| Christmas wreaths are an old Christmas tradition | | | | twist the wire around the wreath ring with |
| that is used to decorate the outside of the house, | | | | another piece of wire. Repeat this procedure an |
| typically on the front door, to give Christmas time | | | | inch or two further down the stem.During the |
| visitors a festive greeting.To make a Christmas | | | | first round of the wreath the foliage will slide |
| wreath you will need a wreath ring, florist wire | | | | around a little bit but the more you put on the |
| (you can get these cheaply from our local florist) | | | | more stable it will become. Keep your work flat |
| and some vegetation.Take a walk around your | | | | on a tabletop to prevent movement.Much of |
| local park, your garden or in the countryside. Take | | | | building the wreath is to place your foliage to |
| a bag and some scissors with you and collect | | | | make something pleasing to the eye, with interest |
| interesting vegetation to make a Christmas | | | | around the whole of the wreath.However there |
| wreath. Under no circumstances should you pick | | | | are some general rules of the thumb.Use the inner |
| plants from other people's gardens unless you | | | | and outer rings as separate 'rounds' filling both |
| have their permission to do so.Collect evergreens, | | | | rings makes a full plush wreath.You will find that |
| ivy and loral leave are good. Some leaves are a | | | | you can make rounds appear to have a direction. |
| silvery grey; these add a frosty feeling to the | | | | This is when the stems all lay the same way. |
| wreath. Conifers are popular in people's gardens. | | | | Wreaths look best if a round follows the same |
| Do you have a conifer in your garden? Conifers | | | | direction. However, the two rings on the wreath |
| don't have overly interesting foliage but they | | | | ring don't necessarily have to go in the same |
| make a great base to the wreath.Also look out | | | | direction.The more you add, the better it |
| for holly or other shrubs that bear berries. Berries | | | | looks.Save the 'feature' or fancier pieces until last |
| add colour to the wreath. Look out for dried | | | | so that they sit on the top layer of the wreath |
| seedpods such as poppies, teasels and pinecones. | | | | where they can be seen.To add pine cones, wrap |
| Seedpods can be spray painted silver or gold and | | | | some wore around the bottom layer of the cone |
| used to add interest to the wreath. If you do | | | | seeds, and twist the two wire stems firmly |
| intend to use spray paint any pieces do this well in | | | | together and push the wire into the wreath and |
| advance of the day you intend to make the | | | | twist them together at the back of the wreath. |
| wreath to give the paint enough time to dry. | | | | You could also wire on Christmas baubles.When |
| When using spray paint always closely follow the | | | | the wreath is finished hang it on your front door |
| direction of use printed on the back of the tin.To | | | | for all to see and appreciate.S. Roberts writes for |
| make the wreath | | | | where Santa writes FREE personalised emails and |
| To attach pieces of foliage to the wreath ring | | | | children can write and tell Father Christmas their |
| you cut to piece to length and wrap the wire | | | | Christmas wish list. |
| around the lower end of the foliage and then | | | | |