Easy. Cheap. Amazing wreaths.

I always look in home wares shops and florists for inspiration and see amazing things at not so amazing prices! At the end of last year I saw table centre arrangements for Christmas and wreaths that were almost $300 each. I even took photos to remind me as they were lovely but...

I also noted the wreath I loved most was the exact size of a hoola hoop. On study I think it was a hoola hoop as the base. Interesting! Anything to do with floristry is expensive. I have been to Adelaide's florist suppliers and even there it is still expensive so a hoola hoop from a cheap shop is much cheaper than a wreath base. The arrangements were made of what you would say were fake pine branches the same is on a Christmas tree. Another idea is a pool noodle as a base if it can be joined into a circle.

In January I saw in Woolworth's a Christmas tree marked down to $3.75 because the box was broken. I grabbed it. And it has been waiting until now to become something!

Usually I see hoola hoops in cheap stores and just when I want a couple I could not find one. However I know they were about $5 before. I saw Andy had garden irrigation plastic pipe which is about the same thickness and he made some into circles for me as a substitute. He said they would have worked out under one dollar each so even better.

He also helped me cut up the Christmas tree with snippers. So what I ended up with was a pile like this and two hoops...

Two large wreaths used up my whole Christmas tree so I am watching out... last year I saw several Christmas trees in boxes on the side of the road. I figured people had bought a flash new tree and were getting rid of the old one. If I find one of these I will do the table centre pieces I am talking about.

Using florists tape I simply strapped pine branches around my "hoola hoops" in an overlapping fashion. The florist tape is green so isn't noticeable. Then I fluffed up the branches to look good. Each one I bent a little so it sat around the circle nicely.

The first wreath is for Mum and Dad. They have deer on their property so I did a deer theme. They also have a huge handmade front door and this will look amazing on it. If Mum is reading my blog she will see it!

The deer was from the supermarket and the ribbon and the tinsel was from Spotlight. All up this wreath cost under $20 still. 

Now for mine which worked out much less as I already had the birds and the next.... 

I nested my nest in and settled my birdie in with her eggs...

She reminds me of myself as she looks very happy with her glittery nest :)

I loosely wound tinsel and ribbon around the wreaths and finished off with bows and long tails that will sway in the breeze as these will both be outside and the breeze will give some movement. The covering the hoops with the pine was the biggest job, that took a little while. The decoration took minutes.

My base was black. If I was going to sell these I think I would spray paint the base green or cover it first in florist tape so it is entirely green then add my pine. Also a purchased hoola hoop would likely be pink or bright and need painting green or covering or these colours would show through.

But I have ended up with two huge wreaths for under $40 when the one I am copying would be over $500 for two! Which seems ridiculous but thats true.

You could do any theme your heart desires if you collect or find something you like. A little group of glittery pinecones would work too from our free things from nature ideas. 

I really enjoyed making these.

This afternoon I have to go into the city. I will be keeping my eyes out for more ideas I might be able to copy. It is amazing how cheaply things can be made. 

Have a wonderful day and enjoy this last week of October. Here it has rained and is really cool which is nice for the garden.

Now to watch out for a discarded Christmas tree for table decorations OR swags for the mantle piece! 

xxx