homemade wreaths?

[Flummery]

Go on Janey, have a go. Loads of foliage, a few berries and cones, loads of wire and no sense of proportion!

[janeyo]

And no sense of style, taste and less is more?! lol you haven't seen our tree when I've finished with it!

[Hilary B]

We did a very simple one years back, just a hoop (a small wooden one) loads of holly-with-berries, and a large christmas-tree bauble.
You tie the holly on until you can't see the hoop, then suspend the bauble so that it is in the centre. It isn't as fancy as the 'proper' ones, but it does work! If you want to be more creative, you can paint some fir cones silver or gold (some of each is nice), and tie them on among the holly (if you wind thread between the scales, you can tie the cone on without the thread showing).

No point doing one where we are now, but I sometimes do an advent ring, similar to the Blue Peter traditional one, based on 2 wire coathangers, loads of tinsel, and some simple candle-holders.

[pipscariad]

This thread has got me thinking about what to try with my wreath this year. One thing has been puzzling me though about pine cones - if you put your wreath on an outside door (where mine goes), don't the cones close up if the weather is wet?? Not quite the same effect then!

p.s. Oh go on Janey, have a go, you know you want to!

[Hilary B]

This thread has got me thinking about what to try with my wreath this year. One thing has been puzzling me though about pine cones - if you put your wreath on an outside door (where mine goes), don't the cones close up if the weather is wet?? Not quite the same effect then!

p.s. Oh go on Janey, have a go, you know you want to!

If the cones are really dry to start with, they don't usually close up unless they actually get rained on (or otherwise soaked). Even if they close up a bit, they still add a festive touch!

[Mac]

My OH has been playing with the idea of making a wreath this year and as we live in a partly coniferous wood and have a huge holly bush in the garden I'll now pass on all your advice and look forward to the results! Thank you one and all...

[janeyo]

Ok so I have bought the wire thingie.. now just need to have lots of wine inside me to unleash the creativity!

[lettucegrow!]

Go for it janeyo, fully fledged florist here and the hardest thing to cope with is the damage to your hands when using lots of holly and stubb wires!! Best way to go is buy ready mossed frame( on t'internet) and gather lots of interesting foliage., and whatever else you like the look of. Look for different colours and different shape leafs for the best effects but keep it seasonal.Use gardening twine to bind small pieces of foliage on to the frame overlapping as you work round the frame .Alternate the foliage for an interesting effect . You could use anything you like when the base is done. I like to add fruit, apples,oranges and bunches of cinnamon sticks. Push a stubb wire bent in half through the fruit and push it through and back on itself into the moss frame. Home made fresh garlands always look lovely, post some pics of your handiwork, would love to see the finished result.