Decorative Wreaths - Home Decorating With Beautiful Decorative Wreaths

Whether bought to welcome guests at the front door or to grace the fireplace mantle, decorative wreaths make a wonderful addition to any home. Easy to display and change with the seasons, decorative wreaths come in many varieties of colors, flowers, sizes and materials. Home decorating can be simplified and the home's beauty enhanced with the addition of one or two well placed decorative wreaths.

There are several kinds of wreaths that are available and each have their pro's and con's.

Dried wreaths are made of flowers and leaves that have been dried either in a controlled environment or by exposure to natural sunlight. These wreaths work best for people living in a humid climate. Without dense humidity, breakage and flower crumbling occurs quite easily. Overall these decorative wreaths will look the best when they are new but will begin to deteriorate over time and will eventually need to be replaced.

Preserved wreaths are made of live flowers that have been chemically preserved. Some preserving agents also add a boost of color to give the wreath a longer life and more vibrant colors.

These wreaths work best for people living in a dry climate as humidity often causes their artificially added color to run or their preservation to be compromised. Preserved decorative wreaths will also look best when they are new but will break down and eventually will need to be replaced. Also it is best to use these wreaths outdoors because of the chemicals that they have been treated with.

Artificial wreaths, made from synthetic materials, are designed to withstand all types of weather and humidity levels. They are also hypoallergenic and require little if any maintenance. Most high quality decorative wreaths look extremely lifelike and are designed to endure beautifully season after season, year after year. The use of artificial decorative wreaths is the recommended and best choice both for the lasting beauty they offer but also for their longevity.

Depending on the flowers and foliage in your wreath, small adaptations can keep it in season all year round. In summer, consider adding a few sprigs of fresh greenery and even a few real or silk in-season blooms such as tulips or crocuses. In summer, remove the spring additions and add a warm, buttery silk bow with a fan of dried variegated grasses or small blooms such as orange blossoms. In fall, remove summer additions and add rust colored leaves and a spray of baby's breath running throughout or tied in a bow on the side. In winter, remove the fall additions and wrap a string of miniature white Christmas lights around your wreath and add a few small gold ornaments with a large red velvet bow.

Outdoor Wreaths - How to Select the Perfect Outdoor Wreath Part 1

In this article series, we'll discuss the elements of shopping to select the perfect outdoor wreath to compliment the area you have in mind. Outdoor wreaths are a very effective way to bring color and texture to a front door, a back patio, a porch, or just about any area. We'll also discuss how to be sure that your online transaction is safe and secure when purchasing over the internet.

To start, determine the area which you are seeking to add enhancement. Ask some basic questions - What size wreath am I looking for? What sort of durability will I need to handle the outdoor elements? Is there a theme or particular color in the rest of my outdoor decor that my wreath will need to flow with? Will a live wreath, a dried wreath, or a silk outdoor wreath suit my purposes best?

Now that you've determined answers to your first question, next, let's talk a bit about lighting. What is the temperature of your room? Because your wreath is outdoors, it is true that the lighting will technically be "natural" but does it have direct sunlight or does it bear the blue tones of sun shadow because direct natural light never shines in that room? Keep in mind that natural light will greatly enhance the beauty and vibrancy of your wreath. Is your current lighting adequate? Will the lighting of the space determine the hues of greenery or flowers in your outdoor wreath?

Also be sure that your outdoor wreath is appropriately sized for the space you would like to hang it. Oversized wreaths look very nice as house ornaments while small dainty wreaths look very inviting on individual doors.

Next determine the season that your wreath will express. Use warm and bright colors of flowers, bright fresh greenery, and seasonal berries for spring and summer. Use rust colors, deep browns, grasses, or earthen accessorized wreaths for fall. Individual holidays such as Christmas, Easter, and July Fourth can be accentuated by a simple red bow, set of Easter bulbs, or decorative flag added to your current in-season outdoor wreath. You will want the blossoms and blooms of your outdoor wreaths to correspond with the blossoms and blooms of nature for that season. For example, in early summer, flower blooms will be bursting with vibrant color, but by early autumn, those blooms will have withered up and fallen off. Don't display a wreath overflowing with spring bulb plants as fall is setting in.

