How to Make a Christmas Wreath

If you want to know how to make your own Christmas Wreath decoration, you can download Ruth’s step-by-step instructions here: How to make a Christmas wreath

Most mobile phones will be able to view this PDF file 😉

Ruth will be on BBC Radio Wales Thurs 15th Dece at 11.35am – with Wynne Evans.

tools

Christmas Wreath Recipe

Ingredients:

1 x 10 inch OASIS foam ring
1 x 50cm piece of string/ribbon for hook
1 x branch of blue gum
1 x branch blue spruce
4 x Ivy with berries

Decorations – including baubles, pine cones, berries, ribbon, spray paint

Tools:

Secateurs
Wire
Glue (Florists or Hot Glue gun or Super Glue)

Preparation:

  1. When the greenery arrives / is picked cut the ends of the stems off and place in a bucket of water to give them a good drink – you can leave them in the water for 2 hours to a few days.
  2. Wet the OASIS by placing it foam facing down in a bucket or sink of water. Air bubbles will stream out of it as it absorbs the water. When the bubbles slow turn it over (so that the plastic backing is at the bottom and let the last few bubbles escape. NOTE: Never push the OASIS under the water as then the air gets trapped in the foam causing dry spots and leaving your plant material without water.

Arranging:

  1. Start by planning where your wreath is going to be attached to the door. Most times this involves creating a loop with string / ribbon.
  • Place a loop of string under the OASIS ring and
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  • Thread the tail through the loop.
  • Pull tight
  • Knot the tail to the length you want it to hang.
  1. Next is to create the outline
    • Cut 4 pieces of greenery (I have used blue spruce here) to equal length. NOTE If the stems are think/ long cut them into a point / angle so that they don’t take up too much space.
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    • Place one at 12 o’clock, 3 o’clock, 6 o’clock and 9 o’clock – by pushing the stem into the OASIS almost parallel to the table. This will let the wreath sit flat to the door/surface you are hanging it on.
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    • Think of 12 o’clock – where your loop is – is the top of your wreath, and 6’oclock as the bottom.
    • Now you go all around the outside inserting greenery to match the length that you have chosen.
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    • If you want a smooth look start at 12 o’clock and insert the pieces each in the same angle.
    • Repeat the process with little pieces on the inside of your OASIS ring. – Now all the sides are covered.
    • Next is adding in filling pieces of Ivy and Penny Gum.
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    • NOTE : For cutting Penny Gum – Cut close to the top of the next leaf down – this will give you a nice stem on the piece you have cut off and let you use the next leaves as well.
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    • NOTE: It is a good idea to have all the shoots facing in the same direction as this creates a lovely swirl of greenery. Use different textures and hues of green.
      How to make a Christmas Wreath

Decorating:

  1. First start with thinking about where you would like the Bow on your wreath.
  2. Then you can either dot repeats of your ingredients throughout the wreath.
  3. Or you might want to group ingredients together balancing the visual focal points.

NOTE :  HAVE FUN!!!