Looking for a special, budget-busting way to introduce a little holiday cheer? Try making your own holiday wreaths!
Nearly every homestead has abundant raw material to create striking and unique holiday decorations. Of course the old standbys of evergreen boughs and grapevine spring to mind, but if those are scare at your place don’t despair. Just look around. Twigs and small branches, straw and dead weeds all make great wreath-making material. Or use your imagination and raid your junk pile for inspiration. Have fun! How about a wreath crafted from scraps of electrical wire and decorated with spark plugs to grace your machine shop door?
Start your wreath with several lengths of sturdy material like grapevine or twigs. Twist them together, then bend into a circle and secure with binding wire. Use this as a frame to attach other material like pine branches or weeds. Weave them in securely or use more binding wire to attach.
Top it all off with decorative elements gleaned from your homestead. Try pine cones, bittersweet or holly berries or crab apples. Use wire or needle and thread to secure them onto the wreath. Or raid the sewing bench for ribbons, bows and notions. Long strips of brightly-colored calico make delightful use of scraps that might otherwise go to waste.
Once you’re done making one or a few for yourself, you might find the process addicting. Home made wreaths make great gifts, or sell them at holiday craft fairs or bazaars for a little extra Christmas money.
And while you’re at it, don’t forget to include your holiday spirit. Make it a family project with the kids, or invite friends and neighbors for a pot-luck wreath-making party. You might just find you’ve started a new holiday tradition!
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Wonderful post! Nature is so much more beautiful than those plastic things from a store. We made all kinds of holiday decorations using pine cones, acorns and whatever else we could find in the yard. It was great! And the thing is … we now really look at the decorations and take pride in them. In times past, when the plastic things went up … we forgot them just about as fast as we hung them.
As always … you offer us the best tips! Thank you … and here’s wishing you and yours a wonderful 2010!