Having determined the season, context, and lighting, you can now shop for the perfect outdoor wreath to compliment your area of need.

In our next installment, we'll look closely at how to find the widest selection of wreaths with the least amount of effort and how to ensure a safe and secure online transaction when purchasing over the internet. Stay tuned!

Wreaths Galore - Not Just For Christmas Anymore

Wreaths are most often thought to be a Christmastime decoration. Around the holidays, many of us decorate our homes with evergreen wreaths with lights and red bows. Christmas wreaths are a traditional decoration that we're all accustomed to. However, more and more designers are using wreaths as a constantly rotating seasonal decoration. Why limit yourself to only displaying wreaths during the month of December? Wreaths can be a unique and versatile decoration for any season or holiday. Here are some fresh ideas on using wreaths as year-round decorations.

New Year's:
You can easily take your Christmas wreath into New Year's Day by removing the red bows and adding gold or silver ones with some streamers. Other possible decorations include a Happy New Years banner or hat and some small party horns or plastic champagne glasses.

Valentine's Day:
Nothing says love like a pink or red heart shaped wreath. Consider using silk roses, fabric hearts or even wrapped candies. A stuffed animal like a pink or red teddy bear, or small cupid also adds character. Top it off with a beautiful bow and you have a bright decoration for those cold winter days!

St. Patrick's Day:
Everyone can pretend to be Irish on St. Patty's Day! Of course, when designing a St. Patrick's Day wreath, green is certainly a requirement. A mass of green shamrocks wrapping your wreath would look very festive (garlands of plastic or fabric shamrocks can usually be purchased at decorating stores). Additional decorations might include small gold coins or leprechaun figurines.

Easter:
An Easter wreath can be decorated in many ways. Some choose to focus on the Christian celebration of Christ's resurrection, and others choose a lighthearted Easter Bunny theme. Whatever your choice may be, beautiful spring flowers are a good base for an Easter wreath. Other choices might include Easter eggs, chocolate candies or bunnies, and Easter ribbons.

Fourth of July:
In the United States, July 4 is an important holiday when we all like to show our patriotic spirit. Try a straw or grapevine wreath spray painted with red, white, or blue gloss paint as your base, and then have fun from there! You can use firecrackers, streamers, and ribbons for decorations. And don't forget to include some small flags to celebrate our independence.

Halloween:
After Christmas, Halloween is the most "decorated" holiday we celebrate in the United States. Welcome your trick-or-treaters with a festive Halloween wreath. Orange and black are traditional colors, and there are many materials and items you can use to create your wreath. Decorations might include pumpkins, ghosts, black cats, witches, spiders and wrapped candies.

Thanksgiving:
A wreath is a wonderful way to welcome guests to your home for a Thanksgiving dinner. Consider using natural materials this time of year, as they are so abundant. You may have to plan ahead and pick up beautiful leaves as they fall from the trees to create your own special design. A large fall bow with some colorful corn will complete your Thanksgiving wreath.

As you can see, wreaths aren't just for Christmas anymore! Seasonal wreaths are a great way to decorate for each holiday. If you have a nice base wreath, it would even be possible to just change out the decorations to accommodate each holiday or season. And because most wreaths aren't very large, they are an easy way to add a special touch to your home's decor without busting the budget. Be sure to protect your seasonal wreaths by storing them in a secure and efficient manner so that you can enjoy them for years to come.

Swags and Wreaths - Not Just for the Holidays

Swags and wreaths are often used as holiday décor but you needn't put them away for the rest of the year. Typically we think of pine needles and red bows, but swags and wreaths not only come in many spring, summer, and fall colors, they are very purposeful year-round décor for the front door, the family room fire place mantle, and a host of other locations.

Swags and wreaths are generally designed in three ways:

Artificial swags and wreaths are made to last in most environments including high humidity or dry climates and in hot or cold conditions. Advanced manufacturing processes and synthetic materials along with UV and other special coatings mean that they will provide years of lasting beauty without degradation. Hypoallergenic and low or no maintenance are additional benefits of artificial swags and wreaths. Most high quality swags and wreaths look extremely lifelike and will provide years of beautiful enjoyment. The use of artificial swags and wreaths is the recommended and best choice for longevity and lasting beauty.

