Archives for wreaths category
Posted on Mar 12, 2010 under wreaths |
Christmas Tree Fundraising ProgramWith the situationof our economy the McKenzie Village Christmas Tree Fundraising Program is perfect. Many schools, youth groups and sports teams can benefit from having Mckenzie Village fundraiser. Everybodywill be buying a Christmas Tree and and they can now benefit school and various programs, every person wins. The program is Simple with no risk and with great profits. McKenzie Village is one of the largest suppliers of “Fresh Cut Christmas Trees”. it arranges for pre sold trees to be delivered to your location. The key is to start planning early. Using a portion of a parking lot, playground, etc., saves having to rent space to distributeyour trees. Having teachers and students know your program in advanceis paramount to your success. Also, remember to make the deliver an event and look appealing with holiday décor like twinkle lights or holiday yard décor. The programn is Turnkey and simple. Chula Vista High School is only doing two Mckenzie Village fundraisers a year now to meet there funding requirements. Remember to include the information on all signs and advertising: ‘The purchase goes to a good cause!’ Tell your prospective customers that you are raising money for new youth choir robes, that their purchase goes toward new sporting or playground equipment, etc! Who can resist that? When all the work is finished, host a hot cocoa party at the tree lot for all of your valuable volunteers. Any remaining trees can be given to retirement homes, homeless shelters, or to people who would like to have a tree but for whatever reason is unable to get one. Sing some carols and provide some greatcheer! This is Simple, easy, with no risk. Go to Mckenzie Village and sign up now.
Technorati Tags: christmas, fundraiser, Wreath
Posted on Mar 11, 2010 under wreaths |
The Life Everlasting Flower is a member of the mint family and derives its name from the powerful and lingering scent of curry when the leaves or stems are crushed. It is indigenous to North America, especially around North and South Carolina, and has long been used for countless healing and therapeutic purposes. Known variously by the Latin name Helicrysium stoechas and by the local name of cudweed, Life Everlasting Flowers appear on downy stalks in numerous crowds of white flowers. They carry a supportive and comforting aroma and are known to induce sleep. The Life Everlasting Flowers are commonly recommended in herbal meditation blends for encouraging spirituality and personal growth. The aroma is believed by some to open the right side of the brain, improving creativity and dream activity. The flowers are also valued particularly for their decorative beauty in dried floral arrangements and wreaths that last for years. Dried herbs of the plant make a relaxing tea infusion or bath. The Life Everlasting Flower herb is a perennial root that creeps and propagates easily almost like a troublesome weed. But its medicinal and therapeutic applications are extensive. Some people have chewed the leaves and flowers as a remedy for mouth and throat ulcerations and they are used regularly as a natural astringent. The Life Everlasting herb was even a substitute for smoking tobacco with New England fisherman. Smoking the herb in a different way by inhaling the smoke of the burning herb was at one time considered good for coughs of the lungs and headache. Fresh juice from the Life Everlasting Flower has been said to be an aphrodisiac. The flowers are attributed with a small litany of properties: expectorant, diaphoretic, anodyne, astringent, ectoral, and expectorant, to name a few. The Life Everlasting Flowers are applied for problems with pulmonary. diarrhea, dysentary, coughs, colds, pains in the breast. Powders and warm infusions of the Life Everlasting herb have been used in leucorrhea, diseases of the bowels, and for hemorrhages. The herb is used in poultices for sprains, painful swellings, bruises, boils, bug bites—even tumors and contusions. The Life Everlasting Flower is steeped in American Indian history. Different tribes used decoctions to treat a myriad of neurological and skin disorders. They made tea infusions with the flowers for asthma, bronchitis, and colds. Currently, the Life Everlasting Flower has been increasingly used in blends for skin and bad bruises for how it seems to reabsorb blood into tissue and remove pain and discoloration from nerve damage. The therapeutic and medicinal versatility of the prolific Life Everlasting Flower is as prodigious as its name. Its gentle but powerful healing has lasting effects, from teas and baths to old fashioned wreaths.
