Aside from yard decorations, wreaths are one of the first things that people - especially holiday guests - notice when they approach your home.

These days, you can purchase a ready-made wreath from just about any store.

But if you want a more unique adornment, or are just interested in saving a few bucks, the do-it-yourself possibilities are endless.

For instance, Gainesville resident Ashley Bates decided to give an old wreath a fresh look with feathers.

"I just used one boa, but if you want a really full wreath, buy two," said Bates, a Times contributor.

"Just hot glue the boa to the (front) of the wreath, a few inches at a time and hang anywhere in your home with a thick ribbon, or just a nail."

"The wreath probably wouldn't be best on the exterior (of your house) unless you had a storm door, or you planned to bring it in every night."

Another option for refreshing an existing wreath is to pull off the old decorations and add new ones. A few shiny ornaments, fluttering bows and miniature pine cones can go a long way.

And remember - just because most are, doesn't mean that all wreaths have to be round.

For a more rustic look, try cutting thin tree branches to the same length - around 16 inches.

Create four planks of branches, by hot-gluing together four or five of the individual sticks.

Make a square out of them by first taking two of the planks and laying them down vertically on your work space. Secure the horizontal pieces of the square with hot-glue about 2 inches from the end of each vertical piece.

Decorate the face of the rustic wreath how you wish - faux poinsettia leaves are one option.

Using a foot of ribbon or twine, create a loop to hang the wreath by gluing each end of material to the back of the top portion of the wreath.

If you're looking for an inexpensive door decoration, don't overlook places like dollar stores. You may have to put a little extra creative energy into it initially, but you can find all of the crucial pieces - from faux pine wreaths, to decorative picks and ribbon.

Perhaps you don't have a lot of time to pull anything together. For a quick wreath solution, all you need is an 18-inch wreath form - it can be foam, wicker, or a plain wire base - and a shiny garland.

Simply wrap the garland around the wreath form and secure it with glue. If you have a few more seconds to spare, add a big, festive bow - another item that you can pick up from most dollar stores.