Custom Wreath Making in 7 Easy Steps
When it comes to Christmas... many people would say I tend to go "slightly" overboard... What can I say? I love all things Christmas!
If you've always wanted to create your own personal wreath, you've come to the right spot! You will have just what you need to be on your way to your first of many wreaths! Create a custom wreath for the holidays or just to display in your home or on your front door! Before we get started, here's a sneak preview of the final result. #keeptheendinmind
I originally made this wreath to compliment our Christmas tree. It added just the right balance on the bare wall next to the tree and completed the look. I liked it so much, I made another one to give to my in-laws for Christmas.
Check out my Christmas Tree post as well as other Christmas decor ideas on my Christmas Decorating page. Here's a sneak peek below.
WREATH-MAKING 101:
Let's get started with a quick and easy step-by-step tutorial, starting with the supplies you'll need.
SUPPLIES:
plain branched wreath
greenery stems (feel free to mix 2-3 different coordinating varieties)
other wreath accent pieces
pinecones
frosted pine needles
ribbon
statement word or letter (such as Noel, your last name initial, etc.)
hot glue gun
hot glue sticks
wire cutter
floral wire
STEPS: Now that you have your supplies, let's get started with creating your wreath in 7 easy steps!
1. DETERMINE OVERALL LOOK & STYLE: Determine the overall look and style for your wreath in terms of color and theme. Gather your items.
For greenery, I loved this frosted leaf look and found these silver tinted greenery stems at Michaels for $4 each. I used quite a few branches though.
Select a statement word or letter (such as your last name initial) or a seasonal word. The "Noel" wooden statement piece I used in the wreath above came from Hobby Lobby. Select a ribbon that coordinates as well. I used this silvery burlap ribbon from Michaels.
SAVVY SHOPPER TIP: I made these before the sales, but if you're patient, about 1-2 weeks before Christmas, the ribbon will go on sale for 70% off and then an additional 25% with their in-store coupon.
2. CREATE WREATH LAYOUT: Start with a plain branched wreath. I found this plain white branched wreath at Michaels for $6. Hobby Lobby also has some pretty inexpensive options too year-round. Lay out your various wreath accent pieces on the wreath to get an overall idea of how you want your wreath displayed.
3. CUT GREENERY: Use a wire cutter and trim off the greenery into individual sprigs.
3. ATTACH YOUR GREENERY: You can either use floral wire or a hot glue gun to attach your pieces to the wreath. I typically use a hot glue gun as it gives me more control and options for placement. Hot glue individual greenery sprigs to the wreath. You can either cover the entire wreath or leave a small opening (about 1/4 of the wreath) for a simple yet charming style.
If you have multiple types of greenery branches, start by attaching one greenery type for the wreath while leaving some room for the second type of greenery. Then add your second type of greenery and fill in until you are content.
4. WRAP RIBBON: After the greenery has been attached, wrap your ribbon loosely around your wreath. Once you are satisfied with its placement, attach the ribbon with hot glue.
5. ATTACH STATEMENT WORD OR LETTER: Determine placement for statement word or letter. You can glue this in place as well. You'll need a lot of hot glue for this and extra patience as this can take some time to secure as well as set.
6. CREATE YOUR BOW: See my Bow Tutorial if you need additional help. Make sure to add extra for the bow tails. Fluff out your ribbon and select a spot for your bow. Attach the bow with floral wire. Re-fluff the bow and add waves to shape the bow tails if needed.
7. ADD EXTRAS: If you have other elements you want to incorporate into your wreath, add these now. Space out your accent pieces. Make sure to add some contrasting elements to the sides of your bow to add interest and your own unique flair. I added a group of 3 small pinecones on each side along with pine needles. I completed the wreath with a small grouping of pine branches to the top side of the bow.
Congrats! You have just finished creating your own personal wreath! Time to display it and show off all your hard work!
Christmas Tree: Hobby Lobby
Ribbon: Michaels
Ornaments: (Mostly) Hobby Lobby
Window Frame: Barn Sale
Wreath: Custom Made by Me
Tree Skirt: HomeGoods
Wrapping Paper: HomeGoods
Here are a few more wreaths I've created just for extra inspiration.
HOT COCOA BAR:
A simple and cute wreath added just the right amount of color to our Hot Cocoa Bar. Our hot cocoa bar was quite the hit, not only for our Ugly Christmas Sweater Party (Party Entertaining - Made Easy post coming soon), but also for any guests that came over during the winter season. Check out my "Hot Cocoa Bar - How To" Tutorial to make one yourself without breaking the bank!
PATIO WREATH:
I created two wreaths for our screened-in patio. Hubs claims that Southern winters are so much better than Nebraska winters...
Where are these "warm winters" hubs speaks of?! Let the evidence speak for itself (below...) How do you explain snow at the beginning of December and before Nebraska's first snow...? So much for those 'not-so-warm' Southern winters...
FRONT PORCH WREATH:
This is a similar style to the first wreath from the tutorial. I wanted something simple as I already had a lot going on with the front porch setup. More proof of the snow-filled South. Grant it, only lasted for a couple days... It is currently 12 degrees though so I still don't think hubs' claim has much validity.
ENTRYWAY WREATH:
I created this wreath a few years back. I bought a few extra plain greenery wreaths after Christmas to take advantage of the huge markdowns. I then added battery-operated lights to avoid distracting cords. To keep the champagne theme going, I wrapped the wreath with champagne wired ribbon to give it a wavy appearance and adorned it with a simple bow. Mercury glass ornaments (including both a lighted strand and non-lighted ornaments), gold glittered balls, glass beaded stems, and pinecones completed the look.
I used the wreath to frame this cute Noel mirror (a prior Pottery Barn knock-off that I found at Marshall's for $15). I originally displayed this wreath above the fireplace in previous years to tie in the fireplace garland, but since hubby's TV takes priority for now, it found a new home this year. #marriagesacrifices :)
Wreath: Self-Made but Original Plain Wreath from Hobby Lobby
Battery-Operated Lights: TJ Maxx
Noel Mirror: Marshall's.
Mercury Glass Ball Lighted Strand: HomeGoods
Mercury Glass Ornaments: Hobby Lobby
Ribbon: Michaels
Glittered Pinecones: Self-Made
Glittered Gold Balls: Hobby Lobby
Glass Beaded Stems: Hobby Lobby
Faux Pinecone Branches: Michaels
CHANDELIER WREATHS:
Another way to add some seasonal touches to your home is by decorating your chandeliers and light fixtures. We decorated our dining room and kitchen wreaths (as shown below). For an easy, step-by-step tutorial, click the link, Chandelier Decorating 101.
Dining Room Chandelier Wreath:
Kitchen Wreath:
Thanks for checking out this tutorial! Check out my Christmas Decorating page for other ideas and additional "how-to's" including "How to Decorate a Christmas Tree - Like a Pro" and a Garland Making tutorial, just to name a few!
