Gaudy Christmas Wreaths That Sell
I’m coming to you today with a last-minute project that can be created in about 20 minutes with a faux pine wreath and a nearby dollar store.
These gaudy Christmas wreaths are one of my favorite projects ever, and I’ve been making them for about twenty years. I’m so happy to be sharing my “secrets” with you so you can make them yourself and sell or gift them.
This post contains affiliate links for products necessary to complete the project. This is both for your convenience as well as to support my blog, as I receive a small compensation whenever you click on such a link and make any sort of purchase, for which I thank you.
Spray the tips of your faux roses with gold spray paint. It fancies them up a bit and blends them in with the gold embellishments you’ll be adding.
Fluff up your wreath a bit before you get started. Make sure the pine pieces are straight and flowing in one direction. Pull some of the pieces forward to make the wreath more 3-dimensional and less flat.
Using hot glue, attach the roses securely to the wreath by pressing them into the pine stems and holding until the glue cools. Five is a good number of roses to use, but however many you decide on, make sure it’s an odd number. You’ll notice that I’ve left room at the top of the wreath for a bow.
[As you can tell, I hadn’t yet tipped the edges of these roses with the gold paint. In addition, they need some reshaping, both of which will happen down below.]
Pro Tip I: Look for pine wreaths at garage sales and thrift stores. You’ll find them plain or decorated. Buy either if priced well. I like top buy them for a dollar or two and then remove the parts I don’t like.
Pro Tip II: I pick up roses at the dollar tree. They came in a bunch for just a buck.
Next, hot glue the pine cones to the wreath. I recommend placing them in pairs, as I did, especially if they are small.
Pro Tip: I used gold glittered plastic pine cones from the dollar store.
Start to fill in some of the empty spaces with gold ornaments. You can buy them in tubes at most dollar stores.
Make a bow and attach it with wire to the spot you reserved for it.
After attaching the bow, I felt it was missing something to tie it all together. I wound some gold wired star garland around it and that did the trick!
Here’s the finished wreath in all of its gaudy glory. I am blessed to sell these year after year for $25 to $35, depending on their size and the materials I used to embellish them.
I’ve also gifted them to friends and held classes teaching others how to make them. Trust me when I say, they are SO satisfying to make. You’ll really enjoy the process.
Here’s an example of a more feminine wreath made using the same process.
And another with a gold, rather than red bow. The combinations of colors and accent pieces you can use is almost endless. Have fun with it!
Bye for now,
Materials Needed to Make a Gaudy Christmas Wreath
This post contains affiliate links for products necessary to complete the project. This is both for your convenience as well as to support my blog, as I receive a small compensation whenever you click on such a link and make any sort of purchase, for which I thank you.
Materials:
- Pine wreath (approx. 14″ diameter)
- Silk red roses
- Gold spray paint (not shown)
- Gold ornaments
- Gold pine cones
- Gold wired star garland
- Red ribbon (approx. 1 1/2″ wide)
- Hot glue gun (not shown)
Step 1: Paint Rose Tips
Spray the tips of your faux roses with gold spray paint. It fancies them up a bit and blends them in with the gold embellishments you’ll be adding.
Step 2: Attach the Roses to Your Gaudy Wreath
Fluff up your wreath a bit before you get started. Make sure the pine pieces are straight and flowing in one direction. Pull some of the pieces forward to make the wreath more 3-dimensional and less flat.
Using hot glue, attach the roses securely to the wreath by pressing them into the pine stems and holding until the glue cools. Five is a good number of roses to use, but however many you decide on, make sure it’s an odd number. You’ll notice that I’ve left room at the top of the wreath for a bow.
[As you can tell, I hadn’t yet tipped the edges of these roses with the gold paint. In addition, they need some reshaping, both of which will happen down below.]
Pro Tip I: Look for pine wreaths at garage sales and thrift stores. You’ll find them plain or decorated. Buy either if priced well. I like top buy them for a dollar or two and then remove the parts I don’t like.
