With the snowfall and sub-zero temperatures, winter is here and Stettler is ready to don its Christmas spirit.
This past weekend, florist Tanille Timmins of Panda Flowers hosted a floral wreath and fresh outdoor arrangement workshop on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 19-20 at the Remedy Art Studio.
Approximately 20 participants attended the workshops over two days, which was a great success as Timmins already has community members asking for workshops next year.
"I've been a floral designer in Calgary for years and have also worked as the head designer at a friend's event company, so this is what I enjoy doing," Timmins said. "In Stettler I've held Thanksgiving arrangement workshop at the library and have had fresh outdoor arrangement workshop last year at the studio. This is my second year."
Timmins who works at Panda Flowers on Main Street loves the independence of expressing herself creatively, something which she gets to do daily at her day job too.
"I love the idea that I will create a bouquet and someone will come and select it from the chiller room as is," Timmins said. "But more than anything the workshops give me great joy as I also source the materials myself and oversee the production from start to finish."
After doing a floral arrangement course from the old College, Timmins has never looked back.
One of the workshop participants, Tana Nixon said, "Every year I greatly admire the potted arrangements that Tanille makes and sells, so I was thrilled to hear she was instructing this workshop at Stephanie's studio."
Nixon added that it was a great way to try her hand at creating an item that she was most likely going to spend money on the season anyway.
"But having the self-satisfaction of knowing you made the finished product yourself is always gratifying," Nixon said. "Tanille was very patient with those of us like myself that do not possess a green thumb, or even a clue of where to start. So it was a great afternoon of fellowship and creativity, and also a great way to start getting into the Christmas spirit."
Timmins hopes that Panda Flowers and Remedy Art Studio will be able to partner in the future for workshops, which she can oversee and instruct, but nothing concrete has been worked out as yet.