I get an incredible thrill making something out of nothing—especially when the project is spontaneous. This morning the sun was shining, and I felt inspired to walk around my South-Seattle neighborhood. What's great about my route is the mix of carefully tended gardens interspersed with less well kept (or vacant/under-construction) lots. There are lots of spots where the plant life is in the public domain. I brought a pair of trimmers and a tote bag along in case anything arrangement-worthy caught my eye. As luck would have it, something did: a car rim lying in the gutter. "Wreath" popped into my mind the minute I saw it, and happily, a yard-waste container packed with evergreen branches was parked at the curb just a few blocks from the spot where I found the rim. The day before, I'd raided another bin filled with a bundle of perfectly-cut twigs. I figured they'd be handy for future flower arranging--and they were! Between the car rim, evergreen branches and twigs, all I needed to make a wreath was some twine, floral wire and a few sprigs of rosemary from my garden. I hadn't planned on making a wreath today, but it turned out to be a really fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Some rims at the side of the road, and a few fallen branches of evergreen inspired this holiday wreath.