I’ve been wanting a pretty wreath for my front door, but the prices are often dauntingly high. There’s also the problem that I’m not a huge fan of fake flowers. They so often scream tacky/funeral arrangement/old lady with plastic furniture covers, at least to me. I have flashbacks to a house I used to pass on my way to school. It was two doors down from a graveyard…and every inch of available space was “planted” with fake plastic flowers still clinging to the grave dirt they’d very obviously been plucked from. So maybe I just have stolen zombie grave flower PTSD.
Anyway! The best remedy, as always, seems to be making my own. I decided my first wreath should be based on one of my favorite flowers- the ranunculus. Perhaps a strangely named, old-fashioned choice but they are quite beautiful.
Materials needed:
- 18″ wire wreath form
- Glue gun and sticks
- Small bird nest
- Paper mache egg
- Acrylic paints: Dark pink, light pink, golden yellow
- Paintbrushes
- Green floral tape
- Light pink tulle
- An assortment of large silk ranunculus blooms, smaller blooms and accent flowers
- Scissors
The supplies you find will likely not be exactly the same. I’m all about using or reusing what you have on hand so feel free to improvise. The main thing is to make something you find appealing and to have fun doing so! First I took three of the ranunculus blooms with stems still attached and wove them through the wire wreath form at about even intervals. These will be your anchor flowers. I left the wider space open on one side because I knew my bow would go there.
Next I removed the rest of my blooms and leaves from their stems. I laid my wreath form flat and began placing leaves and blooms around the form, playing with placement until everything looked balanced. In the picture below, nothing is attached. At this stage you are merely deciding where everything will go.
Now you can begin attaching items. Use the green floral tape and wrap securely. Start with background items like leaves, then move on to your smaller filler flowers. Your large blooms should be attached last. Carefully use your glue gun to adhere the blooms, nestling them in securely among the leaves. Remove any strings of glue. Give the wreath a few gentle shakes to make sure nothing needs extra securing.
To paint the egg, I first gave it an over-all coat with the light pink. After drying I decided to do a textured look to make it more interesting. Pour small amounts of all three of your paint colors onto a palette or small dish. Using a swirling, stabbing motion and a medium sized brush, alternately apply each of the colors.
Let the egg dry. Glue it securely into the nest. Cut a few yards of your pink tulle and form it into a bow. Glue the bow onto your wreath. Glue the nest directly on top of the bow.
I agree with you about wreaths..I don’t like alot of them..like the companies you see on FB.They are either too expensive,funeral wreath looking or so horribly gaudy I feel the need for eye bleach. Great job! Your is beautiful! I am the most uncrafty person ever but if I wasn’t I would so make one of these.Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thank you!! I’m glad I’m not the only one. I was like “Mhm, I’m going insult all the crazy ladies with squeaky couch covers and fake plastic flowers on every surface.” 😉
I love this! I think I could do this but with what flowers! Hmmmm. Beautiful Wreath.
Thanks sweetheart! You could totally do this, it was really simple. This is why you need to live closer, we could get our back porch crafty time and our gossiping in all at once! 😉
That is very pretty ! Its delicate and not overbearing and doesnt have a speck of grave dirt on it 🙂 I bet it looks lovely on your door!
Thanks love! Haha you have to watch out for those suspicious grave dirt flowers. I still don’t know what that lady was thinking- that no one would notice? That they’d be too freaked out to interrogate her about her creepy hobby? 😉
What Beautiful pictures you have I really like how you showed me how to do this. I used to make wreaths but with real wild grape vines. Thank you, Jerri Davis
I’m not that crafty of a person,but I think I could make your wreath! It turned out really pretty,you did a great job!