vintage inspired bird wreath

wreaths are my newest favorite thing to make. i feel like i did when i first learned to bind a book. so much fucking excitement! yeah i love these.

they do take some time, focus, and patience to make a final product that doesn’t look like a craft project gone wrong. give it a try. they make excellent gifts. and they’re all truly beautiful. people will be amazed you made it.

i got all my supplies at michaels. i am usually not that boring. it’s christmas stuff though, and it’s always, like, 50% off. i think everything i got was from a michaels brand called ashland™. just go to michaels, it has everything you’ll need… including that little clip bird. it was around the floral stuff at the michaels i go to.

as far as tools, a heavier gauge floral wire, wire cutter, a glue gun + sticks is all you really need. oh, and scissors.

i started with  ashland™ christmas ‘ting™‘. yes, CHRISTMAS TING™. it’s really just a super thin and somewhat flexible piece of manufactured twig. just weave and braid in and out. in and out. in and out. also, don’t be worried about them breaking, they will… and it’ll be okay.

wired ribbon! this stuff is so awesome, especially for wreaths. i started from the back to the front.. and then, secured it with a tiny bit of hot glue.

more weaving, more braiding. it never gets old. at this point, start using the foliage.

weave tings, twigs, and foliage.. then, adhere a contrasting piece of ribbon onto the other ribbon and, secure with hot glue.

the gold leafs! back to the front.

most things fall into place and feel pretty secure. these gold pieces do not, so they need to be wired.

christmas tings. and more twigs. and more looking. keep looking at your wreath. keep adjusting it. turn your head. turn the wreath. turn your head. repeat.

this garland is very stiff! wrap it around. i didn’t need wire or glue to secure it.

more wiring… and random red berry placement for those little hints of red.

ornaments! more round objects (this is important. we like this when we see it.) keep it away from the red berries to contrast them. then, use hot glue to secure the ornament to the wreath.

pine comb placement is important too. try to visualize where the bird will be. put the pine comb(s) in that general area.

i added a gold ball and more red berries. i really started to like the wreath, at this point.

i glued another ornament down. and thought about where the bird should go, exactly.

on a twig? yes. that’s perfect.

another round object. this time i put the ornament topside down. (top = where it’d normally hang from.)

fishnet of GLITTER, aka,  ashland™ netting. i totally laughed at the thought of someone wearing these to a new years eve party. cut off a foot and wrap it loosely around the wreath as a whole in one area. then pull foliage, leafs, and ornaments out of the netting.

something wasn’t quite right about the solid object of color behind the bird, so…. i used the super sniff garland to somewhat cover it up. that was the final touch… and it was perfect.