Christmas Card Wreath
I’ve never sent out Christmas cards (Maybe next year?). That being said, I love to receive them, only I never know what to do with them all. So far all I’ve been able to come up with is to leave them in a stack on the table and then put them in a box/drawer sometime in February. It’s a super creative idea. I’m amazed that I came up with it all by myself. A few weeks ago I was browsing through old magazines and I saw this idea in Martha Stewart from December 2002. And I knew that with a few scraps from my box I could really make it my own. Day Four of A Handmade Christmas is a Christmas Card Wreath.
I started out with one side of an 18″ embroidery hoop, two bags of mini clothespins, and some wide ribbon. I spraypainted the wooden hoop black and while it was drying I went to town on the clothespins.
I found some teeny scraps in my paper box and cut them the same size as the clothespins. They were 2 inches long by 1/4″ wide. I just glued them on with a good layer from a gluestick. Then I used a Color Box Cat Eye Ink pad (Charcoal) to distress the edges a little bit.
Next I went through my jars of buttons and pulled out a few of my favorites to give it a little more personality. I also added a few rhinestones to a few of the clips. I attached these to the clothespins with E6000, but I think hot glue would work just as well.
Then I spaced my clothespins out around the wreath form and hot glued them in place. For an 18 inch wreath I used about 30 clothespins. (If I was making this again I’d glue the clothespins on in the centers, instead of closer to the button ends.) Don’t for get to leave a space at the top to hang it from a ribbon.
I hung my finished wreath up on the inside of the front door. But, everytime I opened the door the wreath would bounce against it. So I used a little bit of putty to stick the bottom center of the wreath to the door. And now instead of a lame pile of Christmas cards that I probably won’t look at again, I have a cute wreath of cards so I can see them everyday. I’m going to use the other half of the embroidery hoop to make an inspiration board/circle/wreath and hang it above my crafty desk. And I think I’ll make a smaller one for Creamie’s room to hold all the postcards my sister sends her from her travels. Happy Thursday!
pinksuedeshoe 
seriously girl, you are amazing! where do you find the time to do these things?! when i get time, can i just hire you to do them for me, because i still won’t want to do them, because if i ever get time, i am taking a nap.
you are AMAZING! this is one of the best ideas ever! and you should totally make one for creamie!
This is completely darling, Erika!! I love it. May be copying it this year.
So, so, so cute! Will you do the twelve days of Christmas sometime again in like July when I have a little more time to accomplish things? Do you ever sleep? Ever?
shoot E — the projects get cuter and cuter!
Fabulous! And you have such nice friends that keep sending you cards even though you don’t send any back. You must get on the program before they cut you off!
if no one has said it before, you are a genius!
La
x
I love how cute your clothespins look. And I’ve seriously got to get me some cat eye ink pads! Looks good!
This is so cute! I want to make one! Genius idea on the clothes pins!!! And that reindeer ornament is too darling. I am making one with my little one tomorrow.
So cute! what a great idea, and i love how yours turned out!
good grief. This is awesome! I want to make one for all of the stuff that comes home from school!
Großartig! Every day you make me smile with your ideas and (emotional) pictures. Thanks for it! Maybe I copy this ; )
This is so fun! I want to make one! Although I never receive Christmas cards, except maybe from Toyota where I bought my car and I think maybe the dentist. Maybe I’ll make one for my parents though. I think they get cards from family. It would be fun to use to display birthday cards and valentines from kids! And kids’ artwork! Wow, the wheels are spinning now. Oh and photographs of people in my shop with their projects! Yep, better get going! Thanks for sharing this.
Anna
awesome idea. there’s always just piles of cards at my house.
I love how it turned out! Seriously, where do you find the time, though?
This is so cute! (Your tutorials are looking SO good!)
Pink,
So, so clever and cute! It is a really great way to display cards! And I love your different ideas for using these.
xo -El
i LOVE this idea!! i’m totally doing this next year 🙂