{Originally published December 2010}
Five years later I still use my Candy Cane wreaths on my chair backs in the dining room. Classic decorations never go out of style! You still have time to make your own before the holiday. Or do like I did, make them after Christmas and store for the next year.
I saw this idea for Christmas décor on Sarah's blog, Thrifty Decor Chick. I swear she has the absolutely best crafty decor ideas! I started mine after Christmas when I scored the ribbon on sale for 75% off at Hobby Lobby. I bought 2 rolls of the candy cane striped ribbon and 1 roll of the red velvet ribbon. I bought 1 Styrofoam circle to start with and added the other 5 (for a total of 6) during the year watching for sales and using HL coupons.
They are so easy to make! And look divine in my dining room on the back of the chairs. My chairs don't have a hole at the top so I used decorative wired bows I bought at Wal*Mart for $2 for 16. I used the red ribbon for hanging the wreaths and the bows to tie them to the chairs. I used bows on both sides so it looks nice and pretty. Here is the what they look like in my dining room.
Here's how to make your own wreaths to put where ever you want - kitchen chairs, windows, mirrors
Supplies:
lots of 1.5 or 2 inch wide ribbon - whatever color you want to use. Doesn't have to be Christmasy. Can use the same idea for other holidays like Halloween or 4th of July
Styrofoam wreath forms - make sure they are not wider than your chairs or whatever you're hanging it from
glue or pins to hold down the edges of the ribbon
Step 1 - use straight pins or hot glue down the starting edge of your ribbon to the wreath form
Step 2 - start wrapping the ribbon around the circle making sure the edges overlap just a little bit. If you wrap the ribbon too tightly or overlapping a lot then you will use a gazillion yards of ribbon. I wrapped mine to just barely overlap the edges and still used almost 90 feet of ribbon for 6 wreaths.
Step 3 - when back to your starting point, cut the ribbon and either pin or hot glue down the edge. Finished wreath will look something like this.
You can add embellishments if you want but I like it plain and simple. I used the red velvet ribbon to make a loop for hanging the wreath. I stapled that shut. I then strung the wires of the bows through the loop and twisted them around the top of the back of my chairs. I then put a bow on the inside of the chair to cover up the ugly wires and hid those wires under the opposing bow.
I think these would be pretty hanging in a window inside the house. Or hanging in front of a large decorative mirror. Consider putting one somewhere unexpected like a hall closet or kitchen pantry door.
Enjoy!
Elizabeth