Spring Wreath Tutorial

Flowering Quince

We all enjoy watching the signs of spring emerge out of the season of winter. The ground warms, birds return, and bulbs begin coming up. Some plants seem to feel the coming spring before others, like these flowering quince blossoms that were my inspiration for this project. I spot these everywhere I go these days because they are among the first bushes to bloom.

This wreath makes a perfect way to count down to the spring equinox, with small blossoms added day by day (perhaps one added by each child in the family) until March 20, the first day of spring. As you observe the days lengthening, you can make your wintery wreath bloom in your home. Or, if you prefer, do it all at once and enjoy the promise of spring it brings.

Wintery Vine Wreath and Twigs

Materials

  •  garden clippers or sturdy scissors
  •  grapevine or other bare vine wreath base (can be made by weaving vines together or purchased at a craft store)
  •  branch tips, preferably found (and used with permission) or recently pruned from your yard (If you find any with small buds, that’s wonderful.)
  •  several sheets of tissue paper in a spring color (pink, yellow, or white, all one color or a mix)
  •  glue gun and glue sticks

Children of all ages can help with this project. Even the littlest ones can help you gather twigs, tear tissue paper, crumple the paper into buds and blossoms, and even glue (if you‘re using craft or tacky glue). Older children can use a low temperature glue gun with supervision.

Adding the Rays

Choose small pruned twigs and insert them into your vine wreath base, one at a time, with the tips ―pointing‖ around the wreath in a clockwise (conjuring, waxing) direction. Keep inserting the twigs, and endeavor to anchor their thick ends deep into your wreath.

Your wreath should start to look something like this. Keep adding twigs until your wreath base has twig ―rays‖ running all around the circle.

Cropped Wintery Wreath

Here is a wintery, bare wreath. Doesn‘t it seem to ache for spring?

Making Paper Blossoms

To decorate your wintery wreath and make it bloom, tear your tissue paper into small pieces, no larger than about 2 inches square. Your tears don‘t have to be precise, and you need not waste any tissue. Even the smallest pieces can be used in this project. Grasp the center of the back side of your torn tissue piece, pinch, and with your other hand to help, twist the center. The edges of your tissue piece should flare out a bit like the petals of a blossom. Crumple or twist until you‘re happy with the way your blossom looks.

Making Paper Blossoms

Now make lots of these! Make as many as you like, or make 20 per child, or 20 per person in your home, if you plan to add one blossom per day to count down to the spring equinox. Even the tiniest pieces of paper can be crushed and rolled tightly into buds for your wreath.

Blooming Winter Wreath in Progress

Now begin gluing your buds and blossoms onto your twig ―rays. Often, flowering bushes and trees bloom from the base of the branch to the tip, so if you‘re going for realism, glue your largest blossoms close to the vine wreath, and your smaller blossoms and buds nearer to the tips of your twigs.

Add blossoms day by day and watch your wreath bloom! Add as many or as few as you like.

Blooming Winter Wreath

How cheerful it will be hanging in your home, perhaps above your spring nature table, or on your front door!

Spring Wreath Finished

* This article was originally published in the Little Acorn Learning March Enrichment Guide.

3 Responses to “Spring Wreath Tutorial”

  • Fiona
    March 2, 2012 at 1:00 pm

    Hi Sara, Thanks so much for linking on the Living Crafts blog- this is a lovely project!
    Warm wishes,
    Fiona

    Reply

  • Shannon
    March 25, 2012 at 5:10 am

    What a beautiful and inexpensive wreath! I am making this soon for my door.

    Reply

    • Sara
      March 27, 2012 at 1:51 pm

      Thanks, Shannon. Let me know if you make one. I’d love to see it. ~Sara

      Reply

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  • About Sara

    Thanks for visiting! I’m Sara, editor and writer, wife to Ian, and mother of two precious boys. I am living each day to the fullest and with as much grace, creativity, and patience as I can muster. This is where I write about living, loving, and engaging fully in family life and the world around me. I let my hair down here. I learn new skills here. I strive to be a better human being here. And I tell the truth.

    Our children attend Waldorf school and we are enriching our home and family life with plenty of Waldorf-inspired festivals, crafts, and stories.

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    “Love doesn’t just sit there like a stone; it has to be made, like bread, remade all the time, made new.” —Ursula K. LeGuinn

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