Foraged Christmas Wreath | DIY

Christmas

Hey guys! Happy Wednesday!

Today I wanted to stop by and share a fun little project/tutorial I did last week. I love fresh Christmas wreaths but I never buy them because they're always so dang expensive. I have a few fake ones that I like and are really pretty, but they don't have that good smell that fresh ones have. Then I realized, duh! I have a forest behind my house and tons of evergreens! So I decided to make my own. I enlisted the help of my little sis to be my photographer/videographer (hey Tiffany!) and I created a tutorial to take you through the process in case you decide to make your own too!




We live in a pretty wooded area, and we have lots of cedars, sugar pines, and douglas firs growing on our property. One of the most fun and easiest steps of this project was gathering what I could from our backyard! But even if you don't have as easy access to trees as I do, there's other ways to go about it.

Maybe you live within driving distance of some woods. In some areas you need a permit to forage and other places it's free. Just call your local county, BLM, or forest service to find out what rules apply where you live. If you go adventuring to forage for your wreaths, just make sure to always tell someone where you're going, and even better, take someone with you too!

I've also heard you can sometimes find Christmas tree vendors that will sell their trimmings for cheap or you could use trimmings off of your own tree if you purchase a real one.




If you do forage for your greenery, just make sure you don't get too crazy. Don't go onto private property without permission, don't take to much off of any one spot on the tree, and leave the place as you found it. I found that I didn't really have to trim much at all off my trees, and I had way more than enough to make mine.





Even if you've never made a wreath before (like me!) it's actually pretty simple once you gather all your supplies. And it's so much cheaper than buying one! I went and spent around $7 on a few supplies and some faux berries (since those were the only thing I didn't have growing naturally here, maybe I need to plant some in the future, hmm?).

The things you'll need for your wreath are:

  • A Wreath frame (I used a 12 in.)
  • Green floral wire
  • Accents (optional: faux berries, ribbon, bows, pinecones)
  • Garden shears
  • Wire cutters (I just used my garden shears) 
  • Greenery trimmings (about 12 inches long) 
  • A Workspace cover (I used kraft paper to keep the pitch off my table)


The first thing you'll need is a frame unless you want it to be more loose and wild, in which case you could try making the wreath just out of your greenery, but I wanted that extra support (plus something to hang it by). I just used a basic metal one that I can re-use every year, but you could also choose a grapevine or other type of frame. You'll also need some floral wire (green to blend in), and any other accents you might want like pine cones, faux berries or ribbon. 

I used my garden shears on my floral wire, which is probably a no-no, but it was so thin I don't think it really hurt them. They do have wire that comes on a roll with a cutter, so that would be a really handy way to go if you didn't want to buy them separately.  

Once you have all of your greenery, all you have to do is start connecting it with your floral wire!




I gathered trimmings that were about 12-18 inches long and then I cut them down into smaller pieces.  They probably ended up being about a third to half that once I cut them up and started combing them into bunches. I would either do all one type or I would use a couple pieces of cedar, and add them to a piece or two of fir and wrap them together at the bottom with wire. 

Next I would use another piece of wire to wrap and secure it to my frame. After I got going I realized it was faster to make up my bunches of greenery and once I had several, add them to the frame. You want to work from top to bottom, layering each consecutive bunch over the bottom of the one before it to cover your wire.




After you work your way around the frame, you want to go back in and fill in any bare or thin spots with smaller bunches. Sometimes I'd used multiple types of greenery together but with smaller pieces and sometimes I would use one individual piece to fill in a small spot.

All you want to do is make sure that you're attaching them in a way that your wire will be hidden by other parts of the wreath. If you use the green wire it blends in pretty well though.


I also recommend picking it up off your workspace periodically so you can see how well everything is attached. I had some parts that wanted to fall a little from the top of the pieces, so I had to wire them on the tops too. That should only be a problem on one little section though, just because of the direction the greenery is going. 



