Twig & Acorn Wreath

I love this time of year! The season is changing once again and autumn is almost here! This morning is the first morning that has really had a chill to it! I could see my breath as I went out to do my morning chores. Now I'm wrapped in a cozy blanket enjoying a warm cup of cocoa. I love decorating for autumn because I can utilize so many natural elements that are already on hand. Two things that I happen to have in abundance are branches from a recent landscaping project and acorns. I decided I wanted to create a wreath for my front door with them and I made sure to document it so I could share it with you. I hope you enjoy it!

 

 First, an important note about using acorns for crafting:

Before you use acorns to decorate in your home, you must get rid of any outdoor pests, which are living in the acorns and which will invade your home and cause a yucky mess. The easiest way to do this is to heat them up. I started with green acorns picked right off the tree. I spread them on a cookie sheet and baked them at 350F for 20 minutes. Check them after 10 minutes and roll them around a bit, so they cook evenly. Let them cool and then you're done!

 How to make a Twig & Acorn Wreath:

1. Begin your wreath by cutting up a lot of nice straight, thin branches. I got mine from a lilac tree that we removed from our yard. Cut them into approximately two sizes one longer and one a little shorter. Don't worry about making the lengths exact; it will look nicer if there is a slight variation.

2. Next, cut a piece of sturdy cardboard into a circle about the size you want your wreath to be. You want this to be tough corrugated type, a cereal box is not going to be strong enough. I traced around two clay pots to help me get an even circular shape.

3. Beginning with the longer twigs, use a hot glue gun to secure them to the cardboard until it is evenly covered. 

4. Use the shorter twigs to fill in on top. Pay attention to any places where the cardboard shows and be sure to cover with a twig or two. It looks pretty fun with the just the twigs, but it's about to get even more fun! Time for the acorns!

5. Hot glue the acorns around the center of the wreath. This helps cover any view of the cardboard that might have been showing in the center and really makes this wreath stand out.

6. Once the glue has cooled and everything is set, use a soft under the finger nail type scrub brush to gently brush the wreath off. Brush in the direction of the twigs all the way around. This will get most of those stringy hot glue webs off.

I love how this turned out! I used a cute fall ribbon to hang it on my door and I think it looks great! I haven't had too many visitors since making this wreath, but those who've stopped by have almost always complimented it! It feels good to create! I especially like creating something awesome out of things that are just lying around. For another great wreath tutorial check out how to make grapevine wreaths HERE.

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