I have a colorful post for you today… I challenged myself to try to revive two boxwood wreaths that have been hanging on my front and side doors since Christmas. I wanted to make them into Spring Easter wreaths. They used to be glossy deep green and lush.
They are still full in shape, but lost their color. (My front door is going to be getting a new coat of paint and some shiny new hardware this month, so please ignore the peeling paint – it will be history soon.)
I really liked the size and fullness of the wreaths, so instead of throwing them out, I decided to pretend I was back on the job as a display designer and be resourceful and use only what I had on hand to revive them for Spring.
I spray painted them. I was going to use a cool mossy green texture paint, but it didn’t adhere to the leaves.
So instead, I used Key Lime Green Rustoleum paint. It covered beautifully. After painting them, I could have left the wreaths just plain, but I wanted to see more spring color on them.
I found some fake forsythia in my basement stash and added it to one wreath.
Then I went up to the attic and brought down a big box of plastic Easter eggs. I have a lot! When my daughters were growing up it seemed like the eggs multiplied every year, just like rabbits. I chose 6 of each color to add to the wreath for the front door.
I simply hot glued and smooshed the eggs onto the wreath. Once the glue was cool, I hung it on my front door. I figure it will last until Easter and then I can remove the eggs and put the wreath in the compost bin.
Side Door Wreath
For the side door wreath, I made a bow by looping all the scraps of pink ribbon I had. Remember I was challenging myself to be resourceful and use only what I had on hand. I like the way the pink looks with the lime green painted wreath. It has a “preppy vibe”. I made a bunch of ribbon loops and hot glued them on top of each other.
I found a gold pin in my buckle stash.
And hot glued it to the center of the bow.
One bow looked a little wimpy all by itself, so I made two smaller bows with the rest of the ribbon I had to go on each side of it. I didn’t have a lot, but I made the small amount of ribbon work. I kept the motto I learned when I worked in display in my mind as I worked – There is always a way to get the job done… you just may have to do it differently then originally intended….there is no right or wrong as long as you like what you create.
The wreaths may not be perfect, but I have extended their life at least for another few weeks.
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I am off to Des Moines Iowa to take part in the Final Four of the March Makeover Madness Challenge. On Thursday I will be making over a dresser at the Better Homes and Gardens headquarters. I will be posting all throughout the trip on Instagram.
If you would like to follow along:
Follow me on Instagram @InMyOwnStyle
You will get to see how I and the 3 other bloggers in the Final 4 each transforms a dresser. Video and voting on the makeovers is next Tuesday April 8th. I will give you more details when I return.
I just spray painted my Christmas wreath the same green, and was looking on how to make it pop more. Found your Pin and so love the yellow and the bows! You did an amazing job, thank your for the ideas!
Oh yea, also voted for your project on bhg which is how I found you!!
Good Luck to you!!
Nellie
I absolutely love your Easter egg wreath, it is darling and so colorful.
I pinned it, and you were my first pin……….
Thanks for sharing this…………both wreaths were cute but the Easter Egg
one ran away with my heart………….so cute.
Blessings, Nellie
I love them both.
And I am wondering if they might last longer than Easter. I have been thinking about this since yesterday and wondering if you might not spray it once again….. make it really last? What about a wheat color in a month or so to last till Memorial Day and paint it white with some red flowers and navy ribbon? Oh well, just thinking. All of my wreaths are fake, like evergreens and straw and such.
I am waiting to hear about the final contest.
The wreaths look great! You are so creative. Good luck in the contest!
Love these!
What a great idea….I love the wreaths, especially the one with the Easter eggs! I think the eggs would also look cute with patterned tape wrapped around the middle (in different colors & designs), and they would look like decorated eggs. Just thinking out loud, because I may do a wreath also. Thanks for sharing….your idea’s are always amazing and inspiring!
Thanks for the idea Barbara – I love hearing how readers but their own style on their projects.
I love what you did with those wreaths…and I love your can do attitude! As a matter of fact…I’d keep them for a few more years! ;)
Love how fresh and fun these look!
Hi Anna – Thanks. Ed rarely remarks on any of the projects I do, but he loves the egg wreath. That made me smile since he lets me do whatever I want to the house. :)
Did you try spraying the mossy green texture paint over the key lime green paint that did stick to the leaves? I wonder if in that way you could have had a more two toned look instead of a solid color which can look ‘flat’. Just my curiosity talking here.
I love the posts where you work your creativity using what you have on hand as you are a tremendously creative person. And as my Dad says, “Anyone can buy.” :)
Hi Mary Alice – I didn’t try the texture paint over the spray paint, but it may work – great idea – Thanks! The can stopped working when it was only half empty. I was not too impressed with it, but I will try again. With a little more effort, it may turn out to be as amazing as I was hoping it was going to be.
Love all the three looks; plain, the Easter egg one, and the bows. Would have never thought about spray painting wreaths to bring them back to life. Pinning. Are those fake boxwood wreaths or dried?
Thanks Viyda – The wreaths are real boxwood. When I first got them for Christmas decorating, they were glossy dark green. They started losing the color at the end of February. Thanks for pinning.
They are both so pretty…Wow never thought of that before. Great job!
WOW!! How to make worn out boxwood look new again.
Must pass this idea along to daughter who’s boxwood is a little brown.
Thanks!!
Love how this turned out. I’m always scared to spray paint greenery but it looks gorgeous!