How to make a holiday wreath

Nov 02, 2011 10:55 PM by Laura Williams, M.S.Ed.

Posted in How-To / Home How-tos / Decorating How-tos

Homemade Holiday Decor

Wreaths are synonymous with the holiday season -- they adorn doors, tables and mantles -- but they can also put a serious dent in your holiday budget. Spend a little time, but save a lot of money, by making your own holiday wreaths this season.

Step 1: Gather supplies

Before starting to create your homemade holiday wreath, make sure you have everything you need. Check your craft closet for the following supplies:

2 wire coat hangers or wire wreath frames from a craft store
Several 8-to-10-inch-long branches of greenery -- these can be real or fake
Lightweight floral wire
Floral tape
Optional: silver or gold spray paint, ribbons, ornaments or other holiday-inspired decorations

Step 2 (Optional): Make your wreath shine

If you want to create a shimmering wreath, use silver or gold spray paint to lightly dust sections of greenery with color. The key here is to spray lightly while leaving some sections free of paint to allow the greenery to show through. If you're wary of spray paint, try spraying the leaves with spray adhesive and sprinkling them with silver, gold or clear glitter. Once you're satisfied with the sparkle, set the greenery aside and allow it to dry.

Step 3: Fashion your base

If you're working with a wreath frame from a craft store, you can skip this step.

If you're working with coat hangers, fashion a round base by twisting each hanger into a circle with one hanger forming a slightly larger circle than the other. Place the smaller circle inside the larger circle and wire the two circles together with floral wire. Cover the wire with floral tape to achieve a smooth finish.

Step 4: Green it up

Once your base is ready and your greenery is fully dry, begin layering branches on top of the frame, overlapping the stems to ensure full frame coverage. Connect the stems to the base using the floral wire. Continue layering greenery until you're satisfied with the fullness and coverage of your wreath.

Step 5: Personalize with decorations

After the greenery has been laid, personalize your wreath with additional holiday-inspired decorations. This will allow you to make the wreath your own: reflective of your personal style. The sky's the limit when it comes to possibilities. You can keep it simple with a few sprigs of holly berries or go all out with ornament balls, mini candy canes and tinsel. Connect your decorations to the greenery with hot glue or floral wire. Once your wreath is complete, hang it on your door, display it on your table or give it as a gift!