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I love crafts. I love wreathes. I love the way a wreath looks hanging on a door or a wall. I love the way a garland looks hanging from a shelf or a mantle or even framing a picture. The only problem is, decorating one's home with purchased, sore bought wreathes and garlands can be costly. Many of these wreathes start well over ten dollars and can cost upwards of fifty dollars. Since most people like to change their decor with the seasons, the same floral embellishments that are appealing to the senses in the spring do not necessarily work during the summer, fall or winter and especially not during the holiday seasons. If you are crafty you could go to your local craft store, pick out some wonderful supplies and make you own. For many, that is a great way to start. You can experiment with different colors, textures and mediums. But, once again, even making your own wreathes by buying the supplies can add up to quite a bit of money. The good news is, there is an alternative. Natural ingredients. Many of those items found in your own backyard or local park have the potential to create beautiful wreathes and garlands that can decorate and adorn your home all year long.
During the spring and summer seasons try picking wild flowers and fresh leaves. Tie your pickings around the stems in a bunch and hang upside down in a cool, dark place. Let hang until dry. Twigs, moss, even dandelions and grass can add to the beauty of a wreath or garland. The base for the wreath can be made out of a number of things. A wire coat hanger can be bent into a circular or heart shape. Soft, pliable, bendable vines or even stringy roots can be wrapped around twigs and sticks. Anything that you can make sturdy enough can form a base. Even heavy cardboard or posterboard can be used. To the base attach your decorations using a hot glue gun. Hot glue guns can be purchased at any craft store for as little as five or ten dollars and, if taken care of properly can last for several years. Use your imagination. Create your wreath any way you see fit. There are no guidelines to follow, no instructions to learn. Attach your embellishments on securely in whatever manner appeals to you.
The same method applies to garlands. Vines, sticks, twigs -I've even used clothesline to form the base for the garland. Attach the decorations in the same manner.
Fall is a wonderfully colorful time of year. It is a time of year when beautiful and natural items can be found in abundance. Pine cones, acorns, vivid red, yellow, orange and gold leaves, indian corn, cornstalks, even gourds and pumpkins can all be incorporated into a lovely wreath or garland.
During the holiday season there is of course evergreen branches and pine cones. One of the great things about evergreen is that if you are able to find branches of the right size you can create lovely wreathes and garlands without even using a base. Cut your branches in various lengths ranging from eight inches to up to two feet long. Overlap the bottom of one branch with the top of another and tie together using wire or twine. Repeat the process until you have either a garland of the desired length or bend into a circle to form a wreath. Small wreathes can be decorated and used in a number of ways. Hang them on the Christmas tree, make a candle holder, even place settings for the holiday table. Medium sized wreathes and be hung on walls and doors. You could even make a giant wreath for the front of your house. The more branches you use the bigger and fuller your wreath will be. Why spend money needlessly when you can enjoy a new hobby, express yourself and beautify your home and surrounding at very little or no expense at all?
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