Me, of course! LOL.

Okay, I thought about this – What tools do I find are critical to make a wonderful holiday wreath?

Here are my suggestions:

Good florist wire, a whole paddle or roll. As you work to attach the fresh holiday greens to your wreath frame, the florist roll of wire will be invaluable. Make sure it is a green colored wire to hide well beneath the greenery, and 20 gauge is the type I typically use. I also find the florist wire to be handy to have for many other creative projects. A roll of it is never wasted due to this reason.

A heavy duty wreath frame. If you are going big, you might as well invest in a strong wreath frame, and hopefully, if you pick a good one, you will reuse it the following season. Avoid cheaper frames that are easily dented or bent as you work, especially if making a larger wreath.

Gloves. Sap, sap, sticky sap from your fresh holiday greens, like the balsam fir, will start to really dry out your hands while making a wreath. A box of disposable gloves is really helpful, especially because as you continue to work, your hands may sweat or the gloves may get torn, so I like a box of gloves nearby. I will grab a fresh pair as I continue to make wreaths and kissing balls by hand for my orders.

Mask. Not a joke here, but last year, I wore a face mask because the smells of the greens were starting to make me sniff and sniffle. I wear them after a while if the strong greens smells start to get to me, plus moving and cutting greens increases the dust or pollen around me. If I wear a mask, I’m not breathing that in. I make a lot of holiday wreaths and kissing balls, so it is helpful, and this year, during COVID, we have masks handy, and my mask this year has a holiday theme too! Might as well be festive.

Hand moisturizer. While getting a box of gloves, if you can find them today (tricky to do sometimes during this COVID year), get a good type of hand moisturizer. I prefer lotion that is thick and creamy, like body butter. I slather it on at night before bed. My hands get really dry and sometimes scratched while I work with greens.

Hand-pruners, in good shape. Nothing is worse than using non-sharp, old rusty pruners to cut the various holiday greens as you work. Tidy up your pair of garden pruners before starting, or get a new pair if you wish to invest in them. Avoid using junk pruners.

Very sharp scissors. For making the perfect cut in bows and other decorations as you add the decor to your finished wreath. While you’re at it, you may want to invest in small wire cutters, so you don’t damage the scissors which you should reserve for cutting ribbons and other delicate materials.

Plastic Bins or Laundry Baskets. As you cut your pieces from branches of stems of the holiday greens, a big bin with handles, is super helpful to toss all in because you will most likely go to a warm space to make your creation. Carrying the bin to your house or into your basement is handy.

Holiday music or movies. When I make my wreaths and kissing balls, I tend to watch one of those holiday (corny) movies or one of my old favorites while I work, however, don’t pick a movie where you must look at it all the time because you will be looking down most of the time as you make your wreath. One of my favorites to rent while working are, “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles” or “Reindeer Games.” If not a movie, go for holiday music, it puts you in the mood for creating your wreath.

Tarp, sheet, or blanket. Lay that down on the floor below where you are working because the needles will fall and make a mess. Wrap up the blanket after you are done to gather the debris and shake it outside to toss out the mess. It helps. A couple towels are handy to protect surfaces.

A glue gun. Another great tool for adding decor to your wreath. Get a bigger glue gun if possible. Those small ones just take too long to heat up, and work slowly plus they tend to get all clogged up after a while. If you are going to make just one wreath, one small glue gun may be fine, but a big glue gun is needed if making bigger or a lot of wreaths.

Florist picks. Little green wooden pick with wires already pre-attached to them are handy for some of the decorations you will add. They are not mandatory but helpful. I usually have a stock of those around.

GREENS!!! And of course, the number one thing you need is abundant, fresh greens from Cathy T. It is better to use fresh and a mix of varieties to achieve an elegant, full, and beautiful look. And I provide you with care tips, instructions, and more information. If you buy from me, you will also learn from me.

You know where I am if you have a need for any of the above items. Visit my site noted below or text me. Hurry, it is time soon to starting making your fantastic wreath.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving Day tomorrow.

Stay safe friends,

Cathy Testa
860-977-9473 (texts welcome!)
containercathy@gmail.com
www.WORKSHOPSCT.com (see for more Holiday Info)