Make a Spring Wreath

Trendy Spring Wreath

Search the craft store for whatever decorative item is “in” this spring. It may be wooden cut-outs that you paint yourself, foam flowers or glittery paper umbrellas. Purchase an odd number of your chosen ornaments to scatter or cluster around your spring wreath. You will need:

• A Styrofoam wreath form
• 2-inch wide ribbon (approximately 3 yards for an average 14- to 16-inch form)
• Floral picks (U-shaped)
• Floral wire
• White craft glue
• Scissors
• Ornaments
• Hot glue gun and sticks
• Decorative bow (optional)

Wrap the ribbon around the wreath form to completely cover the Styrofoam. Begin and end the ribbon in the back of the form, and secure the ribbon ends in place with a floral pick dipped in craft glue. Randomly place more glued picks into the back of the form to hold the ribbon in place.

Arrange your spring ornaments around the wreath. Cluster a few of them together and sprinkle a few more around the perimeter. Continue to experiment with the arrangement until it’s pleasing to you. Also consider where the best placement for your decorative bow will be. Hot glue the ornaments into place once you’ve decided on a pattern. If your decorative bow comes with a pick, spread craft glue on it and stick it into the Styrofoam, otherwise, use hot glue to secure your bow to the wreath.

Twist a piece of floral wire into a circle. Use a glued floral pick to secure the wire to the back of the wreath near the top. When the glue dries, use the wire as a hook for hanging the wreath.

Family Project Wreath

For this wreath, the whole family can go outside to find some thin, flexible branches, and then go indoors to start coloring and cutting out a garden full of spring flowers. If you don’t have branches that are quite flexible enough, cut them ahead of time, and soak them overnight in a tub full of water. The next day, the branches should be soft and pliable. You will need:

• Flexible branches
• Garden shears
• Floral wire (on a spool or pallet)
• Construction paper
• Crayons, felt makers, glitter glue or paint
• Craft glue
• Twist tie

Shape the branches into a circle or oval. Use enough branches to create a thick wreath form that is at least 1 inch wide. Tie the branches into shape with floral wire. Wrap a strand of wire around the wreath to keep it in shape. Use the garden shears to clip off unruly branch ends whenever needed. Have fun making dozens of paper flowers with whatever craft supplies you have available. The more variety of flowers you have the more your wreath will look like a spring garden.

Arrange the finished flowers on the wreath until you are happy with the design. Experiment with placing flowers on the back of the form so it looks like they are springing out from behind the wreath, and let them poke out into the empty space in the middle. When you are happy with your design, take a digital photo of the wreath, remove the flowers and start gluing them into place, using your photo as a guide.

Loop a twist-tie to the back/top of the wreath to use as a hanger.