Hot Ticket Tuesday Presents Erica Bowden, Wreath Conqueror!

This week, Hot Ticket Tuesday brings you the fabulous Erica Bowden. Erica and I met through our husbands, who went to college together and are part of a weekly gaming group. I knew that we would be friends once I learned about Erica's interest in crafts and her love or organizing. When she and Scott, her hubby, moved, Erica color coded her boxes. That blew my mind and made me realize that I needed to get to know her better! As luck would have it, Erica and I ended up moving relatively close to each other (15 minutes), so we get to see each other a bit more often. In today's post, Erica talks about the seasonal wreaths she has been adorning her beautiful home with since Christmastime. Makes me think that perhaps I should get going on a wreath for our door!

Tell me about a craft and/or art project you made.
I've been on a wreath making kick for the front doors of our house. I've never had an exterior front door that was worth decorating before, and when we moved last summer, I knew wanted to add some flair to help make us stand out a bit more.

What inspired you to make it?
My first wreaths I made at Christmas, and they were inspired by things I had seen on Pinterest. I didn't see anything similar in stores with the colors I wanted to match the house, so I thought, I can do this. I purchased a new glue gun and off I went. Pinterest was my muse for Valentine's Day as well but my most recent Spring creations were more of a result of finding silk flowers at the craft store I liked, and then playing around with arranging them.

These looked amazing on Erica's doors. She and Scott also framed their front porch with tiny lights. The effect was  perfect: Just the right amount of flash for the holiday season.

Did you come up with the idea yourself, or did you find a pattern and/or template that you used?
The ornament wreaths I did a lot of internet searching for to try and get a handle on how many I'd need to buy. Same thing for the Valentine's wreath. I used an internet how-to for cutting and folding the felt. The spring flowers were an original, with some help from Scott.

What type of medium did you use?
Oh, the hot glue I've been through. Plastic ornaments and lots of hot glue for Christmas on a foam core wreath. Everything I had read about needing more than I thought I would was true. I used a ton of ornaments. Valentine's Day was felt and flat-head pins, also with a foam core wreath. Once I bought a heavy duty circular cutting tool, this was a breeze to get through. Spring was silk flowers, and a metal wreath core, and a tiny bit of glue to hold the peonies in.

Erica used a snazzy circular cutting tool for the felt. I need to  make a project that uses circular pieces of fabric so that I can use that tool!

What did you enjoy about making this project?
The best part was the satisfaction about finishing them, and being able to display them on the house. It gives me the warm and fuzzies when I get home every day, seeing them on the door.

What did you think about while you were making it?
Depended on the phase of the project!  My thoughts generally started with, "What am I getting myself into?" and progressed to, "Ugh, I have another whole wreath to make!" and finished with, "These are going to look so neat on the door. I'm so glad I did this."

I also think a lot about my grandmother, who was a crafty person in her own right.

Were you doing anything else while you worked on this project? If so, what? (For example, sometimes I watch tv while crocheting.)
I usually either had Netflix going, or at the very least, some music.

Were you pleased with the finished product? What pleased and/or displeased you about it?
Yes! I think the ornaments have been my favorite ones so far. They were such a bold and fun look. I like my spring ones, but I have been second guessing the decision to not add more flowers. I suppose the art of restraint is key, right?

Simple and lovely. Come on spring!

Will you make it again?
I'm not sure about making these exact ones again, but I have already started working on ideas for a summer-themed wreath. I'll definitely re-use my existing ones until they get damaged. Or I get bored with them. Or I find something I like even more on Pinterest.

Lastly, what is your favorite color and glue?
Anything blue. From navy, to sky, to electric.
Double-sided tape. I love wrapping presents with it. (That counts as glue, right?) :)
You think outside the box, my friend, and I embrace that. Double-sided tape is from now on a type of glue.