I’ve been seeing some gorgeous Christmas wreaths this year. But as I was looking at them, I decided a DIYed Christmas wreath was more budget-friendly and beautiful with real evergreen stems.
I’ve told you before, but we are a debt-free family, which means the budget lets us know what we can and cannot buy. This is why we often decide to exert a little extra time and energy and do projects ourselves. This is exactly what happened when I decided to DIY a Christmas wreath for over the piano.
I could easily go buy the most gorgeous wreath. Or I could go on a wagon ride with my daughters, husband, and in-laws to scout out some gorgeous evergreen trees on the family farm. The options made my decision easy. This simple DIY could be more than just décor. It could be a memory.I absolutely love all things evergreen during Christmas time. Earlier I did a few evergreen swags, so why wouldn’t I try to DIY a real evergreen Christmas wreath myself? Is it fear of it turning out terrible? Or fear of what people would think? Not having enough time? The voices in my head wouldn’t stop. The reasons to NOT do this DIY were ridiculous. Just typing them out helps me realize how ridiculous they are.
This wreath was put together and hung up on the wall in 30 minutes! That means you can finish it before your favorite Christmas movie is over. And while mine didn’t turn out the way my inspiration photo looked, it certainly didn’t turn out hideous! Maybe next year my wreath will be better? Maybe it’s more important to see growth than it is to see perfection?
Christmas Wreath: Supplies
Grapevine wreathEvergreen clippings (real & faux)Floral WireWire cuttersRed & white berriesPinecones
Step 1
I have had thisgrapevine wreath sitting in the back storage roomfor quite some time. I decided it would be a great way to add cozy to this wreath, versus my Fall wreath where I used a thin and simple embroidery hoop.
Step 2
To start I created a foundation of boxwood bush clippings. By doing this I cut down on the pine needle mess that I was going to clean up after the holiday season was over, & I gave this wreath a bit of fullness. Using clippings from our garden I saved money and I checked something off the “Home Maintenance To-Do List”.
To attach the clippings I simply stuck them in-between the grapevines but when they wouldn’t stay the way I wanted I wrapped some wire around the stem and slid it where I wanted it.
Step 3.
Next, using the same method for attachment, I started mixing in my real spruce and fir clippings, and a few of my faux stems on top of the boxwood clippings. By adding these traditional Christmas pines on top of the boxwood I gave this wreath a pretty traditional look without using only clippings that create a pine mess. Also, here I go again, saving money! I literally didn’t buy anything yet!! (The real spruce and fir clippings my husband helped me get at his parent’s house.)
Step 4Once I’d created the asymmetrical shape I wanted with the greenery I started mixing in the berries and pinecones to give the wreath more visual interest. For this I used some red berries I found at the bottom of one of the Christmas totes, but I didn’t have any white berries. So I did go and purchase those.Also, as a friendly tip, the pine cones kept falling out of place when I was hanging it on the wall. I discovered 2 options to remedy this. One you could wrap the wire around the pine cone and then use it as a pine cone pick to help you secure the pinecone to the wreath, or you could wait until the wreath was on the wall and then put your pinecones in place.
You guys it couldn’t be more simple than that! I forged for all the things I could outside and I only purchased 1 stem of berries! Talk about success!
I hope that this has inspired you to create a beautiful Christmas wreath within your budget. But more than that I hope that this has inspired you to dig down deep inside of you and do the things that your fears are telling you not to try. On the other side, you might find a beautiful wreath or better yet, a beautiful memory.
If you're interested in tips and tricks for caring for your wreath with real evergreen clippings, visit Open Doors Open Hearts. I've shared a few tricks I've learned when it comes to caring for them.
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Open Your Doors,Aliya
