Evergreen Garland

I had some extra evergreen boughs left over from making my Christmas Wreath earlier this month. I really like how garland looks on a house or railings or fences… and it smells so good! I decided to give it a shot – and if it didn’t work out? Well, I’d be no worse for wear… and the scraps would just still be scraps.

Making this garland was a bit like making my flower crowns for my wedding. You just cut up a bunch of boughs into smaller sprigs. Then, all facing the same direction, tie them together with a wire, twisting it around and then add another piece to lengthen and wrap the wire around that piece and keep going. Spiral the wire around and up the sprigs as you add more and more until you reach your desired length. That was two long sentences. But that is how easy it is.

  

[try to ignore the hideous mums that I haven’t cut back yet haha]

I hope you feel inspired to make your own garland! It’s super easy! I know I don’t have many pictures so please post questions if you need more explanation!

Thanks for stopping by!
Happy Holidays!
Cheers,
Bridget
XOXO

Christmas Wreath 2015

Every year I make a Christmas wreath. I guess it's becoming a tradition. I think once I started wanting one and took a look at how ghastly expensive they can be  I was much more motivated to make one myself. Turns out, it's wicked easy and wicked cheap to DIY.

Each year we cut down our own tree. Aside from it being a magical Christmas experience -- and judged to be the only 'proper' way to get a tree if you are a true Christmas celebrator (whatever) -- I think these tree farms are making out like bandits. I mean really, though... we do all the work. We pick and cut and drag the tree from the center of some field back to the car, hoping to only get sap on things that can be cleaned. But we do love spending some time outside in the fresh air before it gets too cold to enjoy anything. And the hubs enjoys feeling like a he-man by chopping down the tree. And I enjoy watching him. We get to wear our Flannel shirts and drink hot cider. It's a process, but it pumps us with some Christmas cheer to start the season... before all the craziness rolls in.

I digress. When we get our tree each year we save the bottom boughs that inevitably have to be chopped off so the tree fits in the stand. Sometimes I even grab other people's left-behind branches too. [Lord knows that the tree itself costs more than enough for me to feel within my right to take home extra scraps.] I buy a wire wreath frame for $2.50 and some floral wire for $2.00 and I make my own wreath. If I feel fancy, I add some berries and a bow. It takes me 20 minutes. Do it this way and you'll never again spend $50 or more for a pre-made wreath.

My tutorial from a few years ago is HERE. I think next year I’ll give it a revamp.

  

Wreath on, people – save some money for gifts, or charity, or one of the few “one for me, one for you” purchases that might inevitably come your way. Don’t you dare pretend like you don't know what I'm talking about. ;)

Happy Holidays and Merry Crafting!
Thanks for stopping by!
Cheers,
Bridget
XOXO