I hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend! We got back from visiting family for Thanksgiving late last night and even after a long ride in the car, decorating the house for Christmas was on my mind as soon as I walked in the front door. I saw my newly sanded wood floors, the house was clean and tidy and my decorating brain started working. Of course, decorating at 11:30 at night was a bit impractical, so I waited until after church today. We were all dragging a bit, so there was some loafing, napping and relaxing, but I did get a bit of a start.
I started with a simple project I’ve had planned for a while…making an advent wreath out of an ironstone ring mold.
Obviously, you could use any ring mold for this project. I checked out Etsy and spotted several aluminum and copper ones for $10-15/each, but I’ve seen them for less at thrift stores and yard sales. I used white candles that are about 4″ high and 1″ thick, since they seemed to suit the size of the ring mold best.
I used the old trick of melting the bottom of each candle on a lighter and then stuck it inside bottom of the ring mold with the hot wax.
Before leaving my in-law’s house yesterday, I trimmed some feathery evergreen branches to use in my Christmas decorating.
I mixed those greens with some pinecones I had, some lavender trimmed from my garden and an artificial “pick” I bought from Michael’s on black Friday for 75% off ($1.25/pick). I am not generally into faux greenery and flowers, because I have a hard time finding ones I like, but every once in a while I’m pleasantly surprised by how real one looks. That was the case with this one and I thought it would supplement the fresh greenery nicely.
I trimmed the greens down to sprigs about 3″ in length, so I could tuck them easily between the candles. I mixed all three greens in each section and tucked in one small pine cone.
Again, you can get creative here with the mix of greenery and accents you use. Berries, nuts, seedpods, small bells, ornaments, etc. would all look great. To make the wreath last longer, you can use damp floral foam, but I didn’t have any on hand, so I just tucked them in and will pick out pieces that start to dry out too much.
I put it on my birthday present this year, an ironstone cake pedestal, and surrounded it with walnuts and almonds. Since this is the first Sunday of advent, I lit the first candle.
Since there is an open flame around live greenery and dried pine cones, I would definitely not leave this candle burning unattended. That’s always a good idea, but especially so in this case.
I love how simple and pretty it is and how it reminds me of Germany.
I’ve been working on an advent calendar as well and I’ll share that in a day or two.
In the background, you can see a greenery swag on one of the corner cabinets. I purchased a few at the grocery store on sale today.
The plastic red bow just wasn’t my thing, though, so I pulled it off and replaced it with a simple cream muslin ribbon.
I was able to thread the ribbon behind the trim on the cabinet door and attach the swag that way.
We’re picking out our big tree and doing some family decorating tomorrow…
It’s totally gorgeous. all of it. We are in the middle of renovating out house at the moment and living in just a few rooms so no room for a big tree this year but you’ve motivated me to make a little effort with small things.
Fiona x
I love the swag with its new ribbon. My mom always makes fresh swags back home…I miss that. So pretty…looking forward to seeing your tree.
Looks stunning as always!
So Simple…. So ELEGANT!! LOVE IT A LOT!!
Lovely… just curious: you don’t use purple/pink candles for Advent???
Yes, but you can use white, too. 🙂
Looks great! Very Festive.
That’s so pretty! I have never even heard of an Avent “wreath”…I only have ever heard of advent calendars. I like how sweet and simplistic this is. Thanks for sharing!!
The 4 white candles are for the 4 Sundays of Advent in December; but you need a pink or purple candle in the center for Jesus, on Christmas Day, lit at the midnight Christmas Eve service, I believe. At least every advent wreath I ever saw had four white and one pink/purple. That’s what the Episcopal, Anglican, and Catholic churches use. Just a thought for you. Maybe you living in Germany Lutherans only had four, I don’t know!
I love everything you do, wish I could be Kriste! lol. I have an art studio too, but it’s a small bedroom and I have illnesses, so I can’t do much, but I sure can enjoy what you do! Have a Merry Christmas.
I am Catholic, we always have 4 candles, one pink for the 3rd week and 3 purples. However, I noticed at Mass Sunday the wreath had 5, an extra purple in the center. They lit the purple center one and used that one to light a purple one in the ring. You can use a bit of purple and pink ribbon on white candles if you don’t plan ahead and buy your Advent candles. I think it’s a beautiful tradition, especially for children. My Southern Baptist in-laws started doing it every Christmas a few years ago.
WOW smart lady…of all the quirky things I have done decorating I think you got me with the torn strip of fabric another one of those: “why did I never think of THAT?” It’s first class!
Our tradition is 3 purple candles and a pink candle for the four Sundays before Christmas. Then on Christmas Eve we light a large white candle, the Christ candle. We burn it every Sunday during our services throughout the year to remind us that Christ is still with us. On Good Friday, we have a tennebrae service, where the lights extinguish one by one and the Christ candle is the last light. When it goes out, we leave quietly. Then Easter morning we light it again. I love the symbolism of the light and that we use this one candle all year till the next Advent Christ candle. I never thought of making my own for my home. Beautiful idea.
So many (metal) ring molds in my cupboard just waiting to be turned into an advent wreath. Thanks for the inspiration!
Of course you may use any color candles you like, I am using all white this year too. But in liturgical churches 3 purple and 1 pink are used. The pink is lit on the 3rd Sunday. A fifth candle may used in the center and is white and lit on Christmas.
Yep, I know. I just prefer all white.
Hi! Absolutely love your Christmas decorating. As a Swedish woman from Minnesota, it all touches my heart! How do you get your muslin ribbon to look so soft and natural? I need that look! Last year I made your Pom-poms and have ordered more yarn.! Merry Christmas!