Technorati Tags: Everlasting, flower, from, life, wreaths
Posted on Mar 10, 2010 under wreaths |
- Manufacturer: Darice
- Measures: 12 Inch long
Product Description
DARICE-Heavy Duty Painted Metal Door Wreath Hanger. 12. Black. Use to hang door weraths and swags easily without nails…. More >>
Heavy Duty Door Wreath Hanger 12″ – Black Painted Metal
Technorati Tags: Black, Door, Duty, Hanger, Heavy, Metal, painted, Wreath
Posted on Mar 10, 2010 under wreaths |
Making a Christmas Wreath is not only fun – but you really can get creative with them and make them extremely unique. Here are instructions for making a traditional holly wreath. With these instructions, you will be able to get the basic idea of how wreaths are actually made, and you can then decide what to do to make your own holly wreath special – or go with an entirely different kind of wreath.
Materials:
- A 20 inch wreath – This can be a plain foam wreath, a wreath that already has the evergreens on it, or a twine wreath. For a traditional holly wreath, the ones with the evergreens already attached are ideal.
- 1.5 yards of ribbon – this can be plain red, plain green, or a red and black or red and green plaid. The ribbon should about 2.5 inches wide, and can be silk or felt. It’s your wreath!
- Pine cones – you will need about ten. Try to find ones that are well shaped and unbroken.
- Pomegranates – six dried pomegranates will do. Don’t get fresh ones! Or substitute other dried or good-looking plastic fruits.
- Additional Foliage – you need more evergreens (to make the wreath seem fuller) berry sprays and berry clusters.
- Construction Materials – scissors, hot glue gun, glue sticks, wire (if there is no hanger on the back of the wreath), sewing needle, thread (same color as ribbon).
If the wreath has no hanger, you will need to construct one with the wire. This should be done first. Make sure that it is secure, and that it can bear the weight of the wreath.
Fluff the existing evergreens and add more. The wreath should have a full appearance. You will most likely need to straighten a few branches here and there – but don’t make it too ‘perfect.’ It should have a ‘natural’ appearance to it.
Let’s make and attach the bow. Cut a piece of ribbon about thirty inches long. Cut another piece of ribbon about four inches long. In the center of the long piece of ribbon, you want to form two loops that will make the bow.
The small piece of ribbon is used to secure the bow, in the middle of the loops. Note that the bow is ‘formed’ not ‘tied.’ There are no knots to tie. Secure the small piece of ribbon around the bow, in the back, with the thread. Each end of the bow will be about nine inches long.
You can place the bow wherever you choose to. It could go in the middle of the top, the bottom, or off to one side. The ends should be woven through the foliage on the wreath – or it can hang loose.
It is a good idea to paint the ends of the ribbon with clear fingernail polish to keep them from fraying over time. The bow can be attached to the wreath with glue or with wire. Just make sure that it is secure.
Once you’ve placed the bow on the wreath, you can glue two of the pomegranates in the center of the bow. The remaining four pomegranates should be glued to the wreath equal distances apart, in groups of two.
Next, glue the pine cones to the wreath. These can be spaced evenly apart sporadically, or in groups of pine cones. Do what looks good to you. Again, it is your wreath.
The berry clusters and sprays should also be glued to the front of the wreath. Glue some additional foliage over the top of the bow with a berry cluster for added affect. Remember that there is not specific way that any of this must be done. It is your choice.
It is a good idea to lay the pieces of the wreath on it before gluing anything down. This will allow you to see how the finished product will look before committing to anything. Try different arrangements of the material to see what looks best to you.
Once you’ve constructed the wreath, set it someplace where the glue has time to harden fully. Once this is done, pick the wreath up and gently shake it to make sure that everything is secured well. Most wreaths hang on the door, and doors are constantly opened and closed – and even slammed. You want to make sure that your wreath isn’t falling to pieces each time the door opens and closes.
In many cases, you may be able to use wire or a needle and thread to make items on the wreath more secure. Heavier items won’t be very secure with glue in most cases.
Remember that holly wreaths don’t have to be ‘busy’ to be beautiful. A few simple additions to the foliage is all that it takes.
