Nothing
perks a house up like some simple entry way splash of color on the
door. Depending on the creativity of the owner of that door there can
be all sorts of fresh and innovative ways to welcome one's guests.
Over the years in doing
canvassing work of some sort or another the time a homeowner took to
decorate their home at this one point made an impression on me. If one
is collecting for some charity or simply delivering something most
usually the doors become all alike in plainness. However, there will be
one with a seasonal decor which will bring a smile to the face, thus
lightening our steps a bit. We care, thus we do the canvassing, and
someone else too cares, enough to make our short visit at their door
pleasant.
The trumpet vine grows in
profusion and this is what we will use for a base wreath to decorate. We
have discovered cutting the vine back to a stalk only increases its
vigor. There is never a shortage of the vines. They seem to just be
there growing, shedding their leaves for mulch, producing bright flowers
for the hummingbirds, but other than that of no use what so ever.
That is, until this year
when it was discovered the vines are easy to pull down, clip off with
the lopping shears and wind them into a circle for a wreath. The leaves
are easier to strip away than with the grape vines. The heavy stalks
are so pliable they can be easily shaped into ovals without breaking.
They do not have the husk like bark and probably, if they are allowed to
dry it will be possible to shellac them for a nice finish too. Certainly
these wreaths will make a nice frame for whatever one decides to hang
upon them. The cost is right. One's theme will only be limited to the
amount of glue in your glue gun and your own creative imagination. At
our house there is a wealth of small throw away toys from the
grandchildren. If you don't own a glue gun, fine fishing line will tie
things in place while being invisible itself. One last word. When the
thing becomes weathered and unsightly by all means take it down, clean
it up and decorate again.
