Wreaths To Usher In Holiday Spirit
Decorating your home for the holidays starts at the front door, and there are lots of easy, inexpensive ways to give it a festive look.
On The Early Show Friday, design expert Susanna Salk suggested several at a Pottery Barn store in Manhattan.
TRADITIONAL DOORWAY: Make a bold holiday statement with traditional red and green, but with a splash of gorgeous gold.
Start with a classic evergreen wreath; you can pick one at your local supermarket for $7. Twist and affix a circle of red berry garland to the wreath using florist wire. Berries always look fresh, year after year. Decorate with approximately five red bird ornaments evenly spaced apart. Finish off by adding several gold ornaments to the wreath. Outdoor ornaments are best, but you can also use Christmas tree ornaments that you may already have. Decorate the door frame with a red berried pine garland, and fill front door containers, whether they're urns or planters, with pomegranates for instant impact.
WINTER WHITE DOORWAY: Consider an enchanting white color scheme to celebrate the holiday spirit.
Make a homemade white berried wreath by spraying a basic evergreen wreath with white paint, allowing some green to show through. Embellish with white beaded or white painted berry garland, white bird ornaments, and snowflakes, which are available at most craft stores, and white spray-painted pine cones. Finish with a silver ribbon. Hang a white painted pine garland with corresponding ornaments above door frame. And fill front door containers/urns with long, thin wispy branches, also spray-painted in white.
HOLIDAY GREETING: Spread the spirit of the season with J-O-Y spelled out as an unusual alternative to a traditional wreath.
Instead of a traditional round wreath, create a unique display in a square or rectangular shape. Using a rectangular Styrofoam form available at most craft stores, affix small ceiling hooks into the upper inside of the frame; you may also use push-pins, depending on the weight of the hanging letters. Be sure to lay out the letters within the frame on a table before inserting the hooks or pins to ensure the letters will be spaced properly with in the frame. After you have affixed the hooks, wrap ribbon continuously around the form to cover it. Create a ribbon loop around the top of the frame with a bow for hanging. Finish by hanging your letters on the hooks.
PICTURE PERFECT WREATH: Create a wreath covered with small frames of family members/pets.
Take some pictures of each family member/pet dressed festively (such as in a Santa's hat!) and place in small frames. Affix frames onto wreath and finish with coordinating ornaments. Consider alternative greenery, such as elegant magnolia leaves, for the actual wreath.
SUPER HERO WREATH: For a fun whimsical take on the holiday, incorporate superhero toys on a gold spray painted evergreen wreath.
CANDY CANE WREATH: Offer guests a treat when greeting them at your door!
Attach candy canes to a basic evergreen wreath with gold twine that can be easily pulled to release the edible candy. Kids will love it. Make sure you have enough extra candy canes nearby as replacements.