
Guest Blog with Carpenter Rachel Taylor:
As female carpenter in the trades and also on TV, I get an opportunity to design, build, and create for a living. The end result is always something new that is treasured by the people I build for. It always feels a little bit like gift-giving when I deliver one of my designs, and this holiday season, I took some time to do a little more and share a little more.
The holidays come and go so quickly, but I really enjoy building little seasonal treasures that can be enjoyed for years to come. I’ve been wanting to make a holiday wreath for some time, and since my neighborhood is overflowing with juniper bushes, eucalyptus and mature olive trees this time of year, I beautified my neighborhood by pruning back what I needed for my Octagon Holiday Wreath.
Here’s how I made it!
You will need:
- 8 strips of primed 1.5″ pine
- Wood Glue
- 24 gauge craft wire
- Wire-trimmed bow
- Fairy lights
Instructions:
- For a wreath about 23” wide, I mitred 8 strips of primed 1.5” pine at 67.5 degrees and 8.5” long each.
- I glued the pieces end to end and taped them together to form an octagon. This form will become the frame for my cuttings.
- I let it dry for 4 hours, then wire wrapped the cuttings onto the form with 24 gauge craft wire, overlapping each layer every four inches for fullness.
- I added a simple wire-trimmed bow and some fairy lights on a battery pack, and voila!
For less than $5, I created a gorgeous holiday wreath using wood scrap and native cuttings, then surprised my neighbor with this small token of gratitude…they were thrilled. Do more, share more!
This holiday season I was honored to be a part of Cat Footwear’s mission to empower builders, makers and creators to turn a challenge into enduring greatness. I hope you’ll continue to follow, appreciate, and celebrate more this holiday season by doing more and sharing more with us!
Follow along with Rachel on her Instagram @rachelbuilds
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