The bow is typically the object that draws the eye, so make sure that the bow is really well done.
Now that you know how wreaths are made – and how easy it is – you may decide that you don’t want a holly wreath at all. You may opt for a themed wreath, a twined wreath, or a truly unique wreath that stands out. The possibilities are endless!
Author: Scott Wells. Learn how to make Christmas crafts at http://MakeChristmasCrafts.com
Technorati Tags: holiday, Wreath
Posted on Mar 09, 2010 under wreaths |
Whenever most people start decorating for the coming Christmas, they typically set up with the Christmas tree and adorn it with lights and other fancy embellishments. It’s true that conventional Christmas ornaments almost constantly seem to focus round the jovial evergreen, with its broad range of adornment choices and unique pine scent.
However, there are ample more potential to help you adorn your home with multicolored touches inspired by Mother Nature and the winter period. The dark green color often linked with the Christmas ornaments are an amazing background for red, gold and silver accents. The twigs of trees such as the Balsam Fir, Fraser Fir or Scotch Pines which can be made to beautify mantelpieces, shape a foundation for center table arrangements or offer a lovely setting for Christmas wreaths.
Here are a few ideas for Christmas decorations to draw out a cheerful look into your home, both inside and out:
1. Centerpiece decoration for the merry table: Do you have a set of petite wicker baskets stored in your kitchen or lying around in your garage? You can make use one of these baskets to shape the foundation of a table ornament for a unique holiday lunch or dinner. Make use of some floral foam or oasis to secure pieces of fir, holly or pine — then put in some accents to set off the design such as berries, pinecones, even tree embellishments.
2. Beautify a doorway or arch by making use of a garland of pine rope. Add some nice touch ups by frilling it with matching colors and shapes such as bows or ribbons, pinecones, dried fruits and full spices.
3. Hang a Christmas wreath on your front door or front porch to greet Christmas carolers and your holiday guests. You can find a broad assortment of designs and types to go well with your taste and match the rest of your holiday decors. If you prefer to make some alterations, search out for extra unique stuff like boxwood as a substitute to the most common holly or pine. You can customize your wreath with natural or painted pinecones or berries — and, of course, jazz it up with a very lovely ribbon to add more elegance and compare its colors!
Should you opt to purchase a standard Christmas wreath, garland or swag, you have all sorts of potential for garnishing it in your own special way. One better feature of these added extras is that you may be capable to disengage them when it’s time to get Christmas ornaments down and store them up for use again for next season. The next Christmas season, you can just take them out from the attic and make a new one.
Wonderful ornaments such as Christmas wreaths, door garlands and swags sets off your Christmas tree and lengthen the winter evergreen theme to other areas of your home, both inside and out. Using some imagination and ingenuity, you can customize store-bought stuff to give them an exceptional look and appeal.
Technorati Tags: christmas, decorating, ideas, Traditional, Wreath
Posted on Mar 08, 2010 under wreaths |
Christmas wreath can be used as fantastic source of fundraising activity for non-profit groups. Instead of the traditional selling of cookies, children’s candy bars, or cookie dough, selling Christmas wreaths can be a bestseller which would brings in more money and helps draw out a cheerful mood into your locality at the same time.
Christmas wreath fundraising activity is a brilliant way to lend a hand to your neighborhood and assist your group raise funds simultaneously. Sometimes the wreaths that are prepared by non-profit groups have a very viable price and are of first-rate quality. There is an exceptional thing that a Christmas wreath brings with when you learn that the buying has lend a helping hand of a group you would like to support.
There are quite a few companies that recommend a Christmas wreath fundraiser plan, most are accessible online using a simple browsing. These companies permit you to buy wreaths in volumes getting a considerable discount and then put them up for sale at a marked up rate. Many are offering wreaths as affordable as $6 that you can later sell for $24. This is much better than the forty cents that you acquire from a candy bar sale.
