Hi there,
Christmas is finally here, and I hope you're just as excited as we are!
When we first viewed our house, it was far from perfect—holes in the roof, mould on the walls, and a broken heating system. But even then, I was already dreaming about hanging a wreath on the front door. Fast forward a year, and here we are! In our latest video, I decided to unleash my creativity and give our house a festive makeover...
In this newsletter, I’ll share my favorite DIY projects and decor tips that I've used in the video to create a warm and cosy Christmas vibe. Let’s dive in!
1. Homemade Christmas wreath
You'll need:
- 3 to 5 1.5m long branches - I used hazel because I have plenty in the garden but willow, dogwood or birch will do nicely. Tip: leave the branches in a bucket of water outside for a couple of days before using to make them more pliable.
- Thick moss - you can find moss in abundance on trees, especially in north-facing woodlands
- Natural fibre string or floristry wire
- Wire cutter (if using floristry wire)
- A wide range of dried and fresh plants
- Decorative items: pine cones, dried orange slices, cinnamon sticks, ribbons...
|
Is it really Christmas without a big wreath on your door? It can be easy to buy a plastic wreath from the shop, and while I know plastic ornaments have benefits, it’s really not my thing. I much prefer a natural approach and get the real stuff in my house. Mostly because I love foraging for seasonal plants so much!
Before I made my first wreath, I always thought they looked difficult to make but I could not have been more wrong. To start, braid the branches together to make a rough round hoop. You may need to secure the ends with a bit of string.
Coat your hoop with a think layer of moss, using your string or wire to secure it. Personally, I find wire easier to use but I force myself to using string because it means I can simply chuck the wreath in the compost pile at the end of the holidays, without having to dismantle it to retrieve the wire. Up to you!
This year, I've used:
- Pine cones
- Dried eucalyptus
- Pine cones
- Berries
- Dried oranges
2. Dried flower ornaments
You'll need:
- Brass, gold or silver hoops (I bought mines on Etsy)
- Dried flowers, seed-heads and branches
- Brass wire (floristry wire or jewellery wire will do the job, I found 0.06mm to be the best thickness for delicate designs)
- Wire cutters and pliers
- Ribbons
|
To make our ornaments, we’ll simply make mini wreaths. Start by making small bunches of dried materials or thread the wire directly through the flower heads (be delicate - dried flowers are fragile). Then, using your hoop as your base, attach your bunches to your hoop by looping the wire around the stems. You can either stack your bunches in two different directions, and cover the stems with a ribbon, or go in the same direction and cover the whole hoop!
Thread a ribbon at the top and it’s ready! Stored properly, these ornaments will last a couple of years. But if you fancy a change, simply remove the dried material and reuse your wire and hoop with new flowers.
3. Archway garland
You'll need:
- Shower curtain tension rod
- Two pine garland
- Twinkle lights
- Baubles and other ornements
- Ribbons
|
Start by choosing the archway where you want to install your garland. Set up the tension rod at about head height to make decorating easier. Drape your garlands over the rod, letting them meet in the center.
Next, wrap your twinkle lights around the garland, add your ornaments, and finish it off with a few ribbon ties for a polished look.
Once it’s all decorated, carefully lift the garland to the top of the archway and secure it tightly. Step back and enjoy the result!
This was my favorite project this year—so simple to do, yet absolutely stunning.
That's it for this year! If you do end up making some of these projects, I would love to see them - please don't hesitate to reply to this email or let me know on Instagram.
Until then,
