Holiday How To: Unconventional Wreaths

Matthew Mead, whose Holiday magazine is chock full of smart and easy ways of making your holidays gorgeous, is resourceful. He makes the most lovely settings out of simple and easy to attain materials as you've already seen in his other holiday how to installments (sweet or sour wreath, naturally easy centerpiece, tips on making over your living room for the holidays). Today is his last holiday how to and he is mixing it up just a bit for those of you who enjoy something a little more unconventional. I think he may have proven the point that you can make almost anything look festive with the right treatment.

Holiday is a time for wreath making, and some wreaths can be made of clever non-festive materials to endure well past the holiday season. A recent trip to the craft store inspired me with some fun materials to make graphic, everlasting wreaths that are not only easy to make, but will elicit lots of design comments.

There are dozens of materials to be uncovered at the crafts store. I selected an inexpensive pack of playing cards in red and some wooden ice cream spoons to create these two stylish circles.

You will need: 9 inch metal wreath form, hot glue gun, red spray paint, wooden ice cream spoons, playing cards, ribbon

1. On a clean, dry surface, place the wire wreath ring.

2. Hot glue spoons to the form with the spoon tip facing the outside of the ring:

3. Continue hot gluing spoons until the entire wreath form is covered:

4. Spray the wooden spoons red with red spray paint.

5. Let dry thoroughly.

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For the card wreath, I created a base by gluing cards to the wreath in a circular pattern (decorative patterned backs of cards facing out):

Once covered, hot glue card faces to the front of the wreath in a random pattern. We used all red symbol cards:

Let dry and hang from a ribbon!

Happy wreath-making!

A final huge thanks to Matthew for sharing his clever how-tos. Now go out and order your expanded copy of Holiday with Matthew Mead!