Thursday, December 17, 2015

A Frosty Day In The Garden

echinacea, frosty echinacea
Nineteen degrees Fahrenheit (-7˚C) - really?  I could hardly believe my eyes as I peered at the temperature gauge outside my kitchen window.  And as I looked out into my garden, or what remains of it, I could see that the last surviving plants and flowers were covered in ice crystals! When the average seasonal temperatures in our valley at this time of year are a high of 52˚F (11˚C) and a low of 38˚F (3˚C), a frosty nineteen degrees in the garden is a visual story just waiting to be told. So let's start with the echinacea flower pictured above - it's the only flower left on that plant. And when the petals decay and fall away, what stays intact are the spiny seed pods:

echinacea, frosty echinacea

And those spiny seed pods are a delicious treat for the little yellow finches that love to eat them, as evidenced here:

echinacea, frosty echinacea

The last of the pink tea roses on this rosebush faded away several weeks ago, but those beautiful green leaves have endured:

tea rose, tea rosebush, frosty tea rose, frosty tea rosebush
tea rose, tea rosebush, frosty tea rose, frosty tea rosebush
tea rose, tea rosebush, frosty tea rose, frosty tea rosebush

I love the patinated surface of this terra cotta sun face from New Mexico. It has been hanging on this fence, aging gracefully, for some years now. I was excited to photograph its frosty, sparkling, perpetually beaming smile this day, in a moment of glorious shadow and light:

New Mexico sun, New Mexico frosty sun

Here are a few more colorful, frosty leaves and flowers I spotted, such as these blueberry leaves:

blueberry leaves, frosty blueberry leaves

And some strawberry leaves:

strawberry leaves, frosty strawberry leaves

A dahlia:

dahlia, frosty dahlia

A chrysanthemum:

chrysanthemum, frosty chrysanthemum

And the ever popular hydrangea:

hydrangea, frosty hydrangea
hydrangea, frosty hydrangea
hydrangea, frosty hydrangea

Spending time in the garden would not be complete for me without a little peek into the bird world. During this time of year, we get many of the small perching birds such as this Oregon Junco. Did you know that it's easy to photograph birds outdoors? This method works very well if you regularly feed 'backyard birds', who are accustomed to spending time in your garden: when they come to eat the food you have provided, just find an out of the way spot and sit perfectly still. As long as you don't make any loud noise or move suddenly, they are usually not disturbed by the slow subtle movements of taking pictures. Give it a try!

Oregon Junco, Junco, feed the Junco, feed the birds, photograph birds, how to photograph birds

Thanks for spending A Frosty Day In The Garden with me!


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Saturday, November 28, 2015

Styling The Seasons - November

hydrangea wreath, hydrangea flowers, dried hydrangea flowers, dried hydrangea flower wreath
With November nearly gone, it's time to reflect on some of the recent events that have had the most significance for me. As a memory keeper, it makes me happy to be able to slow down and share some of these cherished 'kitchen table' moments with you.       

On Thanksgiving morning, I made the hydrangea wreath shown in the above photo for my mom who lives in a nursing home nearby. My daughter Audrey and I brought it to her that same day, along with a small colorful autumn-themed oil painting (shown above, already gift wrapped), and a Thanksgiving greeting card. Mom loves greeting cards, and our visit and the gifts mean a great deal to her.
roast turkey, cranberry relish, Autumn Mini Pumpkin Table Centerpiece

Thanksgiving dinner with my family: this year, we had the traditional roast turkey 'with all the trimmings', as the saying goes. True comfort food! Also shown is my favorite holiday relish, a Martha Stewart recipe that is made with fresh cranberries, apple, orange, and walnuts. I also made the festive seasonal table decoration sitting to the right of the turkey. This year was the first time I've ever purchased the cute mini pumpkins, and I've thoroughly enjoyed playing with them, both as a decoration, and as photo props on Instagram.
A Beautiful Mess, Happy Handmade Home, Elsie Larson, Emma Chapman, black coffee, pumpkin pie, hydrangea petals

In the early morning on the day after Thanksgiving, I spent over an hour photographing mother nature's handy work in my garden - soon to become another blogpost featuring my garden in various seasons. Although it was incredibly cold, I very much enjoyed walking around with my camera looking for interesting compositions. Afterward, I gave myself some time to rest, reflect, and enjoy a warming cup of coffee and a slice of homemade pumpkin pie. Currently, I've been reading Happy Handmade Home by Elsie Larson and Emma Chapman, as well as some other interesting books found at the local library. The remainder of my holiday time will be spent doing chores like raking leaves, organizing my work space, and cleaning up after the holiday. So, all the more reason to enjoy the now...

