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Christmas is a time of year for decking the halls and creating a warm welcome
for your family and friends.
I'm going to share with you my secrets on how to make a wreath that is stylish and
easy.
People are always asking me how did you make that wreath and I always tell them its
really not that hard.
You'll need to start with what is in your garden and you will be amazed at how
quickly you can find all of the greenery and berries you will need to make your wreath.
The materials that you will need
are twenty-four inch fake wreath or larger,
twenty clippings of Oakland Holly, twenty clippings of Yewtopia,
twenty clippings of Mojo Pittosporum, around twenty clippings of Teddy
Bear Magnolia or Little Gem; whatever works best for you, twenty clippings of
Cryptomeria, ten to twelve clementines with floral picks,
twenty clippings of Frazier Fir, gold spray paint,
floral wire,
and a glue gun.
You can find a Southern Living Plant Collection at your local garden center.
When cutting from your garden you always want to have several gallon bucket filled
halfway with water.
After cutting your greenery, soak your cutting for at least five to eight hours.
This allows your greenery to drink and your wreath will stay fresh the entire
holiday season.
Guests are always shocked when I share with them my secret of using a fake wreath as your base.
It's a great foundation.
The prewired foliage in this fake wreath is my quick and easy way to create a beautiful
holiday wreath.
When choosing a wreath for your base, go ahead and make the investment and spend
the extra money because remember this wreath your going to use year after year.
Start at the top of the wreath and work your way around the wreath by wiring in Cryptomeria
first.
It is flat and works great as your foundation.
Next add Magnolia to complement the Cryptomeria.
Fill in your wreath with Yewtopia, one of my favorites for its wispy texture.
We spray painted ours gold to add warmth to our wreath.
Now we're going to
highlight the wreath with Mojo Pittosporum.
The bright green, variegated foliage pumps up a traditional wreath.
Let's fill up our empty holes with Oakland Holly. I
adore this holly because the leaves are nice to your hands
and edges are not as sharp as others. So it is really easy to use.
Add fresh fruit to the wreath.
To keep your fruit fresh all-season long, skewer the piece of the fruit and take
a glue gun,
place a little bit where the skewer meets the piece of the fruit.
This prevents the air from getting inside and it will not rot as quickly - one of
my tips.
You can always add a bow or enjoy the natural look.
A wreath can be used in many ways -
on a door,
as a centerpiece on a table with candles glowing or hanging at an
entryway.
To keep your wreath fresh, mist twice a week.
After the holidays, remove all your greenery and store your wreath for next
year.
For more Christmas decorating tips, visit us at SouthernLivingPlants.com or
like us on Facebook.