Grapevine, Boxwood & Holly Berry Wreath

As much as I love fresh wreaths this time of year (they smell so good!), they aren't exactly ideal for apartment living. This year I thought I'd try making my own wreath that could last for the entire winter and not necessarily be just for the Christmas season & bonus, I could use it next year too. 

I'd like to invest in a nice boxwood wreath someday. They're so pretty and simple. Except I haven't been able to find one that I like. All the ones I've found around here look super fake & too plastic-y. I know, and remember, that Target has some nice ones (seriously, Target, why did you have to leave Canada? Yes, I'm still on that). Next time we head to the states to visit family I might just have to hunt one down. Anyways, enough of that & on to the DIY.

So, since I couldn't find a faux wreath that I liked enough to spend the money on, I decided to make one. The whole thing cost just under $20. That's a pretty good deal considering I don't have to throw it out in a few months.

Supplies you'll need to make your own:

- Grapevine wreath (These were just under $8 *regular price* at the craft store, plus I had a coupon to use on top of that...so surprisingly cheap! I used a 12" wreath).
- Boxwood garland (I used 3 packs at 5ft each) *I wish I had been able to find it without the gold glitter, but the only realistic looking stuff that I could find had glitter on it...I decided on gold & after I got it weaved through the grapevine I couldn't notice it as much).
- Holly Berries
- Burlap Ribbon

To Make:

- Take the boxwood garland & begin weaving it through the grapevine. I cut mine into approx. 2ft sections so it was easier to weave. You can use more or less garland to your taste. The 15ft filled my wreath perfectly so that I had grapevine still visible, but the boxwood noticeable. I like the rustic look of it. If you want it to be fuller, you'll need more than 15ft. Also, no glue or extra wire was needed since the garland I had was already wired.

- Once you're finished intertwining your boxwood garland & have it as full as you like, next make your bow. I used burlap and followed this tutorial. The instructions were easy to follow & it came out much better than if I'd just attempted to tie a bow myself. I do wish that I'd made it a bit bigger though and/or used a wider burlap. But overall, I'm happy with it.

- After making your bow, thread some wire through the back portion of it & attach it to the wreath were you'd like it. I opted for an off entered side look. I tried placing it in the middle at the bottom but it seemed a bit off (like I said, I think the bow should be a bit bigger!).

- Lastly, cut some berry sprigs & embellish around the bow. I simply stuck mine in without glue or wire. That way I can easily remove them for a different look if I like.

It's not your traditional Christmas wreath, but it works just great for the season. Plus, like I mentioned I can keep it up all winter & when spring comes I can remove those berries and have myself a spring wreath! Multi-funtional. I like that.