Girls Night Out: Christmas Edition

* I received a discounted rate to facilitate my review.  

All views and opinions shared are my own. *

Between spending most of my time with people ages 4 and under, getting ready for taxes, and making sure I'm keeping up on my holiday check list, I was in desperate need for a Girls Night Out!  Luckily for me, the North Iowa Bloggers had a fun night planned this week at the Carlson Tree Farm in rural Coulter, Iowa, which is only 6 miles away from my house.

The North Iowa Bloggers at the Carlson Tree Farm
Mary of Natural Plus Nursery, Katy of Learning As I Go, myself,
Donna of DonnaHup.com and Alicia of The Pork Diaries

For the second year in a row with the North Iowa Bloggers, and third year in a row for me, I made a wreath as part of the Carlson Tree Farm's weekly Wreath Workshops.  The Wreath Workshops begin in mid-November and wrap up in mid-December.  They announce the workshop times and dates in the fall on their Facebook page and this year all the spots were filled in literally just hours!  From an idea that started five years ago as a fun thing for Michelle of Carlson Tree Farm's Moms Group to do, to having 250 people participate this year, I'd say the Wreath Workshops are a success!

Wreath in Progress

And why wouldn't they be?  In an hour and a half you go from a wire wreath frame, to picking out your favorite combination of evergreen branches to clamp down on the frame, to picking out your favorite ribbon, cones, berries, ornaments, etc. to make the wreath personalized to you and your home.  The atmosphere is casual, fun, and dare I be corny by saying merry!  Cathy and Michelle of Carlson Tree Farm are great leaders in both stages of making the wreath and want to see you succeed and have a good time.

Me and my wreath!

And I have to give a special thank you to Michelle of Carlson Tree Farm.  The North Iowa Bloggers have changed a lot in the last year.  There were a few of us that participated both last year and this year in the Wreath Workshop, but we were without some great members from last year - Beth Ann and Jeni who both moved to North Carolina and St. Louis respectively, and Amy who passed away in a car accident.  Amy left an impression on Michelle, as she did with so many people, so she made a wreath for this year's group to decorate that was then donated and given to Amy's parents.  This meant so much to all of the North Iowa Bloggers and Amy's parents.  We had fun decorating the wreath with "Amy's style" and reminiscing about our dear friend.

The North Iowa Bloggers with Amy's Wreath

So thanks to the North Iowa Bloggers and Carlson Tree Farm for helping me have a great time at a much needed Girls Night Out.  Have you ever made a wreath before?  What is your favorite "Christmas" Girls Night Out activity?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!