After you have all of your greenery connected, it's time for accents! You can go as simple or elaborate as you want, but I opted for just a few faux berries and a couple of pine cones. My pine cones were almost completely closed up still, but I was able to wrap my wire in between the rows of petals (is that what you would call them?) and then use that same piece of wire to connect them to the wreath. And I wired my berries onto some smaller pieces of greenery then wired them to the frame too.




And you're done! Like I said, this project is so much fun and you can go as basic or ornate as you want to. It's a simple process either way, and it's a pretty quick project that you can do by yourself, or with friends and family. I plan on making it a yearly tradition now, and maybe sometimes I'll make a party out of it and invite all my girls over to make some too!

Hopefully it all made sense with the pictures and instructions, but I have a video too! You can watch me make mine, so it should make the process that much easier if you decide to make one too. 


I've been wanting to start creating some video content for the blog, so I made a youtube channel and I plan on doing more videos in the future if you guys like them! I love to watch videos, so definitely let me know if that's something you'd like to see more of :)

Alright, thanks so much for stopping by today, and I hope you enjoy your wreath making! Please share them with me if you do make them, email me or tag me on Instagram or Facebook because I'd love to see them! Have a great rest of your day friends!

I Wish This Was a Tutorial.....

Anniversary
UPDATE: I love trying to come up with unique dates for us, besides the typical dinner and a movie. If you want to check out some of our other anniversary dates, click here! Or by year: 2014 | 2015 | 2017
*           *           *           *           *           *           *

I wish this was a tutorial, but it most definitely is not!

I did want to share a fun little project with you all though, because even though I'm not talented enough to tell you how to do it, I think anyone else could stumble through it just as well as I did! (And I'll share some tutorials from people who actually did know what they were doing.)

A couple of weeks ago, I had a brilliant idea!

The end of this month marks five years since Dane and I have been married. (Awww!) So I wanted to do something a little extra special, while still staying on a budget. I thought that I would try to make some sort of special night in for us.

Then I realized that I do a lot of "nights in" for us. It has become my standard anniversary/Valentine's deal. I light a bunch of candles, create a playlist, and make a fancy dinner. But how many times can I do that same old thing?

And for those of you wondering why he won't just take me out to dinner, well, we do that a lot too. When you don't have kids, you have the freedom to do date nights a lot! When everything you do is just the two of you, and there's nobody to need to get a break from, any sort of outing becomes a date night, and then even that can become less special. So a romantic night in is sometimes more fun!

This time though, I felt like I needed to up my game a little bit, and come up with something that would really wow him! Then it came to me. I would make an a-frame tent outside, and we would have a romantic camp-out in the backyard!

So I give you: Romantic Backyard Glam-ping!


I knew Dane would love something like this, because he's such an outdoorsy guy, and even if it was just camping in our backyard, he would really enjoy it! Plus, who doesn't love a good sheet/blanket fort?

I was so excited that I got started right away! I went to the store and bought all of my wood and supplies. I think I spent about twenty bucks on all of the stuff for the frame, which consisted of several lengths of 1x2 and 2x2 wood, some bolts, and a couple packages of rope. Everything else, like the lights and coverings, I already had. Most of my information came from a couple of tutorials, here and here.

Now, you can go as fancy or as simple as you want, and I went with very simple. My coverings just bed sheets, and they weren't really attached very well to my frame, just to each other (although that would have been helpful when the wind was blowing!). And I didn't use a dowel rod on the top like that first tutorial did, but in hind sight I think that was the way to go. Instead, I just used screws to attach one of my boards, and I ended up snapping one! It never fell down on us though, so I guess it worked just fine. Like I said, this is no tutorial. I am not a good enough craftsman for that! So, just refer to those links up there :)




For dinner I wanted to go with something light and easy, and I'm glad that I did! Setting up the tent took a lot time and energy, so when it came to the food, I didn't want to have to put a ton of work into it. I still wanted it to tasted good though, so I made some bruschetta with fresh tomatoes from the garden, basil, and fresh mozzarella! I also set out some pita chips and hummus, prosciutto, and a bag of assorted dark chocolates (because those are Dane's favorite!).