Preserved swags and wreaths are made of live flowers that have been chemically preserved. Some preserving agents also add a boost of color to give the wreath a longer life and more vibrant colors. These swags and wreaths work best for people living in a dry climate as humidity often causes their artificially added color to run or their preservation to be compromised.

Dried swags and wreaths are made of flowers and leaves that have been dried either in a controlled environment or by exposure to natural sunlight. These swags and wreaths work best for people living in a humid climate. Without dense humidity, breakage and flower crumbling occurs quite easily.

There are lots of choices when it comes to using beautiful swags and wreaths for home décor and keeping them in season is easier than you might think. For a light, happy spring feel, look for swags and wreaths made with a combination of morning glory, petunias, eucalyptus, dainty ferns, hydrangea, daisies, peonies, or other brightly colored blooms. White magnolia swags and wreaths are lovely summer selections. If flowers aren't what you prefer, consider some more earthy choices. Pine cones, wheat-head stalks, textured balls, variegated grasses, leaves, moss and feathers are popular things found on swags and wreaths. For a romantic, Victorian touch select swags and wreaths made of roses with berries, grapevine, ivy, eucalyptus, or small buds and blooms of other types of flowers.

Swags and wreaths are a great decorating choice all year round and with just a little creativity you can use your swags and wreaths in multiple seasons.

Christmas Wreaths - History, Tradition and Uses

Evergreen wreaths at Christmas time are a familiar sight on doors, above fireplaces, and on homes. Wreaths have been in use for many hundreds of years, even before the birth of Christ. Many historians believe that the first wreaths date back to the Persian Empire, when royalty and members of the upper class wore diadems, or fabric headbands adorned with jewels. Other cultures would later become fascinated with this tradition, picking it up and adapting it for themselves.

About 800 years before the birth of Christ, Greeks began to recognize the winners of their Olympic games by crowning them with wreaths made of laurel tree branches. Years later, when the games moved from city to city, branches from local trees were used to make these victory wreaths for the winners. During the Roman Empire, military and political leaders wore crowns of leaves and greenery. For example, Julius Caesar was crowned with a wreath made of fresh laurel branches and leaves. The transition of the wreath from a head adornment to a wall decoration is believed to have occurred when athletes (or perhaps victorious military leaders) returned home, and they would hang their headbands on their walls or doors, as a trophy of their victory.

The Egyptian, Chinese, and Hebrew cultures were known to have used evergreen branches as a symbol of eternal life, because the conifer trees stayed green throughout the winter months. After the birth of Christ, the Christmas wreath made of evergreen branches came to symbolize the triumph of life over the long winter months.

The Advent wreath also became a popular holiday tradition after the birth of Christ. This decoration was usually placed flat on a table and was used to count down the four weeks immediately preceding Christmas. Traditionally the wreath was constructed with four candles in a circle and one candle in the middle. The four outside candles were purple or violet, and the center candle was white. Four weeks before Christmas, the first violet candle would be lit. The following week, an additional candle would be lit, and so on, until the white center candle is lit on Christmas Eve or day, signifying the arrival of Christ. A brief prayer was said to accompany the lighting of each candle. The reason for the final candle being located in the center is to symbolize that we should keep Christ at the center of our lives and the center of the Christmas celebration.

Based on drawings and paintings, most historians believe that the use of evergreen wreaths at Christmas time spread across Northern Europe, Spain, and Italy during the early 19th century. The greenery was used as a symbol of life persevering through the cold winter months, and the holly berries that were often used as an adornment were a symbol of the blood of Christ.

It is also believed that Europeans also used wreaths on their doors to represent their family identity, much like a family crest. These wreaths were made from products grown in their own gardens, such as grapevines, fresh flowers, or other produce. The crafting of these wreaths was a family ritual that followed the same general pattern year after year.

Today, wreaths are still widely used around the world. In the U.S., wreaths are a traditional decoration for Christmas, as well as many other holidays throughout the year. Wreaths now adorn doors for Halloween, Valentine's Day, the Fourth of July, and Easter. Furthermore, wreaths are no longer limited to only evergreen branches. Many craft stores, books, and television shows feature unique wreaths made of a variety of unusual materials and decorations for almost any occasion.