Styling The Seasons is a monthly photography challenge hosted by Katy of Apartment Apothecary and Charlotte of Lotts & lots. To participate, just style any surface in your home and share it on your blog and/or on Instagram using the hashtag #stylingtheseasons.
  
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Wednesday, November 25, 2015

DIY: Autumn Mini Pumpkin Table Centerpiece

mini pumpkins, moss, leaves, seeds, berries
Ornamental pumpkins are a new favorite decorative element of mine. I discovered that their segmented circular shapes and attractive bright colors are the perfect complement to the natural decorative materials I like to gather, and serve as an interesting main attraction in an easy to make festive display. And, well - they are just so darn cute!

To make this table centerpiece you'll need the following:

• 5 mini pumpkins (found at many grocery stores during autumn)
• a variety of leaves, moss, seeds, berries - whatever you can find
• one paper doily
• a gold charger plate (I found mine at a local thrift shop)

I really enjoyed getting outside and gathering up the bits of nature that were later used to fill in the gaps in and around the pumpkins. It's fortunate having an abundance of natural choices right here in my own yard, and it didn't take long to collect several handfuls of interesting materials:
gatherings, moss, seeds, berries,arborvitae

After coming back indoors, it was fun just laying everything out and looking over this wonderful variety of mosses, lichens, berries, seed pods and arborvitae sprigs:
mini pumpkins, gold charge, doily, moss, seeds, berries, Japanese maple leaves, blueberry bush leaves, arborvitae springs

I had saved a few autumn colored leaves from a Japanese maple and my blueberry bushes, and added those to the mix as well.  

The first step is to arrange the mini pumpkins on your platter. This is where you want to pay attention to color, size and shape, as these elements determine the dynamics of the arrangement:
mini pumpkins, gold charge plate, doily, moss, Japanese maple leaves, arborvitae sprigs

Make sure to leave space around some of the pumpkins; this will be where you will want to fill in those gaps with some of your gathered materials. I started with the arborvitae sprigs, adding in just a few around the perimeter of the charger plate:
mini pumpkins, gold charger plate, doily, moss, Japanese maple leaves, sweet gum seed pods, holly berries

Next, I added three sweet gum seed pods:
mini pumpkins, gold charge plate, doily, arborvitae springs, moss, Japanese maple leaves, holly berries

Then, I filled in the gaps between the pumpkins with moss, as well as adding some around the outsides:
mini pumpkins, gold charger plate, doily, arborvitae springs, sweet gum seed pods, moss, Japanese maple leaves, holly berries

A few leaves:
mini pumpkins, gold charger plate, doily, arborvitae springs, blueberry leaves, Japanese maple leaves, moss

Some alder seed cones:
mini pumpkins, gold charger plate, doily, arborvitae sprigs, sweet gum seed pods, blueberry leaves, Japanese maple leaves, moss, alder seed cones

And lastly, some holly berries:
mini pumpkins, gold charge plate, doily, arborvitae sprigs, moss, sweet gum seed pods, alder seed cones, holly berries

And that's it! I plan on using my new centerpiece as part of the table decor for our Thanksgiving Day celebration on Thursday, but of course this display is a great centerpiece for an autumn Sunday dinner, too. 

Thanks for reading, and I hope you will consider creating an Autumn Mini Pumpkin Table Centerpiece of your very own.  

See you next time!
       
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Sunday, November 15, 2015

Roasted Pumpkin Soup

pumpkin soup, roasted pumpkin soup, soup, autumn soup, pumpkin pie spice, Fiestaware, Fiestaware peacock, Fiestaware shamrock, vintage bowl

Hi friends! Is it getting chilly in your part of the world? The cold weather is beginning to sink in here in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. I shouldn't complain, though - up until now the days have been sunny and pleasant.

But now that the rain is back and the temperatures are no longer mild, it's time to get out the soup pot and make some homemade soup.  I enjoy sitting at the kitchen table, watching the birds flit in and out of my garden while I linger over a hot bowl of soup. There are sparrows, wrens, towhees, blue jays, finches, bushtits, flickers, downy woodpeckers, and starlings. But that is a story for another day. Soup is on the menu today.

