Icy Cold Wreath

Something to encourage the snow.....

Yes, I said snow!  

At our house, we LOVE to ski (even though we don't do it as much as we would like).  So, when it doesn't snow, we are sad.  

I know the weather is wonderful today but I wanted to share this {Icy} Wreath I made.  ALL parts were cheap--like thrift store/clearance cheap.

I saw a wreath similar to this one at Tia Pan this year.  I didn't want to pay the {$} SO.......I created a version of my own.  I found the little trinkets at a thrift store {DI} or on clearance {Tia Pan}.  I sprayed them all silver-if they weren't or had scratches. Then I went and found an old "Lyle Dabb" wreath.  

For those of you who don't know, he lives locally and creates "stick/natural" wreaths.  He only charges $35 ish.  I'll go take pics of his roadside stand and post them later.  I might even tell you his address.  Anyway, he sells everything from pumpkins to cats.  He's a farmer. 

 I love that in the fall, when you head over there, 

he dresses like a scarecrow and lays out on the pumpkin pile, then..............

JUMPS UP @ U!!!

Back to wreath talk~~~~~

After Christmas, Walmart had these {P}oKe LoOKinG things for 50 cents.  I bought an armful and used them to build the wreath.  I wanted them to have a "FrOSted EveRGrEEn LoOK" BBBEEEcause it's cold. 

That's from BARNEY, enough said.

THE PROCESS:

 In these pics, you can see that I just poked the pokes into the wreath.  I didn't hot glue them into it because with the stick wreath, the glue would drip EVERYWHERE and melt my table cloth.  What I do is get the wreath how I want it, then wire everything together.  I just take about 8 inch pieces of thin floral wire and strap everything down.  You have to do this, or it will fall apart, right?  Also, if you don't, it will sag when you turn it vertically.  Plus, it is going on a door.  So, every time the door is open, it would drop pieces onto the floor.  NOTE, when doing this (using wire), hide it whenever possible.  Tuck it under other stuff/decorations.

 Next, start adding the good stuff.  I just eyeball it.  Then I wired those in too.  In this step, I did hot glue some of the elements that just couldn't be wired.  Also, I like to hot glue stuff where I want it.  For example, when the wind blows, I hate to drive out of my driveway and notice that something was blown backwards--mostly because you know I will forget to turn it back the other way for 3 or 4 days.  Meanwhile, my "driver-byers" are missing the good stuff.

{R}emember when placing things into the wreath or any decorating (on shelves, etc.)~~~~the odd number rule.  You should put 3 of something, rather than 2 or 4, in a project whenever possible.  It helps balance out the project and makes it more appealing to your eye.  With that being said, in this project that was hard to do because I bought things on clearance/salvage and I didn't have any control over how many I could buy.  In those types of situations, you have to stand back and look and judge placement.  For example, don't place two "heavy/bigger" items too close to each other etc.  

Below is the back of the wreath with the wire showing.  

Yuk right?  

Good thing I'm not hanging it on a storm door.  In that case, you would be hot gluing floral moss to the project.  But in this case, leave it.

Now, I'm going to say it~~Don't hate me!  

Let keep our finger's crossed that we get snow now that this is hanging on my door.

FYI~I think I am the only person who wants snow in our neighborhood.  Yesterday at church, they were all talking about getting their gardens ready....hum.

Oh yeah, it's Valentine's Month SO......this is how I incorporated the 

"Winter" season with "V day" on my porch.....

{L}ittle Silver Tree

 **One last project that I did the same day**

I found this little silver tree at a thrift store (DI).  It didn't have a base on it.  A few days later, I found this larger silver tree at "The Secret Haven" in Kaysville on clearance.  It was is perfect condition.  I thought to myself, "They would make a darling set."  Bought.  

So, while my table was dirty and I was using silver spray paint, I created a new base for the little one.  I used a mason jar lid--{C}lever huh?  If you look and the bigger one, it also looks like the manufacturer used a mason jar lid~well kind of.    Sprayed the lid silver while spraying the wreath trinkets.  And then, I drilled a hole in the top of the mason lid.  Next, I cut out a circle of pine to hot glue into the bottom.  Lastly, I glued the tree into the center of the hole and added some wreath crumbs for texture.  One last coat of silver for the hot glue and crumbs.  Then, Taa DA!!!  A darling {F}rosty tree set.  

Cute, or what?

I linked this posting here....