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!

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You will need: 

1. 8 strips of primed 1.5″ pine
2. Wood Glue
3. 24 gauge craft wire
4. Wire-trimmed bow
5. Fairy lights

Instructions: 

1. For a wreath about 23” wide, I mitred 8 strips of primed 1.5” pine at 67.5 degrees and 8.5” long each.
2. I glued the pieces end to end and taped them together to form an octagon. This form will become the frame for my cuttings.
3. 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.
4. 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