Sprucing up the Entryways

I wanted to put something on my doors now that the holiday season is over.  Typically winter is my 'bare door' time which is rather depressing when you consider that 9 months out of the year something is usually hung on the doors for decorative effect.  This year, I've decided that winter is not going to depress me with lack of flowers, door wreaths or  curb appeal.  So I've set aside money to purchase pansies to plant in the pots (and parsley and cilantro seeds to sow, nice cool weather herbs), and daffodil bulbs which should make their appearance in a few weeks time to add to the joy.

It meant a good bit of work to create the curb appeal, such as it is.  The leftover pots from summer and fall blooms had to be cleared away.  I had to move a few furniture pieces off the deck and onto the patio.  I rearranged what I left there and then arranged my pots.  Then I hung my wreath on the back door.  I mean to paint this door the same color red as the front door, which I love.  I got it at Walmart and it's a mix called Candied Apple.



I bought a square wreath at one of my favorite (and least visited lately) thrift shops, The Lord's Attic early last Spring.  I've found the nicest bits of treasure there.  Hmmm..I think it's time to go visit once again.  When I saw this wreath, which was obviously handmade by some creative soul, I thought immediately it would be a nice winter time door decoration.  

It's rather unique isn't it?  I like it a lot because it's just full of the sort of natural elements I love to seek out when I'm walking in the woods or fields or driving along dirt roads here in our rural county this time of year.  Just above the wreath I have a leather magnetic frame with one of my favorite verses from Joshua: "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."  I need to replace that since the paper faded over the summer months.  I'll get that done shortly. (DONE.  Didn't take a photo but I straightened up this wreath and put this image in the center in a magnetic frame:

There wasn't much I could do to clear the front porch.  We just won't discuss the state of the front porch which my dogs turned into a barn with the hay bales we'd meant to put under the carport for them.  We put them on the porch to keep them from getting wet when we had an unexpected shower of rain.  When we went out to move them to the carport...well let's just say we were overwhelmed by the amount of hay in three bales on an 8 x 10 front porch once the binding twine was pulled off, which Maddie proudly demonstrated she could do very well, thank you!  John and I just looked at each other and vowed that next year we'll (a) have a separate shed for the dogs and (b) probably not buy three bales at once...And in the meantime, he's getting me a pitch fork so I can turn and pitch the hay on the front porch.  Sounds fun, doesn't it?

So I had a wreath for the back door but nothing for the front door...What to do?  I've got a running list of things I'm looking to buy in the coming year...a wreath for the front door is NOT on my list.  As it happened, when I was hauling Christmas things out to the shed this morning, I picked up a wreath I'd used for fall and had failed to put in storage when I moved fall decor back out.  So there I was with this wreath in my hands, minus the quail I repainted cream and used on my Christmas swag:

The wreath was merely a grapevine wreath I made years ago and then wound autumn garlands around.  It occurred to me that the grapevine was perfect for a winter wreath, but it looked so bare without the silk garland.  My first thought was to make a burlap bow and call it done, but I am the type of person who can be intent on one course and inspiration suddenly burns bright. I suddenly 'saw' muslin roses.   Muslin roses was what I wanted and  impulsive creator that I am, I cut strips of muslin.  Then I looked up different sites to see how to make them. I needed muslin strips. I had strips cut.  Entirely too small it turned out, but I wasn't going to waste them. I found a tutorial that gave me a good start, even with my too small strips.

http://justanotherhangup.blogspot.com/2010/04/tattered-muslin-rosettes.html

I couldn't find my glue gun, so I used straight pins and glue dots to hold the roses together. I tied a few strips of muslin  around the wreath here and there.  Then I added the wee bird from my Christmas wreath.  I think it looks just fine!  At some point when I have more time and have worked less hard (that might happen, lol) I may add a few larger roses. For now this will do very nicely. 

You can see a bit of the detail here... just ignore the pinheads that are visible.  I've since adjusted the muslin so they are well covered.

I wired the bird to the wreath using floral wire.  You can't even tell I dropped the wee bird and knocked off his beak.  It's stuck back on with a glue dot.  I've never had luck with any type of glue and resin figures.