Creative Wreaths: Save Money and Do it Yourself!

Growing up, my mother had a new wreath for almost every month. Hanging on the front door, they all looked amazing. I now have my own home and family, and last year I decided that I wanted nice wreaths to compliment my home. I went to craft fairs and bazaars, and I visited several local stores looking for the perfect fall wreath. I found them to be very expensive. Many were over $25 each, and the really pretty ones were even more. So, I decided that I would learn how to make my own fall wreath. Below you will find tips and suggestions for making the perfect wreath for your home.

To start, you will want to decide what kind of wreath you would like to make so that you can begin putting together a shopping list. To determine what kind of wreath you want, I would recommend thinking about the season (time of year) and any upcoming holidays. Think about the color of your home, and the colors of gardens that are nearby. Decide what colors and theme you would like to use for your wreath.

Now, its time to make a shopping list. You will definitely need to purchase a wooden wreath (you can determine the size you would like). You will want ribbons to go around the wreath - I generally chose a thick solid color ribbon and compliment it with one or two thinner ribbons that have patterns which match. Then you need to think about everything else that will go on the wreath. What do you want? I like to use flowers. There are brillant and bold flowers (fake) in the fall, sparkling flowers for the holidays and soft and subtle flowers for the spring and summer. Next, consider the theme that you have chosen and decide what kinds of decorations you would like to include. For example, a great summer wreath can be made with ribbon, flowers, and little wooden pieces such as sunglasses and flipflops. Think about the theme you are going to use and list out a couple of ideas for decoration pieces that you can look for.

If this is your first attempt at making your own wreath, you may need to buy a small glue gun and glue. You can pick up a small glue gun for a couple of dollars at Walmart. While you are at Walmart, you can also pick up your wreath. Walmart has, by far, the cheapest price on wreaths. I also generally buy my flowers at Walmart since I find them to be cheaper there as well.

Sometimes I am lucky and find decorative things and ribbon at Walmart, but usually I go to Michael's for that. Michael's has alot of good sales on ribbons - in the front of our store there is always a bin with ribbons for a dollar or two. This is where the majority of my ribbon comes from. Michael's is filled with decorative ideas - wooden pieces, little figurines, "fru-fru", holiday items (during the holidays), etc. I like to spend an hour or so just walking through Michael's looking for even more ideas to add to my wreath.

Once you have gotten everything that you need (glue gun and glue, wreath, ribbon, flowers, decorations, etc.), it's time to head home to assemble your wreath. Start with the thickest ribbon. Glue the end to the back of the wreath, and then wind it however you like around the wreath. Then, glue the other end to the back of the wreath as well. I like to dab a little glue on the back of the wreath to keep the ribbon in place. Next, do the same (wrapping around the wreath and glueing), making sure to compliment the thicker ribbon. Next, place the flowers where you would like them - I think they look great in the bottom right of the wreath. Glue them into place. Lastly, glue on everything else you have decided to use until you have the perfect wreath. Make to sure watch spacing in order to achieve a good balance in your wreath.

Once the glue on your wreath has dried, it is ready to hang out on your door or porch. When you make your own creative wreath, the big advantages are that you get to chose the exact colors and tailor the wreath to your home and that you are saving money. Most wreaths can be made for anywhere from $8-$12 (higher if you want to add alot of decorations). Now, you are ready to get started on your own wreath project! Have fun and be creative!