ShareThisA grapevine wreath is an excellent base for a wreath for any season.
What I like best is that you generally want quite a bit of the grapevine to show, so you rarely need a basketful of items to attach to it. Buy a few greens or flowers, a focal piece and another item or two of interest -- and you're done. This spring wreath can be made in any color you like and with whatever spring icons or theme you want.
Materials:
18-inch grapevine wreath
Variety of small flowers and greens
Faux nest as focal point
Small faux decorative eggs
Artificial bird as item of interest
Ribbon
Floral wire
Wire cutters
Hot glue gun
Instructions:
Start by trimming down the stems of the small flowers and greens you are going to add.
Determine the location of the flowers and greenery and weave them into the grapevine wreath. This will hold the stems in place nicely; however, longer pieces will need to be wired in place.
Pull the wires to the back of the wreath and twist them tightly. Bend over the cut edge and push them back into the grapevine so they don't scratch your front door.
After inserting the small flowers, use the greens in the center to fill in. I placed all of my florals on just half of the wreath.
Large items like the nest -- made with whatever materials you like -- need to be wired to the wreath to keep in place. I first twisted wires onto the base of the nest. Then I pulled the wires through the grapevines and twisted them tightly on the back.
The nest looked great pulled forward slightly so the eggs could be seen. I placed it off center to give my design extra interest.
Make a bow and wire it to the grapevine to make sure it will be secure. Add a long tie toward the top to attach it to your door if you aren't using a wreath hanger. I chose yellow ribbon to bring out the yellow in the flowers and the yellow bird I was adding.
The bird I purchased had a clip mounted at the lower end of the body so I was able to clip it right onto a piece of the grapevine. They usually come with wire on their feet as well, so wiring could work. If you live in a windy area, add hot glue to better hold your bird in place.
Now, hang your wreath. I use ribbons and thumbtacks to hang my wreath from the top edge of my front door. My door is so tall that a regular wreath hanger wouldn't let it hang down far enough. Wreath hangers are quite nice, though. Pick one up when buying your materials.
Remember: What I choose to put in my wreath is simply a suggestion. Choose colors and themes that make you happy, and follow my instructions just so you can attach the pieces properly.
(For more information, visit www.mattandshari.com.)
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)
