Nature Wreaths: This is perhaps the easiest and most popular of the nature crafts! You can use any number of collected items for these, and you can add household objects too, you are only limited by your imagination!
First, you need a base. The easiest solution is to buy a grapevine (or straw, or styrofoam) wreath at the craft store when the go on sale. They are very cheap, and are strong enough to hold up over the years. You can find them from just a few inches across, to a large 36 incher or more! You could also make your own by shaping a wire coat hanger, then wrapping it with fabric and batting scraps to make a firm base. Tie or glue the scraps on, a glue gun or floral wire is easiest if you are working alone. Just be sure you have enough objects to cover the whole wreath! (Or you might find you like the fabric scraps so much, you hang it on the wall and do what I do, buy a grapevine wreath!)
Next, choose your method of adhesive. Glue guns are my favorite, but you can use regular white glue if your items are lightweight. A hot melt glue gun will last longer and hold stronger, but remember, hot melt glue can damage styrofoam and delicate materials, so in these cases, opt for the low melt gun. Other choices are floral wire, floral picks for straw wreaths, or even pieces of pretty ribbon to tie items on!
Design your wreath. I prefer informal, plan as you go type crafts, but thats me! If you need ideas, pick up a crafts magazine at the grocery store and thumb through, but just for ideas. Youll love it ten times more if it comes from inside you! Besides, if you dont like it, start over, most of the stuff was probably free! In general, related and larger items look better grouped, while smaller more like items look better in an all over design, but experiment!
Need ideas for natural items? Try some of these! Sea shells, small rocks and pebbles, acorns, seed pods, pressed leaves, dried flowers, wasp nests (no wasps, of course), bird nests, pretty dried grasses, driftwood, nuts, feathers, branches and twigs, mosses and lichens(be careful about collecting laws), whale balleen washed up on the beach, small animal skulls(ok, that one isnt for everyone!), barnacles on rocks, etc.. You get the idea here. If it holds beauty in your eyes, or memories in your thoughts, turn it into something wonderful to warm and personalize your home!
