If you are looking for an easy, inexpensive way to add ‘punch’ to your porch, why not try making your own diy wreath with everyday household items? It is an easy way to spruce up your front door; whether you live in a single or attached home, apartment or condo, a wreath hanging on your door suggests a warm ‘welcome’ to you and your guests as they enter your home. While there are lots of wreaths to choose from at your local home goods and craft stores, they can often be a bit pricey. And there is nothing more satisfying than personalizing your home with your own, unique, one-of-a-kind creation.
In deciding on a summer wreath for my own home this year, I wanted to make sure that it was not only to my taste, but something unique in my neighbourhood, though nothing too outrageous. ‘Standing out,’ rather than ‘sticking out” was the idea! This year, I chose something bright and cheerful with a modern aesthetic with strong architectural lines and a simple colour-scheme. Oh, and did I mention it needed to be cheap?!
And so, the idea for the $5 wreath in 5 simple steps was born! My material of choice? Plastic drinking straws. Yep, that’s right. Plastic straws are remarkably sturdy and durable in the great outdoors. And you cannot go wrong with the price. With the exception of the straws, which cost me just $4.99 for a box of 300 at the grocery store, I had all the other materials I would need for this incredibly easy, afternoon project. For some of you, this wreath may not cost a penny, depending on the supplies you have.
For this DIY craft project, you will need the following supplies:
-plastic drinking straws
-scissors
-cardboard
-hot glue gun
-paint: white spray paint + yellow acrylic paint(s) + paint brush
-large bowl (for measuring)
-pencil
-measuring tape
-green smoothie to sip on for the duration of the project 🙂
Step 1: Prepare Round Cardboard Base
Take your large bowl and draw an outer circle and inner circle; then cut.
Step 2: Cut Straws
Cut various lengths of straws – this will create the ‘sunburst’ effect for your wreath. I chose 4 different lengths (as you see below). The longest came straight out of the box, while the next two were cut to size (about 1.5 inches shorter than the next). The shortest of the straws, which were about 2 inches long, were used to create a solid ring in the centre of the wreath.
Tip: When cutting the straws, expect some fly-aways that will inevitably end up on the floor. Cut slowly to prevent creating too much of a mess. And if you do, don’t worry about it. This is supposed to be a bit messy and fun 😉
Step 3: Glue Straws onto Cardboard Base
Now start gluing! Use a hot glue gun to adhere each straw on the cardboard ring. For this wreath, there are 3 layers of straws. For the base layer, use the two longest straws to adhere each straw to the cardboard ring, alternating between each, making your way around the ring.
Tip: If you do not own a hot glue gun and wish to do more crafts, I highly recommend purchasing one! These inexpensive tools are amazing to work with because the glue dries almost immediately which will speed up any small craft project you do.
Once you have glued your two longest straws around the cardboard base, completing the circle, you will repeat the process, this time using the next size of straw (or third longest straw length). For this part, you will be gluing the straws overtop of the first layer of straws you just completed. Once you’ve made your way around to complete layer #2, it is time to add layer #3 (i.e., the 2-inch straws that will constitute the innermost ring of the wreath:
This 3-layer wreath creates a more robust look as well as add to the ‘starburst’ effect that will add texture and visual appeal to the final product. [At this point, you can cut the tips of every other straw from the inner ring (about a quarter inch), if you wish. I waited until after spray-painting the wreath to determine whether or not I wished to keep the inner ring solid].
Step 4: Painting Your Wreath
Now you can begin painting the wreath. This can be a fun process as it is the time when you can personalize your wreath to suit your style and taste. In my case, I really wanted the wreath to be bright and modern, so I chose two colours to go with the grey colour of our house: white and golden yellow.
First, paint your base with your colour of choice. I used Rustoleum semi-gloss white, but any spray paint of your choice will do just fine. Go outdoors for this part so that you don’t end up with chemical fumes in your home or apartment. Place a newspaper underneath your wreath and a couple of stones on the newspaper to keep it in place. Next, spray over the wreath in sweeping, even motions (about 10 inches from the wreath). This will add a thin layer of paint. Let dry for about a half an hour, then spray the back side. You very likely need to paint a couple of layers on each side for full coverage.
Tip: do not get too impatient (as I am prone to doing with spray paint). DON’T spray too closely and DO spray paint a couple of layers (rather than spraying and spraying a thick layer as the paint will most definitely pool and possibly ruin your project – my wreath has some pooling here and there, but it, luckily, remained salvageable!).
Step 5 – Golden yellow paint touches
Finish off the project by painting the tips of the outer straws in a colour of your choice to match the colour scheme on your front porch (or apartment hallway & door). In this case, I chose a golden yellow acrylic paint.
The golden yellow I chose was a mix of a couple of different yellows to create just the right hue. If you don’t achieve the right colour the first time, don’t worry too much about it. I decided that I was not happy with the first hue and mixed a new batch and painted over the tips with the new colour. Acrylic paint is ideal for this as it is a quick-drying medium which allows you to paint (and re-paint) to your heart’s content!
Once you have completed this step, your wreath is ready for hanging!
It’s THAT easy and THAT budget-friendly. Why not try creating your own ‘cheap and cheerful’ – ahem – I mean ‘inexpensive and irredescent’ sunburst wreath this weekend? I’d love to hear about your one-of-a-kind creations on the blog, facebook or twitter.
Happy crafting 🙂
For more inspiring craft and DIY ideas from around the web check out the Pretty Pintastic Party.
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