dare to give handmade

When I saw this week's Dare to DIY challenge, I knew exactly what I would be doing.  I made a list way back in the beginning of October of what I was going to do for my Secret Santa at work.  I was super excited about it.  I was going to make a wreath.  One I hadn't made before but was sure I could accomplish.

 

(Decor and the Dog ) (Maybe Matilda) (Newly Wodwards) (Two Twenty One)

So, I headed to JoAnn's.  I needed a styrofoam wreath and some felt.  I was planning on using yarn I already had.  The vision I had in my head was a wreath wrapped in navy yarn with mustard yellow felt flowers.  Well, I got to JoAnn's and I was so not into the yellow felt they had.  It was either too crayon-yellow or too gross of a yellow.  Then I spotted a cranberry red and a slate blue that would be perfect.  The wreath is being gifted to a house that is decorated in primitives.  So the cranberry and slate blue went perfectly with that scheme.  

Then I got home and started working on my wreath.  I did the felt flowers first.  I had seen these before and assumed they would be hard.  Holy cow, they were so easy.  Now I'm kicking myself for never making them before.  Adorable!  So I made a variety of them, some a solid color and some cranberry or slate blue with cream.  

With my flowers done I was ready to wrap the wreath with yarn.  I got out my navy yarn.  I wrapped half the wreath with navy before deciding I didn't like it.  Not at all.  Ug.  I started to just unwrap the yarn so that I could reuse it for something else.  And then I got frustrated and grabbed the scissors and just cut the yarn off.  I ended up with a cream yarn with chocolate brown shooting through it.  I think I'd bought it for a crocheting project ages ago.  I try to never buy new yarn before I dig through my stash.  I have a tall laundry basket full of yarn.  It's kind of embarrassing

So, without further ado, my wreath.  The colors aren't my style but I love the look of this wreath.  

 

A close up of the flowers.  I think I really like the solid ones best.

 The finished product.

Please ignore the awkward placement of the wreath.  It was getting too dark out to take pictures on my actual doors.  And the light in my house wasn't cooperating so I kept moving around the living room with my camera and wreath trying to take a decent picture.  This involved lots of laying in the floor and hoping my husband didn't come in and catch me looking super crazy.

And I have to say I'm super excited for next week's challenge of Deck the Halls.  My halls may be decked right now.  And I'm dying to share the pictures.  I had a full weekend of cleaning and crafting.  Amazing!  I may cheat and share some of my outside pictures this week.  It may take me all week to get good inside pictures anyway.  Wish me luck!

So, anyone else DIYing super fab gifts for family and friends?  Or take awkward pictures to avoid shadows and get good light?.  Or glaring at badly placed landscaping that prevents optimal outside decorating?