And the taste of pumpkin soup, in my mind, must include pumpkin pie spice. As everyone knows, pumpkins and spice go together. Traditional pumpkin pie spice mixture is a blend of powdered cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. Considered a warming spice, pumpkin pie spice is often found not only in pumpkin pie, but also soups, stews, curries, vegetable dishes, breads, and even ice cream! 'Pumpkin everything', as the saying goes!

I pondered over several recipes both in my collection of cookbooks and on the internet, and found that I prefer a savory, rather than a sweet pumpkin soup, so there is no sugar in this recipe. I think that onions, and a pumpkin that I roasted myself, also contribute to that savory flavor I was looking for. Here is my version of this classic soup:


Roasted Pumpkin Soup

1/2 of a medium onion, diced
3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds roasted pumpkin, mashed
4 cups chicken broth
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon flour
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
salt and pepper to taste
2-4 cups water

In a soup pot, heat olive oil and sauté the diced onions until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the roasted pumpkin and the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Combine the butter and flour, and stir it into the boiling soup. Add salt, pepper, and the pumpkin pie spice. Turn the heat down and simmer the soup for 30 minutes with a lid on half way to retain liquid, and add water as necessary, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasonings to your preference. Once your soup has your desired taste and consistency, remove from the heat and take off the lid. Let cool for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to release the steam. When cool, pureé in a blender or food processor, and return to the soup pot. Reheat the soup, and serve garnished with a pinch of pumpkin pie spice. Enjoy!

Yield: about 8-10 cups
Cooking time: about 2 hours

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Sunday, November 8, 2015

Ode To A Summer Garden, Through The Lens

The summer garden brings so much joy; it's hard to let go...
Echinacea, I will miss your sturdy colorful petals bobbing in the warm gentle breeze...

And blueberry, I am already anticipating next summer when I can taste your sweetness in my cereal again...

And hosta, your broad, ribbed leaves and delicate purple flowers are a sight to behold. See you next year, my friend...

Maple - you are the brightest star in my garden galaxy! With each passing day, your long branches are becoming more visible, reminding me that this past summer is now just a memory...


I will never forget you, dear lily. Your sweet scent on a warm summer night is wrapped up in my mind's eye, and shall live there forever...

All photos taken with my iPhone.


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Saturday, October 31, 2015

Styling The Seasons - October

Bazzil cardstock, Bo Bunny Licorice Chevron paper, Micron pen by Sakura, Zig marker, Prima flowers, Prima velvet trinkets, Tombow adhesive, American Tag brads, Queen and Company Deco Dots, The Paper Company jewels, Glue Dots International, Hirschberg Schutz and Company Inc gold elastic cord, Trader Joe's potted marigold, E.O. Brody Company footed fruit bowl, vintage fruit bowl, green glass vintage fruit bowl, Danish cast iron candle holder, Danish cast iron candlestick holder, Swan brand match box, Swan matches, Swan matchsticks

Serendipity, or the accidental discovery of something which you were not in quest of, perfectly describes my October Styling The Seasons display. It all started last weekend when, inspired by the seasonal change that has finally taken hold in my town, I went to the grocers to get some stems of mini pumpkins, and use them as a springboard to style a surface in my home. But much to my surprise, I saw potted marigolds displayed on some hay bales, and was immediately drawn to them. I looked at the tag and it said "Hay mas tiempe que vida", or "There is more time than life."
Bazzil cardstock, Bo Bunny Licorice Chevron paper, Micron pen Sakura, Zig marker, Prima flowers, Prima velvet trinkets, Towbow adhesive, American Tag Company brads, Queen and Company Deco Dots, The Paper Company jewels, Glue Dots International, Hirschberg Schutz and Company Inc gold elastic cord, Trader Joe's potted marigold

You may have heard of Dia de los Muertos, or the 'Day Of The Dead'; beginning on October 31st and ending on November 1st, this holiday honors those that have passed on. It originated in Mexico, but is celebrated throughout Latin America, and there are similar celebrations in Europe, Asia, and Africa, all of which take place during autumn. In my own family, we have joined the late summertime festivities of the Buddhist Obon festival, which also honors past ancestors, for almost twenty years now.
Bazzil cardstock, Bo Bunny Licorice Chevron paper, Micron pen Sakura, Zig marker, Prima flowers, Prima velvet trinkets, Tombow adhesive, American Tag Company brads, Queen and Company Deco Dots, The Paper Company jewels, Glue Dots International, Hirschberg Schutz and Company Inc gold elastic cord, Trader Joe's potted marigolds