There are closing dates and not everybody thinks of their Christmas fundraisers in or before the month of October. For those of you who are getting a bit late getting on track don’t worry, there is still hope. Instead of buying their wreaths out on Thanksgiving Day or through the last week of November more than a few people choose to wait until days closer to Christmas. There are also companies that provide deliveries as late as the week before Christmas.
However, if this still doesn’t work for you, then it is time to take matters in your very hands. To propose a Christmas wreath fund raiser you can opt to make the wreaths yourself. They are fairly easy and all of the supplies except the evergreen branches are available in almost all craft stores all year round.
The finest way to organize a Christmas wreath fundraiser is to secure orders from people before you actually make them. Prior to purchasing your supplies you should have a list of placed orders by customers ready. Collect for these sales as soon as the order is placed, this will keep your group from all the hassle when the people who placed their orders are unexpectedly not home at the time of delivery and have actually moved without leaving a forwarding address from costing you the capital you considered making. Have the outstanding balance due a few days prior to your plan of purchase so those final stragglers can get their as well.
After receiving your orders you can acquire your materials or your pre-made wreaths. You can regularly make a few more sales at the last minute so you might want to consider picking up a few extra ones to sell as you are delivering the ordered wreaths.
Christmas wreaths hanged on front doors of homes around the community always draw out a cheerful mood to the area. Fundraisers can have some inconveniences, so make sure to set up a scheduled time for them and you are guaranteed a better result. Good planning is the answer to making your Christmas wreath fund raising activity a success.
Technorati Tags: christmas, fundraisers, Organizing, Wreath
Posted on Mar 07, 2010 under wreaths |
Christmas wreaths are considered an age-old Christmas custom that is used to adorn the outside of the house, usually on the front door, to welcome with a festive greeting.
Preparing the needed materials
To create a Christmas wreath you will need a wreath ring, a florist wire which can be bought from your local florist and some plants.
Collect interesting plants around the local park, on the countryside, or even in your own garden. Gather some evergreens, ivy, green and silvery grey leaves, and conifers.
In addition look out for some holly or other undergrowth that bear berries or berry-like fruits. Berries add color and elegance to the wreath. Look for some dried seedpods like poppies, and pinecones. Spray on some silver and gold paint on your collected seedpods to add attention to the wreath. Should you decide to use spray paint on any of these pieces, do it a few days to give the paint some time to dry. When using spray paint, always remember to follow strictly the instructions on its use found at the back of the can.
Making the wreath
To put together pieces of shrubs to the wreath ring, you need to cut a piece of wire and bind it around the lower end of the shrubs, then twist the wire around the wreath ring with one more piece of wire. Go over the same process until you reach an inch or two down the stem.
At the first encircling of the wreath, the shrubs will fall off a little bit, but the more shrubs you put on, the more it will become steady. Keep working on a flat tabletop to put off further movements.
However there are specific rules that you should always remember.
Use the interior and external rings as split ’rounds’, stuffing both rings makes a full lush wreath.
You will come across later on, that you can actually make rounds appear following a direction. This happens when all the stems lay on the same direction. Wreaths look finest if a round pattern follows the similar direction. However, the two rings on the wreath ring don’t essentially have to go in the equivalent direction.
Put aside the ‘feature’ or fancier items lastly, so that they stand out on the topmost layer of the Christmas wreath where they can be easily spot on.
To add some pine cones, bind some wire at the base part of the cone seeds, and entwine the two wire stems together tightly. Push the wire into the wreath and entwine them as one at the back of the wreath. You could also add some Christmas baubles by wiring them on or use other ornaments to add more glamour and beauty to you Christmas wreath.
When your Christmas wreath is finally finished, hang it on your front door for all the guests to see and appreciate. Remember, you need not to spend a lot of money just to make a beautiful Christmas wreath. All it takes is some skills and imagination and you’ll surely have pretty one hanging on your door or lying on top of your table.
Technorati Tags: christmas, making, Wreath
Posted on Mar 07, 2010 under wreaths |
Christmas wreaths are a common sight on doors, above fireplaces, in homes during Christmas season. The use of Christmas wreaths dates back hundreds of years before the birth of Christ. A lot of historians think that the very first wreaths came from the Persian Empire, when the royal family and members of the superior class wore headdresses, or cloth headbands laden with precious jewels. Soon, other cultures became captivated with this practice and later on adopted it for themselves.
