In order for the festive atmosphere in the house to begin from the very threshold, it is necessary to take care not only of the interior decor, but also of the decoration of the front door. For these purposes, a DIY Christmas wreath is ideal. In addition, elegant compositions of branches and decorative elements will serve as an original decoration for windows, mantels or a festive table.
Before making a New Year's wreath, it is recommended to carefully select the materials that will be used in the work. If the decoration is intended for the front door leading directly to the street, then it should be taken into account that unfavorable external factors will affect the wreath: wind, precipitation, low temperatures, street dirt and dust. In this case, it is better to avoid using fragile and short-lived materials.
How to make a traditional Christmas wreath on the door
Traditional style door decorations use spruce branches, cones and other natural materials fixed on a circular base. As a basis for a New Year's or Christmas wreath can be used:
- thin flexible rods woven into a ring;
- thick cardboard wrapped with padding polyester and elegant fabric;
- a wire frame disguised with decorative ribbons;
- foam, cut in the form of a circle of the desired diameter;
- old newspapers, held together with transparent sticky tape or masking tape.
Using a wire or a glue gun, small branches of spruce or other evergreen trees are fixed on the base, trying to place them in such a way that there are no gaps. When the frame of the New Year's wreath is completely hidden by greenery, they begin to decorate it. For these purposes, fully opened pine cones, nuts, acorns, chestnuts, rose hips, cinnamon sticks, dried flowers, and small Christmas tree decorations are used.
The decor elements are fixed between the green branches, trying to distribute the decorations evenly and not overload the composition with an abundance of colorful details. The finished New Year's wreath is tied with a bright ribbon and fixed on the front door. If it is used in a horizontal position, for example, to decorate a festive table, then additionally such a wreath can be decorated with candles.
How to make a New Year's wreath from cones
A do-it-yourself wreath from bleached pine or spruce cones looks very unusual and stylish. In order to give this popular natural material such an original color, you will need a chlorine-based laundry bleach. It is important to remember that all preparatory work with cones must be carried out with protective gloves!
Ripe, well-opened buds are placed in a deep and wide container, and then filled with bleach so that the liquid completely covers the buds. So that they do not float, a lid or an old plate is placed on top, which is pressed down with a load. The cones are left in bleach for 1-2 days, after which they are rinsed with running water and placed to dry in a warm place.
Do not be afraid that under the influence of the liquid all the scales will close - after complete drying, their original appearance will return to the cones. Also, during the drying process, the characteristic chlorine smell will disappear. To make a wreath of cones, they make a frame from scrap materials, paint it or mask the base with a beautiful fabric. Small pieces of thin wire are attached to the top of each bump for fixation to the frame. An equally convenient way is to use a glue gun.
Cones alternately, in a checkerboard pattern, are fixed along the contour of the base, gradually filling the outer and inner lateral surfaces of the frame. Then, a DIY Christmas wreath is decorated with bright bows, berries, small twigs, dried fruits, or a figuratively carved zest of lemons and oranges.
