One of the greatest benefits of a large family, is all of the swapping that goes on...shoes, clothes, babysitting and, as we have all grown older, furniture and home décor items.
It's awesome.
As the youngest sister, I'm sure that I have benefitted the most, especially when it comes to the furniture trades.
However, always one to give back, a few years ago, I presented this wreath to my sister.
My mom had purchased it for me, as a housewarming present.
I fell in love with the colors and for years, it was the perfect focal point in my cottage style bedroom. Then one day I found a metal SIMPLIFY sign and the wreath was history.
It was still in such beautiful shape, so I offered it to my sister and it hung in her house for several more years.
However, I'm apparently not the only in the family with the simplifying bug as of late, so this weekend, my sister gave it back to me.
I wanted to donate it to a thrift store, but it's a sentimental piece and still so pretty. I didn't have the heart to toss it.
So I thought about giving it a facelift. I decided to repurpose it for the front door and I'm thrilled with the way it turned out.
How To Make Lettered Wreaths
Keep in mind that I used small letters to form a word, however, you could purchase one or more large letters to make a monogrammed wreath.The process is same.
The steps:
I started the makeover by reinforcing the flowers with a bit of glue. This wreath is old, so it really needed some help to keep it together.
Hot glue works well on silk flowers. It dries quick and provides a strong bond.
Here are a few of the supplies I used:
Wooden Letters
A Mini Glue Gun
Yellow Satin Ribbon
I always hang my wreaths on a kitchen cabinet door when I work on them. My perspective is much better that way.
I painted a few letters ~ they were only a quarter each. I have to remember this craft for the fall and winter seasons.
Think about how cute letters would look on a boxwood for fall or holiday evergreen wreath!
I used glitter paint for some extra sparkle...
...and added a bright bow I made with my bowmaker.
Then I used the glue gun to attach them all, as well.
This makeover took me about 20 minutes to complete and now the wreath is a perfect summer addition to my front porch.
Or my sister's.
Or mine again!
😉
Do you repurpose or upcycle wreaths?
More Colorful Wreath Ideas for you:
* Floral Spring Wreath* Customizing A Store Bought Wreath For Summer
* Red Hydrangea Wreath
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What a fun update to the wreath and nice that you can get more use out of it.
ReplyDeleteI have several grapevine wreaths that I have "undressed" and bring down periodically for the front door. You make me think that maybe I need to dig one out of the attic to put on my garden ladder.
Oh, I like the idea of hanging it on the garden ladder! I hung the wreath on a chair arm and I love the way it looks, but of course, it doesn't work out so well when people want to sit in the chair! I may need to get a ladder! ;
DeleteI do...I changed one around for several years until it finally died : ) Yours is quite pretty :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Deb! Haha! I have had those wreaths, too!! :)
DeleteCute! I really like the letters. I absolutely do repurpose wreaths.
ReplyDeleteThanks Stacey! I was originally going to do a single monogram letter, but I saw those cuties and couldn't pass them up! :)
DeleteIt's adorable! Jane
ReplyDeleteThanks Jane. I kind of like this one, too! ;)
DeleteAs a floral designer I absolutely repurpose wreaths, all the time! I love how you dressed this one up. It looks terrific!!! Great job!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much! I love to makeover my wreaths, as well. Why waste all those flowers and the a good frame?
DeleteThe wreath looks great. The colors pop up against the dark door...which I love. -Audra
ReplyDeleteThanks Audra. I love contrast! So I am happy with the "pop" too!! :)
DeleteA beautiful nod to summer, which seems so short always, in comparison to the other seasons! Pretty colours, Kim and it looks great in both locations! Seems this simplifying philosophy is catching on; I've been in this mode for years and still practising it!
ReplyDeletePoppy
SO short Poppy! I do wish summer was longer. It really is my most favorite season...and now I have a wreath to let everyone know! ;) Hope you are having a lovely day!
DeleteVery nice. My mom and sister and I pass stuff around too. And sometimes stuff ends up back where it started.
