It may be 80 degrees out right now, but I’m not going to let
that discourage me from decking my apartment out in holiday decoration galore!
Nope, not me! This is the lovely garland I made for my front door this year:
that discourage me from decking my apartment out in holiday decoration galore!
Nope, not me! This is the lovely garland I made for my front door this year:
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| Christmas Garland in red, gold, and plaid |
Looks pretty good right? Well could you believe it, it was
my FIRST garland EVER! Seriously, it was! I learned SO MUCH from a wonderful
youtube channel I stumbled upon. It is called “Trees n Trends”, and in many of
the videos, Kevin demonstrates how to make all sorts of gorgeous décor ideas
for the holiday season. To make this particular garland, I focused on these two
videos:
my FIRST garland EVER! Seriously, it was! I learned SO MUCH from a wonderful
youtube channel I stumbled upon. It is called “Trees n Trends”, and in many of
the videos, Kevin demonstrates how to make all sorts of gorgeous décor ideas
for the holiday season. To make this particular garland, I focused on these two
videos:
I HIGHLY recommend watching them before, during, and after
you start this project so you can absorb all of the great tips and tricks
shared!
For my garland, I
used:
used:
2 fake wire garlands, plain, 9 feet each
1 roll of red mesh ribbon (14.25 in x 25 feet)
1 roll of plaid wired – ribbon (3.75 inch x 50 feet)
1 roll of smaller gold mesh (4 inch x 30 feet)
Floral wire or several twist ties
Assorted shatterproof ornaments
A glue gun
** I only used up the full roll of the largest, wide mesh
ribbon. I had a LOT of the others left over! **
ribbon. I had a LOT of the others left over! **
Unless you have a big work table, you may end up working the
floor for the bulk of this project, so put a sheet down and get comfy!
floor for the bulk of this project, so put a sheet down and get comfy!
Open up all of your garlands. If you got yours at Michaels
like I did, it will be smushed to bits, and will take a bit of time. Get it as
flat as you can, and take the time and go through each wire “branch” and straighten
it out, it will make the rest of your project time a lot easier. Do this for
all 18 feet of your garland.
like I did, it will be smushed to bits, and will take a bit of time. Get it as
flat as you can, and take the time and go through each wire “branch” and straighten
it out, it will make the rest of your project time a lot easier. Do this for
all 18 feet of your garland.
Your garland will probably have some sort of wire ends. Find
and connect the two strands together by wrapping the wire into, and around the
other so it blends in. I tied a piece of scrap ribbon on this spot so I knew
where the middle was as I was working.
and connect the two strands together by wrapping the wire into, and around the
other so it blends in. I tied a piece of scrap ribbon on this spot so I knew
where the middle was as I was working.
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| Connecting the two wire garlands |
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| Connect Mesh |
I unrolled, and weighed down, all 25 feet of the large mesh
garland. Easier said than done. But I did this to find the center. I wanted to
get the center of the garland attached to the center of the large mesh so I
could work from the middle out, so both sides would be even. When you are able
to line up the center of the garland, and the center of the large mesh, gather
and twist branches around the ribbon to hold it in place.
garland. Easier said than done. But I did this to find the center. I wanted to
get the center of the garland attached to the center of the large mesh so I
could work from the middle out, so both sides would be even. When you are able
to line up the center of the garland, and the center of the large mesh, gather
and twist branches around the ribbon to hold it in place.
I’m referring you to Kevin’s fantastic video (above) on just how to
do the “poofy” part of this, but here is my short-hand version. Gather several
inches of the mesh, push it forward a little (towards whichever way you are
working from, in this case the middle) with one hand, gather it together, and
with the other hand, twist the wire branches to secure in place. I used my left hand for the mesh part, and my
right hand to twist and finagle the wire branches together.
do the “poofy” part of this, but here is my short-hand version. Gather several
inches of the mesh, push it forward a little (towards whichever way you are
working from, in this case the middle) with one hand, gather it together, and
with the other hand, twist the wire branches to secure in place. I used my left hand for the mesh part, and my
right hand to twist and finagle the wire branches together.
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| Poof Mesh Process |
Rinse and repeat down that side. Then do the other
half. Try to be as consistent with the
spacing and amount of mesh you use in each poof. This is the kind of spacing I
used:
half. Try to be as consistent with the
spacing and amount of mesh you use in each poof. This is the kind of spacing I
used:
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| Garland Spacing |
The next step for me was the smaller, wired ribbon. I took a
small section and just tied it in the middle (the bow is going to cover it
anyways)
small section and just tied it in the middle (the bow is going to cover it
anyways)
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| Starting the plaid ribbon |
Like Kevin, from Trees n Trends, suggested in his video,
skip a section and twist in the FOLLOWING section. I rotated laying the plaid
ribbon from one side to the other, to create more of a fuller, swirl look.
skip a section and twist in the FOLLOWING section. I rotated laying the plaid
ribbon from one side to the other, to create more of a fuller, swirl look.
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| Ribbon Placement |
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| No ornaments |
Keep going down the rest of the side, and then tie another
piece of ribbon in the middle again and do the other side. I don’t have any photos to show you how I
made my bow, because it honestly took two hands, but watch the video I linked above, its super helpful! I just used a piece of floral wire to attach the bow
onto the center of the garland for dramatic effect. Here it is hung outside.
piece of ribbon in the middle again and do the other side. I don’t have any photos to show you how I
made my bow, because it honestly took two hands, but watch the video I linked above, its super helpful! I just used a piece of floral wire to attach the bow
onto the center of the garland for dramatic effect. Here it is hung outside.
But that wasn’t enough for me! I found some plastic
ornaments on sale super cheap, and just glue gunned them on in place outside. I
love my glue gun…… Here are some of the finished shots:
ornaments on sale super cheap, and just glue gunned them on in place outside. I
love my glue gun…… Here are some of the finished shots:
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| Finished Christmas Door Garland |
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| Finished Christmas Door Garland |
I really think the ornaments made a big difference. Thoughts
of adding more ribbon had crossed my mind, but I wasn’t sure if it would be too
much for my doorway. Maybe next year I will add more. If I find any larger ornaments on post season
clearance, I’ll probably pick them up and add them to it next year. These are
some close ups of the ornaments I used:
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| Christmas Ornament Detail |
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| Christmas Ornament Detail |
So what do you think of this garland? I love it! And it
really helps bring some of that Christmas spirit to this 80 degree weather we
are having! Have you ever made an
outdoor garland like this before? Any tips on storing it for me?
really helps bring some of that Christmas spirit to this 80 degree weather we
are having! Have you ever made an
outdoor garland like this before? Any tips on storing it for me?
Wow! That looks really cool. I am going to do that this year too. Do you know if I can use this year after year or do I have to take the stuff out of it after christmas?
Nah, you can just pack it up as far as I can tell, especially because things will be hot glued down. I used it as "fluffer" for some of my breakable decorations. Since it is wire based for the most part, it should be pretty easy to refluff the following year. Good luck!
Pretty! How did you hang it around the door?
Thank you 🙂 I used those sticky plastic hooks that slide off when you are done. Trying to think of the name of them, but can not for the life of me remember! The ones where the adhesive has a little strip, and when you pull on it to remove it, they come off the wall and don't leave any tacky/adhesion spots. Several of those were used to hang this bad boy 🙂