Re-working an Old Wreath

The front door to our home is original to the 1910s.  At four feet, it is wider than most entry doors. With the side lights, the entire entrance is almost 8′ wide.

Getting a properly scaled wreath is a challenge.  Most wreaths are 24″ to 28″ inches as measured by the outside tips of leaves or flowers.  This size just look puny on my front door.

This weekend, I went to the French Bee, known for their arrangements and wreaths, but their prices were a bit shocking ($749 for a wreath…..whaaaaatttt???). Even with their 50% off sale, I couldn’t justify spending that amount of money (with 2 children in college and preparing for a third tuition).

I’ve been pondering what to do for Spring so I dug out an old (really old) wreath I found in the well tower.  It was dusty, covered in spider webs (I obviously failed to store it properly) and was a bit less than round.  The framework is made from grapevines and felt solid.  The artificial flowers and leaves on it were rather skanky and faded.

Some of the raspberries were missing or chewed up and it was clear to me that this wreath needed a facelift.

Because it was so dirty, I washed it with a garden hose and left it in the sun to dry.

As always, the dogs want to help with any DIY project I tackle.  So as I was standing back, enjoying the sun and looking at my clean wreath, my beagle, Sox, attempted to lift his leg on it.  After scolding him, he did move on to do his business.

I removed all the yellowed plastic magnolia flowers, the broken raspberries and faded leaves.

Some of the underlying vines were in good shape, so I left those in place.

Using new artificial hydrangeas and lilac blooms, I added these to the wreath base.

I did not use a glue gun, but managed to tuck the stems into the grapevine~~which seemed to hold.

I debated whether to add a ribbon, but decided against it.  With a red door, the contrast in color is simple and understated.

Recycling and repurposing materials you already have~~is so economical and efficient!

Will your front door have a wreath for Spring? If you are looking for a spring wreath, Balsam Hill has a beautiful selection  (unfortunately they are too small for my front door). Some of their new spring designs were created by Courtney, one of my favorite bloggers, at French Country Cottage.

Whether you repurpose an old wreath or buy something new, happy Spring decorating!