Happy Friday! We are ecstatic about today's DIY feature! We are so lucky to welcome Emily from one our favorite blogs, Once Wed and Laurie Cinotto of LaLaLaurie and Fine Flowers who have created a very special DIY project for {ritzy bee}!
As a little background, Emily has teamed up with the ULTRA talented Laurie to present weekly modern and beautiful DIY projects that not only will work within a reasonable budget, but also that the average person can actually craft for their own wedding {we mean that too!}. Laurie has been contributing projects for a few weeks and if you have not been visiting Once Wed to see these projects you must absolutely visit this link to see her gorgeous creations so far like these below...
And now for our very special Emily & Laurie DIY...a beautiful and rustic woodland wreath that would make any wedding ceremony and reception gorgeous!
Supplies:
1 14” Styrofoam wreath form
12 floral water picks (short ones with pointed ends)
20 12” pieces of medium thickness floral wire
1 bag of green sphagnum moss
1 yard wide satin ribbon ( 2” – 3” wide)
1 yard thinner ribbon ( approximately 1” wide)
18” skinny ribbon ( to use as hanger for wreath)
1 large hydrangea bloom
1 small maiden hair fern plant (a 4” pot size will work)
6 -9 cymbidium orchid blooms ( or any other small flower will do)
Several long pins ( corsage or t-pins will work)
Several heads from a hen and chick plant
All of the supplies should be available at you local craft store, nursery, or flower shop.
Tools:
Scissors
Wire cutters
Floral clippers or knife
Directions:
Begin by covering your work surface with newspaper or an old tablecloth. Moss is messy!
1. Tie a length of skinny ribbon on the top of your wreath form to make a hanger. (see figure 1)
2. Cut 18 strands of your wire into pieces approximately 3 inches in length. Make your wire into pins by bending the lengths into a U-shape. (see figure 2)
3. Take a piece of your moss and stretch it over the wreath form. (see figure 3) Use the U-shaped wire pins you just created to secure the moss by sticking them through the moss and into the Styrofoam. Continue around the wreath and cover the sides and top of the form completely with moss. (see figure 4)
Next you will assemble all the elements that will be tucked into the moss-covered wreath.
4. Begin by cutting your large hydrangea head into smaller clusters, then stick the stems into the water-filled flower picks. You can use your scissors to make the hole a little larger to fit more flowers in each pick. Fill three or four picks with hydrangeas, then fill the remaining tubes with ferns and orchids. (see figure 5)
5. Cut your 1” wide ribbon into 6 inch lengths. Make a couple of loops with each length, and run a corsage pin through the bottom of each loop to secure. (see figure 6)
6. Make a simple bow using your widest ribbon.
7. With your remaining wire strands, cut several 3 inch lengths. Stick one end of the wire into the back side of the hens and chicks (see figure 7)
You have now assembled all the elements, it’s time to start adding them to the wreath. All of the flowers, ferns and ribbon will be concentrated on the lower section of the wreath form.
8. Begin by sticking the fern filled picks into the wreath form, at an angle with the points pointing inward,. (see figure 8)
9. Add the large bow to the bottom of the wreath and secure it with wire. Add the hydrangea clusters in picks next. (see figure 9)
10. Add cymbidium blooms, ribbon tufts, Lastly, add the hens and chicks.(see figure 10)
11. Tuck in moss to conceal any of the water pick ends.
12. Hang over a mantle, on a door or wall.
Budget:
Wreath form - $5
Water Picks - $2
Ribbon - $6
Flowers- $5
Moss - $6
Fern- $5
Pins and wire - $2
Total amount spent: $31
Absolutely amazing Laurie...we love it and are SO appreciative to both Laurie and Emily for sharing their talents! Please be sure to visit both of them over at Once Wed and LaLaLaurie. Have a great weekend everyone!
Maria, thanks so much again for the lovely post above!!!
Posted by: Emily@oncewed | August 01, 2008 at 08:23 AM
You have a very nice site with an attractive layout and user-friendly series of image link. A joy to visit.
Posted by: Weddings on the Strand | August 03, 2008 at 01:01 AM