Category: Holidays

Sometime last year I saw a picture of a huge but very simple wreath hanging in a kitchen window for Christmas.  I loved it and for the past year contemplated how I could do something similar this year.  I didn’t want to just buy a wreath because 1.  they’re so expensive, 2.  I’ve never seen one as big as I wanted and 3. they look so… predictable.  There’s a pinecone wired in the same place on all of them.  (Not that I mind this, but it doesn’t induce me to spend money on them.)

And then the idea hit me.  I went to Costco for 25 feet of fresh cedar garland ($14.99) and then to WalMart for two 32 inch hula hoops ($5 each) A little bit of wire and here it is…




You’d never know there’s a yellow hula hoop beneath this beautiful wreath!


To make it, I simply laid the hula hoop on my table and put the garland on top of it.  I wired the garland to the hula hoop every 8 inches or so.  When it had come full circle I wired the ends together carefully and cut the garland.

I had enough garland to make two of them.  One is hanging in my kitchen window.


In the kitchen I tied a simple red bow around the wreath, then hung a mirrored bird hook from the wall and hung the hula hoop on the hook.


The second wreath is a bit fuller because I had garland enough to go around the hula hoop almost two times.  I added ribbons and a big bell to it, then hung it out on the front porch.  I love walking through my dining room and seeing it outside the window.


These wreaths are nearly 36 inches across, much bigger than any fresh wreath I’ve seen for sale.  I also like that they’re made of cedar instead of pine.  It’s a nice change in texture, color, and I love the floppy way it hangs.  It looks natural to me.


Two huge wreaths for $35.00.  The ribbons, bell, bird hook and wire were all things I had in my Christmas storage.  I love the way they look, and if the hula hoops hold up I’m using them again next year.


Hooray for an idea that worked!

Hopeful Homemaker shared here

Last year I had this idea.  I wanted to decorate my Christmas tree with old clock faces.  I’m not sure why but I really like them.  I like their various shapes and sizes, their weathered backgrounds.  Plus, they’re circles.  How can you not like circles?

The problem was that I didn’t have any.  So here and there throughout the year I’ve picked up a few, and they’re now hanging on my tree.


I like the overall look quite a bit.  I’ll be watching for more in coming months so I’ll have a larger collection next December.  A simple piece of twine through the center hole in each of them was all I used for hanging.


My collection of bird ornaments were used to fill in the gaps, along with our monogram ornaments.  I keep these in my studio year round so we can use them for other things.


My husband has jokingly dubbed it the “time flies” tree.


I just smile.  I like the clocks anyway.

What do you think?
Hopeful Homemaker shared here and here

Only those who know me best (or who’ve had the courage to ask) know how much I hate the mantel on our family room fireplace.  The mantel in our master bedroom, however, is another story.  I love everything about it, so of course it deserved some holiday cheer:


I use this garland on my fireplace every year.  I love the rich green color and how it plays so dramatically off the soft blues and whites in the room.

New this year is the gorgeous white wreath made from antlers.  I added a simple silver ribbon near the top.


Did I mention that I love this wreath?  It is just so cool!  Painted white, it’s one of my favorite things.


I added more of my silver wire balls to this garland, making the lights a bit more magical.


I kept the color scheme simple, adding only green and silver to the room.  It makes the whole room feel very calm and serene, which is just what I was hoping for.  I could use more calm and serenity in my life!  (who couldn’t?)


And the family room mantel?  Well, I gave my twelve year old daughter my all-time favorite nativity scene and let her decorate it for me.  I think she did a great job.


And the stockings are hung… it’s really Christmas, isn’t it?  Don’t you just love this time of year?

Jennifer shared here