I have good news and really good news! The good news is that I’m much better at making a wreath than I was at painting my own painting! The really good news is that the folks at Carlson Tree Farm, rural Coulter Iowa, make it super easy, are super friendly, and super patient!
Last year when the North Iowa Bloggers set the date for making wreaths at the Carlson Tree Farm, I was bummed to see that my schedule was already full with a basketball game (not that I would trade watching my boys for anything), but I was so happy when I didn’t have a scheduling conflict this year!! So, this past Tuesday I headed out to their farm outside of Coulter, Iowa with 4 of my fellow bloggers (Mary of Natural Plus Nursery; Val of Corn, Beans, Pigs, & Kids; Alicia of The Pork Diaries; and Donna of donnahup.com) to see what kind of wreath I could come up with. I’ll be honest that I was excited and yet hesitant because of my debacle trying to do one of those sip & paint classes. A painter I am not, but apparently (with the wonderful help of the Carlson ladies) a wreath maker, I can be!
When you arrive to the farm and enter their little red “barn” you are instantly greeted by the most amazing scent of fresh cut pine that you will ever smell! Second, you are greeted by the smiling faces of owners Dennis & Cathy Carlson and their daughter Michelle. They welcome you to their farm and let you mill around the warm barn and pet the kittens! Then, it’s time to work. They explain the different types of greenery available and show you the wreath making machine (it actually crimps bunches of pine together to the wire frame), followed by the steps of how to construct your wreath! It really isn’t near as difficult as I thought it was going to be and they are always just a step away if you need help!
Once the branches part of your wreath is actually assembled you move to the decorating station where you get to pick from a vast variety of ribbons, beads, sparkly goodies, ornaments, pine cones, and other accessories! This was actually the hardest part of the evening for me because I wanted it to look just right. They advise starting with a bow, then adding pine cones and finishing up with any extras that you would like. I carefully selected my ribbon and then Cathy taught me how to make the bow (I might still need a little help with that part), then I glued in my pine cones and added a few “berries” for color. Finally, Cathy helped me add a couple ornaments for “zing”! Honestly, I’m very pleased and very surprised how well it came out! I may be slightlycrafty after all!! The greatest thing (other than their extreme friendliness and care) is that the folks at the Carlson Tree Farm have a large variety of decorations and accessories to truly make your wreath your own and you can definitely see everyone’s personality in their finished wreaths!
I love my wreath as well as the time spent on the tree farm and with my fellow North Iowa Bloggers. I can’t wait to head back out to the Carlson Tree Farm next year to make another wreath! You need to put it on your holiday “to do’s” as well!!
Follow along the adventures at the Carlson Tree Farm by “liking” them on Facebook!
Check out Donna’s account of wreath making HERE!
I was provided compensation to write a review of my experience at the Carlson Tree Farm. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. See the “Disclosure Tab” for full details!
I love your wreath! Those Carlson ladies are so kind and so talented. Was their dog around? Also, very touched to see how you honored Amy.
Thank you! No, I didn’t see him! It was so special for them to let us honor her like that!
I had so much fun making wreaths with you!
Me too! So glad we got to do it and can’t wait for next year again!