IT’S THE most wonderful time of the year, is it not?

Okay, so there are lovers of Christmas and haters of it. I guess I’m someone who is a lover of the festive season.

On the run up to Christmas there are events galore like ice-skating, craft workshops and more.

One of the big things that people enjoy taking part in each year is wreath making. Wreath making workshops and events seem to be more popular every year and are a therapeutic way to enjoy getting creative and crafty.

I was lucky enough to go along to a local wreath making workshop with independent Newport business LilyBuff Flowers.

LilyBuff Flowers is ran by Buffy Guichard, who runs it as a hobby alongside working full time in financial crime.

Buffy is self-taught with floral design and said she has always loved nature. She has worked on creating bouquets for weddings, table decorations, corsages and more. She even worked on the flowers for her own wedding.

She has also set out doing her own wreath making workshops, all with real ivy, fir, eucalyptus and more.

“I started this about a year ago with the wreath workshops,” said Buffy.

“Last year the workshops were really good fun so I thought I’d host another set at Quarters Coffee this year. It’s a local independent café and is a good space to do one in.

“At the moment I work full time and I do LilyBuff as and when I’m able to. But I love it, its something that I really love doing and I particularly love the workshops because it’s getting everyone together, people are sitting with people they wouldn’t normally sit with and they become friends.

“I like bringing people all to one space and although they’re all doing the same thing the outcome is very different.”

I had never been to a wreath making workshop before but it was great to see the venue filled with people on a variety of different tables. I was seated with three lovely women who were welcoming and very excited to get stuck in on wreath making.

To be honest I expected it to be quite difficult, but with guidance from Buffy it ended up being more simple than I imagined. The most difficult part was knowing what to add and how much of it to add, especially with the fir pieces.

The ladies sat with me swapped Christmas tips and we all gathered a big bunch of materials to share amongst ourselves such as cinnamon sticks, ribbon, dried orange and apple slices and holly.

It was all too easy to get carried away and stick everything on the wreath, but Buffy showed us how to gradually build it up and add a variety of texture.

It was great to watch a plain item turn into a beautiful piece of work, as well as see them all look completely different. I was also very pleased with my wreath and quite surprised I managed to make something so pretty.

The event was £35 including a drink of mulled wine or another alcoholic beverage or a soft drink – which the ladies sat on my table said was well worth it.

After the event, which lasted for about an hour and a half, I sat down with Buffy to chat about what the next step for LilyBuff Flowers is.

“I am actually looking to go full time with this eventually,” said Buffy.

“In the New Year I’m looking to set up other workshops like this as well. Sort of like flower crowns and a string wreath with fresh flowers. It would be great to do that.

“I love the contrast between this and my current job, it sort of relaxes me and its great to create something and brings you that sense of pride.”

Buffy said her love of floral arrangement and fresh flowers came about when she was a young teenager on work experience.

“It was years ago and I really loved it,” said Buffy. “The lady I worked with really inspired me to do what I wanted. I didn’t do much with it until one of my friends got married and she asked me to make her flowers for her.

“I enjoyed that and she was happy with her flowers. I loved finding flowers from suppliers and it went from there really.

“I’m open to doing different things with my work and am always open to new opportunities.”

Find out more about LilyBuff Flowers by visiting lilybuff.co.uk and keep your eyes peeled for some of her future workshops. If they’re anywhere near as popular as her wreath ones they will be sold out very quickly.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

HOW TO MAKE A CHRISTMAS WREATH WITH REAL FLOWERS

YOU’LL NEED:

  • A wire frame with moss
  • Binding reel wire
  • Fir, pine, eucalyptus, holly berries, cinnamon sticks, pinecones, any other type of leafy green you want, dried orange slices and whole oranges and apple slices
  • Ribbon

DIRECTIONS:

First of all you need a wire frame which you then cover in moss (I must admit that this was already done for us so I’m not sure how you do this bit.

You then take the binding reel wire and push it into the middle of the wreath and wrap it round to secure it.

Choose your material and wind the wire around it, adding your accessories such as your pine cones and your dried orange slices at the end. It’s best if you add your own wire to these accessories to stick straight into the wreath rather than use the wire to wrap it round.

Add a ribbon and voila – it really is that simple.