Christmas Door – How I Do It

Oh my goodness! I was so totally thrilled and excited to have Kimba name my front door as one of her favorites in 2008! Thank you, Kimba! And thank you to everyone who has left kind comments! I am honored!


As promised, here’s a quick tutorial on the steps I take to craft the garland.


Start with a better quality greenery garland. I didn’t buy top of the line but I didn’t buy the cheapest, either. I bought this greenery several years ago at 50% and it has held up well. I like different textures. I don’t buy pre-lit. I usually wrap the lights myself and then just keep them on there each year. I had DH install hanging plant hooks around my door a few years back because I’m always wrapping something around it. I tried using the temporary hooks but it kept falling down. How do you hold your garland around the door?


The magic of this look is in the mesh. It has a wonderful reflective quality and really softens the garland. The mesh comes in rolls like this. You can shop in high end stores and pay way to much for this stuff if you like. Or you can do a little shopping around to find it at bargain basement prices. Here they have it at the antique/flea market type booths. I lucked into a 50% off sale at at a local floral shop (Tipton & Hurst, for all the locals) .
Some people find it daunting to work with. I think these few tips make it a cinch to use (pun intended). I start off by gathering up the end and securing with a pipe cleaner. Be sure to leave the ends to tie to your garland.


Then I poof it around into a tunnel with the outside edges always facing inward.


You can make your poofs to taste – big or small! I like mine just right. I only use a pipe cleaner for the initial end. after that I just bend the greenery around to cinch and hold.


I usually work from the top center down using two sections of mesh. I like to add two large sections in the middle to mimic a bow. I did not catch a shot of the red mesh and ribbon before adding the ornaments. I followed the same procedure for the red mesh and “poofed” it in the opposite direction. Play around with it until you get the look you want.

I also use pipe cleaners to wire the ornaments onto the garland.


To finish off, just wind ribbon throughout the garland securing in a similar fashion as the mesh. Here I used a wide, wired ribbon and a skinny velvet wired ribbon. Finally, secure the ornaments at the cinched up areas or wherever you please. Be sure to add ornaments with different sizes, shapes, and textures to add depth and interest to the garland. I like to bunch my ornaments in groups of three with at least one onion or finial ornament in the mix.


It is also lovely to add in silk stems, branches, berries, or whatever you like. You would just tuck those in similar to how I did my banister garland. There are endless possibilities!

This is a closeup of a door I decorated in 2010. It uses a striped mesh with smaller poofs and fewer ornaments. I like the simplicity of the garland and the contrast of its bling with the rustic door and simple wreath.

I used a similar concept for my burlap and bling door in 2010. Again I love the rustic vs bling concept. If you are interested, you can read more about how I crafted this door.

If you are feeling super creative, why not craft a wreath to match your door? Fellow crafty gal and Arkansan, Kristen, has a wonderful tutotorial on making mesh wreaths.
I hope you find this tutorial helpful. Send me pictures of what you create. I would love to share them!

~Southern Fried Gal

Last updated: November 22, 2011 to enhance pictures and text.


Linking up with Beth’s Tutorials and Tips party in time for Holiday 2011 decorating!

Home Stories A2Z

22 Comments
  • Katie
    December 20, 2008

    I am so glad that you did a post about how you did the door garland. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!

  • Katie
    December 21, 2008

    You so need to get Elf on the Shelf. It has been WONDERFUL in this house. I just need to find something that I can use year round.

    I live in the Nashville area. I have a brother that lives in the Memphis area but that is as close as I would like to get to that area… I haven’t had good experiences there.

    Hope you are having a wonderful Christmas with your family.

  • Karen
    December 21, 2008

    Thanks so much! I love it and am planning on buying the supplies on the after Christmas sales! Do you have an estimate on how much of each item you used? How many feet of garland and mesh? How many ornaments?

  • Kimba
    December 22, 2008

    Yay! I love the tutorial! Seriously great job. And I hope you get 246 friends who want to pay you big bucks to make one for them next year. :-)

    Merry Christmas!
    Kimba

  • Chrissy.Barile
    October 27, 2011

    It’s beautiful!! Thanks for the tut!

    Chrissy @ ForMamas

  • Anonymous
    December 1, 2011

    I love the tutorial. I am a decorative painter and interior decorator, but refuse to do Christmas decor because it seems to tedious. You make it look easy!

  • Anonymous
    December 11, 2011

    I need to know how to hang the garland around my door and yes
    I am that slow :( sorry ! I have brick around my screen door and am done and ready to put this baby up ! Thanks

  • Anonymous
    October 13, 2012

    Thank you so much for this blog…. Now instead of buying it I’m considering to make it myself….the way you explained it step by step makes it easy to do…. Thanks so much now I’m going to be the envy of my family…..lol

  • Crazy Southern Woman
    November 9, 2012

    New follower here! Thanks for sharing this. My door is identical (almost) to the bottom picture! I wondered how to do this…and now I know!

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  • Anonymous
    November 26, 2012

    I love it and i trait thank you

  • Sunshine Suz
    November 30, 2012

    Thank you sooooo much for the step-by-step instructions! Even the idea of the plant hook! You really added details which we need to succeed! I will be doing this next year as will be buying supplies AFTER Xmas sales for next year! Your pics for step-by step 100% right on! Live in Fla! I’ll be the envy of our country area next year! Then adding pics of banister even better!

  • bitsybet
    December 5, 2012

    There are nails around my door where garland has been hung in years past. I have yet to have a door garland. I didn’t want to go to the trouble or expense, until now. Thank you for sharing this lovely idea. I love the Deco Mesh. It is so easy to work with. I’ve made Deco Mesh bows this Christmas, and I’m planning on making a Deco Mesh garland for my fireplace mantel.

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