by guest blogger Mark Kintzel, designer
I love creating wreaths for the holidays—especially foraged wreaths.
Inspired by nature on a recent afternoon walk, I gathered oak leaves, hydrangea, ferns, Queen Anne’s lace, grapevine, wheat, and white pine for a rustic autumn wreath. I found that foraging for local plant materials was very relaxing, as was putting together the final wreath.
Here’s how you can make one yourself…
What you’ll need:
- Grapevine wreath (found at most craft stores)
- Small gourds (I purchased mine from a local farm stand)
- Foraged local plant materials (like branches, flowers, seedpods, and leaves)
- Green floral wire
- Hot glue gun
- Garden pruners
How it’s made:
To assemble my wreath, I first made a small loop of wire on the back of the grapevine wreath to hang it. I then started wiring the oak leaves, which were still on their branches, to the wreath base. That created the filler for the wreath. Next, I added the hydrangeas and remaining smaller items.
The best way to approach your creation is to have some fun with it, and by all means, don’t limit your creativity. The glue gun helped to secure the gourds and some of the smaller pieces.
This wreath is suitable to be hung on a door or will look beautiful on an interior wall. As items fade or wilt, simply replace them with freshly foraged pieces.
Happy crafting!
Mark Kintzel comes from a long line of crafters, artists, musicians, and farm folk. He first came under the magic spell of flowers while wandering through meadows near his grandparents’ farm in Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, as a boy. His appreciation for creativity and flowers grew throughout the years, and he now specializes in event planning and styling, garden design, and organic floral arrangements for just about any occasion. See more at markkintzel.com.
While you are out foraging, grab some Virginia Creeper vine and make the foundation wreath instead of buying the grapevine. I did that several years ago when the creeper was trying to overtake my garage.