It's taken me the best part of 4 weeks to complete. I tried to do it by using just what I had around the house, which worked out well for the most part, but it needed something extra, so I had to order the feather doves, the feather butterfly and the sheer ribbon for the bow. This is exactly why I started working on it so early, and why I am sharing this with you now. I was able to just take my time and enjoy working on it, instead of leaving it until November and feeling rushed. It's been a real pleasure to think about how I wanted the wreath to look, and not feel it was a chore that needed to be finished quickly. As I said before, the other bonus is when you place your order for bits and pieces that you need, you can almost guarantee they will be in stock and therefore with you quickly. Makes life so much easier.
I always use the same twiggy wreath as a base, and I like to have lights on it too. (This is simple to do. Use outdoor lights - obviously! - and twist around the wreath, making sure the wire starts and ends at the top so you can hide it underneath the wreath hanger. Then, on the inside of the door, trail the wire carefully along the top of the door, taping in place as you go, and then tape the wire down the hinged side of the door - checking to make sure the door opens and closes without problem before taping in place - then trail safely to the nearest socket. Tape wire down as you trail it - or tuck under carpet or rugs - so there is no danger of anyone tripping on it)I took the wreath and removed the decorations on there, then gathered together the stuff that I wanted to use. Old jewellery, pearls, ribbons.
I started by trailing the pearls around the wreath and wiring in place. Then I added sparkly necklaces and took it from there. Luckily, I'm the kind of person who buys cheap necklaces with lots of charms dangling knowing I won't wear it, so I tend to have a lot of bits and pieces floating around. The keys and the large butterfly on the right are from necklaces. The butterflies aren't particularly Christmassy, but my little girl likes them, so I've added them for her. The doves I thought were adorable, and added a nice touch. In the centre of the top bow sits an old earring. The other to this pair is in the crown cushion I made a few weeks ago.Detail photos..
I have used paper roses too, which I may or may not regret. Our front door is quite sheltered so rain or snow damage shouldn't be too much of a problem, but they are easy to replace if they are ruined. So there you have it. A sneak preview of our A Vintage Christmas look for this year. I will reiterate that I am not a super-organised person. It's just that having a little person to look after full time means I have to plan ahead. By doing so I can give myself plenty of time to work around my little girl, and not have to rush working on my projects. It's the way I do all my crafts: around my little girl as when I have time. :O)
Now all I need to do is get the front door painted. I photographed it on an internal door, as I didn't want to spoil the effect by showing it on our front door before it had been painted!