Deck The Halls II

30' Handmade Christmas Wreath

Detail of Spode snowman and "moss" balls

Detail of vintage boot and glitter ornaments

Let's start with one of my favorite holiday pieces - our handmade 30 inch Christmas wreath. A few yeas ago I decided that I would forgo the traditional holiday decor that we had in favor of hot candy colors in turquoise, green and pink. I deemed it "Candyland Christmas" and made it as over the top as I could . . .

It began with a wreath that I saw in a holiday magazine. They showcased a craft store form that was enhanced using bits and pieces of old and/or broken ornaments in addition to new items bought for the occasion. I loved how bold and full it was and decided right away that I was going to tackle the project myself. . . So I purchased a large green faux wreath and began to fill, fill, fill it with old and new matte, shiny, broken and sentimental pieces from our collection. I bought glitter balls from the Martha Stewart collection, cheap miniature balls from the dollar store, used decorative "moss" balls that I had in a bowl on some counter somewhere (nothing was safe!) and, most importantly, was able to add sentimental ornaments from our childhood that now had a special place to be showcased. Close inspection uncovers everything from stuffed animals (the pig in the post below) to broken Spode china pieces that we purchased on our honeymoon. . .

It continues to be one of my favorites because there is so much to look at and so much to remember . .  .  including the memories of all the hot glue burns I received while making it . . .

Thanks for looking! Our next Deck The Halls post will cover decorative uses of aprons . . . stay tuned . . .

Kristin xo