Outdoor Wreaths - How to Select the Perfect Outdoor Wreath Part 2

The previous installment of this article dealt with the keys to successfully using outdoor wreaths and what questions you need to ask yourself about things like lighting, colors, and season before making your purchase. In part two we will focus on hanging your outdoor wreath, wreath storage, and accessorizing your outdoor wreath for holidays or special occasions. We will also cover credit card fraud and how to ensure that your online transactions are safe and secure.

Now that you've purchased your outdoor wreath, you're left to simply hang it in the desired location. Wreath hangers are available at most craft stores and where wreaths are sold for under $15. The most common wreath hanger is an over the door holder. One part of the wreath hanger fits snugly over the top of the door while the hook part hangs down for the wreath to be hung from. Another popular display method is a wreath stand. While obviously not a good choice for a front door, it can work nicely in a corner of the porch arranged next to a wicker rocker. There are also various weighted ledge hangers that work by placing the weighted base on a ledge and fixing the wreath into place on the hanger that comes down from the base.

Wreath storage boxes are available in cardboard and in durable, air-tight plastic. Their circular-shape will help maintain your outdoor wreath's shape while stored, far better than plastic wrap and tape. Stacking wreath-storage boxes helps when organizing your home. They make for quick access and great space utilization. Just pull out the storage box, open them to see 'like- new' sets of wreaths.

Accessorizing your outdoor wreath for different holidays is a great way to get maximum enjoyment out of your investment. Carefully wrap your outdoor wreath in a red velvet ribbon and add a sprig of holly berries and perhaps a string of white Christmas lights to bring an evergreen wreath to life for the Christmas holiday. Attach a tied cluster of variegated grass and straw stalks with a rust colored bow for autumn flair. In spring and summer, add in-season silk flowers to a simple grapevine wreath. If this method isn't preferred, many people have several different outdoor wreaths that they rotate each season.

Finally, be kind to yourself and be spared some time, aggravation, and gasoline by facilitating the use of the internet to shop for those perfect outdoor wreaths. Cyberspace offers a huge selection to choose from, but exercise some caution before entering your personal information and be sure that the site offers excellent guarantees and security policies.

The sites you will most want to shop from will offer money-back guarantees, satisfaction guarantees, excellent return and exchange policies, and free shipping. Be sure to shop on sites that use secure encryption for every credit card transaction and display one or more of the major trust icons like Hacker Safe, Geo Trust, Authorize.net or others. These services ensure that the websites they protect are 100% safe and secure and that there are no loopholes by which fraud can occur and credit card information can be stolen. It is truly shocking how many retail sites offer no such protection at all to their consumers.

Celtic Advent Wreaths Help Keep Irish Family Traditions

A Celtic Advent Wreath is a wonderful home holiday decoration tool that uses traditional advent candles or some use dark and light green tapers in place of the purple and pink. The Celtic Advent and the Easter Orthodox Advent or Nativity fast last for 40 days and starts mid November but most Advent wreaths have a maximum of 5 candles.

In the original tradition, advent was a period of 40 days and not just four weeks. The four week period was introduced in the middle ages. The Celtic tradition has been one that has with stood time and still is celebrated to the present day. The Celtic advent does mimic the Lenten period before Holy Week and the Resurrection. What is most interesting by extending the period of time; it does put more structure in the Christmas season and allows the proper focus on the Lord and not on the commercial pitfalls of Christmas. More interesting still is that this period starts before the traditional start of the shopping season of Thanksgiving.

There are also Celtic Advent wreaths for the more modern four-week period of Advent. The Irish themed wreaths are perfect for the traditional Irish catholic family. The wreath itself is comprised of the four traditional candle holders to hold the 4 Advent Candles. In most cases the wreaths, although apply being made of evergreen, in the true Celtic tradition they are made of medals, often pewter.

They are braided in some cases to show a old Irish braid. The twisted rope design makes the base of the advent wreath. Often the Celtic knot is used to decorate the place where the candle sits. A Celtic knot has roots in the third and fourth century. The Celtic knot first showed up in art as an interlaced knot pattern making one mater pattern. Some are spirals or patterns form complex interwoven cords. In the Advent wreath reproduction of these knots forms the base. There were many of these designs found in early Christian Manuscripts. The knot work and the designs though do seem to have roots in Northern Italy. The design was transported to the Celt lands in the early church and has long been associated with the Irish. There are also biblical references to these knots and rope designs that appeared in some of the reprints of the books of the Gospel from 7th century England and these are some of the earliest representations of the Celtic knot.

