(this is a boxwood wreath)
I am normally not a very patient maker/crafter, but this project forced me to follow steps and really take my time. I started it a month ago and just finished hanging my last wreath this afternoon! That kind of patience is really unheard of around here, so I'm thinking it was good practice? Patience practice? Sure.
While I was researching for this project, I had a hard time finding a thorough tutorial--most sites just sort of glazed over the steps and made it seem like no big deal. And I mean, it wasn't a really big deal, but I like to have pictures and clear instructions. So I made sure to take lots of pictures for you. You're welcome!
Step one: trim your boxwood bush with your garden shears. Optional: puppy supervision.
Step two: using a hammer, smash the ends of your branches. This helps the vegetable glycerin absorb with greater ease.
Step three: patiently wait while your bottle of vegetable glycerin arrives from amazon and mix up one part glycerin to two parts water in a bucket.
Step four: Add some green food coloring to the glycerin mixture so the leaves will keep their shiny green luster.
Step five: submerge branches in bucket and wait 2.5 weeks for your branch pieces to soak in the glycerin/color (this step prevents the branches from drying out and turning brown).
Step six: channel your inner martha stewart and lay pieces of boxwood on your wreath while securing them with floral wire. I made one large wreath and seven smaller wreaths and my fingers are still kind of mad at me. But it was worth it!
I hung them in all of our big windows downstairs and I'd like to think they are so festive they make up for our lack of christmas lights (Evan has some unresolved issues with christmas lights....).
I'm not a fan of artificial wreaths and fresh wreaths can be kind of an expensive habit (they need to be replaced every year), so I'm hoping these little wreaths will last for a few years to come (they should? I'll keep you posted.).
