...about a winning wreath: the results!

From THAT...to this!

It was SO fun using wreath winner Amanda's inspiration to create her custom wreath... (winter!) sprites and (sugar plum!) fairies... and her color inspiration of blues and purples.

As in all my wreaths, I started with a basic store-bought form, focusing on the big shapes first... the ornaments! Remember to shoot for general balance, not necessarily total symmetry. We're making a wreath, not a clock!

Next in, some botanical items (in this case, some wintry white faux fir, cut from larger sprays) to give the wreath some shape and fullness... but still focusing on the biggest shapes.

Next, the lighter botanicals... here, some glittery eucalyptus, and icy winter berry sprays, also trimmed down from larger pieces.

Final additions (and one of my happiest finds) were individually wired magenta glittered jingle bells, repeating the color of the larger glass teardrop shape ornaments... and the glitter of the eucalyptus.

With each wreath I design, there is usually a big "score" when I am shopping... and this year, it was the randomly-beaded ornaments, bringing all the wreath's colors together, but in traditional Christmas shapes.

Finally, iridescent glass ornaments... whose soap-bubble appearance repeated the blues, greens and purples of the wreath's elements, but with a light and magic hand. The last touches were smaller pieces of the botanicals, more jingle bells, and purple wire spheres, all inspired by the thinking, "What kind of wreath would fairies design?" It made making the wreath a great exercise in creativity, non-traditional Christmas décor thinking (that you can adapt to your own holiday decorations), and as much fun as I hope Amanda will have with the wreath this season, and in many years to come.

See how I got started on this first (annual??) wreath giveaway. See how I work on custom wreaths here. And thank you, ALL for supporting AskPatrick! Happy holidays to all!