Often our Celtic Home décor items and sacramental and seasonal items are very popular among the Irish. The Celtic art Form had become a national identify type identity for the Irish, Welch and Scottish. This provides each of our families to reinforce their family heritage as well as their religious heritage. Whether our families observe the traditional full 40 days and or the more modern four week period, the Celtic advent wreath provides a lasting tradition for families, regardless of their nationality and binds in their faith.

The Life Everlasting Flower From Tea to Wreaths

The Life is a member of the mint family and derives its name from the powerful and lingering scent of curry when the leaves or stems are crushed. It is indigenous to North America, especially around North and South Carolina, and has long been used for countless healing and therapeutic purposes.

Known variously by the Latin name Helicrysium stoechas and by the local name of cudweed, Life Everlasting Flowers appear on downy stalks in numerous crowds of white flowers. They carry a supportive and comforting aroma and are known to induce sleep.

The Life Flowers are commonly recommended in herbal meditation blends for encouraging spirituality and personal growth. The aroma is believed by some to open the right side of the brain, improving creativity and dream activity. The flowers are also valued particularly for their decorative beauty in dried floral arrangements and wreaths that last for years. Dried herbs of the plant make a relaxing tea infusion or bath.

The Life Flower herb is a perennial root that creeps and propagates easily almost like a troublesome weed. But its medicinal and therapeutic applications are extensive. Some people have chewed the leaves and flowers as a remedy for mouth and throat ulcerations and they are used regularly as a natural astringent. The Life Everlasting herb was even a substitute for smoking tobacco with New England fisherman. Smoking the herb in a different way by inhaling the smoke of the burning herb was at one time considered good for coughs of the lungs and headache. Fresh juice from the Life Everlasting Flower has been said to be an aphrodisiac. The flowers are attributed with a small litany of properties: expectorant, diaphoretic, anodyne, astringent, ectoral, and expectorant, to name a few. The Life Everlasting Flowers are applied for problems with pulmonary. diarrhea, dysentary, coughs, colds, pains in the breast. Powders and warm infusions of the Life Everlasting herb have been used in leucorrhea, diseases of the bowels, and for hemorrhages. The herb is used in poultices for sprains, painful swellings, bruises, boils, bug bites-even tumors and contusions.

The Life Everlast-Flower is steeped in American Indian history. Different tribes used decoctions to treat a myriad of neurological and skin disorders. They made tea infusions with the flowers for asthma, bronchitis, and colds. Currently, the Life Everlasting Flower has been increasingly used in blends for skin and bad bruises for how it seems to reabsorb blood into tissue and remove pain and discoloration from nerve damage.

The therapeutic and medicinal versatility of the prolific life everlasting flower is as prodigious as its name. Its gentle but powerful healing has lasting effects, from teas and baths to old fashioned wreaths.

Artificial Wreaths - Not Just For Christmas

Artificial Wreaths can be used for Christmas or any other season. There are a lot of people who put up an Artificial Wreath for Christmas but why not put other wreaths in that place year round.

Artificial Wreaths are not just the traditional pine wreaths with red bows. Now there are many choices in wreaths to dress up a wall or entryway. While the pine wreath is a seasonal favorite, floral and foliage wreaths are finding a place in home decor as well. These fake wreaths are taking the place of more traditional wall hangings like pictures because they are more dimensional.

The great thing about these wreaths is that they are available in countless colors, styles and sizes. Regardless of the size wall you have, you are sure to find the perfect wreath to fit the wall.

Wreaths generally come in 5 styles. The traditional pine wreath is available in both lit and unlit. These are the Christmas Wreath favorite. Floral wreaths typically use a combination of flowers and foliage to create a lovely wreath. Some silk floral wreaths use only flower buds. Foliage leaves are available with fall colors or with greenery. Berry wreaths mix foliage or evergreen branches together to create a stunning combination. Lastly there are decorator wreaths that use feathers, glittered greenery and other unique features to make a wreath to fit a special look.

