Colorful Aspen-Inspired Fall Wreath Tutorial

 When it comes to Thanksgiving, the first thing that comes to mind isn't composing what the big holiday dinner will consist of. No. No way. Lets get real here - I hate cooking. Cooking gives me anxiety. Just so you grasp how much I loathe cooking - I rather clean the kitchen, dishes & all, instead of cook! Instead, the first thing that comes to mind is how can I make my home scream unique, festive, autumnal decor? I want my guests to see things that that wouldn't typically see at a retail store. Today's DIY embodies exactly just that.You will need the following materials:

Aspen Leaves(Michaels); 6 Pine Cones(Hobby Lobby); Ornament Hooks; Glue Gun; Wire Cutters; Twine; Towel

An autumn bouquet of your choice w/lots of foliage at the top (Michaels); Long-stemmed flower of your choice (Michaels)

First you will prep your pine cones by removing their tops using wire cutters. Doing this will create a flat/semi-hallowed out surface for the pieces that will be glued there. Do this for 6 pine cones.

Next cut 6 strings of twine - each 16 inches long. Loop it around the top underside of the pine cone twice. Secure it tightly with a knot.

Next, cut 12 Aspen Leaves, paired & color-matched, and cut to the length shown below.

Taking your glue gun, place glue into the top-center of the pine cones. You will then place 2 color-matched aspen leaves on the left & right side. Looks like a cute & magical pine cone butterfly, right?! :P I went a step further & added a rose hip in between the leaves. This not only hides the glue that was placed there, but also adds a little extra flare :) Alternatively, you could use berries, mini-pumpkins, acorns, etc. 

While those are drying, take your long stem daisy and cut most of the stem off leaving 2 inches. Place the daisy in the middle at the base of your autumnal bouquet. Secure with 2 ornament hooks and glue.

Now we will secure our 6 pine cones to the autumnal bouquet. Lay the bouquet on the floor and place the 6 pine cones at various lengths for a cascading effect. Alternate sides and aspen leaf colors-pairs for dimension and color vibrancy.

Secure each individual pine cone to the branches on the backside of the bouquet with an ornament hook. Make sure they are not visible from the front and discard the extra twine.

Using 12 inches of twine, secure it to the top-middle and bottom-middle of the back of the bouquet. The support in these two specific places will prevent it from tipping forward. Doing this will allow the wreath to hang upright and straight.

And your wreath is complete! 

 

I hope this DIY inspires you to go beyond the Thanksgiving menu & to create an Autumnal atmosphere outside the kitchen. If you re-create this DIY, please leave a photo in the comment section below - I'd love to see them! See you in my next blog!

DIY Rustic Autumn Wreath UNDER $10!

For today's DIY, I wanted to create something not seen very often in homes or craft stores. My goal was to encompass all your classic, autumnal characteristics, but with a twist - a vertical twist. This tutorial goes beyond your typical circular wreath for this time of year and it is SO simple! My inspiration was this grapevine wreath I found at Hobby Lobby - I'd never seen anything like it! It adds such a perfect rustic-feel to any room :)

You will need the following materials:
Assorted mini pumpkins, acorns, and pine cones - leftover craft materials
Ornament Wire - $0.99 (Wal*Mart)
Wire Cutters
Hot glue gun
Grapevine wreath, shown above - $3.99 full price, $2.39 with coupon (Hobby Lobby)

Maple Leaf Bouquet - $5.99 full price, $2.99 sale price (Michaels)

Wheat Bouquet - $4.99 full price, $2.49 sale price (Michaels)

The materials I found at Michaels were 50% off & I also applied a '25% off your entire purchase' coupon, thus making this project ridiculously inexpensive!

Taking your wire cutters, cut your maple leaves leaving a 1/2 inch stem. Secure them to the front-bottom section with ornament wire. Securing the wire should look like this:

Be sure to leave the back portion of the wreath empty. I did 2 diamond-shaped patterns on the left and right sides & filled in the middle as I saw fit, but you can do as you wish. 

Left Side

Right Side

When the leaf placement is to your liking, go ahead and add mini-pine cones, pumpkins, and acorns using your glue gun.

Next, secure the wheat pieces along the top back of the wreath with ornament wire. Be sure to intermix various hues of brown & beige and stagger them a little. Doing this will add length, foliage, & dimension - it is the most crucial step. Not doing so will leave it falling flat to the eye. 

Back View

Up-Close

Add twine to the back to act as a mount and you are finished!
Hang on a wall in any room for the perfect touch of rustic-bliss;)

If you re-create this DIY, please leave a photo in the comment section below - I'd love to see them! 

Harvest-Inspired Rustic Wheat Tin - Under $10!

Every year around the best time of year (second to Christmas), my in-laws come to visit from Southern California. For them it's a chance to escape the 100 degree heat waves, smoggy air, and that horrendous 91 freeway traffic to actually experience a season other than hot-summer or cold-summer ;) It's a week filled with amazing weather, Fall colors, fly fishing, craft beer, Oktoberfest, autumnal candles & teas, pumpkin patches, and most importantly good quality family time. I want my home to feel cozy and seasonal for my family. So whenever the day of their arrival starts to get a little closer, my Fall decor inspiration is in hyper-drive and I become this crafting maniac for a solid 3-4 weeks.  When you take the concept that's in your head, make it with your hands, and have it bring life into your home, no matter what the room - that is the awe-inspiring moment that drives my creativity.

Today's DIY decor can be used in any room in your home & it is so inexpensive and easy! You will need the following items to complete this project:

FloralCraft Dry Foam - Link Here
Brown moss - $1.00 - Dollar Store
Wheat bushels - $6.99 Full Price; $4.19 with coupon - Michael's
Small bronze bucket - $2.99 Full Price; $1.79 with coupon - Michael's
Box cutter
Wire cutters

The piece that inspired this project were the beige and brown wheat bouquets I found at Michael's. You could use one particular color over the other, but using them altogether gives the decor piece the most dimension so that it doesn't fall flat to the eye.

Using your box cutter blade, you will first  take a piece of dry foam and cut it to the same diameter as the bronze tin. Then, slice the corners off a little bit at a time until it fits snug in the tin.

You don't want the foam to move around too much in the tin or else placing the wheat pieces will be difficult.

 Next comes the wheat. You can use wire cutters, the same box cutters, or any scissors you have handy. Cut them into small, medium, and long lengths.

You will be placing the wheat into the dry foam like so:

For the best dimension, place the longest pieces of wheat along the back third, medium length pieces in the middle third, and shorter pieces in the front as depicted below:

Long pieces in back

Middle pieces next

Short pieces in front

Be sure to intermix the colors for a lush, natural look! Now it's time to cover up that dry foam! Take your moss and simply cover up the perimeter and the spaces in between the wheat pieces :) 

 Don't forget to cover the center...

  ...And voila! 

Add some accessories to accompany the main piece and your easy, simple, & cheap Harvest-Inspired Wheat Tin is now complete! 

Happy Fall everyone! If you re-create this DIY, please leave a photo in the comment section below - I'd love to see them! See you in my next tutorial!