Four gorgeous DIY wreath ideas
Roberto Caruso
Pot scrubbers
Stock up on metallic dollar-store scoring pads for this unique, modern showstopper.
You need:A 10-inch Styrofoam wreath form, 6 packages of pot scrubbers, scissors,silver beads of various sizes, a low-heat hot-glue gun.
Easy how-to:
1. Cut the pot scrubbers so that they are open on one side.
2. Wrap around wreath form and hot-glue into place.
3. Once the entire wreath is covered, use hot glue to decorate with silver beads.
Where to find it: Paint, Cornforth White, farrow-ball.com. Pot scrubbers, beads, dollarama.com. Stockings, white tree, homesense.ca.
Watch our home editor, Virginie Martocq, create this pot scrubbers wreath from scratch!
Recycled sweaters
Turn your old knits into a colourful country charmer.
You need:Thick-gauge wire, 3 to 5 old sweaters, good fabric scissors, ribbon.
Easy how-to:
1. Cut squares and triangles out of the sweaters (it’s okay if they’re uneven).
2. Bend the wire into the shape of a wreath, with a loop at one end. Thread theknitted squares onto the wire, until 1 inch of wire remains. Feed the wire endthrough the loop, and twist to close. Finish off with a large bow.
Where to find it: Sweaters, goodwill.com. Ribbon, Mokuba, 416-504-5358.
Dried flowers
Create a sophisticated entrance with a long-lasting floral bouquet.
You need:An 18-inch oasis wreath form, dried cockscomb or other dried flower,thin-gauge wire, pruners, satin ribbon.
Easy how-to:
1. Remove extra leaves from flower stems and cut to 3 or 4 inches in length.
2. Stab each stem into the oasis, making sure the blooms are wedged tightlynext to one another. If the stems are flimsy, try wrapping them with wirebefore poking them into the oasis.
3. Finish with a large satin bow.
Where to find it: Form, michaels.com. Cockscomb, hofland.com.
Gumdrops
Make a sweet statemnt in a girlie space with this sugary number.
You need:An 18-inch Styrofoam wreath form, royal-icing mix or homemade royal icing,two large bulk bags of gumdrops, screws, picture-hanging wire, a low-heathot-glue gun.
Easy how-to:
1. Prepare the royal icing.
2. Working in sections, apply a thin layer of icing and push the gumdropsinto the icing. Allow the icing to dry before moving on to the next section.Work on the top first, then the sides. Finish with a satin ribbon.
3. Sink screws into Styrofoam with hot glue. Stretch a wire between screwsto create a hanger.
Where to find it: Form, royal icing, michaels.com. Candy, bulkbarn.ca.Wallpaper, Julien Macdonald for Graham & Brown, grahambrown.com.
Rock sugar
This ethereal decoration takes on a crystal-like glow when hung in a window.
You need:An 8-inch Styrofoam wreath form,large-crystal sugar, rock-sugarcrystals, 3M multi-purposeglue, velvet ribbon, a low-heathot-glue gun.
Easy how-to:
1. Apply hot glue to the backsof large sugar crystals and pushinto place.
2. Fill gaps with glue and sprinklewith loose sugar crystals.
3. Hang with ribbon.
Where to find it: Ribbon, Mokuba,416-504-5358.
Citrus and cedar
Add pizzazz to a store-bought wreath with faux fruit and magnolia leaves.
You need:A store-bought evergreen wreath,artificial lemons and limes,magnolia leaves, thin-gauge wire,a low-heat hot-glue gun.
Easy how-to:
1. Wrap wire around the base ofeach magnolia leaf and attach tothe wreath, tucking some leavesunder the cedar.
2. Use hot glue to attach thefruit to pieces of wire, then wirefruit onto the wreath.
Where to find it: Cedar wreath,hoflands.com. Lemons, limes, pier1.ca.
Paper and styrofoam
Channel your inner groovy girl with this mod white-on-white number.
You need:A Masonite or cardboardwreath form, thick card stock,Styrofoam balls, 3M multipurposeglue, glitter glue,flocking powder or sparkles,a low-heat hot-glue gun.
Easy how-to:
1. Cut five sizes of circles outof the thick paper.
2. Paint Styrofoam balls withglitter glue and dust withflocking powder or sparkles.Use multi-purpose glue to attachthe paper circles to the form,then add balls using hot glue.
Where to find it: Form, paper,glues, flocking powder, sparkles,michaels.com. Styrofoam balls,dollarama.com.
Watch our home editor, Virginie Martocq, create this paper and styrofoam wreath from scratch!
Fabric scraps
Raid your sewing box for leftover material to get started.
You need:A 12-inch Styrofoam wreath form, 2 yardsof velvet, 4 yards of ribbon, sewing pins,a low-heat hot-glue gun.
Easy how-to:
1. Cut velvet into several long strips wideenough to cover wreath form. Secureone end of velvet to wreath with glue.
2. Wrap the form with velvet,overlapping it to make a wrinkly effect.Use pins to secure the fabric in place atthe back. When the wreath is covered,tuck and glue the other end into place.Secure raw edges at the back with aline of hot glue.
3. Criss-cross ribbon over wreathand pin into place.
Where to find it: Form, michaels.com.Velvet, designerfabrics.ca. Ribbon, Mokuba,416-504-5358.