 So, besides the fact that I basically spilled the beans (twice! Both on the what and the when) Dane never knew exactly what I had up my sleeve, and he was very impressed with all that I did! We pretty much just hung out and did our usual thing, talking and watching netflix (because what's glam-ping without internet access?) but it was all the more special, because everything is better with twinkle lights!






So there you have it! A fun and magical night in, that doesn't break the bank! The best part, is that these ideas are all so versatile. You could build a fort inside, if the weather wasn't cooperating, or just string up some lights where ever you wanted a little mood lighting. Or, instead of using this for an anniversary, you could do like the tutorials above and make one for your kids to enjoy. Forts make the best reading nooks and hang out spots!

If you do decide to make one, I wish you the best of luck! (Although if I can do it, anyone can.) Now, I'm off to work on something else that Dane enjoys. Clean laundry! Have a great rest of your Tuesday, and thanks for stopping by!

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Ceiling Fan DIY: Update

DIY
Well, I was able to finish up my ceiling fan blades a couple of weekends ago! The whole project took almost no time at all, and I had the perfect window of opportunity with all the sunshine we'd been having. I suppose this could be considered kind of a "how-to" post, but really, it was so easy that I think anyone could figure it out.

As a reminder, here are what the fans looked like before I painted them.


 Family Room


Dining Room


They didn't really match, and they were very dated. I didn't want to put out the money to buy new ones though! I got to looking at them as I was cleaning them one day, and I realized that it would be so easy to just unscrew the blades and paint them! That way, I could kind of tie them together even if the bases still looked different. 

I originally decided to do the blades in black, because I thought it would really pop against the gold bases. I had a couple of cans of spray paint, and I didn't want to have to buy any more (I know, what a cheapskate). So the color I ended up choosing was actually called Oil Rubbed Bronze by Krylon.  The tops I did in Black Hammered by Rust-Oleum, so they would look a little different, and also have a shinier, slicker texture where the dust would gather. My theory is that it will be easier to clean this way? I guess we will see.


                                            Bottom                                        Top

As far as prep work goes, I didn't do much. Since I was using spray paint, I figured it would adhere pretty well, so I didn't sand them or anything. I'm pretty lazy, and when it comes to projects, I tend to have more of a "good enough" attitude. As long as it looks good, it's good enough, and if it needs fixing later, I'll deal with it then. All I did was clean the blades really well. I used a pretty heavy duty de-greaser and made sure there was no dust, or in the case of the dining room blades, grease. I washed and dried them, and then I was ready to go. 

Now I only got one picture of the actual painting process, but it's pretty self explanatory. Just follow the instructions on your spray paint can, and go to town! I had a couple of saw-horses to lay them on while I was painting, and that worked great, but any surface that you don't mind getting some paint on works just fine. Or lay down a lot of newspapers!


Perfect day for painting outside

After everything dried, all I had to do was screw them back into the base. This was the hardest part, so if you had someone to help with this, it would be better. That way, one person could hold the blade in place, while the other worked the screw gun or screw driver. I actually had to use both tools, because of the different heights on the fans, but I was able to get most of it done by myself (Dane did do the family room fan one day though, when I wasn't feeling good). 

I suppose if a person wanted to update their fan even more, they could repaint everything, including the base, but this sounded like more work than I wanted to do. You would have to take the whole thing down. That's where you get into electrical stuff, and that's not for me. I liked this project because I could do it myself, and it took almost no time and money! Although, I did end up needing that second can of paint, because I started out with only half a can. Altogether, I used about a full can of paint, and I think I went a little heavier on the second set than the first.

So, finally, here's the finished product!


 Family Room

Dining Room

I love how they turned out, and I think they really work with the look of my house. I feel like black makes such an awesome accent/neutral color, and I use it a lot in my house. But you could do this in any color you wanted, and it would be a really easy project to do in a child's room, if they had a fan. You could use fun colors that matched the decor, and make it become a statement piece! If you're looking for a quick and easy update to your fixture, think about giving this a shot!


What a difference!

Thrifted Goodies

Antiques
This afternoon, after I had my hair appointment, I decided to stop at one of our local thrift stores. I don't spend a lot of time thrift shopping, but once in a while it will cross my mind when I'm out and about in town. Lucky for me that I did stop, or I would have missed out on these awesome deals!

