Make the front door merry and bright with a holiday wreath that's dazzling (and a little out of the ordinary).

wreath-candyThe Sweetest Thing

This wreath packs on the calories so you don’t have to. Take a Styrofoam mould and glue on peppermints in a domino pattern, one concentric circle at a time, starting from the top centre and forming rings on either side until the mould is covered.

natural-selectionNatural Selection

This one’s for the birds. Affix various-size pinecones to a wire wreath mould with wire. Dust with a matte-white spray paint for a non-gloss finish. Cluster ornaments (like these tiny red cardinals) together in pairs and threes, then dot the whole wreath with tiny red balls.

gorgeous-greensGorgeous Greens

A fresh take. Slightly dampen a floral foam wreath, then insert berzelia baubles, leucadendron cones, green privet berry and craspedia as you work your way around the circle. Keep the design loose and wild-looking rather than symmetric.

bold-beautifulBold and Beautiful

Strut your stuff with this peacock feather stunner. Take a floral foam wreath and insert peacock feathers in a circular pattern, layering them as you go. (Peacocks naturally shed their tail feathers: you can find artificial ones at an art supply store, or look for a local farm that sells them.)

citrus-twistCitrus Twist

When life hands you lemons, make a wreath. Set a wire mould on top of a slightly dampened floral foam ring and press down to set the wire mould into the foam. Poke holes in fresh lemons (synthetic if you want the arrangement to last longer) to string wire through, then affix to the frame. Arrange lemons randomly. Once lemons are attached, insert seeded eucalyptus and knifeleaf acasia into the floral foam beneath.

First published December 2013.