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Sunday, November 20, 2011

Wreath Making at the Farmhouse


My friend Daniela, whose baby girl was born four days after Rafael, invited me over to her farmhouse for a get together to make advent wreaths. She lives with her husband and daughter in an old farmhouse at the end of a dirt road outside of town. It's so rural that no snow plows go out there, and her husband has to clear the way with a tractor when it snows.

Us women gathered around a huge old table, our babies and children piled on the couch and crawling on the floor, while the men headed out to cut evergreen branches, rose hips, and berries.

Beginning with the first Sunday of Advent, you light one candle. An additional candle is lit during each subsequent week until, by the last Sunday before Christmas, all four candles are lit.

That familiar spicy fragrance of cut evergreens filled the room when the men carried in arm loads of branches; the smell of the Christmas season.

We chatted, wound branches with wire around straw rings, breastfed our babies, played with toddlers, ate cookies, drank tea, and decorated our wreaths with nuts, berries, pine cones and candles.

Certainly, one of the most wonderful parts of holidays are the preparations!








Rafael napped and then played with some other babies (meaning he lay next to them and sucked on his hand). He was so peaceful and content. I can't help but feel very proud of him every time I look at his sweet face.



I chose to use the classic colors of the holiday: red, white, and green, with some browns mixed in for a touch of rustic country charm.


I love how it turned out and hope Daniela will hold this gathering again next year. There's just something about a group of women, sharing conversation and using their hands to make things together, that feels very right to me.

19 comments:

  1. What a wonderful time spent with friends and family creating these lovely wreaths. Seeing sweet little Raphael always puts a smile on my face and joy in my heart. Enjoy this time together.

    FlowerLady

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  2. What a beautiful wreath and beautiful little ones! It looks like such a good time. They turned out beautifully! I wish we had greens like that around here!~

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  3. Oh how lovely! I can't think of a more relaxing away to spend a day, and the little guy just keeps getting more and more adorable! How special this first Christmas with him will be!
    xoxo
    Joni

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  4. Looks like you had a great time together with friends. Raphael is such a handsome little guy. It is wonderful to see how happy you are. Take care.

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  5. What a special time! I loved the story of advent and yes, the prepartions are such a happy part of the holiday season. Your wreath looks lovely!

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  6. How simply beautiful!! Simple things and tradition are the best things in life.The ones that gives you that simple great joy. Cherish your wonderful baby Jesus!

    mamma carla

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  7. What a great idea ... sounds as though you had a great time ... certainly sounds like a get together that has tradition written all over it! Raphael is just beautiful (or shall I say 'handsome') & what a good baby he must be!

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  8. What an absolutely gorgeous wreath you made! That outing looked like so much fun :)

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  9. Dear Dawn,
    That sounds like such a wonderful time! Your post has made so excited for all of the holiday preparations! It is so much about the preparations isn't it?
    xooxTrina

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  10. Oh my goodness Dawn, what a lovely day you must have had. I could just smell the scent of the evergreens! Rafael is just so precious & what a good little boy he was!

    Blessings,
    Gert

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  11. What a lovely post, Dawn...and your wreath is just beautiful!! Oh, the baby is so precious...look at how fast he is growing now!! What a joyful Advent and Christmas for you all!!
    I love to make wreaths...we made ones from grape vines several years ago and I still have them and treasure the memories of the dear folks who were with me!! Your post filled me with much happiness...with love, Sherry xoxo

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  12. Your wreath looks just beautiful and I love the photo of Rafael holding the other child's arm. Too sweet!

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  13. OMG!!!What a beauty:)
    His eyes look so transcendent.
    Wonder what color they will be?
    Love you lots...Mom

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  14. What adorable pictures of Raffi, such a cutie! I bet that helped put you in the holiday spirit. Looks like a lot of fun!

    Elise

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  15. looks like it was a beautiful gathering! I love your wreath Dawn, now I want to make one.

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  16. This is really funny as I said to Nathan yesterday that I wanted to make an advent wreath and I explained what one was to him as we do not have them here. So on our walk with Poppy we gathered some holly and fir to make it this week.
    Yours looks lovely, I am sure it will bring you lots of happiness during advent.
    Morwenna x

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  17. God you lead the life...I'd give anything! So lucky...so pretty too...xxx

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