Owl Wreath

$10 - $15 (based on 2018 prices)

Makes one wreath

In 2018, I participated in my office’s secret pal gift exchange, where we anonymously sent monthly gifts to a colleague. For November’s present, I decided to return to the act of wreath making (an experience soured by 2017’s haunt) and craft a fall-themed item. Although I decided to use an owl and pinecone, you can substitute the two for other fall-related decorations, such as a scarecrow and pumpkin or a crow and dried corn husk.

• One nine-inch willow wreath
• One yard of burlap ribbon
• One yard of dark brown twine
• Four four-foot garlands of fall leaves (roughly thirty-six leaves per garland)
• One stuffed owl figure
• One pinecone
• Twelve inches of steel wire
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks
  

1. Wrap half of the wreath in burlap ribbon and glue the bands in place. For visual interest, I chose to spiral the fabric outward; however, you could attached it vertically. You may want to play with the ribbon’s pattern before gluing it down.

2. Wrap twine around the ribbon to hide the seams and glue the strands in place. I elected to use a color darker than the burlap to create contrast, but you can match the colors to achieve a more unified appearance.

3. Separate the leaves from their garlands. Although you could do this while you glue them to the wreath, I found that performing this step beforehand made the following process much easier. Plus, it gives you a clear idea of exactly how many leaves you have.

4. Use hot glue to adhere the leaves to the wreath. For visual interest, build up layers and vary the color patterns so that leaves with the same hues and shapes are not concentrated in one area.

5. Glue the owl and pinecone to the lower portion of the wreath where the burlap and leaves meet. You could nestle the items among the foliage (like I did) or give them a more prominent display.

6. Bend the steel wire in half, clap the folded end with a pair of needle-nose plyers, and twist both strands around each other to fashion a hanging loop and glue it to the back of the wreath.

7. Give the wreath additional bulk by fluffing the leaves prior to display. You can also adhere additional leaves around the owl and pinecone to fill gaps and blend the items.