I scored these for $4 a piece!




This was $5!



I immediately spotted the bar stools because of their bright orange vinyl. I would really prefer to leave that as is, but you can see two indents on each seat from something probably being sat on them for too long. I don't think there is anything I'll be able to do to fix that, but I definitely want to stick with orange as my inspiration if I re-cover them. I also plan on painting all of the wooden parts black. As you may have guessed! I think it those colors will really pop together, and I'm really excited to start on them!

The mirror was actually just plain, without a frame. It was sitting next to a stack of old pictures, and there were a variety of colors and styles of frames to choose from! All I had to do was find one I liked, pop out the picture, and insert the mirror! Those are the kinds of projects I like best. I may paint it eventually, the frame isn't in the best condition, but I don't mind it the way it is now. I already have it up on my family room mantle! I don't think I could have asked for some better finds. They definitely made a good day even better.

Now that my list of projects is growing (as it usually is I guess) I suppose I will have to start on them soon! My goal is to start on at least one of them by no later than the beginning of next week. I'm so excited though, I may have to start this weekend! I can't wait to have some final products to share with you all.



Some DIY For Ya

DIY
Our house seems to have been in a constant (if minor) state of remodel for the last four and a half years we've owned it. Even when we don't have a big project going on, there are still little things that are begging for our attention. Maybe it's the fact that I can't ever seem to finish anything completely....

Anyway, I'm always adding something to my list of things to do to our house, especially in the cosmetic department. My latest idea is to paint the blades of our two ceiling fans so they match. Now, granted, the fans themselves are completely different, but I figured matching blades would really tie them together, and that would be good enough for me! They both already have gold bases, so I figured black blades would look really nice. I don't know, maybe that's just me. I'm definitely not an expert on what looks good and what doesn't, but I know what I like. And I like black ceiling fan blades!

So here are what the fans look like at the moment. Nothing too bad, but they are very dated and could use a little tlc. I'm all about doing things on the cheap, so that's why I decided paint would be the route to take, instead of replacing them altogether.

Dining Room

Family Room

It shouldn't be too difficult, because all I have to do is unscrew the blades from the base. After I clean them up a bit, I'll spray paint them. I'm pretty excited, because I think black makes such a good accent color to a neutral base, and I hope to get my house to that kind of color scheme soon. As you can see, I have navy blue accent walls, and I'm not totally crazy about them. I'm all for adding color, but I think I will like it better when that color comes from accessories, instead of my walls.

Well, there you have it. I plan on taking some pictures of the process, and sharing it all with you when it's done! I figure now that you're all waiting anxiously for the finished product (ha!) that I will get it done sooner rather than later. Wish me luck that it all turns out!

P.S.- While I'm at it, I might as well finish cutting in the paint around the base of that bottom fan, don't you think? ;)

Road Side Treasure

Antiques
Last Saturday evening, Dane (dear husband) and I were on our way to dinner with his parents when something caught my eye. It was a free armoire on the side of the road! Now one thing about me is that I love big, old, classic furniture. I love anything shabby chic, and I always have a list of d.i.y. projects for my home that I want to get around to. So, needless to say, this find totally made my week!







It will need some new hardware and paint, but I love the detailing on the doors. I haven't decided where exactly I want to put it, but I think I will most likely be keeping it. Maybe if I get good enough at it, I'll start scouting for cheap pieces to re-do and sell, but for now anything I find is something I want to keep!

The new armoire is going to have to be on the bottom of the list for now though, because I still have one that I bought last summer at a yard sale for $10. It has a little bit of a different look on the outside, but they are both very similar on the inside. This one currently houses my mess of scrapbooking and gift wrapping supplies.





One idea I have is to take out the shelves inside of one of them, add a rod, and use it to hang baby clothes! But we'll just have to wait and see if that ever happens. For now though, I'll just focus on picking out colors and re-finishing them as they are. Hopefully I can get them done by the end of the year! Wish me luck!






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