Be it Easter, Halloween, Christmas, Thanksgiving, or International Accounting Day (that’s November 10th, by the way), arc Thrift Stores is call about celebrating and making the holidays special for family and friends.

Wreaths are beautiful, simple, and...super expensive at your local retail store. But who wants a commercial wreath, anyway? The best wreaths are DIY and one-of-a-kind, crafted just for YOU.

arc Thrift Stores carries wreaths, floral items, craft supplies, and thousands of one-of-a-kind items to get you started. Here’s a wreath I found for only $2.99 (!!!) that I plan to repurpose in the spring, or maybe just hang as-is:

DIY Alice in Wonderland Wreath

Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll is one of my favorite books. I’m hosting a Mad Hatter Tea Party this Halloween and I plan on hanging my wreath next to my bookshelf for a year-round decoration.

DIY Thrift Wreath Supplies List

  1. Wreath Base - An embroidery hoop, an old wreath you want to repurpose (that’s what I used), a wire hoop, or pretty much anything that can be affixed to a door or wall and has a hollow center.
  2. Floral (optional) - Artificial flowers, floral sprays, and/or floral arrangements you want to deconstruct. You might need a pair of cutting pliers.
  3. Sweet finds from arc Thrift Store - I used a clock face, costume rabbit ears, a Mad Hatter headband, and some floral. I love Lamb’s Ears because they are fuzzy, thick, and have a dusty white tint.
  4. Other random items from your home or anything else you want to add!

DIY Thrift Wreath Steps

  1. Shop at arc for cool stuff.
  2. Arrange your wreath on a hard surface, adjusting your pieces until they look about right. Snap a photo and take the pieces apart.
  3. Using your photo as a guide, start to affix stuff to your wreath base with hot glue, twine string, and/or wire. I started with wire, only to find that the string worked the best. Even the clock is secured with string.
  4. Hang up your handiwork.

Tip: If your wreath needs some stability like mine did (I did go over-the-top, didn’t I?), affix it to a wall instead of a door that will get a lot of movement. I also hung it on a wall when I was ready to add the heavier pieces so that I could get the shape just right.

DIY Glitter Roses

For my Alice in Wonderland wreath, I “painted” roses with a Modge Podge and glitter. It took about 25 minutes.

Glitter Roses Supply List

  1. Silk or foam roses. For this project, I used foam because I wanted them to be extra-sturdy, but either works.
  2. Modge Podge
  3. Glitter
  4. Paint brush or brushes - anything you use to “paint” with will be covered in glue and need to be thrown out, so go cheap. I used a foam brush to paint and a different one to “decorate” my wreath with.
  5. Disposable bowl and plate (this can also be a recycled food container) and a piece of parchment or newspaper

Glitter Roses Steps

  1. Pour Modge Podge into a disposable bowl or a recycled food container that you are OK with throwing away. Remember, Modge Podge is glue.
  2. Add glitter and mix thoroughly. (I used a disposable fork.) Remember, your mixture won’t be super-sparkly yet until you get to step 6.
  3. Pour some glitter into a second disposable bowl.
  4. “Paint” your roses. For mine, I dipped the rose into the bowl first and added more mixture with a brush when needed. I applied the Modge Podge rather thickly to get the look I was going for.
  5. Add more glitter to your “painted” roses. I poured glitter directly onto the flower and “caught” the remainder of the glitter in a bowl so that I wouldn’t waste it. For the nooks and crevices, I sprinkled more glitter with my fingers to ensure coverage.
  6. Put roses on a piece of parchment paper and let dry (about 12-24 hours).

Wreaths are great for any occasion, and arc has the supplies for the one-of-a-kind and just-for-you craft project. For example, you can easily score small picture frames, winter decor, and some ribbon from your local arc and make a Christmas photo wreath.

Happy crafting!