How to Make a Fabulous Fall Wreath for Under $10

Today I’ll be joining the following parties, click on the icons to visit them and see more great projects:

     
 

It was time to update my fall wreath, so I thought I’d share with you just how I did it for under $10.00 and in less than an hour.  This is a great alternative to those premade wreaths sold at craft stores for $30 or more. I bought all the supplies from Michael’s and Dollar Tree, plus I used a few elements I already had on hand.  First off, gather all your supplies on a good work surface.

I purchased the following items:

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  Large Grapevine Wreath ($1.99, but you could use a coupon and get it for less)
  
  
  
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  4 yd. Spool of 2” Wide Fall Ribbon ($2.39 on sale)
  
  
  
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  Various picks (I found the orange glitter leaves and glitter pinecones on sale in the Christmas section for $.39 each, the glittered pumpkin/gourds on sale for $1.19, and the mixed fall glittered leaves on sale for $.59)
  
  
  
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  Leaf garland ($1.00)
  
  
  
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  Leaf bush ($.99)
  
  
  

I already had the small orange/yellow leaf garland, scarecrow picks and narrow sheer plaid ribbon.  I only ended up using the ribbon for this project.  You will also need scissors and wire for this project.  I find that twist ties make a good substitute for floral wire, and they are usually easier to work with for this sort of project.

The day before, I removed the leaves from the Dollar Tree leaf garland, sprayed them with spray adhesive, and sprinkled on some Martha Stewart glitter (the same glitter I used on my pumpkins last week).  Once they were dry, I sprayed them with clear sealer to help seal on the glitter, but I’m not sure that really made a difference.  Obviously this step is optional.  You know I love me some glitter.

The reason I bought a garland and took it apart instead of buying a pack of loose leaves is that I wanted the leaves to have a stem so I could poke them into my wreath.

Now I’m ready to assemble the wreath.  I cut apart the leaf bush so I could work with the individual stems instead of one big bush.  Then I just started sticking them into one side of my wreath.  It’s helpful to go ahead and hang your wreath on the inside of your door so you can see what it will look like as you work.

Then I began to layer in my smaller elements, like this glittered pick, which I also took apart so I could use each piece individually:

I love working with grapevine wreaths because you can just poke things in and they stay without having to use glue.  That way it is easy to change out the elements for a whole new look.  Here’s the wreath after I added all the rest of the picks and leaves:

Next, I made a bow using the ribbon I bought and layered a smaller bow on the top using the ribbon I already had.  If you’ve never made a bow before, there are some great tutorials on You Tube.  It’s easy, you can do it!  

At this point, I wasn’t really digging the bow at the top, so I moved it to the bottom and added some extra “tails” with the narrow ribbon.  Much better and moved to its new location on the front door: 

Obviously, my ideas are just meant to be a guide to show you that you too can have a fabulous fall wreath for not a lot of money.  My Dollar Tree also had some beautiful wide ribbon and other fall bushes and picks, but I had already bought most everything from Michael’s (don’t forget to use coupons).

You could arrange the elements along the bottom half of the wreath, or you could spend a little more and fill the whole wreath.  Whatever you do, don’t get suckered in to buying the pre-made wreaths that can cost anywhere from $30 to $70!!

Next week I’ll show you some different options for decorating your door, as well as what I did with those cute scarecrow picks!

Welcome, Fall!