Around 800 B.C., the Greeks began to distinguish the champions of their Olympic tournament by crowning them with wreaths made from laurel tree branches and leaves. After several years, when the tournament were held from city to city, branches and leaves from local trees were utilized to create these victory wreaths for the champions. At the time of Roman Empire, military leaders and politicians wore crowns of leaves and other greeneries. For example, Julius Caesar wears a crown of a wreath made from fresh laurel branches and leaves. The evolution of the wreath from a headdress to a wall ornament is believed to have transpired when athletes or conquering military leaders arrived home, and they would hang up their headdresses on their walls, as a cup of their success.
Other cultures such as the Egyptian, Chinese, and Hebrew were also famous to have used wreaths made of evergreen branches to symbolize of eternal life, as the conifer trees stayed green all the way through the winter months. After the birth of Jesus Christ, the wreath made from evergreen twigs and leaves came to represent the conquest of life from the long winter months.
The Advent wreath as well grows to be a famous holiday custom after the birth of Christ. This piece of ornament was generally placed flat on a table and was used to count down the four weeks before Christmas. Customarily the wreath was built with four candles in a circle and one candle in the middle of it. The four outside candles were either purple or violet, and the center candle white. Four weeks before Christmas, the first purple or violet candle would be lit. The following week, another candle would be lit, and so on, until the white candle in the center is finally lit on Christmas Eve or day, suggestive of Christ birth. A brief prayer was said every time a candle is lit. The principle behind lighting the last candle in the middle of the wreath is to remind us that we should keep Christ at the center of our lives and the core of the Christmas celebration.
It is also assumed that Europeans hang wreaths on their doors to characterize their family identity, more like a family crest. The wreaths were made from garden produce in their own gardens, like grapevines, flowers, and many others. The constructing of these wreaths was a family custom that go after the similar common pattern every year.
These days, wreaths are still commonly used around the globe. In the U.S., wreaths are a conventional ornament for Christmas, as well as other events all throughout the year. Wreaths now beautify doors for Halloween, Easter, and Valentine’s Day. What’s more, wreaths are no longer restricted to using evergreen twigs and leaves. Nowadays, we can check out craft stores, books, and television shows featuring some of the most unique wreaths made from a selection of remarkable materials.
Technorati Tags: Beginnings, christmas, wreaths
Posted on Mar 06, 2010 under wreaths |
Whenever we think of wreaths, most of us naturally visualize a conventional wreath made of greenery and twigs. This usually comes with a bow of some sort and maybe pinecones. While these conventional Christmas wreath will always be a resolute preference, there are more than one ways to adorn and utilize wreaths. By taking a new approach to an age-old ornament, you can make something definitely exceptional and special that will be a showpiece in your home for coming years ahead. Here are a small number of things to think about when you alter your idea of wreaths:
Setting
This will probably have the major impact on the formation and material of your wreath. Apparently if the setting is outdoors, the wreath must be made of durable materials. Indoor wreaths are mainly considered by their setting in the home, as their structure and ornaments will likely mirror their surroundings.
Arrangement
Customarily, wreaths are hung above hearths and on front doors. On the other hand, it is entirely up to you where the wreath must go. Here are a few special ideas you might want to consider:
Windowpanes: Use a double-sided wreath hanger, like ribbons, chains, or nice rope and hang it facing outside or inside.
On the mirror: The dimension of your mirror will determine the size of your wreath.
On a lighted wall: Anyplace in the house.
Dining chairs: Little wreaths can be used to decorate the back of a dining chair by tying a bright ribbon.
Dining Table: Set it on a table and add candles or a bowl of fruit in the center of it.
C
hristmas tree: Wreaths made from different materials can be utilized to adorn a Christmas tree for an extra touch of sophistication.
Gift Packages: Use a tiny wreath tied with a ribbon to a special gift.