Marigolds, or Tagetes erecta, are native to Mexico and Central America and are referred to as the Flower With 400 Lives, or Flower Of The Dead (Flor de Muerto). They are used during The Day Of The Dead as decorations for ofrendas (graves or alters). The adornments also include foods such as candied pumpkin, pan de muerto (a kind of bread), sugar skulls, candles, photographs, and personal mementos of the person being remembered. As well as being decorative, marigolds are thought to attract the souls of the dead to these offerings.
Trader Joe's potted marigold, Swan Vestas The Smokers Match, Swan Vestas matchsticks

Here in the United States, as in many other countries, All Hallows' Eve, or Halloween, is celebrated on October 31st. Our family has always celebrated this holiday - my kids love to dress up and I enjoy putting up some lights and a few decorations. This year is no different - the lights and decorations have once again found their traditional places in and around our home, but this year, I've also added my own version of an ofrenda. I used Pinterest to create a board of ideas to help me decide how I would like to design my own ofrenda. Building on the idea of honoring the dead, and in addition to my beautiful potted marigolds, I added a vintage footed pedestal bowl that I filled with fruit:
E.O. Brody Company M6000 Cleveland Ohio USA, E.O. Brody Company green glass footed bowl, vintage E.O. Brody Company footed bowl, vintage fruit bowl

And placed a candle in a vintage 1950s black cast iron Danish candle holder:
Danish candle holder, Danish cast iron candle holder, Danish cast iron black candlestick holder, vintage Danish candle holder, Bazzil cardstock, Bo Bunny Licorice Chevron paper, Micron pen Sakura, Zig marker, Prima flowers, Prima velvet trinkets, Tombow adhesive, American Tag Company brads, Queen and Company Deco Dots, The Paper Company jewels, Glue Dots International, Hirschberg Schutz and Company Inc gold elastic cord, Swan Vestas matchbox, Swan Vestas The Smokers Match, vintage Swan Vestas matchbox

An old box of matches is at the ready - I think I'll light my candle tonight:
Swan Vestas The Smokers Match, Swan matchbox, Swan Vestas matchbox, vintage Swan Vestas matchbox

And because skulls are a large part of both Halloween and Day Of The Dead, I decided to make the banner hanging on the wall behind this display. I simply hand drew a skull shape on white cardstock and cut it out, then used it to trace four more skulls. I had fun pulling out my scrapbooking supplies, hand drawing the faces of the skulls, and decorating each one with flower headdresses:
Bazzil cardstock, Bo Bunny Licorice Chevron paper, Micron pen Sakura, Zig marker, Prima flowers, Prima velvet trinkets, Tombow adhesive, American Tag Company brads, Queen and Company Deco Dots, The Paper Company jewels, Glue Dots International, Hirschberg Schutz and Company Inc gold elastic cord,
Here's a close up view of each paper skull:
Bazzil cardstock, Bo Bunny Licorice Chevron paper, Micron pen Sakura, Zig marker, Prima flowers, Prima velvet trinkets, Tombow adhesive, American Tag Company brads, Queen and Company Deco Dots, The Paper Company jewels, Glue Dots International, Hirschberg Schutz and Company Inc gold elastic cord,
Bazzil cardstock, Bo Bunny Licorice Chevron paper, Micron pen Sakura, Zig marker, Prima flowers, Prima velvet trinkets, Tombow adhesive, American Tag Company brads, Queen and Company Deco Dots, The Paper Company jewels, Glue Dots International, Hirschberg Schutz and Company Inc gold elastic cord,
Bazzil cardstock, Bo Bunny Licorice Chevron paper, Micron pen Sakura, Zig marker, Prima flowers, Prima velvet trinkets, Tombow adhesive, American Tag Company brads, Queen and Company Deco Dots, The Paper Company jewels, Glue Dots International, Hirschberg Schutz and Company Inc gold elastic cord,
Bazzil cardstock, Bo Bunny Licorice Chevron paper, Micron pen Sakura, Zig marker, Prima flowers, Prima velvet trinkets, Tombow adhesive, American Tag Company brads, Queen and Company Deco Dots, The Paper Company jewels, Glue Dots International, Hirschberg Schutz and Company Inc gold elastic cord,
Bazzil cardstock, Bo Bunny Licorice Chevron paper, Micron pen Sakura, Zig marker, Prima flowers, Prima velvet trinkets, Tombow adhesive, American Tag Company brads, Queen and Company Deco Dots, The Paper Company jewels, Glue Dots International, Hirschberg Schutz and Company Inc gold elastic cord,

