Christmas with McQueens

Start your festive month off with a trip to McQueens Flower School, who for the first time this year are holding Christmas classes all throughout December.

When I received this special invite to preview this wonderful class, I died and went to floral heaven. If like me you enjoy dressing your home in beautiful garlands, table arrangements or a traditional door wreath McQueens is definitely the only door you should be walking through for these classes.

Welcomed by the lovely Duncan and Diana we waltzed into a room full of festive music, decorations, mince pies and aromas of freshly cut pine. The room was neatly laid out with all that was needed to start creating these masterpieces and I was truly more excited to put on a McQueens apron and feel part of the team than anything else.

 

For the first time, I stepped out of mum life and became Sev, who had hours of fun learning how to do something that I had always wanted to do. Laugh with people I had never met before yet seemed to have felt like I’d known for years, ate mince pies, drank HOT tea, posed for the wonderful Duncan who was a master behind the camera and listen to Diana, who taught us how to create our festive sensations.

The morning class was focused on making a classic Christmas wreath, followed by an afternoon decorating a classic centrepiece. I never realised how much work actually went into these, it’s so easy to go to your local supermarket and pick up an artificial number. However, there is a reason why handmade wreaths look the way they do and that’s because a lot of time, care and quality flowers are used to ensure your door oozes that Christmas charm. McQueens, true to their style only offered us the finest flowers and the best accessories to include in our pieces. The lovely Diana gave us years of her experience in just a few hours and we somehow managed to create our own unique wreaths which totally allowed our personalities to shine through. I never knew I was such a “Wild Woman” and whatever I was offered to use, you can bet your bottom dollar I found a place to home it.

I was in awe watching Diana as she cut the stems down on these sumptuous, velvet red roses and teamed them with blooming orchids for the second part of our Christmas masterclass. Honestly, my table arrangements in the past have consisted of cut twigs from my garden, possibly sprayed with a little sparkle and used to hold the remaining decorations that didn’t fit on my tree. Not anymore…I can now present my diners with an arrangement that will have everyone asking “Where did you buy your centrepiece from?” My answer is simple –

“I didn’t buy it, I learnt how to make it. I was taught how to take cut pine from the bottom of my tree and arrange it (“wildly”)  into an oasis that held a gorgeous candle in the middle. The lovely team at McQueens allowed me to feel Christmasy again and laugh whilst placing slices of oranges into my arrangement (that I wired up myself!) Oh, you love my door wreath as well? I made that too, at McQueens Flower School where in just a few short hours you become a master in Christmas arrangements and leave feeling like you  have achieved the world.”

Is it worth it? Yes. Simple.

 

A One Day Christmas Masterclass, £275, includes all of the above with a little more sparkle, wonderful memories and your creations to take home.

Find out more about McQueens flower masterclasses here.

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