Dimension
The setting of your wreath will typically establish its size. Wreath sizes may differ a lot; but, most indoor wreaths ranges from 6 to 48 inches. An outdoor wreath utilized as a main point on a home’s peripheral might be as big as 70 inches in diameter.
Material Used
The material used on your wreath will significantly have an impact on its general design and look. While the choices are boundless, below are a few ideas you can start with:
Fresh or Synthetic
Natural materials may include pinecones, straw, wheat, grapevines, nuts, fresh or dried leaves, leaves, fresh or dried flowers, shells, and many others.
Synthetic materials may include Christmas balls, cloth, ribbons, art papers, styrofoam, or metal.
Ornaments
At last the fun stuff! Imagination is the limit when we talk about a wreath’s decoration. In embellishing your wreath, it’s necessary to think about the place where you are going to place the wreath (for instance, an outdoor wreath should have resilient embellishments), and who will be benefiting from it. Here are a few ideas you might want to consider.
Family room: You may use the same color and maybe the same decorations on your tree.
The Kitchen: Make an effort to decorate using cookie cutters, and other kitchen utensils
Kid’s Room: Hand made decorations, children’s toys, candy canes, etc.
No matter what your choices are, always keep in mind to have fun and use your imagination!
Your completed wreath will definitely be special, and you will want to keep it so that you can still use it in the following year. Make sure to think about this when you store it away by using products that are heavy-duty and handy. There are lots of wreath storage boxes available on the market today and will keep your wreaths cosseted while in storage. By selecting an ideal storage container, it is a guarantee that your wreath can be used and enjoyed for the many years to ahead.
Technorati Tags: christmas, Customizing, Wreath
Posted on Mar 05, 2010 under wreaths |
A Celtic Advent Wreath may be one that uses tradition advent candles or some use dark and light green tapers in place of the purple and pink. The Celtic Advent and the Easter Orthodox Advent or Nativity fast last for 40 days and starts mid November but most Advent wreaths have a maximum of 5 candles.
In the original tradition, advent was a period of 40 days and not just four weeks. The four week period was introduced in the middle ages. The Celtic tradition has been one that has with stood time and still is celebrated to the present day. The Celtic advent does mimic the Lenten period before Holy Week and the Resurrection. What is most interesting by extending the period of time; it does put more structure in the Christmas season and allows the proper focus on the Lord and not on the commercial pitfalls of Christmas. More interesting still is that this period starts before the traditional start of the shopping season of Thanksgiving.
There are also Celtic Advent wreaths for the more modern four-week period of Advent. The Irish themed wreaths are perfect for the traditional Irish catholic family. The wreath itself is comprised of the four traditional candle holders to hold the 4 Advent Candles. In most cases the wreaths, although apply being made of evergreen, in the true Celtic tradition they are made of medals, often pewter.
They are braided in some cases to show a old Irish braid. The twisted rope design makes the base of the advent wreath. Often the Celtic knot is used to decorate the place where the candle sits. A Celtic knot has roots in the third and fourth century. The Celtic knot first showed up in art as an interlaced knot pattern making one mater pattern. Some are spirals or patterns form complex interwoven cords. In the Advent wreath reproduction of these knots forms the base. There were many of these designs found in early Christian Manuscripts. The knot work and the designs though do seem to have roots in Northern Italy. The design was transported to the Celt lands in the early church and has long been associated with the Irish. There are also biblical references to these knots and rope designs that appeared in some of the reprints of the books of the Gospel from 7th century England and these are some of the earliest representations of the Celtic knot.
Often our Celtic Home décor items and sacramental and seasonal items are very popular among the Irish. The Celtic art Form had become a national identify type identity for the Irish, Welch and Scottish. This provides each of our families to reinforce their family heritage as well as their religious heritage. The Irish have a long standing faith in the Catholic Church. Whether our families observe the traditional full 40 days and or the more modern four week period, the Celtic advent wreath provides a lasting tradition for families, regardless of their nationality and binds in their faith.
Technorati Tags: Advent, Celtic, family, Help, Irish, keep, Traditions, wreaths
