My birthday was last Saturday, and everyone woke up grouchy. Junior J didn't rest well the night before, and was in a bad mood. The boys kept fighting. I, in turn, was snappy because, hey, it's Mama's birthday, and all I get are tantrums? We were supposed to attend a workshop by Poppy Flora Studio that morning, and half the family nearly didn't make it, since Junior J declared he was feeling unwell and was too tired to go. In the end, I managed to convince him to come along, since I knew he would enjoy the workshop, and we made a mad dash down to the car.
And enjoy it he did, so much so that he now wants to make more wreaths for the house!
The workshop was conducted at Poppy Flora Studio over at Old Birdcage Walk, in a charming colonial house. The studio was bright and cheery, and I could feel my mood lifting upon entering! The boys were immediately drawn to the bare wreaths, and couldn't resist twiddling with them. These are made from hay tied tightly together, and twisted into a circular shape, and can be reused in the future.
Sarah, who runs Poppy Flora Studio, taught us how to secure all our materials down to our wreaths using florist wire, and patiently lent a hand as we made our wreaths.
We were provided with an array of materials, both natural and synthetic, to dress up our wreaths, from fresh pine and eucalyptus leaves, to fake berries and shiny tinsel. The boys went a little crazy choosing all their materials, and of course, both wanted some tinsel in their wreaths.
Both the boys more or less arranged their wreaths on their own. Junior J cut his own leaves using the shears, and also secured everything down with wire, with me helping him to tighten the wires. The shears are really sharp, so I helped Lil J with the cutting, and he also tried his best to secure his materials down using wire. Sarah also taught us how to secure the bulkier materials to the wreaths, such as the pine cones and acorns.
I was really proud of the boys because they sat down and diligently worked on their wreaths for over an hour. After they were done, I hastily got down to doing my own wreath. I loved how we were given access to the same materials, but everyone's wreath turned out unique, from the elegant ones made by the other mummies, to the bright happy tinsel-wrapped one by a three year old:
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| Cheery smiles after working on our wreaths, with May of A Million Little Echoes, and Angie of Life's Tiny Miracles. |
The boys really had a good time making the wreaths. Who ever said such things were only for girls? They decided to give me their wreaths as birthday presents.
Now the wreaths are hanging on various doors in our home, and they really add some festive cheer to the place.
This was Junior J's wreath. I love how the little bits of tinsel add some sparkle to the wreath, without making it look tacky:
Lil J surprised me, since he usually has quite a short attention span, but he actually sat through and finished his wreath! His does look like it had a dose of steroids, since it's so laden with berries (he just kept adding stuff and poking leaves everywhere), but I love it so. It's hard to believe this was made by a 4 year old:
We left Poppy Flora Studio in a much cheerier mood that when we had entered in the morning. Working on those wreaths reminded me how crafting can really calm the soul, and I realized that I've been neglecting this aspect for awhile with the boys. It's been hard to work on anything arty these days with a clingy toddler, and the thought of cleaning up the mess made by three littles has been a huge obstacle to starting any creative project at home. But that morning taught me that busy hands do lead to happier, calmer kids (and a happier mama too!), so hopefully we'll be getting down to some crafty stuff soon!
Thank you, Sarah and Poppy Flora Studio, it was a great way to spend my birthday morning, crafting with my two older boys! (You can read more about May's and Angie's experience at the workshop here, and here.)
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For those interested, you can read more about Poppy Flora Studio's workshops here, and you can follow their FB page to be kept updated on their events and promotions. The Christmas workshops start at $290, but their "Christmas with the Family" workshop is now priced at only $65 per wreath. This workshop uses smaller wreaths, which makes it more suitable for children.
The details are as follows:
Date: 19th December, Saturday
Time: 1600 hrs (workshop lasts for 1.5 to 2 hours)
Venue: Poppy Flora Studio, Old Birdcage Walk, #01-05, S(798484)
Price: $65 per wreath
To register, email poppy@poppy.com.sg with your details. These wreaths are perfect to decorate the home for the festive season, or as gifts to friends!
Disclaimer: We were invited to attend this workshop for purpose of this review. No monetary compensation was received, and all opinions are my own.
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