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 Kim Montenero is a freelance writer and craft designer. Her work has been featured in Reloved Magazine, Parade.com and The Huffington Post. She blogs at www.exquisitelyunremarkable.com where she encourages individuals to feather their nests with super easy and elegant DIY and craft projects regardless of their skill level. She can be contacted through her website. |
| I am a sucker for a pretty wreath, which is funny, because I really don’t like fake flowers. Usually in my home I opt for grocery store tulips, plants or fresh fruit. Unfortunately, none of these items lend themselves to long term displays, so if I want color and softness on my walls or doors, then fake flowers it is (although the idea of a cupcake wreath is very, very tempting!). With spring around the corner, I wanted to add something colorful to my front door, but I didn’t really want to spend a ton of money. Big surprise. I have stated before that I am downright cheap when it comes to my accessories, so the idea of paying fifty to a hundred bucks for a wreath, that I may or may not hate next season, just doesn't fly. So what’s a girl to do? Why DIY of course. Now, I know the idea of making a wreath from scratch can be intimidating and it can also get expensive, depending on your design and supplies. That's why I cheat. Yup. I make my wreaths almost from scratch. The design is basically set for you, so all you’re really doing is enhancing a wreath and anyone can do that. For this project, I started with a clearance wreath. It was $4.99, I kid you not, but it was also kind of a mess. The grapevine was cracked, the flowers were sparsely placed and many of them were falling off, but I knew that with a few bucks and a little glue, it could be outstanding. Of course, this technique would work on an, old wreath you already own or a thrift store find, as well. I removed the flowers from the grapevine and used floral wire to reattach them to a wire frame I had in my craft stash. To add fullness, I purchased a few more blooms for under five dollars. They were clearance, of course, and I had a coupon. Once I was happy with my overall design, I used my glue gun to fix any droopy or unruly buds. The ribbon came with the wreath. It was a matted and awful looking bow, so I untied it, ironed it and simply looped it around the wire for a more whimsical look. Fabulous. Even if it is fake. Are you a wreath doctor? |
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