Tuesday 31 January 2012

Jubilee wreath from recycled Christmas wreath


I don't know about you, but the time after Christmas, when all the decorations are taken down, is just too bare for me,. I decided to recycle my Christmas wreath I had on the front door and make it into a Jubilee wreath, which will come in super handy with all the festivities this year.
And it would cheer the place up no end!
This was my starting point.




I took off the pine, pine-cones and apples.
That left me with a wreath like a small coronet which I made before Christmas from willow.Top left , here below, you see dried Shasta daisies which I have in my garden and which grow like weeds.They are super easy to grow. I  had so many that I picked huge bunches last summer and dried them in case I needed some dried flowers at some stage.

I can really recommend drying any flowers you have or get as a present, once they start to fade, so you have some supply of dried flowers for craft projects ..Just tie them together and hang them upside down in a warm kitchen.Some flowers do and some don't work and dry well , but this method works very well for roses and Shasta daisies.
Here below is another vase full of dried flowers.. which I also used for the wreath...

I tied the dried Shasta daisies in bunches to the wreath with dotted ribbon - think symmetrical- then added an embroidered heart with the silhouette of Queen Elizabeth II which I had made earlier at the top of the wreath.
Making the heart is simple,-  just trace a heart shape or get a heart shape from the internet, print it off and cut the heart out and use this as a template to cut the heart from the fabric that you like.Make sure you cut two heart shapes .
Get the silhouette of the queen , again maybe from a picture of a coin that you enlarge, then cut it out and trace around the paper template on your fabric you want to embroider.Embroider with a simple sewing stitch in contrasting embroidery thread.
Then put good side on good side of the fabric, then stich it together apart from a small opening, turn it inside out, then fill with some soft stuff like polyester filling.



Add some ribbons, at the bottom and to the left and right, then make some fabric roses.You make roses by rolling up a strip of fabric, and rolling a piece of thing wire tightly around the bottom bit, and pulling the top bit out a bit like a flower.
Add those to the wreath as well , I would keep it syymetrical again, so place these again, at the bottom, then right and left.
You can use the wreath outside ( at least as long as it's out of the rain ) like here on the front door..

.. or like this indoors ..


Whatever you do, enjoy your wreath and wreathmaking!!


Have a great rest of the week!!
XOXO
Bea

6 comments:

Ola said...

This is simply just lush! L O V E it x

Blue Lavender said...

Hello Bea
This is very nice, I like it very much, it is a wonderful idea.
xoxo
Laura =)

Saints and Apostles said...

Bea! I just love your ability to recycle - just magical! This wreath is so adorable and indeed very festive. Lizzy would be well pleased, lol! Just popping over from my creative blog. Life with the cats have been quite quiet (not quite through with the virus repercussions yet) and we've had a deep freeze spell which causes the cats to virtually hibernate. Hoping things are well with you/business and your furry friends.
xo Joan

Will @ Bright.Bazaar said...

Love that check fabric!

Alex Fulton Design said...

Lovely Bea! She would be proud!!

Mariette VandenMunckhof-Vedder said...

Dearest Bea,

This wreath is very lovely! You are the 'Queen' of recycling and creating!
Wish you a wonderful weekend.
Love to you,

Mariette