How to Make a Swag Christmas Wreath
Christmas swags can be created as short or as long as you need them to be. If you need them to fit over a door or run the length of a fireplace mantle, swags can be hung to give an area an instant festive flair. Evergreen Christmas swags are heavier than synthetic swags or garland, so use extra mounting tape or non marring hooks on staircase banisters. Swags that are hung on or over doorways are shorter and are mounted on bases. These Christmas swags are easy to make for home decoration or to give as gifts.
Things You'll Need
- Nursery flat or foam
- Garden shears
- Evergreen boughs (Suggested boughs: Redwood, Juniper, Holly, Cedar or Pine)
- Branch from Crabapple tree
- Pine cones
- Cinnamon sticks
- Holly with berries
- Wired ribbon
- Florist wire
- Wire cutters
- Hot glue gun
- Glue sticks
- Bottle mister
Instructions
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Gather your boughs together on a flat surface, such as a table.
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2
Small gift boxes, balls or bell ornaments lend a swag wreath some holiday cheer. Use nursery foam or a plastic nursery flat to serve as the base of the Christmas swag wreath. Depending upon the size of the swag, you will need to vary the size of the base accordingly.
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Place the longest size of greenery on the base so that the greenery is arched in a downward position. Place the second piece of greenery on the base so that the greenery is arching in an upward position. Use the florist wire to secure these two pieces of greenery into place, wrapping the wire into place behind the base.
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4
Add another section of evergreen, allowing it to lay straight across the base. Wire it into place. Continue to layer greenery onto the base, one piece at a time. One piece should arch down and the next should arch up. The third piece should be straight across. Secure each section into place before adding the next piece. Continue adding pieces until you have the Christmas swag as full as you desire.
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Use dried flowers, such as baby's breath, dried roses or wildflowers within the swag. Add a branch of holly with berries or a branch from a crabapple tree with crabapples still on the branch onto the base. Secure the piece or pieces into the Christmas swag.
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Plug the hot glue gun into a wall socket. Turn it on and slide the first glue stick into place. Allow it to heat up to melt glue before continuing with the remaining swag items.
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Glue a few pine cones and cinnamon sticks randomly around the swag by placing the nose of the hot glue gun at the bottom of the pine cone or cinnamon stick and pressing the hot glue gun trigger. Allow a couple of drops of glue to drip onto the item. Quickly press the item onto the evergreen swag and hold it steadily in place until the glue has cooled. The pine cones will give the swag a natural appeal, while the cinnamon sticks will give the swag a Christmas scent.
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Wrap festive Christmas wired ribbon around the swag in a loose, casual fashion and then tie a bow of any style in the center of the swag. You can also tie a bow in the center of the swag and trim the ribbon to glue to each side of the bow.
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Mist the swag with water each day to keep it fresh.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit holly sprig image by Edsweb from Fotolia.com christmas package with bow image by Kathy Burns from Fotolia.com woman holding bunch of dried flowers, babies' breath image by Jane September from Fotolia.com
