The shifting of the seasons keeps us rejuvenated year-round because our physical environment and our climate are ever-changing. Summertime brings hot, lazy days where there’s nothing more refreshing than dipping your foot in the water and sipping on a glass of lemonade. Autumn comes along and provides a crisp and cool change in the air that is only made better with the glorious colors of the changing leaves. Winter means that it’s time for the holidays; with family, friends, and, for some of us, snow. Finally, spring gives us that renewed feeling of everything coming back to life again with birds chirping in the trees and flowers blooming everywhere. Now, you can mimic nature’s seasonal cycles with dried flowers and wreaths that warmly compliment your home.
The first step in making a wreath is to find a good supplier. Some local craft stores have weekly specials where you can clip a coupon from the Sunday paper or go onto their company Web site and print out the discount for that week. I get one weekly that offers 50% off any one regularly-priced item. Check your local stores to get specials from each of them. If you have to go to a couple of stores to get the best deals, then you’re ahead of the game because you’ll be spending less on your supplies.
Next, decide on what type of dried flowers you’d like to put in your home. I like to decorate to accompany the seasons, but you can certainly buy any type of flower that suits your fancy at the time! If you’re going to make a holiday wreath, for example, you might want to choose dried flowers that reflect the season’s colors; red and green. Don’t get too caught up in the types of flowers you’re choosing…it’s the colors that count the most. For example, even if roses aren’t a “winter flower”, you can choose dried red mini-roses for your holiday wreaths and they will look phenomenal.
Finally, choose the size you’d like to make. If you’ll be choosing an outside wreath for your front door, you’ll want to get the largest wreath frame possible. A huge wreath on the front door can lend a dramatic and welcoming ambiance to your home. There are several frames to choose from:
• A grapevine or branch-typed frame goes well with a wreath that will have fewer dried flowers on it. This allows for the natural beauty of the branches to show through. Winter and fall are especially appropriate for these types of frames because the leaves are falling and more of the tree branches are showing through; again, reflecting the season.
• If you’re going to choose a compressed sawdust or metal frame, you’ll need to plan for many more dried flowers so the frame is sufficiently covered. Hot glue, florist’s tape, or florist’s wire work great in helping secure the dried flowers to frames such as these.
If your wreath is going to be for the interior of your home, consider adding a few fragrant dried flowers such as lavender. This dried flower adds a beautiful and relaxing scent to your home as well as a cheerful purple hue to any of the wreaths they adorn.
