Easy Spring Wreath Tutorial

 I'll be honest with you, I am need of something fun and something pretty because things are getting kind of depressing.  This crazy virus going around and the toilet paper shortage of 2020 has reached the point of buzz kill and social media outlets do not help!  I know it's serious and the logical me is prepared for potential school closures since field trips and major events have been cancelled (I'm all for halting things and kicking this bug in the butt!).  The seven in me is feeling kind of sad because things are getting cancelled left and right.  So, I thought that today's post should be something fun.  Something happy.  So today, I give you this super easy, and super fun Spring Wreath!

P.S. you don't need a fancy cutting machine!

When I was looking on Pinterest for some inspiration, I found this link for a wreath on Etsy. . .  for $85!!!  I'm not going to lie, I don't want to spend that much on something that has the potential to get ruined by weather or bugs or is only up for part of the year.  Plus, there are other things I am looking to buy for our home that I'd like to save up for and this would basically kill my budget. 

I do want to mention, though, that I think it's great that people, can make some extra money by selling cool handmade things on Etsy.  I use Etsy often for things, but when you are on a budget and it's way cheaper to take that inspiration combined with 40% off coupons into your own hands. 

This wreath only took a handful of items. . . all bought with a 40 percent off coupon or they were already on sale at Hobby Lobby.  I had this grapevine wreath from a previous project (I actually found it in the Target dollar spot for five dollars a few years ago. . . Target win!).  

Items needed: Grapevine wreath, Green leafy stems (2), ribbon, wood planks (2), brown paint, a baby wipe, wire, piece of chalk, white paint.

Step 1:
Glue the two planks together side by side with Liquid Nails.  Liquid Nails glue is probably my favorite thing ever!  I sandwiched mine between two thick cookbooks until it dried. 

Step 2: Squirt a little bit of brown craft paint on your wood and rub it around with the baby wipe.  Easiest stain effect ever!  Do the whole thing and let dry.  You don't need too much, because you want it to appear stained rather than painted.

Step 3: Open up Microsoft Word and type "Hello."  Then make it really big, choose bold and outline and pick your font.  Press print. 

On the back side of the hello (the side where there is no ink but you know that the typing is on the other side), cover with chalk.  Rub it all over really well.

Place your paper and the word where you want it on your stained plank.  Take your pencil and trace slowly and pressing hard into the wood (not too hard that you have indents, but hard enough for the chalk to be pressed down onto the wood).  Lift the paper carefully. 

 Step 4: Paint very carefully your word hello with white paint and a skinny brush.  Let it dry. 

Step 5:  Make your ribbon bow.  I used this tutorial, but added an extra big loop. 

Step 6: Once your wood plank has dried, turn it over.  Take two pipe cleaners and fold each one in half.  Glue each pipe cleaner down at the fold with hot glue.  Make sure it is completley cool and hard before moving to the next one.  When you're done, it should look like a wood plank with two letter v's at each end. 

Step 7:  Attatch your plank to the wreath by weaving your pipe cleaners into the wreath branches and twist to secure. 

Step 8:  Cut your two branches and secure them to the wreath with thin wire.  Bend and secure towards the top of the circle to make it appear like is is following the shape of the wreath. 

Step 9: Glue Wreath where you want it with your hot glue gun.

Step 10:  Hang up on your door and enjoy.

Also, in light of a lot of things  pretty much everything getting cancelled or put on hold until the COVID-19 (AKA Coronavirus) slows its wrath down.  I encourage you to go and support local artisans that may have made a ton of stuff for an event and then had it cancelled at the last minute (like those that had set up for the Spring at the Silos event at Magnolia).

Thanks for stopping by and reading!  I would love it if you would leave me a comment or share with your friends my blog!