Quick Door Wreaths

This year’s door wreath with repurposed items I already had. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Quick Door Wreaths

I used to have boxes full of artificial wreaths, including a 7-foot one that took up most of my attic. Those are gone now, and now I have a small collection of manageable wreaths I can quickly and easily make charming into holiday wreaths with items I already have.

Several visitors have commented on this year’s Bluebird Gardens front door wreath so here it is, a combination of an old holiday ornament wreath with a favorite hand painted plaque. And a handmade sign instead of a bow.

To make, I attached the charming animal plaque to the back of the wreath, then hung the wreath on one of those large, suction-cup hangers. The wreath itself is made out of nonbreakable balls so the weight to this wreath is in the wooden plaque.

The plaque was a gift when I worked in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It has been a part of my holiday decorations for oh, my several decades now. It has spent time on office doors, hanging in my kitchen and other parts of the house needing a little holiday touch, and now, on my house front door.

Every year when I pull it out of the storage trunk, I look closely at the little painted characters, remembering all of the charming little details. The reindeer antlers on them all still gives me a chuckle. The sock on the cat tail is a favorite, reminding me of all of the cat mischief my cats get into, including my sock basket. Did you see the little bluebird nesting in the cat’s reindeer antlers? Such sweet details.

I don’t know who painted this but it has been among my most cherished holiday decor items for a very long time. Come to think about it, it may also have inspired me to get those socks that look like cat paws as gifts (but don’t tell anyone.)

Hand painted holiday plaque repurposed as part of door wreath. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Don’t mind the “home sweet bees” sign, that’s a wooden paint stirring stick I painted as a test model. I will make a final one next year that i can easily move from one door wreath to the next. Well, that’s what I tell myself. The problem is that this one is easy to move around so I am less inclined to make another one.

Humm, you know, you could do the same painting your family name on a paint stick with holes on each side.. Or add “Merry Christmas” or ‘Ho Ho Ho". Wouldn’t the kids have fun doing the painting and giving it to Mom and Dad as a personalized gift?

The bottom line is no need to spend a lot of money on holiday decor you will use for a short time. Repurpose what you already have; set an example for kids that the holidays are about giving, especially something they can easily make - and keep enjoying the memories attached to them!

Charlotte