Artificial Wreaths are popular for entryways but also work well in other areas like on a dining wall. Because of the variety these can work with both traditional and contemporary decorative schemes. They can also be used for Christmas.

Wreaths All Year Long

The tradition of putting wreaths on doors and walls started in the 7th century B.C. when tree branches were used to crown the winners of the Olympic games. When exactly the wreath moved from the head to the door is unknown but the athletes probably hung their crowns on their wall and it took off from there.

One of the most popular holiday decorations is the Christmas wreath. Christmas wreaths are hung on doors, windows, fences, gates, from the stairway with garland or over the fireplace and used as centerpieces or advent wreaths on the table. Homes or offices don't seem festive during the holiday season without this favorite decoration. Many people with second homes they don't use during the holiday season still make sure there's a wreath on the door to share the spirit of the season with their neighbors.

Many people make their own Christmas wreaths using decorations of meaning to them. A bird lover might decorate their wreath with small birds and different types of berries birds love like holly berries. A gardener may decorate their wreath with dried flowers like hydrangeas, fruits like apples or cranberries and blueberry or grape vines and twigs, all harvested from their own gardens. A lover of the sea might add seashells, clamshells, sea urchin shells and starfish to their wreath. These decorations are placed in the balsam fir and pine boughs they have cut, sometimes from their own property. These wreaths make great meaningful gifts to give to friends and family.

Fall wreaths are very popular. Autumn leaves can be used as a base. Twigs, vines and branches are used. Bright, burgundy burning bush branches are beautiful. Add decorations throughout the fall like small pumpkins and ghosts for Halloween and turkeys and small cornucopia type dried fruits for Thanksgiving.

A spring wreath can add to Easter or Mother's day celebrations. Freeze-dried flowers are typically used on spring wreaths. Pink roses, daffodils, pansies, miniature carnations, seeded eucalytptus, white larkspur and artemisia are popular choices.

Herb wreaths are wonderful additions to any kitchen or dining room. They are made with bouquets of different herbs. Herbs like Mexican or Greek oregano, sage, marjoram, bay laurel, lavender, red hot chilies, basil, bay leaves and thyme are used. There are numerous combinations of colors and textures that can be used and individual tastes dictate which herb wreath is chosen.

The many different types of wreaths are beautiful decorations for walls or doors, inside or outside your home or office. Hanging a different wreath for every season keeps both you and your guests aware that a new season has arrived.

Greapvine Wreaths

Grapevine crafts are easy to do and are an inexpensive accent to your home décor. Natural grapevine wreaths are a great addition to any home. It is easy to make the wreath yourself but if you can't get the vines then you can purchase the wreaths at any craft store.

I've been doing this for a long time and it's easy and fun. Grapevine wreaths aren't that expensive and they make a beautiful door ornament, or wall hanging.The first step in the production of any product from the vines is the collection of the vines. Most crafters harvest the vines from nearby forests of roadsides where vines are often abundant.

Making your own grapevines wreaths can be both fun and rewarding. Several benefits to making your own are of course cost, plus making the size, fullness and shape you desire. You can make just about any shape you want. I have some articles below that will show you how to make different shapes.

Now you will need to choose the materials you want to apply to your grapevine wreath. To determine the overall look you are trying to achieve you need to take into consideration the place you will be hanging your wreath.You can decorate your wreath with just about anything. Try dried flowers, silk flowers, paper ribbon as well as regular ribbon or real leaves that are treated and preserved. They remain flexible and are available in many colors and varieties, and will keep for many years.Flower picks are available from craft stores. They are inexpensive, but you can make your own picks from clusters of wheat, pinecones, dried flowers, and other materials, wired together into a small bunch.

Using a hot glue gun to attach most of your decorations to grapevine wreaths can save you a lot of time. It also makes it easy to add something to balance out your wreath. Eucalyptus, lavender or moss will give you a cottage garden look. Dried Hydrangea's will make a elegant formal decoration.

Choose colors of flowers for each season, If the wreath is for inside, just match your room colors. You can make grapevine wreaths for any season or holiday. I have seen Easter wreaths that are made with eggs and they look really nice.Grapevine wreaths are also really good for craft fairs, especially around the holidays. They will sell like crazy because people buy them for their homes and also as gifts.