Happy Halloween Wreath • Make Your Own!

As part of Blogtober, I'll be re-running some past posts that fit this month's theme. This post was originally published in October 2014.

I don't think I've ever made a DIY wreath before in my life, but I do have an almost fetish-level interest in holiday decorations. I admire them mostly from afar, at stores and in other people's homes, and stick to minimal seasonal cheer around my own place. The main reason for this is that I tend to focus primarily on how I'll need to store the rarely used decor and visualize myself one day packing it and moving it to a new place. It just seems like so much extra work!

I did this for SIX YEARS at our last apartment, more regretful with every passing holiday, and when we moved into a new place I promised myself I'd dive into holiday decorating, regardless of how many ornaments I may or may not have to store in a kitchen cabinet. I needed a Halloween wreath - maybe you do too? Here's how:

What You Need

• Round Wreath Form

• Black Yarn & White Yarn

• Halloween Trinkets {I got these from Michaels}

• Scissors

• Hot Glue Gun

• Glue Stick 

• Scrapbook Paper 

• Pencil

• String 

• White Paper

• Ribbon

How To Make It

I wanted a black and white striped background, so I opted to wrap yarn around my wreath form. Alternately, you could use felt, fabric or maybe even the leg of some striped tights.

To use both colors, I simply tied the two yarn strings together on the back of the wreath when I was done wrapping each section and continued on with the new color. I just eyeballed the sections. You could also glue them periodically, but I didn't. When you're done wrapping, just tie the end of your yarn to another piece of wrapped yarn in the back {bottom picture}. Make sure to knot it well.

To make the bunting, cut diamond shaped pieces from burlap-print scrapbook paper {A}. Then use a glue stick to glue the shapes to brown scrapbook paper {B} and cut out the shape, leaving a brown paper border all around {C}. Next, just fold the diamond into a triangle and crease the edge {D}.

Next comes the letters! You can obviously write whatever (a simple "BOO" makes for a much easier project, I can say with hindsight). Draw your letters to fit on your bunting {A} and cut them out {B}. Glue to the bunting and finish your other letters {C}.

To make the bunting, open your triangle and place the string against the crease {A} before gluing the triangle and pressing it closed {B}. Continue to string all the letters {C}. I made mine in two rows.

Next, start hot gluing your Halloween trinkets and bobbles (glitter heavily recommended) around your wreath. Keeping your glue gun on a paper plate makes things slightly less messy, but I still managed to hot glue my pajama pants to myself, so maybe don't listen to me.

Glue the bunting around the wreath on each side so it hangs across the middle. I also added some glitter ribbon that I had on hand between the stripes.

Then just tie a ribbon loop around the top of the wreath so you can hang it.

Done! Wreath accomplished.

Have you made any DIY Halloween decorations this year? 
Found any awesome Halloween trinkets at the dollar store? 
Why is 'bunting' such a funny word?

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DIY: Halloween Wreath Tutorial

I don't think I've ever made a DIY wreath before in my life, but I do have an almost fetish-level interest in holiday decorations. I admire them mostly from afar, at stores and in other people's homes, and stick to minimal seasonal cheer around my own place. The main reason for this is that I tend to focus primarily on how I'll need to store the rarely used decor and visualize myself one day packing it and moving it to a new place. It just seems like so much extra work! 

I did this for SIX YEARS at our last apartment, more regretful with every passing holiday, and when we moved into a new place last winter I promised myself I'd dive into holiday decorating, regardless of how many Christmas ornaments I may or may not have to store in a kitchen cabinet. This is my first holiday decorating at the new place so I jumped right in with a cheerful Halloween wreath. 

Want to make one too? Read on!

WHAT YOU NEED

Round Wreath Form

Black Yarn & White Yarn

Halloween Trinkets {I got these from Michael's}

Scissors

Not Pictured:

Hot Glue Gun, Glue Stick, Scrapbook Paper, Pencil, String, White Paper, Ribbon

HOW TO DO IT

I wanted a black and white striped background, so I opted to wrap yarn around my wreath form. Alternately, you could use felt, fabric or maybe even the leg of some striped tights.

To use both colors, I simply tied the two yarn strings together on the back of the wreath when I was done wrapping each section and continued on with the new color. I just eyeballed the sections. You could also glue them periodically, but I didn't. When you're done wrapping, just tie the end of your yarn to another piece of wrapped yarn in the back {bottom picture}. Make sure to knot it well.

