What can I include in my budget wreath?

[Fluffy24]

This year I'd like a wreath for the door but have a tight budget - so I'm going to have a go at making one (and can get the frame, florists wire etc v cheaply online).

It'll be made of spruce as we don't have holly in the garden.

What can I add to brighten it up? I see you can buy red berries etc online but I think by the time I've bought things to add to the basic spruce ring I'd end up paying as much as if I just bought one!

I should say I like reds and a bit of gold - but don't really like the dried orange and cinnamon stick colour palette!

I've spotted a rowan tree quite near here, I plan to stop by and pick loads of berries to stick among the holly (that i've also spotted).

I'm hoping to make an advent ring for indoor use. Keep your eyes peeled as you drive round!

If you have any fabric of whatever colour you want to use to brighten it up you could cut shapes from those - holly leaf shapes, flower shapes. Make your own flowers by layering/fastening a few shapes together with a bit of gardening wire where the bud would have been.

I remember my mother never threw anything aways saving some old red pants one year for the wreath. We thought it was hilarious and all giggled every time we spotted a layer of her pants in the flowers.

Are you a glitter type household? Glitter is cheap and works well to brighten it up. Ribbon does too, look when you are buying things this christmas, loads of things come with little bits of ribbon you can use. Ive also used buttons, the ones that spare with clothes, you can colour them in with sharpies and they add colour. So do old bottle tops, different colours and sizes buried into the greenery might look good too

Poundland xmas decs add in a bobble here or there. Any bits of old jewellwry that would do? Beads etc? Tin of metalic gold spray - also poundland, spray some pine cones.

If you've got a wire wreath frame, you can cut strips of old clothes (about 5 inches by 1 inch) and tie around the frame. Then you've got a reusable wreath. Here's some I made

You could use green fabric and stick fresh berries on each year?

Colour some Prosecco corks?!

I saved some rowan berries, sliced oranges, limes, chillis as well (although low heat oven works too) and dried them out in the dehumidifier, added some bay leaves and pine cones. Also a small set of battery lights to wrap around, ooooh and don't forget burlap ribbon, dirt cheap, throw in a few cinnamon sticks and it smells good too.
I brought some florist wires (10 for £5 on amazon) and all the stuff we've foraged is being used to make wreathes as Christmas presents.
It is scary just how many pine cones you need though. I collected ours from the woods and popped them in the oven on a low heat for an hour to open them up and kill any bugs inside.
Id say with the cinnamon sticks, ribbon and wire wreaths Ive spent about £15, lights you can pick up for £3 so whilst buying separate bits for one wreath adds up if you make a few it works out pretty cost effective.

Whoops I just noticed your second post Fluffy24 - just ignore all above. whistles and walks away.....

Thanks for all the suggestions - I hadn't thought of either chillis or a few cheap bits from the pound shop. Also of to raid my name undie drawer for red silk knickers -that looked good on the mannequin in M&SS but sadly not me!

My mother will be so pleased fluffy .

I think materials range from twigs and dried flowers. You can also use pinecones, nuts and so many other items. Have you tried to search online? I think there's a lot of budget wreaths on the internet. Have you tried to browse this site www.christmaswreaths.co.uk/christmas-wreaths.html I think you can find here wreaths that can suit your taste, personality and budget. Hope this helps :)

This is mine. I just used anything green in the garden, plus the last four non-brown hydrangea flowers. No holly here, but lots and lots of ivy, plenty in the park if there isn't any in the garden! Holly at our greengrocers is extortionate, so I changed colour scheme....

look at the little MN video, I think you could make one for nothing

Honestly, if you want it to be budget, hence the reason for making your own, but would consider getting some cheap bits from poundland for it (as you've just said) you can buy a nice real wreath from either Lidl or Tesco for a fiver

I make my own, holly, conifer and ivy heads free from hedges.
You can stick apples in, skewer a wooden kebab skewer into them at one end, other end into the wreath.
Also pine cones.
I have lots of nice floral picks and ribbons that I buy but as I already had them this years wreath cost was 3.50 for some conifer from the florist

Ooh was just looking in the garden for what I can use for mine. I have holly, ivy with some berries on and some random pink berries. I may stick some rosemary on too as that is still flowering. If I'm using an apple do I need to cook them mouldy or just chuck 'em on whole?

We don't have any pine cones but think we're ok without.

I make my own each year with greens from the garden decorated with dried orange and lemon slices as I also do those for the house - for red I use red wooden beads held on with a bit of garden wire. I think I paid about £2 for a hundred of them so I'll have them FOREVER.

Do not cook

RAw Apple, stick skewer into the top bit where stalk comes out or bottom bit, insert other end of skewer into wreath. You need small apple and strong wreath.
I also get small baubles, take the top hooky part off, get a cocktail stick, put glue on it, insert into bauble so it is glued to stick. Other end of stick in wreath.
Or chilli, orange slices, anything you have.
Spray leaves from garden gold and stick those in e.g holly, olive etc
Rosemary in mine this year it smells good

Ours costs nothing. Made from holly, yew with berries, variegated ivy etc. All collected locally.
I think it looks really good without anything bought.
But you can make red berries out of fimo if you don't have enough natural berries.

Further tip, as bits die, do not remove them just add more in. I use floral oasis for mine, I water it every few days in draining board it lasts three weeks. I just shove more stuff in if anything dies. If you remove bits then chunks of oasis will start to fall out