DIY Simple And Charming Front Door Decor Out Of A Thrifted Wardrobe Accessory

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As far as front door decor goes, you have the usual suspects: Christmas wreaths, painted wooden folk signs, and the occasional basket. However, what you've probably never seen on anyone's front door is a thrifted wardrobe accessory that most often hangs off the shoulder instead of the door: a purse. And unlikely as it seems, once you see how good this charming DIY looks, you'll wonder why you've never decorated your front door this way before.

Because the foundation of this piece rests on the design of the purse, you'll want to spend some time looking through the available handbags in your local thrift shops to find a good match. For example, if you're going for a French country decor vibe, a bag made of natural materials, like straw or bamboo, is a good bet. Or a bohemian decorating style would embrace funky leather purses of the '70s, though you're certainly not limited to that. Look for an option with a wide opening where you can place additional decorations.

Like most traditional door wreaths, the bag has a floral element to it. Silk flowers plus some floral foam blocks from the Dollar Tree give the piece bursts of color spilling out of the purse. You'll also need some green floral foam and some long hat pins or craft glue. If you keep a garden, this wreath might also be the place where you show off some of your blooms, though do keep in mind that live flowers shorten the life of the wreath. Other items like baby's breath and bundles of miniature cattails also offer fun decorative options for this DIY. But the best part is that you can fill the purse decor with whatever decorations your creativity leads you to use.

You'll start by prepping the inside of your thrifted bag with a couple of blocks of green floral foam. You may have to trim the blocks down so that they fit inside the bag. If you want to secure the foam blocks to the bag, you have a couple of options. You can put some craft glue on the bottom of the blocks and press them in place. Or you can press some long Newkita T pins into the back of the purse on the outside through the blocks on the inside. This will be less painless with some materials than others. For example, pressing the pins into the back of a straw bag will be easier than pushing them into a thick leather one.

Once the bag is prepped with craft foam, you'll arrange the flowers in the bag, starting with the greenery. The greenery provides structure for the other elements due to its woody nature. Then, add in the blooms you've chosen for the purse decor. You may have to get clever to work around features like a front flap on the purse. Try opening the bag and letting the flap hang down the back of the purse, out of sight. Don't be afraid to take advantage of features that normal flower baskets don't have, like pockets. They just might be the perfect spot for a wisp of baby's breath or a few errant cattails. There are no rules for this eclectic floral arrangement, so don't be afraid to get creative.

As is, the purse wreath will be very attractive if you've chosen a pretty bag. However, if the bag is a little too plain or has some damage, you may want to add decorative elements to it. For example, if you have a linen bag with a stain, try covering the stain with Colorful fabric paint to create a custom design. Gluing or sewing strips of leather, fabric, beads, sequins, or other decorative elements onto the purse can hide damage or simply add personality to the display. The design you create could mimic the style of flowers you put inside the bag or contain your home's house numbers in a fancy font. Add ribbons, bows, and other embellishments as desired to personalize your door decor.

It's also possible to use the purse wreath as a welcome during the different holidays throughout the year. One fun way to add a seasonal message to the purse display is with a Crafters Square round galvanized metal bottle cap wall decor from Dollar Tree. Paint your message on the metal sign with acrylic craft paint, and hook it onto the front of the purse. If you'd like to fancy it up, fasten the sign on the bag with a decorative bow. Or if you'd like something a little more folksy, go with a wooden craft sign that you paint Americana style, and use twine to tie it to the front of the bag. Swap out the sign for the seasons, and tuck in seasonally themed flowers to match. Try mums for the fall, pine boughs for the winter, lilacs for the spring, and mini sunflowers for the summer.