Summer Wreath Tutorial

Summer Wreath from Odds and Ends:

The mantra of this summery wreath should be reuse...restore...repurpose! Everything on it either had another life, another purpose or was disgarded.

I wanted to make a wreath with things I already have at hand. A challenge of sorts.

The wreath itself was deep in the bowels of my basement still adorned~ a past summer wreath. I literally ripped off the geraniums, bows, American flags and other sundry flowers and salvaged them for a future time.

It is my custom to wire 2 wreaths together. I learned this wonderful trick at an interior designer's shop that I admire. All the wreaths are fabulous and lush... and horribly expensive. I noticed that the arranged wreaths were all doubled. So, I do the same. And it makes a HUGE difference!! This wreath was already doubled~ ready to be decorated!

The color theme picked me, not the other way around. I recently did  2 wreaths for a country farm wedding (upcoming post) and had some bits and pieces left over. The bright yellow ranunculus, stylized white cone flowers and white bead buds became part of my summer wreath.

I had all the rest of the pieces on hand!

I am by no means a floral designer, I just start playing and it falls into place. Trust yourself and your eye. You can do it too... really! Let your own style shine!

Start by setting the bounderies of the wreath. I used the white bead bud sprays to give me perameters because if left to my own devices I would embellish it to death!

Place the anchor flower in postion on the wreath. Glue it liberally! Start by working around this flower.

Add the large flowers first. Position them and when you like the way they look glue them liberally.

Fill in with other larger elements. I really could have used 1 more gerber and 3 more ranunculus, but I was only using what I had on hand.

When all of the larger elements are glued tightly onto the wreath, start adding the "froof". I wanted my wreath to look a little wild and twiggy and a little "brambley".

Stick frilly, twiggy, fluffy elements in layer after layer. When you are happy with each layer, glue liberally.

Pay attention to the inside rim of the wreath. It is noticeable when the wreath is hung. I added some frilly greens to add pizazz to the inside edge of the wreath.

Just keep working the design, adding and editing until you are happy with the wreath.

When the wreath is done, give it a very good shake. Reglue any loose pieces. Get rid of all glue spiders.

Tie a ribbon through the two wreaths and hang.

From trash to treasure!