Tuesday, September 5, 2023

Eco Friendly Fall Decorative Wreath

 

Nature can come up with some wonderful decorating ideas, don't you think! A homemade, eco friendly fall decorative wreath using fresh foraged materials such as ornamental grasses and pine cones from your yard is a great natural way to make an entrance look welcoming or to spruce up an area in your home for Fall! It's certainly is a no cost or low budget and eco friendly option instead of using expensive, store bought items to decorate this time of year!

There are lots of ornamental bushes and pine trees in the back of my yard and along the berm of my community. I usually pick up pines cones by the bag full that have fallen during the winter months .  .  .
and cut off the plumes of the ornamental grass bushes this time of the year into early winter. The landscapers usually trim the ornamental grass bushes down to small mounds during the winter.  Right now, the ornamental bushes are really showing their beauty this time of year - especially when it's windy!
This ornamental grass bush happens to be in my yard, so I snipped off a few plumes especially for this project.


I love that this is an easy, almost free to make craft inspired by Nature! Perfect for this month's theme on Nature for our monthly Sustainable Craft Challenge that's hosted by Julie @Sum of their Stories!

Materials Used: 
  • Grapevine wreath
  • Ornamental grasses
  • Pine Cones
  • Wood Glue/Super Glue
  • Snips or pruning shears, scissors
  • Brown floral wire stems (24 gauge)
I wanted my wreath to be as natural as possible using a grapevine wreath I had in my stash, as a base. But I didn't want the fullness or thickness you usually see in a grapevine wreath. So .  .  .

I separated several smaller vines from the larger one and .  .  .
wrapped the vines together using very thin brown floral wire stems. 
The thinner grapevine looks so much better than using a thicker grapevine wreath or a wire or wood form or frame you often see that's not natural.
Next, begin laying out the individual plume design to the grapevine. First, one side and then the other.
Cut off excess stalks, once satisfied with the layout.
To secure the individual grass stalks on the grapevine wreath, dip ends into the wood glue bottle and .  .  .
insert/intertwine into the grapevines. Let dry.
Continue dipping each plume into the wood glue and inserting it into the grapevine .  .  .
until satisfied with the look and fullness.
The cool thing I discovered about working with ornamental grass plumes is that they become fuller - taking on a whole new shape as they dry out from clipping.
While the glue is drying on the plumes and grapevine, it's time to make natural pine cone flowers!
I collected these pine cones that had fallen to the ground last winter. I kept them in a trash bag in my garage. I did not clean them or put them in the oven as they recommend. I did check for bugs, etc., and didn't find any. However, there were clumps of sap along some of the pine cone scales (pine cone “leaves”) which I scraped off. 

I think you will be pleasantly surprised if you just take pruning shears or snips and cut the pine cone in a few sections, cutting horizontally across the cone  and 
  discovering a design similar to flowers! 
How cool are these!

Perfect to add between the ornamental grass plumes.



But wait! I wanted to see how a bow made out of a few of the leftover vines would look on the wreath!  First, placing a few vines in hot boiling water for a couple of hours to make them pliable.
And then, once pliable, removing the vines from the water - it's amazing how quickly they cooled off to shape them into a simple bow. I must say that boiling the vines turned the water a dark brown that turned the vines dark brown, too.
Then wrapping the center of the bow with a longer vine .  .  .
tucking the ends in between to keep the bow together.
And attaching it to the wreath! 
Do you like the wreath with a vine bow?
Yay or Nay?

I also added a few more pine cones to the center so you can see them better 
for an .  .  . 


 All Natural Fall Decorative Wreath!

This challenge is all about sustainable crafting! Each month is themed and all projects must have some sort of a sustainable element to them. This could be an upcycling or recycling element, or something that reduces waste, uses leftovers, etc. The theme for September is Nature!

Be sure to check out all the Nature Sustainable Crafts projects listed below:


Julie @Sum of their Stories - Mini Vases Upcycled From Yogurt Bottles

Vicky @Vicky Myers Creations - Cyanotype Art

Gail @Purple Hues and Me - Eco Friendly Fall Decorative Wreath

T'onna @Sew Crafty Crochet - Three-Strip Flower Scarf

Terri @Our Good Life - Pressed Flower Lantern

Maria @Simple Nature Decor - Sea Glass Candle Holder


Mel @Decor Craft Design - DIY Fall Sign Gold Dried Leaves

Julie @ Treasures Made From Yarn - Upcycled Project Bag











8 comments:

  1. Love it! Especially the way you thinned the grapevine wreath to make it more delicate. I love pinecone flowers too, I always think they are a bit magically to find when you cut them correctly, a bit like the hidden star in the middle of an apple!
    I remember a vase filled with this kind of grass plume that my mum loved when I was a kid and I'm sure she sprayed it with hairspray to stop it deteriorating or shredding little bits.
    I like it with the bow too, it's a clever use of the leftovers.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks so much Julie! The wreath is a bit minimalistic but I love that I could use items from my yard to make it. I had some plumes in a vase, too, that I picked a couple of years ago. Mine just got bushier and darker and didn't shed a bit.

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  2. This looks so pretty. Thank you so much for including all the details. I love the fact that you could use so many foraged items.

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  3. I'm loving the pine cone flowers. I need to get a source for clean pine cones. I would like to try making them into zinnias. This is a sweet wreath.

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  4. Such a perfect project for autumn, the balance of the wreath with the grasses and pine cones are spot on.

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  5. This wreath is so perfect for Fall! I love how you cut the pinecones, and they look like flowers. So cute and clever. And I also really love the vine bow.

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  6. Great home decoration man, great hand you have. You should also consider Night Cloaked Deck

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  7. motorcycle accident maryland
    The Eco-Friendly Fall Decorative Wreath is a visually stunning and environmentally responsible home decor that captures the essence of fall. Its attention to detail and durability make it a conscious choice for eco-friendly home decor. The wreath adds a warm and welcoming touch to the front door and is a conversation starter at gatherings. The artisan's dedication to preserving the planet is evident in the exquisite color palette and arrangement of elements. The wreath's durability is impressive, and its eco-friendly appeal resonates with guests, inspiring them to make more sustainable choices. The wreath is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use, making it versatile and value for money. The wreath perfectly captures the essence of autumn, and knowing it's eco-friendly makes it even more special. The holder is proud to display the wreath in their home, knowing they are supporting sustainable practices.

    ReplyDelete

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