To make the bunting, cut diamond shaped pieces from burlap-print scrapbook paper {A}. Then use a glue stick to glue the shapes to brown scrapbook paper {B} and cut out the shape, leaving a brown paper border all around {C}. Next, just fold the diamond into a triangle and crease the edge {D}.

Next comes the letters! You can obviously write whatever (a simple "BOO" makes for a much easier project, I can say with hindsight). Draw your letters to fit on your bunting {A} and cut them out {B}. Glue to the bunting and finish your other letters {C}.

To make the bunting, open your triangle and place the string against the crease {A} before gluing the triangle and pressing it closed {B}. Continue to string all the letters {C}. I made mine in two rows.

Next, start hot gluing your Halloween trinkets and bobbles (glitter heavily recommended) around your wreath. Keeping your glue gun on a paper plate makes things slightly less messy, but I still managed to hot glue my pajama pants to myself, so maybe don't listen to me.

Glue the bunting around the wreath on each side so it hangs across the middle. I also added some glitter ribbon that I had on hand between the stripes.

Then just tie a ribbon loop around the top of the wreath so you can hang it.

Done! Wreath accomplished.

Have you made any DIY Halloween decorations this year? Found any awesome Halloween trinkets at the dollar store? Why is 'bunting' such a funny word?

BLOGLOVIN  | TWITTER  |  TUMBLR  |  PINTEREST  |  INSTAGRAM  |  ETSY

ROUNDUP: Weekly Links 9/11/11

Here's what I'm rounding up this week:

The Coolest Furniture OF ALL TIME

Imagine what you wanted your dream house to look like when you were five years old: bubbles, candy, balloons, toys. Now imagine it can be a reality, but in a super chic grown up way. If you're in the market for new home decor (and you have some serious disposable income to spare) Jellio offers fantasy filled furniture and home accessories for every room. Make believe you're waking up at the Wonka factory every morning by grabbing a gummy bear chandelier or fantasize that you're a permanent houseguest at Peewee's Playhouse with a banana seat chaise. Or just go total sugar addict with the ice cream sandwich bench (above), candy button bench or cupcake table. There's even a yo-yo side table! Time to make those preschool fantasies a reality.


Yarnbombing

This website has me seriously wanting to pick up my knitting needles again (it's been a loooong time). Ordinary things like trees, bus seats and bridge railings turn technicolor with the help of some very happy knitters. It's kind of like grandma's version of graffiti, with colorful yarn encasing various items in public spaces, creating a visual feast for all. It apparently started as a creative way for some crafters to use up supplies and unfinished projects and has become a national underground sensation - there's even an International Yarnbombing Day!


CMYK Themed Wedding via Rock n Roll Bride

Regardless of how uninterested in wedding planning you may be, anyone with a design background has to find some joy in this CMYK themed wedding. CMYK is the standard color model for professional printing and any graphic designer is well versed in this four color wonder (C=Cyan, M=Magenta, Y=Yellow, B=Black). It's also just a rad color palette, as this graphic designer couple found, and everything from the bridesmaids' dresses to the centerpieces to the petticoat is CMYK colored and the overall vibe is so modern and fresh. Wedding or no wedding, your next event just got a whole lot more colorful.


Roseanne Comes to Bust!

All hail Queen Roseanne! Seriously, I have idolized this fierce female since I learned how to forcefully grip the TV remote at age four. I never missed an episode of her iconic show (Oxygen reruns included!) and until recently I was having some subconscious withdrawals - I didn't realize how much I missed Roseanne until I saw she had a new reality show on Lifetime (!) and then this week I saw that she's going to have her own advice column in Bust magazine (!!!). It was a definite A-HA moment; I don't know how this hasn't happened sooner! We won't have to wait much longer because her unique brand of witty and honest advice is coming to Bust in the December/January issue. 


Message-in-a-Cookie Cutters

This is just an all-around good time. Personal messages in cookies? YES PLEASE. I know Williams-Sonoma offers the fine suggestions of "It's a Boy!", "Get Well Soon" and "I Love You" for their homemade sweet treats, but with the option to create your own words and phrases letter by letter, I can't see any reason not to turn the funny factor all the way up. How about "Sorry I Gave You Syphilis", "You Are NOT the Father" or "Pee on Me" cookies? You're only limited by your own imagination, but I guess "Happy Birthday" works too.