Looks like this spring break I will be home. Finally a long awaited rest en mi casa. I have been traveling and running around like a mad woman lately. Even though it may sound like a let down to some people, I just fantasize about staying home with my fiance and our son and maybe inviting some friends over for a nice dinner.

Okay so here’s the skinny… I decided to stop fantasizing about it and start planning my little staycation at home instead. I hopped in the car and headed over to Walmart. With no particular plan in mind, just as a way to rummage through the store and see what I could find. I walked aimlessly through the aisles and found myself in the craft area. There on a hook was a variety of wreath skeletons empty and begging to be filled with something. I remembered these cool wreaths I had seen a while back made of vegetables and thought “I have that white fence that needs some color to welcome in spring.” Before I knew it a wreath skeleton was in my cart and I had made my way to the produce section of the store to see what leafy beauty I could fill it with. I found little bunches of radishes and they were certainly priced right for my project. I grabbed 10 bunches and rushed to the cashier, so I could get home and start my project. Taking me one step closer to my staycation and making the place feel more like spring with a simple veggie wreath. Now all I have to do is pick up the phone and invite some friends over for dinner.

Items needed for radish wreath:

• 8 inch wreath
• 10 to 15  – radish bunches
• thin floral wire (26 gauge)
• Scissors

Directions:

1. Start by spreading out your radishes in clusters.
2. Then cut 6 inch pieces of wire and wrap them around the radish clusters where they are gathered by a rubber band.
3. Carefully place the radishes onto the wreath with the radishes pointing toward the center and the leaves pointing toward the outer ring of the wreath.
4. Then on the other side of the wreath twist the wire to tie it to the wreath. 
5. Continue until the entire wreath is filled with radishes.
6. Hang and enjoy for a few days.  

Here’s the skinny… My mom and Auntie Rosie have been on a crafting roll lately…. Every time I check in with my Mom she goes on and on telling me about the candy wreaths her and my aunt have been making, if that’s not enough she’s even sending pictures and blowing up my instagram feed with her crafty creations. I have to admit…. I was a little jealous I couldn’t join them due to an over abundance of work this year. Usually I’m in the thick of the craft projects with them.

A few days later my Mom and I were doing our weekly run to Walmart for all things needed, and she says to me “Are you sure you don’t have time to make a candy tree? We could buy everything here at Walmart, then go home and make some. It won’t take that long.” I got so happy, I smiled and said “Alright. Twist my arm to spend some quality Mom and daughter time making food crafts!” She new I was bummed and was dying to get crafty…. plus I knew I could always share / blog about it.

Once my tree was done, I thought it to be so whimsical and old fashioned at the same time. I imagined it being part of the set of an old Rudolph cartoon with a blaze of snow blowing past it. My Mom and I placed our trees side by side when we were done and photographed them. She made her’s covered in gummy bears and I made mine of sour cherry candies with a white star on top. HAPPINESS = A MERRY CHRISTMAS

What you’ll need for a Candy Christmas Tree:

• glue sticks
• glue gun
• styrofoam cone
• styrofoam circle stand / base for cone (optional)
• green tape (or any other color that suits your needs)
• candy
• sequins ribbon (optional)
• craft stars
• garland / tinsel
• scissors

Instruction:

1. Plug in glue gun and insert glue stick…allow to get hot.
2. Glue base/stand to styrofoam cone.  
3. Working in 2 to 3 inch long pieces, cover the cone from top to bottom in tape. 
4. Once the entire cone is covered, tape up the bottom and top too.
5. Using little dabs of glue from the glue gun, stick on the first piece of candy. Work your way all around to form the first ring. 
6. Then measure the circumference of the tree with the sequin ribbon. Cut where the two ends meet and glue it on between each roll of candy rings. 
7. Once you reach the bottom glue the garland / tinsel around the bottom of the base. 
8. Either glue the star directly on top of the tree or I used pom pom balls between the tree and the star.
9. It’s that simple.
10. Enjoy!