Bring Holiday Cheer To Your Front Door With A Martha Stewart-Inspired Wreath Idea

If anyone knows how to inspire holiday cheer in the form of decor, it's Martha Stewart. In her YouTube video (below), she says, "I like making wreaths so much," and that "the holidays just aren't the holidays without wreaths on windows, on doors." She cranks up the customization factor by making a unique and personalized wreath in the form of an S-shaped monogram. The end result looks like something you might order from a high-end holiday decor or home design company, but Stewart says it's actually quite simple to make at home, much as with some other holiday porch decor inspired by celebrity homes. 

Stewart uses ¼-inch-thick MDF (medium-density fiberboard) as the structural backing material for her S-shaped wreath, but sturdy foam board could work just as well, without being so heavy. The greenery portion of her wreath is 9 feet long. Though hers has flocking, pine cones, and lights on it, a plain garland like the Northlight Emerald Angel faux pine Christmas garland works just as well, and you can decorate it however you like (or don't). At the end of the holiday season, stash the whole thing on a shelf, against a wall, or in a box (don't set anything on top).

For your holiday creation, you'll need a large letter to trace to make the monogram. Choose a capital letter in a font you like, then decide how large you want the monogram to be, measured in standard copy paper — such as 3 pages wide, 4 pages long. Print the large letter using a tool such as Rapid Resizer, which allows you to enlarge and print an image on multiple sheets of paper. Tape them together, then use carbon paper to trace it onto the MDF; a large roll like MyArtscape graphite transfer paper roll works well here. Use a jigsaw to cut out the letter shape. With this system, you can make several identical wreaths.

Now you're ready to decorate! Wrap thin-gauge wire around one end a few times to secure it to the letter itself, then set the garland atop the letter. Wrap the wire around the garland every few inches to secure it to the MDF. Zip ties also work — they'll look best if they match the wreath. Remember if your garland includes a light string, that the plug should be at the bottom of the letter.

Jolly things up a bit by arranging unbreakable Christmas ornaments so the ornaments themselves follow the contour of the letter. Use thin wire such as floral wire to secure them around both the garland and the MDF. Feel free to add faux pinecones, candy canes, or whatever else lifts your holiday spirits. You could even add dead mums or other sturdy flowers to your DIY holiday decor. Dabs of hot glue work well for lightweight embellishments; they're also the secret to hanging Christmas lights around exterior windows and doorways. Finally, attach a wreath hanger to mount the decor to the door.