Kirstie"s Handmade Christmas
8th March, 2019

Back in August 2018, I was approached at a Show by Kirstie Allsopps production company, asking me to apply for one of her programmes. So I did and shortly after heard that I had been lucky enough to be chosen to appear on the Christmas Wreath Competition.
In October they flew me down to Honiton and I met my lovely fellow competitors, Rachel - Mosaics, Sally - Macrame, Joy - Papercraft. We were picked up from the hotel at 7am! so it was an early start to try and get my wild hair under control and a bit of makeup on. Filming was in Handmade Christmas HQ, a beautiful old house full of art and stuffed animals with rickety old floor boards. After a while in the green room we set up our equipment in the drawing room, then around 9.30 Kirstie came in to say hello and we started! I was very nervous but as soon as I started making I dissappeared into a familiar zone and relaxed despite a horrible cold. I was sucking cough sweets all day so my voice on the program is not what I normally sound like.
It was hot under the lights and we were all working really hard to try and get finished on time. I was so pleased with the way my wreath turned out, I deliberately hadn't made a complete one before as I had wanted to enjoy the moment and surprise on the day of how it would look. Also things never turn out as well second time around I find.
After a few stops we finally finished around 5pm and went back to the green room where we waited nervously for the judging and next stage of filming. At last we went down and lined up nervously, but what a massive surprise when I heard the result although not shown on the program there was a slight delay for my response as the judge said the winner was Woodland Hedgerow but my piece was called a Winter Hedgerow petty I know but I didn't want to embarass myself by celebrating if someone else had won instead!
Anyway I got my lovely trophy but the ivy garland they put over my head had to go back to the art department for the next winner. We had a glass of fizz with Kirstie then back in the car to the hotel for a lovely meal with Joy and Sally.
Then on the 20th December the programme was shown and within seconds my website went crazy with orders flooding in, I was totally inundated with so many lovely comments and best wishes and Orders! It is only now in March that I have finished nearly all the commissions.
It was a totally amazing experience and I loved every second xx