Pro Tip II: I pick up roses at the dollar tree. They came in a bunch for just a buck.
Step 3: Gold Pine Cones
Next, hot glue the pine cones to the wreath. I recommend placing them in pairs, as I did, especially if they are small.
Pro Tip: I used gold glittered plastic pine cones from the dollar store.
Step 4: Gold Ornaments
Start to fill in some of the empty spaces with gold ornaments. You can buy them in tubes at most dollar stores.
Step 5: The Bow for Your Gaudy Christmas Wreath
Step 6: Gold Wire Star Garland
After attaching the bow, I felt it was missing something to tie it all together. I wound some gold wired star garland around it and that did the trick!
Here’s the finished wreath in all of its gaudy glory. I am blessed to sell these year after year for $25 to $35, depending on their size and the materials I used to embellish them.
I’ve also gifted them to friends and held classes teaching others how to make them. Trust me when I say, they are SO satisfying to make. You’ll really enjoy the process.
Here’s an example of a more feminine wreath made using the same process.
And another with a gold, rather than red bow. The combinations of colors and accent pieces you can use is almost endless. Have fun with it!
Update 2023
I added a new type of gaudy wreath to my booth last year at the Shaker Holiday Market.
I’ve begun making them with cute, vintage ornaments. Same basic principle of hot gluing them onto the pine wreath applies. This one sold quickly for $42.
This second example had a little accident at the market last week. The snowman to the left of the bow vanished. The wreath is currently in my workshop awaiting repair.
This final wreath, featuring a darling polar bear and glittery snowflakes, is available at the market (2023) for any local shoppers.
Thanks so much for stopping by–
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Bye for now,
I’d love it if you’d pin me for later 🙂
I have been making wreaths like these for years too. I don’t think I would call them gaudy , maybe old fashioned.
Hi Ellie! I mean “gaudy” in the nicest possible way 🙂
These are so pretty! Thank you for sharing and have a wonderful, blessed Christmas!!!
So glad you liked the wreaths Karolyn 🙂 I’m late responding to my comments–we had a lovely Christmas and I hope you did as well.
Beautiful gaudy CHRISTmas wreaths!!! Have a Merry CHRISTmas and Happy New Year!!!🎁🎄✝️
Thanks Margaret! Glad you liked them 🙂 Happy New Year to you–
THESE are the kind of wreathes I like to make. The kind that would look good on a foil covered front door lit by a floodlight! I hit the craft stores after Christmas and buy 3 or 5 or 7 of whatever I can find cheaplyl Often the larger “sprays” of things like gold plastic glitter branches can be cut into 2 or 3 pieces to go further. I had a field day last year when AC Moore was closing and Christmas was 90% off! I’ve also had good luck at Walmart; they have lovely bushes that make an arrangement. I often say I was a magpie in a previous life; I do like glitz and glitter! Hope you and yours have a lovely Christmas!
You are the queen of making things go further Kathy 🙂 I hope you hit some good sales this year. I popped into Big Lots and found a couple of things but that’s it so far. Happy New Year!
Hi, just a couple of questions please. How much do you sell them for and where do you sell them? They look pretty cool. Thanks
Hi Julie! Sorry I’m so late in replying–life got in the way. I sell them for $25-35 each (depending on their size) at a craft show I participate in every year. Items like this don’t sell well for my from my antique booth, which is in a very traditional antique mall. I think they would sell well from a booth in a vintage market as well.
It’s not gaudy at all! I love your Christmas spirit!!
Aww thanks Ginny! I hope your holiday was blessed and the year ahead as well.
I just love your gaudy Christmas wreaths, Diana! Easy and inexpensive to make – right up my alley! Thanks for sharing at Vintage Charm! And Merry Christmas! xo Kathleen
Gee thanks Kathleen! I’m glad you like them 🙂 Thanks for throwing a great party & Happy New Year–