While engaging in small talk as we made our way through checkout at the grocery store the other day, the checker remarked that she was just now getting the last of her holiday decorations packed away.
Her comment made us wonder if we shouldn’t hold this project for a few months, just to let the dust settle from Holiday Season 2007, but we decided to go ahead with it, because this is the time of year when you’re likely to find a good selection of the materials needed in thrift shops, at garage sales or on sale at craft stores.
The shiny wreaths featured in this week’s column were again created by Ardie McLean of Snohomish.
Made from recycled bases and old ornaments that might otherwise end up in a landfill, the wreaths are good “green” projects, and Ardie likes to present them to friends and relatives on Thanksgiving to kick off the holiday season.
Here are the instructions for making a holiday wreath — for yourself or as a gift — with sparkle and shine.
Step 1: Collect glass ball ornaments of all colors and sizes. Use old ones from your own collection (the ones you usually hide at the back of the tree), check out thrift shops and garage sales, or find them on sale at craft and department stores. Remove hooks and hook holders from all ornaments.
Step 2: Purchase a plain, imitation evergreen wreath. You can find them at most craft stores year round, but keep your eyes peeled at rummage and garage sales and thrift shops, particularly right after the holiday season. The size needed is determined by the number of ornaments you’ll be using.
Step 3: Using a glue gun, apply generous amounts of glue to the top of each ornament (the top is the end on which you would normally place the hook), and apply one at a time to the wreath in random fashion. Place the largest ornaments on the wreath first, followed by the medium-sized ornaments, and use the smallest ones to fill in the gaps.
Layering is the key to this project, and color combinations are left entirely to your imagination. Some of Ardie’s favorite color combos are listed below.
Purple, gold, orange and red.
Pale blue, white, silver and frosted-sparkly.
White, silver, frosted and white satin.
Green, blue and silver.
Red and silver.
Blue, dark blue and green.
Gold, red and red sparkly.
Purple and gold (University of Washington colors).
Burgundy and silver (Washington State University colors).
To store the wreath between holiday seasons, Ardie covers hers in a clear plastic dry cleaner’s garment bag, then hangs it high in the garage on a secure hook. “This keeps it clean, dry and resistant to breakage,” Ardie says, “because you can see what it is.”
Instructor for a day
Is there a craft project that you’re particularly proud of and would like to share with Craft Corner readers? We’d love to see what our readers are up to, and believe this would be a great way to get more folks interested in crafting.
If you’d like to be the instructor for a day and have your project featured in our column, just send us a photograph of the finished product and step-by-step instructions. We’ll select those that are appropriate for publication and run one every month or so.
We’re looking for quick, simple, projects that are suitable for beginning to intermediate skill levels, using easy-to-find and reasonably-priced materials. Ideas for children’s projects are more than welcome.
Please avoid submitting long-term projects, such as quilts, or knit/crochet items with lengthy instructions. If your project was taken from a magazine or other source, be sure to let us know.
Send your submissions via e-mail to jrocoffin@aol.com; by snail mail to Jonetta Coffin, C/O Herald Features, P.O. Box 930, Everett, WA 98206; or call 425-238-4985 and leave a message so we can talk about your project.
Contact Jonetta Coffin at jrocoffin@aol.com.
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