Picture Frame Wreath

This is probably the easiest wreath I’ve made in a long time. And it can be made with a variety of attachments that make it easy to change up.

Supplies for Picture Frame Wreath

Picture Frame – Decide where you are going to display your frame and find one that is the correct size for that space. A good idea is to head down to your local thrift store; the one I found was 12” x 16”. The more ornate the better.

Paint of your choice – I used Krylon Matte Red spray paint. I also made another one with acrylic paint, but the spray painting was much easier.

Ribbon – The amount, number and sizes depend on exactly what you are doing. See the instructions below for more details.

Ornaments – Again the number and size depend on what design you’re doing. You do want to make sure they are shatterproof ornaments especially if you are hanging your wreath outdoors because the wind could cause them to bounce against the door.

Embellishments – to add an extra sparkle to your frame, you can mix some glitter into the paint to give it an extra twinkle. In addition, think of cheerful embellishments such as bells, buttons or sequins. You could also glue some shiny decorations like stars or snowflakes onto the outside of the frame for an even more festive look. There are so many possibilities when it comes to creating a beautiful Christmas picture frame craft project!

Permanent Vinyl if you want wording on the frame or glass.

Color Combinations for Christmas Frames

If you are specifically creating a Christmas frame, here are some great Christmas color combinations that work well together:

*Green and red
*Silver and gold
*Blue and white

Red and green is a classic combination that is seen everywhere during the holidays, from decorations to gift wrapping.

Silver and gold exude a sophisticated elegance when used for festive crafts.

Blue and white create a wintry feel, reminiscent of snowfall in the winter months.

Tools Needed

Glue Gun and Extra Glue Sticks

Cricut or other cutting machine if you want wording on the frame or glass.

Paint brushes if required

Instructions for Picture Frame Wreath

This picture frame wreath can be made in a variety of ways. Steps 1 and 2 will be the same for all of the choices. For step 3, pick and choose the instructions from those below.

Step 1 – Prepare Your Frame

Take any inserts and glass out of your frame and set aside in case you want to use them later.

Paint your frame in your choice of color. I chose to do one of my frames in a bright read and the other in gold but a variety of colors will work.

Step 2 – Add a Hanger to Your Frame

The type of hanger you choose to use will depend on where you are going to hang your wreath.

If you are going to hang it on a wall indoors, then the hangers that were already on the frame are probably sufficient if they are in good shape. Otherwise I recommend adding a sawtooth hanger to the back. I did this on the gold frame.

If you are going to hang your wreath on your door, you will probably need a longer hanger. You can use wire, twine, or ribbon depending on what works best for your setting. I prefer to attach my hangers somewhat wide on my wreaths to keep them from flopping around.

Use hot glue to attach your choice of hanger to the frame or attach metal hanger pieces and then tie your choice of hanger to these. This is what I did for the red frame.

Step 3 – Decorate Your Wreath

Now the fun begins!! There are so many options. You can even make your wreath so that embellishments can easily be switched out so that it can be used for multiple seasons.

Variation 1

For this version, I added a bow and ornaments.

The bow is made using 2 types of ribbon, both 2” wired ribbon. The loops for the ribbons were cut to 6” for the red & white ribbon and 5” for the snowflake ribbon.

The ornaments were attached to various lengths of thin ribbon and then attached to the back of the bow. I made a second version of this embellishment for Valentine’s Day using small hearts instead of ornaments.

Craft a hanger for the embellishments using florist wire and washi tape. I simply cut about 4” pieces of florist wire and twisted them together. Then I wrapped them with washi tape to protect the frame.

Finally, I bent them to create a hook and hot glued the ribbon/ornament combo to it. Just hook the embellishment over the top of the frame.

You could use any color combinations to make this variation work for your décor or theme. And by making the embellishment detachable, you can easily update it each year, or mid-season if you want.

Variation 2

For this version, I created coordinating corner embellishments.

Create a larger floral and ribbon embellishment for the upper left corner. Then create a smaller coordinating version for the lower right corner.

I actually used parts of a past floral Christmas bouquet that I sent to my mom. She saved the non-floral pieces and gave them back to me to use in a craft. This was the perfect opportunity.

To make these embellishments interchangeable, I attached them using magnets. I attached a magnet to the corners of the frame with E6000 adhesive. I then attached a magnet to the back of each of the embellishments with gel super glue.

Now, all I have to do is create different embellishments for other times of the year and switch them out accordingly.

Variation 3

This version has a lot a greenery and a faux bow.

When making your faux bow remember that ribbons don’t need to be the same size, various sizes create a more interesting look.

For this version of the picture frame wreath, I actually hot glued everything directly to the frame. Since the greenery went across most of the bottom of the frame, that seemed to be the best way to attach it. If you choose to permanently attach your embellishments, I would actually recommend using either E6000 or gel super glue rather than hot glue. Hot glue has a tendency to come loose with changes in temperature. A lot of things that I hot glued in the past were “detached” when we took them out of storage for this year.

More Variations

If you didn’t find a variation here that you like, head on over to Pinterest. Search for frame wreath and you’ll find a variety of themes and styles that might suit you.

However, in saying that, the instructions above and the interchangeable options provided do give you a variety of options.