Wreath Revamp

Normally, March comes around and I still have my Christmas wreath on my front door.  The once welcomed holiday décor looks so drab and depressing when anticipating spring.  This year, I realized something had to be done.  Wreaths are expensive.  Our house doesn’t have a storm door, so the elements simply destroy anything I put out there after one or two seasons.  That greatly deters me from putting much money at all into the situation.  Humm…  Well, I put two and two together and found a solution: revamp an old wreath into something cheerful for spring.

First off, I took the red berry wreath directly off my front door.  The shiny new berries always look so festive but then, about 2 weeks later, the cracks appear showing the Styrofoam inside – wha wha.  I bought this one at a garage sale last summer for $.50 with only minor wear and tear, so I wasn’t too disappointed that it only lasted one season – at least only one season in red!  Simply a ½ can of spray paint later, and a fresh ribbon addition, we have a new look.

Success…let’s try more:

I had a magnolia leaf wreath.  The fresh greens with the velvety brown backs are so lovely initially, but this little boy was so dried out and brown, he lost his luster.  Just a ¼ can of spray paint (much easier to spray than the berries) and he is revived and smiling again at the world.

I made this acorn wreath last summer after a storm knocked down a bunch of branches with fresh green acorns.  Of course, (this initially didn’t occur to me-eye roll) they weren’t going to stay this lovely green…they dried, shrunk and turned gray/brown.  She never made an appearance until her make over.  I made some minor glue repairs and then sprayed the whole wreath with spray adhesive to keep things in check.  Then, directly on top of the dry adhesive, I attacked it with the pink spray paint.  The two layers help to firm things up and sealed it together.  A new, bright color and a snazzy new ribbon and now she screams, “Welcome spring!”

These are just three examples.  Grab a can of spray paint and have a little fun, the options are endless.

A few tips (well…short-cuts):

-It’s too cold to spray paint outside officially…however, I’ve had great luck keeping things warm inside until the last minute.  If multiple coats are applied, bring the can back into the warmth in between coats.  (Don’t try to paint even, flat surfaces at cold temperatures – it won’t appear even.  But for quick, textured items I’ve had great luck bending the temperature rules.)

-Unless you have a glass door, the backsides of the wreaths won’t be seen.  (You only have to paint the front side.)

-If you don’t have colorful ribbon on hand, strips of fabric can look just as good!