NEW LIFE FOR THE GRAPEVINE WREATH

13 Days of Christmas! My friend from high school posted on Facebook that working to prepare for Christmas isn’t really work, it’s love, and the concept resonated with me. I LOVE to get ready for Christmas!

Got My Reservations 25 Days of Christmas 2013 Medium Button

Do you have the ubiquitous giant mirror over your sideboard? I see large mirrors used over and over again in home decor, and they are usually over the sideboard, over the couch, or over the fireplace. We have one over the sideboard and one over the piano, and at Christmas time they need to be decorated.

I have not been happy with the lighting situation on my grapevine wreath that hangs in front of the mirror over my sideboard, and I haven’t been too thrilled with the decor I’ve slapped on over the years. I decided this year to be more intentional about creating a vignette with the mirror and wreath.

Where does one go to get inspiration? Why Google images, of course, and then on to Pinterest. At first I thought I’d do something traditional with the party at the bottom, like this.

Click into photo to see the Pinterest entry

Click into photo to see the Pinterest entry

And then I saw that people were putting stuff in the middle of the wreaths, like this.

Click into photo to see the original pin on Pinterest.

Click into photo to see the original pin on Pinterest.

“That’s a good idea,” I said, and grabbed the piece of stained glass hanging in my office window. Then I needed to put the party at the top to cover up the red plastic hook, so I wanted to make a new bow to go with my elegant cream and gold color scheme.

I knew right where to go — my friend Kim at Curtain Queen Creates had just posted a tutorial on how to make a bow. I already had the three types of ribbon in my stash, so it was just a matter of wiring them together with a pipe cleaner.

The angel lives year round over the mirror guarding our dining room, and she’s the perfect topper for my newly invigorated wreath.

GotMyReservations Grapevine WreathAs the sun begins to set in the late afternoon winter day, the wreath begins to shine and reflect its soft light into the room. And how did I get that nice soft light? I wound icicle lights into the back of the wreath and they are just perfect!

GotMyReservations Grapevine Wreath LightedAre you intrigued by the glimpses of my Dickens Village at the bottom of the photo? That’s a post for another day, so I’ll leave you with a little teaser photo.

GotMyReservations Dickens Village Detail 1

Skaters glide around on Childe Pond in this vignette from my Dickens Village.

Thanks for visiting with us today in the Empty Nest. We’re thrilled about Christmas; how are you doing?

Got my bags, got my reservations,
Spent each dime I could afford.
Like a child in wild anticipation,
I long to hear that, “All aboard!”

Music and lyrics by Bud Green, Les Brown and Ben Homer (1944)

 

 

 

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8 thoughts on “NEW LIFE FOR THE GRAPEVINE WREATH

  1. Did you just hear me scream from here???? GREAT, Jennie!!! I mean….absolutely GREAT!!! I did a wreath over a mirror this year in our foyer, and I love the way the twinkle lights double back! Yours are even MORE prominent because you went with a grapevine wreath that exposes more of the lights. LOVE IT!!! ANd what a genius idea to use the stained glass piece in the center! Very inspired!!!!!!!

    • The wreath looks great! I am bow challenged! I think it’s more about patience. The dickens village is my favorite. I feel guilty for not up using mine in a while. We used to live in Chicago in our first years of marriage. We lived off of Lincoln Park West across from Lincoln Park and the zoo!

      • Liz, that’s a lovely neighborhood. I wish I lived there now — except for the parking issues. The bow was very easy to make using Kim’s tutorial, though.

    • You are so kind, Alycia. I look forward to your comments every week, and yes, I do like the transparency and texture of the grapevine wreath amid all the ever-greenery.

  2. Thank you for the sweet shout-out! 🙂 I do appreciate it so much. As for your wreath, I am totally inspired to do this. I love how you back-lit the wreath. It’s the perfect size for your mirror, too. I’ll be checking out my mirrors this week with a whole new plan in mind! Thanks for sharing your lovely mirror and Dickens Village – can’t wait to see that post. 🙂
    Christmas blessings,
    Kim

    • I can’t wait to get my hands back on the steering wheel on Monday. I need some of those battery lights to put here and there!

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