{ Wreath Re-do }

It's certainly possible that this is the easiest DIY wreath ever.


Two years ago this winter that I had The Wreath Epiphany. I remember the specific shopping trip, walking through the home goods section of Fred Meyer after work one evening, and the sudden overwhelming need for a wreath. A wreath on our front door. A few months earlier, I and three other girls from church moved in together. We rented a spacious house, oh-so-lovely house on a quiet street in a great neighborhood--rent was darn cheap when you split it four ways! So much nicer than the apartment I'd been sharing with one of the other girls for eight months. And the closest I'd been to having space where I had a say in the decorating.

I realized that a wreath means home to me. It means someone is staking a claim to this place, putting down roots, taking responsibility for making this house a home. A wreath is a quiet declaration of belonging, and not just belonging, but enjoying and beautifying the space where you belong. All this came to me in a rush. I needed to get us a wreath.

I found exactly what I wanted: lots of bright red berries on a simple vine wreath. I loved it. I thought it was totally appropriate to leave it up till Valentine's Day, since the red makes it all lovely-dovey, right? I think my roommates were sick of it by then.

This spring I bought a plain vine wreath at Michaels. It cost all of $2.99, maybe $3.99 tops. I remember being shocked by how cheap it was. Armed with a ready-made bouquet of silk flowers {40% off}, raffia-covered floral wire, and wire snippers, I cut apart the bouquet and made this wreath:



I don't remember the exact number, but the total cost was less than $15. Compare that to store-bought wreaths, which are often still upwards of $30 when on sale, and that's not bad at all! Plus I like mine way better. The floral wire ended up being unnecessary, because our door opens into a covered walkway with a wall facing it--so there is literally never wind or weather of any kind threatening to undo my work.

Last week, I bought a bouquet of silk mums and three individual sunflowers {40% off again!}, took apart my summery wreath, and put this together while waiting for Mike to get home from work:

The sunflowers were kind of pricey, so the flowers alone this time ended up costing around $10. I didn't use floral wire at all, and so far nothing is drooping or falling out. I saved the other silk flowers so I can re-make that wreath come springtime. I am so excited about being able to make such pretty wreaths so cheaply! Can you tell?

But I can guarantee you this: The day after Thanksgiving, I'll be hanging up my beloved red berry wreath again.