Friday, January 16, 2009

Wreaths For All Occassions

Floral



























Fruit


























Garden


















Harvest
























Holiday


















Themed


Thursday, January 15, 2009

4 EASY STEPS TO A PERFECT WREATH

"I especially like simple, monochromatic wreaths made entirely from one material and accented with a satin ribbon for hanging," she says. Fragrant bay leaves and sculptural oak branches are among her favorite indigenous materials. The effect is fresh and welcoming ― seasonal decor that showcases the bounty of the landscape.


Step 1: Gather the greenery

  • Choose long-lasting materials that grow in your area ― cedar or Douglas fir in the Northwest, spruce in the mountains, or pine in the Southwest, for example.
  • Feller's favorites, in order of preference: eucalyptus (it stays fresh-looking the longest), oak (for its branches), bay, and magnolia.
  • For subtle accents, she uses berries, seedpods, and herbs. "Rosemary grows almost wild in our area," she says.

Step 2: Bundle the foliage

  • Cut greenery snippets about 6 inches long, then gather them into 10 to 12 small but full bunches.
  • Wrap the stem ends of each bundle tightly with 24- or 26-gauge paddle wire, available at craft stores.

Step 3: Attach bundle to ring

  • Feller prefers 10-inch wreath frames, called clamp rings ($2.99; save-on-crafts.com or 831/768-8428); they're strong and have 10 evenly spaced clamps to hold bundles of greens in place.
  • Secure one bunch at a time, closing the clamp over stem ends with your hands or a pair of pliers.

Step 4: Work around the ring

  • Continue attaching greenery, one bunch at a time, to the ring, moving in one direction around the circle.
  • Each bundle should slightly overlap the previous one.
  • Attach ribbon or raffia for hanging the wreath.

From Sunset