COMMENT OR PRIVATE MESSAGE ME FOR A CHANCE TO WIN THE LATEST GIVEAWAY!!! ~A BABY AND TODDLER FOOD BOOK!
Fall is not official for another 2 weeks, but the weather and the children going back to school sure sets the tone! If you’re like me, after a long and lovely summer you are ready for that cool breeze to kick up and the leaves to turn colors, and beginning September 1st you've already scouted your farms and pumpkin patches to visit!
At the end of the season, when everything goes on clearance, every year I allow myself one more piece of Autumn decor! This year my new addition is scarecrows that were 75% off! In the meantime though, if you want more to keep your hands busy than making cider, make your own Autumn Wreath!
2 years ago I bought this simple twisted twig wreath in Target’s dollar section for $2, and I have seen it reappear every year since. On its own, it is very cute and simple, with little curly cues that remind me of pumpkin stems, but I wanted something that was more reminiscent of the large, full, bushy, fall wreaths you see at Michael’s. So here’s the fun part...every year now, my daughters and I collect a bunch of things to decorate our Autumn Wreath! My backyard rivals a forest, so we are able to hunt around a bit and uncover many treasures to put on our wreath, but if you feel your backyard quest will turn up leafless, head to a nearby park and make a field trip out of it. Parks can be wonderful, children who are not interested in searching for natural treasures to put on a wreath can play, and sometimes you can get things like acorns or maple leaves that really set the mood… This is last year's wreath!
After your field trip is done and you've got a nice collection going, it’s time to head home for the art part! It’s better to have too much than too little, because you can always toss extra clippings back outside. Also, when gathering leaves, try to steer clear of brown ones, nice yellows, reds, and even ones that are still green are easier to manipulate into the wreath, and after hanging for awhile, they will all turn brown anyway! Don’t worry if it’s wet outside, that will just make your leaves more malleable, which is nice for positioning on your wreath. 
Now that you have your supplies, it is time to place your trinkets. For a wheat-like fan across the top, start on the left side of your wreath and string in your stems. If it doesn't fit or doesn't work after plenty of jarring and jiggling, try a new spot close to the same place. Starting from left to right will ensure that all of your stems get hidden by the tufts on the following “wheat” stalks. Do the same when arranging leaves. Start at the farthest position you want your fauna to appear, then work around, covering up your stems as you go. I like to add a little filler with varying grasses so my wreath looks full. I also think a couple of pine-cones are a festive look, plus they lend a little versatility for a winter wreath when we will go back outside to collect holly and pine swags. The first year I added pine-cones, I jammed them onto the wreath, hooking the spikes of the cone around the twigs of the wreath, which worked well for about half the season until one broke and I couldn't jam anymore on successfully after that. Solution: hot glue. Anything you don’t mind keeping year after year can be glued into place!
And voila! ~ A lovely Autumn Wreath that was a field trip and an art project all in one, and only cost $2 for seasons of enjoyment!
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