Share your holiday cheer with a festive wreath

By Patty Marsters

pattym@lwsb.com

Nothing announces your passion for the holidays to the outside world faster than a festive wreath on your door. And with just a little time, you can flex those creative muscles on something other than how to wrap a basketball. (Hint: Get a gift bag.) Most of the wreaths below can be made with materials you probably already have on hand. Some require a traditional wreath form, whether foam or wire (you can even use a pool noodle secured with duct tape), while others just need a circular backing, like a round cake board. For hanging purposes, just finish with a coordinating ribbon affixed to the back or slid through the wreath form, or simply slip it over a nail or hook.

Paint chips: For this project, you’ll need 40-60 paint chips, which can be obtained from just about any hardware store or paint supplier. You can choose holiday colors or, for an ombre effect, shades of one color that go from light to dark. Fold the chips in half, then cut into a simple leaf shape (an elongated oval with a pointed tip works great here). With a glue gun or tube of E6000 craft glue, layer the leaves over the wreath frame.

Snowballs: Miss the wintry signs of Christmas (but not the chill)? Foam balls in varying sizes (for example, about eight large, four medium, 20 small and 10 tiny) arranged around a wreath form mimics the look of a fun snowball fight. A festive bow can be fashioned from plaid ribbon to resemble a scarf.

For a more colorful decoration, spray-paint the balls in holiday colors that remind you of the globes hangingfromyourChristmastree.

Wrappingpaper: Have scraps of wrapping paper saved for just the right-sized gifts? Or rolls upon rolls you never seem to go through? Cut them into rectangles of the same or varying sizes (e.g., 6 inches by 6 inches and 4 inches by 6 inches), then roll them into cone shapes, keeping each one together with a bit of doublesided tape or glue. Affix the cones in layers, or start with the longer cones, then fill in gaps with the shorter ones. If you use a solid form, you can fill in the middle with coordinating Christmas balls or other holiday decorations.

Fabric scraps: If you’re an avid sewer, you probably have some bits and pieces left from projects. To make this wreath, you’ll need fabrics with holiday patterns or colors that remind you of the season. Cut them into 10-inch-by-1-inch strips. Tie the strips around one or two wires of a wire frame, mixing it up as you go along. Push the ties together periodically to avoid gaps and create a fuller look. You can leave the finished wreath as is, or embellish with an old Christmas ornament or holly berries crafted from buttons (use scraps of green fabric for the leaves).

Tinsel garland: Simply glue one end of a garland of tinsel to a wreath form, then wrap, wrap, wrap it around. For larger wreaths, you might need three or four garlands. Glue the remaining end in place, and you’re done. You can add ornaments or other décor, but sometimes, glittery garlands are just enough.