DIY Autumn Leaves Wreath

The weather has definitely felt like fall lately! I went to pull out our Fall decorations and realized that I gave most of them away when we moved. All I had left were two fall garlands.

http://www.marquettelareeblog.com/2011/09/autumn-necktie-garland.html

http://www.marquettelareeblog.com/2011/09/autumn-necktie-garland.html

So I decided to see what I could come up with from our local Walmart crafting aisle (the home improvement/hardware/crafting store wasn't open yet when I made my shopping run, so Walmart it was).  I found our crafting section is pretty pathetic compared to what I was used to, but it would work.

I ended up going home with a wire wreath form I got for $2.96 (much cheaper than the grapevine wreaths I discovered!), and 3 sets of autumn plants (two bunches of oak leaves and a floral arrangement) which I got for $3 each (ouch! I remember the leave bunches being $0.99 two years ago!). I dismantled the leaves, clipping them into singles leaves rather than pairs.

I pulled out the hot glue gun and just started gluing them on with no rhyme or reason.

And, I found a great use for the Bumbo (Darrow still loves this thing and it comes in handy when we have two toddlers in the house needing somewhere to sit during mealtime). It makes quite the handy little holder for the glue gun between leaves!

I got all the leaves on and decided I did want to put the items from the floral bunch on, so I clipped those off and glued them on as well. I love how it turned out! I probably could have only bought one bunch of oak leaves as I had a ton left over, but I didn't know that before.

I've had a pin on Pinterest saved for forever about using a command hook to hang wreaths (especially on cabinet doors, or if you just don't like the metal over the door hangers). I didn't have a wreath hanger (and didn't want to buy one), but I did remember that pin. So I used some twine out of the craft drawer and secured the wreath to the back of the screen door, only I did this redneck style. You know the little hydraulic thing on top of screen doors that keeps the door from flinging open or slamming shut? This door is missing that I discovered. I was going to use a command hook, but using that bracket meant that there wouldn't be the back of the command hook visible through the glass. So I tied the twine to that and hung the wreath. At least this way I know the command hook isn't going to give out.

It adds some cheer and color to the front of the house (which desperately needs some cheer and color). This picture made me realize just how badly the house is in need of a paint trim job. I'll put that on the list.

So with the supplies used (one wreath form, and 2 floral bundles-I'm saving the other bunch of leaves for another project down the road), I spent $9 on my fall wreath! Not bad!