In the months leading up to agreeing to write a book, I have had this weird sense of needing to nest.  I feel sort of like I did when I was pregnant; I want to clear out lots of stuff from the house and make everything super simple and clean in preparation for a time when I needed clarity, organization and mental space.

Now that I have begun the task, this emotion hasn’t left, and I am all about easy these days – but I still want it beautiful.

Easy, to me, means going out into my garden rather than going to the wholesaler, and it means taking one thing and seeing it’s inherent beauty and celebrating it.   I am looking forward to our mandala wreath making class (have you signed up? — spaces are going fast) – but that is representing a whole different kind of art making and creative expression…That wreath will be a centerpiece and a focal point — but the rest of the decoarion this year will be simple and reflective of my garden and what is on the other side of my windows.

I gathered up these images of (mostly) single plant wreaths so you can see what I mean.  And, am I the only person who wants to just rip those bows right off a perfectly great wreath.   I am 100% over ribbon this year…it is (to my mind) too fussy.

And, not of the single-ingredient variety, is that beautiful top wreath.  Even though it is appears to be about 4 ingredients (twigs, berries, grasses and feathers), I wanted to share because it made me think about my chickens (who just molted) and had I been ready, I could have rounded up a few feathers to make something similar.   I think its inky darkness is still enough for me.

Here is a quick list of plants and materials used in these images to give you ideas:

• Sage
• Sorbus Berries
• Heather
• Bittersweet
• Pine cones
• Moss
• Apples
• Oats
• Magnolia Branches (though cutting now will reduce blooms in the spring!)

-Rochelle

images from inspiration lane,  life is beautiful, feather wreath from living-on-lovee, moss from loveliegreenie, white  berries and twigs from dream on, apples from creative decorations, oat and burlap from keeping up with the times.