October has unexpectedly opened up a new experience for me, of being inspired by fall flowers, and developing that inspiration into something special that my family and I can enjoy in our home.
Bazzil cardstock, Bo Bunny Licorice Chevron paper, Micron pen Sakura, Zig marker, Prima flowers, Prima velvet trinkets, Tombow adhesive, American Tag Company brads, Queen and Company Deco Dots, The Paper Company jewels, Glue Dots International, Hirschberg Schutz and Company Inc gold elastic cord, E.O. Brody Company M6000 Cleveland Ohio bowl, Trader Joe's potted marigolds, Danish cast iron candle holder,

What has the month of October meant for you?  

Styling The Seasons is a monthly opportunity to style a surface in your home and share it on your blog and/or on Instagram.  If you would like to know about Styling The Seasons, visit Katy Orme's blog Apartment Apothecary or Charlotte's blog Lotts & lots.  You can also search for the hashtag #stylingtheseasons on Instagram.

Oh, and if you'd like to see the Dia de Los Muertos Pinterest board I created for this post, click here.  

Thanks for reading!

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Monday, October 26, 2015

DIY: Autumn Floral Crown

DIY, Do It Yourself, Autumn Floral Crown, Floral Crown, head wreath, Trader Joe's bouquet, Trader Joe's seasonal bouquet, floral crown made with Trader Joe's flowers

The golden days of autumn are here in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. Summer has taken its time leaving, giving us chilly mornings, warm sunny days, and making all the colors of autumn a more joyous experience with glorious sunlight shining through the changing leaves.  

And with those colorful changes my mind has turned to fun ways in which to celebrate the season, and flowers, of course, are the perfect way to do that. I recently picked up a fall bouquet at a local market and was inspired by the seasonal color palette to create an autumn floral crown. The mix of colors in the bouquet reminded me of all the hues I see in the changing leaves - yellow, orange, pink and red, with green hanging in there for as long as it can.    

This simple yet colorful crown can be made with just a few supplies: floral wire, floral tape, some junky scissors, and of course flowers. Along with the flowers in the bouquet, I already had on hand a bow and some little birds, left over from a silk flower crown I had made a couple years ago. I also happened to gather some alder seed cones when I was out walking with my daughter recently, and decided to use those as well.
DIY, Do It Yourself, Autumn Floral Crown, Plum Blossom Autumn Floral Crown, floral crown, head wreath, supplies for flower crown

The first step is to create the shape of the crown with the floral wire. This is as easy as pulling out enough wire from the spool, and then wrapping it around your head and adding about 1-2 inches to that measurement. Cut the wire. Repeat this two more times until you have three strands. Twist the strands together, and make a circle with them, twisting all six ends together, like so:
supplies for floral crown, DIY, Do It Yourself, Autumn Floral Crown, floral crown, head wreath, Plum Blossom Autumn Floral Crown

Wrap all six strands into the circle you've made. This will be the back of the crown. Now it's time to wrap the entire crown with floral tape - here's mine in the process:
supplies for floral crown, DIY, Do It Yourself, Autumn Floral Crown, floral crown, Plum Blossom Floral Crown, head wreath

Since I wanted my crown to be symmetrical, I started in the front with the two pink flowers you see here:
DIY Autumn Floral Crown, DIY, Do It Yourself, floral crown, flower crown, Plum Blossom Autumn Floral Crown, head wreath

Now it's time to fill the rest of the crown with flowers. If you'll notice, I next used some small bright orange pompoms because its leaves run for the full length of the stem, and make a perfect foundation to develop the crown from:
DIY, Do It Yourself, DIY Autumn Floral Crown, floral crown, flower crown, Plum Blossom Autumn Floral Crown, head wreath

At this point, I added the bow at the back of the crown, and placed one of the birds at the front where the two pink flowers are. Then, I continued wrapping the orange pompom flowers around the crown:
DIY, Do It Yourself, DIY Autumn Floral Crown, Plum Blossom Autumn Floral Crown, floral crown, flower crown, head wreath

