The Autumn Wreath

One of my favourite bloggers is Thrifty Decor Chick.  She is a great writer, a talented decorator and a true inspiration.  When I'm searching for DIY decor things, I go to her blog before I even go to Google.  I found this lovely entry when I was looking for inspiration for an inexpensive and easy to store, but big enough to see from the street door wreath.

I never think of the Dollar Store for craft supplies.  I should, but I didn't.  Until I started reading DIY blogs.  I took my dear daughter to guitar lessons and had 30 minutes to kill. Lucky for me, the Dollar Store is right beside the music store.  I was pleasantly surprised to find everything I would need to complete my own autumn wreath. 

This one, was actually quite easy compared to the Christmas ball wreath that I copied from a retail display.  Here's how it went:

I had a left over piece of black foam core that I uncovered when I finally finished clearing, cleaning and organizing my craft room. 

I used a cake plate to trace the inner circle. Then I tied a string to a pen and pinned it to the center of the inner circle. I stretched it out and traced a circle to make the outer ring. Then I cut it with a sharp knife.  Don't stress over trying to make it perfect.  No one will ever see it. 

The supplies I picked up from my new favourite craft supply store needed to be cut apart and sorted.  I borrowed DH's wire cutters but I will have to get my own.

I used my trusty hot glue gun to glue everything down.  The trick here was to not fuss about it. Just stick it down.  I had 3 shades of orange/red and 1 pile of green/brown.  I used the biggest orange ones first, then filled in randomly with the others.  It was so difficult to be random!  I thought it looked like a hot mess!  But I propped it up on my peg board, stepped back and looked at it from a distance.  It's so much different when you're not looking at your project from 2 feet away.  Then I placed the green leaves where they needed to go to break up some of the orange, without looking to contrived. 

I tried placing the "berries" on too, but they just didn't look right.  I've never seen berries on a maple tree so I decided to leave them off. (They were part of the wire garland thing I bought at the Dollar Store).  Besides that, berries seem more winter to me than autumn. 

So I stepped back and looked at it a few times and placed the sunflowers on the way they go traditionally.  That 2 here, 1 there asymetrical placement. I liked it, but I didn't love it.  I was trying to not take it all too seriously.  I wanted it to be random, not perfect.  I also didn't want it to look like a DIY project but I didn't want it to look like a factory made wreath either.  It's SO hard to not fuss over it.  I just kept reminding myself that if it was horrible, it was ONLY $10 spent.  So I left it for a bit and cooked dinner.  I came back to it and tried a bit of ribbon. It was too much.  Then I remembered I had some rafia.  I first tried weaving it all around.  Yuk.  Tried a bow, too predictable.  While I was fussing with the rafia though, a few strands fell on the table, and were lying just under the wreath. What a wonderful accident.  It was just the little pop of something it needed.  So I glued it down, added the ribbon for hanging, and Voila!  My autumn wreath!

Not bad for $10.71

The Spring Summer Wreath

We are undergoing a bathroom renovation, so I've been pre-occupied with shopping for tiles and fixtures and paint.  What fun.  Luckily, my husband is "in the biz" so we have a great crew working on the space, meaning I don't have to do the work!

In the meantime, spring is trying hard to arrive, but winter just won't let go.  It's April, but we've had snow!  Then I realized that while I had taken down my winter wreath, I had not put anything up in it's place.  So off to Michaels I went.  I wanted something different from the norm that really screamed Spring and Summer (because let's face it... once my pool opens, I doubt I'll want to be crafting).  I found some great green and white ribbon, some big clip on daisies, and a hot pink clip on butterfly.  This was going to be an easy peasy project. 

I had a old gold frame at home that wasn't being used and currently doesn't match any of my current decor.  The idea came together quite easily, now would the execution of it match?!

So given that this one is going on the sun porch in the heat of summer, I didn't think the glue gun was the best tool this time.  So I worked with the staple gun.  FUN!  I started by removing the glass from the frame and simply wrapping the frame with the ribbon until all of it was covered.   The corners were a bit tricky, but with persistence and clever folding on the back, it all got covered. There are little hints of gold picking through at the corners but that adds to the charm. 

I clipped the flowers and butterfly on because I might want to change it up a little later.  I doubt it, but you never know.  Besides, I didn't want to use hot clue, and couldn't really figure out how else to attached them.  I saved the glass from the frame, and other than a few staple holes in the back, this project can be undone and remade, or reused easily.

I love how it turned out!  It took less than an hour, cost less than $25 and I think it looks great!  This project was super easy!

If the sun would come out, I would be able to take a picture from a little further away.  It "pops" against the white door.  From the sidewalk it is eye catching.  I just wish the weather would match the feeling of the wreath! Soon though.... soon.

The Winter Wreath

I love love  love the Nate Berkus Show.  Nate mentioned this decorating blog on the show one day and it immediately  became a favourite.  I then started searching for other diy blogs and sites and came  across instructions for these beautiful luminaries.  The best part was that I had now learned the secret to wintery glitter!  Oh the fun I can have now!!!

The Inspired Wreath

I have been known to get myself into a pile of trouble thinking something is a lot easier than it is in reality.  Since closing my business and having time to think (which is a very dangerous thing) I have uttered the words "how hard can it be" several times.  I think it frightens DH when I say "honey, I have an idea".  But it's not always bad!

Take a recent adventure for example.