Simple Craft Project – Make a Cranberry Wreath
Ideas for Outdoor Fall and Winter Decorating
Sep 22, 2009
Wreaths make great holiday decorations and like most cranberry crafts, cranberry wreaths are simple, elegant, and best of all, inexpensive to make. They make excellent outdoor fall decorations and look just as beautiful around the holidays and throughout the winter. While they may look elaborate, they're actually quite simple to make.
Making a cranberry wreath is a fun craft project for kids, but remember that children must be supervised when using a hot glue gun.
Materials Needed to Make a Cranberry Wreath
- Circular Styrofoam wreath form
- Red spray paint
- Enough cranberries to cover the form (the amount will vary depending on the size of the form, but it's usually around four or five bags)
- One or two boxes of toothpicks
- Hot glue gun and sticks
- Needle nose pliers
- Decorative ribbon, evergreen, pinecones (optional)
Instructions for Making a Cranberry Wreath
- Spray paint the Styrofoam form red to match the berries. This way no white will show through if there are any gaps between the berries.
- Sort out the cranberries, discarding any that aren't firm. Then try to separate the larger ones from the smaller ones. The larger ones will be used for the face of the wreath, while the smaller ones will be used for the inside and the top. This will add dimension to the finished product.
- Break a bunch of toothpicks in half. Stick the pointed end into a berry so the broken end sticks out. Dot the wreath with a dab of hot glue and stick the toothpick and berry into the form. The toothpick is used to keep the berry in place while gluing others, and for extra security in case the glue dries out later.
- Start gluing the cranberries from the inside edge in even rows. Place them as close together as possible so that none of the form shows through. This is where the needle nose pliers come in handy. Use them to place the berries in tight spots.
- Do the entire inside row, then the entire outside row, and then start filling in the rest (the face). Remember to keep berries as close together as possible.
- If more depth is desired, vary the size of the toothpicks used. Place a row of berries on whole toothpicks around the whole face in the center and then reduce the size of the toothpicks as you work out to the edges.
Add Seasonal Embellishments to a Cranberry Wreath
These natural wreaths look simply stunning on their own, but they can also benefit from decorative embellishments. Beautiful ribbons are always a welcome touch, and they can do double duty as a decorative hanger. Decorative flower blossoms are also a beautiful addition. Be creative and experiment with different ideas.
In the winter consider adding some evergreen and pinecones at the bottom. It will practically scream "Christmas". Attach the items with thin floral wire.
The great thing about these wreaths is that they can be hung just about anywhere, indoors or out. Hang them on doors, railings, fence posts, stairways, over a mirror, in front of a window or anywhere else you can think of. A cranberry wreath makes a terrific addition to just about all areas of the house.
 |