Once all the pompom flowers were in place, I began adding in the yellow flowers and used two bunches of the alder seed cones - one on each side near the front:
DIY, Do It Yourself, Autumn Floral Crown, Plum Blossom Autumn Floral Crown, head wreath, floral crown, flower crown

Next, I added in the red-orange flowers and two more yellow flowers towards the back of the crown:
DIY, Do It Yourself, Do It Yourself Autumn Floral Crown, Autumn Floral Crown, floral crown, flower crown, head wreath

And here is the finished crown:
DIY, Do It Yourself, DIY Autumn Floral Crown, Plum Blossom Autumn Floral Crown, floral crown, flower crown, head wreath

And the last step is to wear and enjoy your crown. Grab a friend or family member, and have some fun capturing some photos of you wearing your very own lovely Autumn Floral Crown!

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Tuesday, October 13, 2015

DIY: Autumn Hydrangea Wreath

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Hydrangea, also known as Hortensia, is a flowering shrub native to eastern Asia and the Americas. It is very easy to grow and produces large pom-pom flowers which bloom from spring through autumn. If you have hydrangeas in your garden, you may notice that the stems of the flowers are starting to dry at this time of the year. Now is a good time to take your cuttings and prepare them for this very easy autumn wreath.

First, gather your flowers. Cut long stems and place them in a container in which you've added just a few inches of water. Place your container in a cool shady spot:  

Hydrangea, hydrangea, hydrangea flowers
The idea here is to give them just enough water to keep them moist while the water slowly evaporates.  What happens is the flowers will dry but the petals will stay fresh looking.  My cut flowers sat in this watering can for about two weeks before I made my wreath.  

Once your flowers are dry, gather your supplies:  a wreath form of your choosing, some junky scissors, and some florist wire:

hydrangea wreath, Hydrangea wreath, supplies to make a hydrangea wreath, what do I need to make a hydrangea wreath

I purchased a grapevine wreath at a craft store, and it's about 22" in diameter.

The next step is to start placing the flowers around the wreath form to get an idea of how many you need and decide on placement:

hydrangea wreath, do it yourself hydrangea wreath, how to make a hydrangea wreath, placement of flowers for a hydrangea wreath, dried hydrangea flowers

Once you know how many flowers you will be using, cut a length of wire for each flower head. I used 12 flower heads and cut my wire into about 8 inch lengths.  

Next cut the stems from your flower heads, leaving about 2-3 inches:

hydrangea wreath, Hydrangea wreath, do it yourself hydrangea wreath, cutting hydrangea flowers for wreath, cutting hydrangea flower heads for wreath

I let the size of the flower heads dictate the placement on my wreath, putting the four largest flowers at the top, bottom, and sides, and then filling in the other areas of the wreath with the smaller flowers.  I also paid attention to color and weight balance with the remaining flowers.

hydrangea wreath, Hydrangea wreath, placement of flowers for hydrangea wreath, do it yourself hydrangea wreath

Now simply place a piece of wire through the dried stem of each flower like this:


hydrangea wreath, Hydrangea wreath, do it yourself hydrangea wreath, how to make a hydrangea wreath, placement of wire for hydrangea wreath

Then place the flower on top of the wreath and carefully lift the wreath and wrap the wire around it and twist it in the back to secure it onto the wreath:

securing hydrangea to wreath, how to make a hydrangea wreath, do it yourself hydrangea wreath

Do this until all your flowers are fastened to the wreath.  

An afterthought I had was to use a hot glue gun and glue some of the dried leaves in various places around the wreath, tucking them here and there.

hydrangea wreath, Hydrangea wreath, glueing leaves onto a hydrangea wreath, how to make a hydrangea wreath, do it yourself hydrangea wreath

And now your wreath is ready to hang and enjoy!  I added a blue ribbon to mine.  I love blue!

hydrangea wreath, Hydrangea wreath, how to make a hydrangea wreath, do it yourself hydrangea wreath

I hung this wreath on my front porch, and over time the colors of the flowers will continue to fade.  So if you want your flowers to become 'antiqued' or 'shabby-chic' looking, that would be how to affect it.  I can say though, that if you want the colors to remain as they are, then keep your wreath inside and away from direct light.   

Do you enjoy wreath making?  What materials do you use?  

Thanks for reading!


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