ReplyDeleteIt's actually pretty funny how often that happens, isn't it? Or I'll see something I didn't really like anymore in my home looking fabulous in one of my sisters' homes and I will decide I need it back!! (I don't take it of course, until it's offered!) ;)
DeleteGood morning Kim! I am so pleased to meet you this morning as I just happened to look at my blog page and there you were!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I truly believe in re-purposing things and I have saved many a wreath from being tossed. I have one hanging on my garden gate that has to be at least 10 years old, but it looks even better now after years of snow storms and baking sun! LOVELY colors and glitter letters to signify the sparkle of summer.
I am very happy to learn that your children are learning French. I am a middle and high school French teacher, and some of the middle schoolers especially are very enthusiastic about the language and it's fun to teach them. Keep helping them with their homework and your own French will emerge!
Would you like to join the link party? You need not ever have visited your dream destination, but you can create a blog post of dreams, so to speak! Do let me know if you are interested and I'll put your name on my list. It's fun because the blog party is a great opportunity to meet other bloggers. And thank you so much for coming by via Carol's blog...she is a great blog pal.
Bonne journée! Anita
Anita, I appreciate the invite to the link party. I have never written a post like this before, but it sounds like a fun chance to create something new and dream a bit! Sure, why not! I would love to join! I look forward to reading more of your posts, your style and your blog are just gorgeous. I am a very visual person so, I find your photos captivating!
DeleteWhat a lovely remake Kim! Your wreath is lovely and sharing is so much fun. You always have something different to display. Have a wonderful week!
ReplyDeleteDebi
Thank you so much, Debi! Your sweet comment has just totally made my day! :)
DeleteOh, your updated wreath is so pretty, Kim! I absolutely recycle my wreaths, and have so much fun creating something new from something old. I have a recycled wreath on my front door right now. I have to laugh, though, because we get so doggone hot here that I'm always having to re-glue one of the flowers. Sometimes they are just hanging by a very thin string of hot glue. I have started using other glues for my summer-time wreaths......sometimes one flower at a time!
ReplyDeleteI agree, Carol! I have a southern exposure and my wreaths literally melt after a week or two out there. It is a constant battle to keep them in one piece!!
DeleteKimmie, you have completely inspired me, as usual, to work on a wreath for my front door. I love, love, love the letters you added. So much inspiration here! xo Jen
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing what you can do with an old wreath and few painted letters! ;) Thanks for your super kind words!!
DeleteI kinda have a thing for wreaths, although right now in the apartment I haven't bothered to hang any. My time is coming, though. I love the yellow ribbon and the Summer letters. You breathed new life into this still very usable wreath. Great job. On a side note, I once lived in a home that had a grapevine next to the garden. I learned how to make wreaths from the pruned vines. It's quite a process and very time consuming, but I enjoyed making wreaths in all sizes and decorating them with dried flowers from my garden. It was during a time in my life when we were really strapped for cash, so my handmade wreaths became gifts for family and friends. Hugs ~ Nancy
ReplyDeleteI have often thought about making my own wreaths, Nancy. I have seen them made out of the grapevines or boxwood or forsythia in spring. I have never quite gotten around to it...but I am also a lazy crafter and if I have one that can be repurposed, I just go that way! You my friend, get major points for making them my hand, but I bet they were very cherished by the recipients. Handmade is the best gift, by far!
DeleteI love the update Kim! And upcycling is really great especially for sentimental things such as these!Glad you kept it!~
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I kept it too, Vel. When I showed my mom the picture of what I had done to it, she was so happy. That alone was worth it! :)
DeleteThat's a great update to the wreath! My Mom, sisters & I are always swapping this & that, too. We get a big kick out of it!
ReplyDeleteSwapping is the best, Gina, I agree! Sometimes, I just go into my sisters' homes and compliment something and say, take it! It's the best shopping trip ever!
DeleteIt's great when we can remake something into something new. Love the added bling of the sparkly letters! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
ReplyDeletehugs,
Jann
I'm a big fan of the makeover, Jann...and when there's bling involved, it's even better! ;)
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