Why Making a Grapevine Wreath is More Than Just a Craft Project

Top photo: Gather your materials. Bottom photo: finished wreath.

Have you noticed the popularity of grapevine wreaths in seasonal decoration? How difficult would it be to make a wreath? I wanted to make one myself but haven’t tackled that before. I had to think about where to start and get over the feeling that it may not turn out like I want it. So after watching a couple YouTube videos, I made a plan. First you need grapevines (uh, checkmark that one, we have about a couple acres of those). Then add some embellishments (ribbons, bows, garland, ornaments etc) from your odds and ends holiday collection. Time, materials, ingenuity and most of all, motivation is what’s needed to start and finish the project. 

After carving out some time I searched for the components for my project. I like to create things using raw materials that are readily available, especially objects that are taken for granted or overlooked, and re-engineer whatever it is into something surprising or pleasing. The vines on our property are dormant this time of year and we will begin to prune them in the early spring. The clippings get discarded so why not do something creative with them? The experience of making my first wreath was fun. It didn’t turn out too bad and the learning process gave me confidence that I can make the next ones even better. 

My point is to explore your talents. Take time to create something using the assets you have. Set aside the fear of failure or perfection, or whatever is holding you back. If you crave external motivation, take a class or participate in a group activity. Making wreaths would be a fun group time with friends or perfect for an individual looking for social activities.​

If wreath-making is not your thing, check out our monthly Wine & Art class. This month’s class is held on Tuesday, Dec. 4, at 7:00pm and led by Frank Mathias. On Dec. 11 at 5:30pm we will host Sherry Sneller who will lead an activity making hand made holiday cards. This class requires pre-registration by Dec. 4. Both these events can be found on our website or Facebook page under the Events area. 

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