Decorate with Handmade Wreaths

Strip leaves from bittersweet vines and Chinese lantern stems. Bend and twist the vines into a circle. Wrap vines circle around a wire wreath form, then tuck in Chinese lanterns. Secure stems or loose pods with dots of hot glue. To preserve its color, hang the wreath away from bright light and heat.

Tiny white pumpkins, found with other common fall gourds, cover a straw wreath. Secure pumpkins on the wreath with glue. Fill the open spaces with pistachios. The wreath serves as an elegant centerpiece in even the most casual setting.

Dazzle dinner guests with wreath-festooned chairs. Place holiday-hue flowers in florist vials, and tuck the vials into a twig wreath base. Use wire to attach miniature ball ornaments. Tie the wreath to the chair back with crisscrossed lengths of ribbon.

Combine elements from nature to create this beautiful wreath perfect for displaying on your mantel, wall, or door.

Welcome guests with an easy-to-make leaf wreath. Fresh leaves or pliable dried ones from a crafts store work best. Cut a slit in the center of each leaf with small scissors; you can cut several at once. String the leaves onto a wire wreath form until full. Hang with pretty ribbon.

Gather an abundance of ribbon and fabric in autumn hues to make a nature-inspired "leafy" wreath.

Show off lovely photos of friends and family. Add black-and-white photos and rub-on phrases to chipboard circles, then attach them to a wreath as desired.

Grab up all those natural fall elements -- leaves, flowers, and pinecones -- to create a warm and inviting fall wreath. Start with a purchased wire wreath form and tuck in brown leaves, pinecones, and mums and yarrow in vibrant shades of red and yellow. Use hot glue as needed to keep pieces in place.

For a departure from traditional fall wreaths, create one with miniature gourds and leaves all in green. Gather small gourds and green maple leaves. Using a long, fine bit, drill through the back of each gourd. Wire the gourds to a round straw wreath form. Hot-glue leaves where straw is showing.

Back a weathered frame with chicken wire as the canvas for colorful finds. Glue or wire real or silk leaves, bittersweet vines, berries, and cattails to the wire or frame.

Red carnations ring simple hurricanes in a series of tabletop wreaths. For each one, soak a floral foam wreath in water, then place it on a plate several inches larger in diameter. Clip carnation stems, and insert the blossoms into the foam wreath. Add white ornaments if desired.

Use cotton balls to mimic little snowballs on a rectangle wreath. Add a mound of cotton balls to a foam frame. Attach blue beads and a bow for a beautiful effect.

Start with a purchased tallowberry wreath. Put fresh greens behind the wreath, securing them to the form with U-shape floral pins or wire. Keep the shape casual and a bit irregular to contrast with the tallowberries.

For a quick, simple fall dinner party wreath, head to the backyard for beautifully shaped leaves. Press them flat, then attach them to the wall in an oval shape with double-stick tape.

Stockpile favorite fall elements to spice up a regular wreath form. Glue on twigs, corncobs, fruit, and plant materials as desired. Use leftover fall favorites to create a banner for the front door.

A swirl of delicate huckleberry branches distinguishes this festive red wreath.

Purchase an inexpensive moss-covered wreath. Add twigs; favorite flowers, such as fresh Ranunculus; and a few pretty complementing ornaments. To keep the flowers fresh, put them in floral vials and hide the vials in the moss.

Use a plastic foam wreath and natural starfish available at crafts stores. Spray the wreath and starfish white; let dry. Lay flat, and glue the starfish to the wreath. For added sparkle, brush the starfish with a mixture of half glue and half water, then sprinkle with glitter.

Cut hydrangea stems to a shorter size. Weave them around and through a grapevine wreath until the wreath is full. Hydrangeas look beautiful dried, so this wreath will last a long time.

Wrap and glue bunches of dried sweet Annie to a wire wreath form. For variety, add other dried flowers to this pleasant-smelling wreath.

Vibrant colors pop from this framed wool wall hanging. Black pearl cotton blanket stitches give each piece texture and lend an overall folk art appearance.

Add glamour to a doorway with a pearl-studded wreath. Start with a purchased foam ring, cover it with satin ribbon, then glue on crafts store pearls.

For a holiday centerpiece, glue gold jingle bells and little pinecones to a moss-covered plastic wreath form. Play with patterns like the stripes of gold bells pictured here.

Stray from the ordinary with a magnificent rectangular wreath. Houseguests will be mesmerized at the sight of shiny galax leaves.

A purchased plain wreath can be instantly personalized with little wood letters -- perfect for any holiday.

To get away from the typical evergreen holiday wreath, add artificial champagne grapes. The greenery will last all season in a cool area.

Use fresh magnolia leaves, fruits, and in-shell nuts for a fresh and colorful holiday wreath. This Southern-inspired wreath will make any doorway stand out.

In this natural creation, branches from the yard are bound together to form a wreath. Smaller twigs soften the overall effect. The clip-on bird ornaments stay with the theme.