Plain Jane Wreath Transformed

Today I purchased my holiday wreath from our local animal rescue group S.T.A.R.S. http://www.stratfordanimalrescue.com which holds an annual wreath fundraiser, selling not only wreaths, but lots of other goodies for our furry friends in their holiday boutique, with proceeds going to benefit the shelter animals. It's a yearly tradition for me to get my wreath here at the animal shelter.

I like to buy the bare-bones, bow-only wreath and add my own decorations for a personal touch. Here's how you too can go about decorating a plain-jane wreath and making it something special:

the original wreath as purchased, bow-only

I ventured out in my yard, seeking interesting-looking natural materials to decorate my wreath. I settled on some dried hydrangeas, dark-blue berries, and rose hips. See what you find in your own yard; it may be pine cones, winterberry, and yarrow. Whatever catches your interest will probably look good on your wreath! Get creative.

Here's a close-up of my chosen decorative materials:

hydrangeas blooms, berries and rose hips

The only tools I needed were some scissors and very fine florist's wire:

The first additions were the dried hydrangea blooms, each wired carefully:

addition of the dried hydrangeas

Next came the berry sprigs, attached in the same fashion:

berries added

And finally the rose hips (also wired):

 

Here is the wreath, ready to go outside -

 And finally, the finished wreath on the front door!