Thursday 1 December 2011

Holiday Wreaths

Simplicity and Elegance are the words I choose to describe this vignette

I personally love the simple elegance of this traditional green wreath, although nowadays anything goes and there are so many choices for what to use when making or purchasing a wreath.  If you are feeling creative try making your own wreath from things that inspire you and will fit into whichever theme you decide upon this festive season.   

The style of your homes' furnishings will influence what colours and type of theme you choose for your Christmas decorating.  My main floor is a modern-country style and most of the decorations I already have are red and green so I decided to stick with these traditional holiday colours.   

Try to buy items during the sales or clip the coupons because things can really start to add up fast.

I headed to Michaels in search of ideas for making a nature inspired wreath that the family would enjoy.  We love the outdoors and especially love birds, so the first item I saw as my 'jumping off point' was a beautiful gold sparkly bird with a long, curly cream and golden tail.  I just fell in love with her and I knew my kids would too.

Consider the shape of the wreath and how you want it to hang
When making the wreath and deciding what was to go where, I hung it from a chair instead of lying it on the floor or table.  I figured this would give me the best perspective as this was how it would be viewed (admired) anyway.   I didn't want it to look too fussy and made sure there was some negative space so the focal point of my bird and her nest of eggs (tiny coloured balls ornaments) would not get lost in the design.


I could have left it like this, I like the simple look.  However I wanted to add more berries and soften it up a bit.


When choosing materials its easy to get carried away with all the 'bling' at this time of year.  I wanted to balance some of the sparkle with an element of softness to ensure I didn't lose the natural look that I was after so I added the lagurus ovatus which provided a different, more gentle texture.

I hope 'Goldie' is comfortable in her new happy home.
I will be hanging Goldie and her nest by a thick velvet red ribbon on my mirror in the Living room. However it was better to photograph it this way as I am not a professional photographer and trying to get a decent picture without a bad reflection was not working for me.  Makes you appreciate the pictures in magazines much more when you try to do your own!

I have chosen a more traditional wreath but there's no need to limit your choices, unless that's the look your going for too.  And if you prefer to buy a wreath rather than making one, don't feel guilty.  You are just making more time to shop for gifts, tidy the house, wrap the presents and all the other good things that come with this time of year.  Although I do recommend buying one sooner rather than later as the best ones always go first and we are already into December now.

If you do fancy making your own, here are some of my favourites from Martha Stewart that range from easy to more advanced designs depending on what you prefer and what you have time for.

Spray paint Sweetgum fruit the colour of your choice


These Jingle bells for the door handle are simple and sweet

Gorgeous ball wreath with the backdrop of this very cool antiqued door
Remember, a wreath can adorn more than just your front door.  Try removing a picture from the wall and replacing it with a wreath or place one over the fireplace as a main focal point.  Another option is to hang a wreath where guests are least likely to expect to find one, like in the main floor powder room. 

When you place one over the mirror it looks more full and it's appearance doubles in size
For more great ideas, visit this Martha Stewart website where you are sure to find something that inspires you.



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