Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Moss Covered Initial Wreath


I had seen these initial wreaths on Etsy and thought they would be the perfect wedding decor. I have seen them used on the church doors and also hanging on the back of the bride and groom chairs. The large wreaths sell for around $150 for two on Etsy so I decided I would make my own.

To make an initial wreath you will need the following supplies:
 large piece of foam board (Lowe's)
green spray paint
 yard stick
permanent marker
box cutter
glue gun
a lot of glue sticks
3 bags reindeer moss (Hobby Lobby)
burlap (or other material for bow)

The first thing that you need to begin this project is a large piece of foam board. I found this at Lowe's and had them cut the board into 3 equal pieces so that it would fit in the car.

This picture shows 1 of the 3 pieces and I probably only used about a third of it for one letter. Next, I used a permanent marker and a yard stick to free hand the letter "D". The letter doesn't have to be perfect because once it is covered with moss, small imperfection won't show.
Then I took a box cutter and cut out the letter on the lines that I drew. The board has a plastic film over it that can be difficult to cut through so I peeled it off before cutting all the way through.
Next, I spray painted the letter with green paint. This step isn't necessary but I figured it would be better to have a little green, rather than blue, showing through if I missed any spots with the moss. 
Once the paint dries, you are ready to start glueing. I began glueing large patches of moss on the front side. Then I did the same to the back. Next, I added moss to the outer and inner edges. With the leftover moss, I filled in any holes or places that I had missed. To keep the moss from shedding, I took it outside and sprayed it with aerosol hairspray. 
In order to hang the wreath I cut burlap material into a long strip about 6" wide. I used this to make the bow and then I secured the center of the bow with some hot glue. Next, I cut a more narrow strip, ran it through the "D", and glued it together. I attached the bow to the narrow strip with glue and hung the wreath to see my final product.
I was quite satisfied with the finished wreath. I gave to my friend at her bridal shower, where we also used it for decoration. I got a ton of compliments and the bride-to-be loved it. Now I am making two more for another friend's wedding.



16 comments:

  1. Love this Lauren! Thanks for stopping by today!
    Kim:)

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  2. This is so great!!! Thanks for showing us how to do it!!! = ))

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  3. Wow, Lauren. The initial wreath looks fantastic. Thanks so much for the tutorial!

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  4. This is precious! I love it!

    {Heather}
    love2sisters.blogspot.com

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  5. very pretty. I love the idea of using the foam board to make it exactly what size you want! I'm so glad spring and green are right around the corner!

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  6. Love this! Thank you for sharing!

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  7. I love it! I'm soooooo going to have to get some moss from the store this weekend!

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  8. I love this!! I had the same idea, but couldn't find an initial big enough. Duh! Just cut one! Yours looks great! I can't wait to try my own!

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  9. Thanks for sharing on DIY'ER!
    I'm a new follower and would love you to be mine!
    I love burlap and moss! That's a great idea!
    I've got some great things on there and coming out!
    http://brandlarge.blogspot.com/
    Much love and many more blessings!
    B.Large

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  10. Hi Lauren! Well, right off the bat I like you because you share the same name with my daughter! :-) And, this initial wreath is absolutely beautiful. We are so glad that you came over and joined our Inspiration Friday party and hope to see much more of you in the future!
    Vanessa

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  11. I'm putting this on my list! I'm a new follower. I'd love for you to stop by!

    http://theloops13.blogspot.com/

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  12. It's amazing what a difference it makes in terms of beauty when you add the moss to it. It did come out really overall though.

    -Zane of ontario honey

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  13. How long will this last. I am not familiar with this type of moss

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