Do it Yourself - Holiday Wreaths

A wreath hanging on your front door is more then just another holiday decoration. A wreath shows warmth, peace, and welcomes friends old and new into your home. No matter what style home you live in, a wreath is always an inviting site. There a several different styles of Christmas wreaths to choose from, but how do you know when you have just the right one? Your Christmas wreath should reflect your personality. You'll know when you have just the right wreath. When you look at it hanging on your door, it will make you feel welcomed, and fill your heart with Christmas joy. That's why I believe it to be best to make your own wreath, what better way to welcome your guest, with a lovely wreath that you poured your heart and soul into. Making your own wreath is really simple. Here are some designs, and ideas to help get you started.

A Sweet Wreath - From candies to cookies, nothing screams Christmas like sweets, and these wreaths are especially to children, and those who love sweets. Start by buying a plain cheap wreath, Or cut your on out of thick cardboard. Next simply hot glue candies such as Candy Canes, Peppermint's, and Ribbon Candies, all over the wreath, making sure to overlap pieces for a 3 dimension look, and to cover the entire wreath with no bald spots. Once you are finished you can place a bow on your wreath, or leave it plain with just candies. For a cookie wreath you can use homemade cookies, or store bought, it doesn't matter. With a hot glue gun glue the cookies all over the entire wreath, overlapping cookies to keep that 3 dimensional look, and again hiding any bald spots. With both the candy, and the cookie wreath you will need to spay 3 coats of a clear coat sealant spray over the entire project. Allow each coat of spray to dry before applying another coat. Once the 3 coats are applied and dried, your wreath is ready to hang. The clear coat sealant spray can be bought at any craft, or paint store. Applying this sealant is very important, it will protect your wreath from the weather, and bugs.

The Natural Wreath - Many people prefer a more natural looking Christmas wreath. Start with either a cheap store bought pine branch wreath, which you can find at any craft store. Now simply hot glue natural elements in your wreath such as Pine Cones, Acorns, Nuts (in shell), Cinnamon sticks, and so on. Don't be scared to add more stuff, the fuller your wreath looks the better. For a few little extra special touches try adding a small fake bird, or a few jingle bells.

A real Christmas Wreath. - If your lucky enough to find a live Christmas tree stand that will give you the cuttings then great, if not you will have to rely on yourself. You can use cutting from any Pine tree, Evergreen tree, or Other bushy branches, that you have in your yard, or can clip locally. Be sure to ask the neighbors before you prune their tree. Once you have the branches, use a wire coat hanger to shape a wreath. You do so by straighting the hanger out, then forming a circle with it. You will need pliers to close the circle, and fasten it. Once your circle is made, cut your branches in to equal strips, such as 40 - 8 inch strips, 40 - 6 inch strips and 40 - 3 inch strips. Using florist tape (found at all craft stores) secure the 8 inch strips to the wreath leaving the branches on the outside on the wreath. Once that is complete secure the 6 inch strips the same way, but with the branches facing inward, and overlapping the 8 inch strips. Finally, you want to hot glue the small 3 inch strips between the 6 and 8 inch strips. The finished result will be a full wreath. A large red bow will finish this wreath project off, unless of course you want to add some Pine cones, or a few other natural touches.

Regardless what wreath you choose to create, if you really pour your heart into it, it will be beautiful. Besides is it better to look at a store bought wreath wondering how they can charge so much for something so simple, or to make it yourself for far less, and have a one of a kind wreath that you created?