Making a Winter Seasonal Wreath

A Winter Seasonal wreaths are especially nice after all your Christmas holiday lights and decorations are taken down. With a Winter Seasonal wreath, you can leave up all winter, enhancing a room in your home.

NOTE: Some picture turned out too dark due to I only own a desk lamp. This took me 3 days to make because legal blind and rainy days, wasn't easy to see clearly, but I tried.

Step 1: Supplies

Materials you'll Need: 

Floral Wire

Glue Gun

Wire Cutters, heavy duty

Scissors

Wire Frame (Used a 18" wire frame)

Garland (Used 2- 6 ft.)

Lights (Used 2 boxes LED Cool White 60 Mini Lights)

Seasonal Decorations

And PATIENTS!!

Step 2: Wire Frame

Begin with a wire wreath frame. These are available in a variety of sizes from your local craft stores or Christmas Tree Shop. For this Christmas wreath, I am using a 19" wire wreath frame.

Step 3: Garland:

Make sure you have plenty of room to work... Place garland (bottom side down) on the wire frame (starting on the outside of the wire frame first) and wrap the wire around the garland and the frame several times, pulling it snug so that the garland is securely fastened to the frame.Cut the wire and tuck wire under form.

Step 4: Around and Attach:

Continue to cover the outside layer until complete. When the entire first row is formed... cut the garland and wrap the end securely around the frame.

Step 5:

Before you begin your next row, make sure to keep first row garland out of the way... I fold the garland outward to make it easier to see what I'm doing.

Step 6:

Place garland (bottom side down) on the wire frame (wire closest to middle of the wire frame first) and wrap the wire around the garland and the frame several times, pulling it snug so that the garland is securely fastened to the frame.

Step 7:

Cut the wire and tuck wire under form.

Step 8: Filling In:

Once you've completed attaching the garland to wire frame, separate each of the branches.Try to fill in the bare spots as you go.

Step 9:

Sometimes there are spots that look not as full as other areas, thats ok. With the left over garland you cut off, cut a few branches, using the glue... glue cut ends and filling in bare spots, holding in place until glue has set.

Step 10: Pine Cones:

Once you feel you've filled in your wreath, add some pine cones and holly berries to fill in areas, as needed... using a glue gun or floral wire to hold pieces into place.

Step 11: NOTE:

For my wreathes... I usually use a variety of sizes of pine cones.I collected my pine cones while on walks.

Step 12: Berries "Cover-ups"

NOTE: Berries; sometimes when you buy a sprig of holly berries, you notice some of the berries may have white "nicks" on them, instead of cutting the berry off, use a sharpie to color in the nick.

Step 13: The Lights!

Now your ready to add lights... Choose a string(s) of holiday lights that are similar color in your wreath.

Before you string lights, decide which part of the wreath will be the TOP and BOTTOM… I suggest you hang your wreath several sides to help you decide the way you want wreath to hang.

NOTE: I used 2 boxes (22 FT) Philips LED Mini Lights.

Step 14:

Start the string of lights starting at the plug. Attach the marked area to the bottom of the wreath using a similarly colored twist tie or craft wire. The plug should hang loosely from the bottom of the wreath about 6".

Step 15:

Roll up the string of lights into a ball, carefully keeping the attached plug section in place. Insert the wound ball through the hole of the wreath and wrap the lights around the outside edge. Insert the ball of lights back through the hole again, winding in the same direction the whole time, and continue to repeat this pattern around the entire wreath. As you wind the lights, try to move across the wreath so you cover all the areas around the circle evenly. Attach the end of the string of lights to the wreath using a twist tie or craft wire.

Step 16: Hiding Wires

Fluff out the greenery around the wire areas to help disguise any exposed wire.

Step 17: Dress Up:

Use a hot glue on new artificial berries, garland branches and pine cones to further enhance the wreath and cover any wiring, please be careful, not to get hot glue on the wire.

Step 18: QC Time:

Inspect your wreath from a distance, carefully look over for bare spots, wire exposure or uneven placement of decorations, making the correct adjustments.

Step 19: Congratulations on Your New Wreath!!!

You are now ready to show off your wreath, from decorate your home (each year) hang the wreath over a fireplace, front door or entry way!!!

Step 20: Gift Giving!!

Wreaths are the perfect for giving to family, friends, relatives, neighbors, or someone that could use a bit of Christmas cheer!!! Yesterday, I gave this wreath to a friend of mine that recently moved (yesterday) to an apartment after living 15 years in a house overlooking the water. Sadly, his wife suddenly died of asthma attack, leaving behind a six year old little girl. I didn't know that to hang in the middle, so I looked through my glass Christmas decorations to what I thought would be appropriate.

THEY LOVED THE WREATH!! "WOW, That's so beautiful... wonderful artist talent you have! Thank you so much!

NOTE:
Giving a wreath to for someone or some place that could use a bit of cheer. whether it's for a holiday, fundraiser, nonprofit or charity, special event, occasion, or celebration.

Step 21: Once Again Wreathless...

Once again, here I am without a wreath of my own, so on to making wreath # 2....wonder how it will turn out...
Maybe this time I'll make a Charlie Brown wreath... then nobody will want it, LOL!

Step 22: Endless Thymes

Step 23: Over the Years....

Over the years I've made seasonal wreaths, because wreaths at the dept. stores & florists are either too expensive or look from wrong colors, themes, to too cheap looking. To this day,the only one I have is this Christmas wreath, as I ended up giving them away as gift to friends I've know. The Autumn Wreath, I made 2 years ago, it now hangs in a lawyers office.