before Pinterest??? What an amazing site to visit!  I perused the site a few times, and the one thing that stuck in my head was using greenery of some sort with the lavender.  I wanted to get the wreath made quickly, without spending a lot of time looking for items to add to it.  I actually stumbled upon the greenery in my garden.  Oh I know, that is terrible to admit.  It is an herb of some sort that we don’t use, and it is totally neglected.  I think it is thyme.  (shhh, don’t mention to anyone that I don’t know what herb it is)  😉

Lavender wreath in progress…

I had to start with taking the old wreath apart. I wasn’t sure if I was going to keep some of it or not.  But as I fumbled through ideas of how I was going to make it, I decided to take it all apart.

Lavender with herbs and roses and Spanish Moss

To make the wreath, I pin small bunches of items to the frame with metal pins that are “u” shaped. You simply push them into the straw-framed wreath base. I find the pins to be the easiest way to attach things.  I used a lot more Spanish Moss this year, to completely cover the base.  Most of the roses are my favorite type and most fragrant: Rosa Jacques Cartier (1868).  There are a few of the Pink Peace hybrid tea rose and Queen Elizabeth Floribunda Rose, too.  I was experimenting to see which type dried best.  I still think it is the Rosa Jacques Cartier, although they are quite tiny.

finished wreath and all the mess on my table

The little bouquets of lavender are tied together with raffia and then pinned to the base.  I wanted it to be easy to make (kinda mentioned that a few times already). So I decided to start with a basic pattern.  I had enough greenery to alternate it with the lavender.  Those happen to be all of the roses I dried earlier this summer.  It was just enough, which was lucky for me!

hangin’ on our kitchen wall

My 14 year old daughter was the first to see it and exclaimed that she really liked it.  Phew! It passed the first test of family approval! It was nice to hear she liked it, too.

I couldn’t do it without my lavender!

Besides, it will be hanging on our kitchen wall and we’re all going to be looking at it for a while.  Better to make something we all like…

Lavender with cornflower

My lavender has been buzzing like crazy this week.  There are so many bees!  And a few butterflies.  I’m glad I didn’t harvest all of it.  Plus I hate loosing that pretty purple in the garden.

Using an egg cup made of pottery.

I have lavender all over the house at this stage.  Lots of it is still drying out. I have quite a few large vases filled with lavender, and a couple of tiny vases, too. I also have containers full of the tiny blooms which are used for sachets.  So much lavender!

dried lavender & dried roses

Lavender Wreath with roses and herbs

I loved hanging the wreath on the fence.  That spot is supposed to have hedging in front of it.  But the hedging isn’t doing well right there.  It was just calling out “hang the wreath here for a picture!”  Yes, it really was.

See? It really is easy to create things from your own garden.  Have you made anything that just made you smile?

Since it is lavender season, I’m going to put my link in for making lavender wands and my lavender wreath from last year.  Let me know if you make something with your lavender!

https://mominthegarden.wordpress.com/2013/07/22/lavender-wands-my-first-lavender-wreath/ 

https://mominthegarden.wordpress.com/2012/07/16/english-lavender-in-full-bloom-lavender-wands/

Dana