This tutorial is sponsored by Bostik - it's the first in a series of crafty projects I'll be sharing over the coming months, all made using their range of adhesives. I love the challenge of creating things using specific materials, and I hope you guys will enjoy what I come up with.
The first challenge theme was to make something for the garden, and I immediately wanted to make a garden-friendly wreath (regular readers will know how much I love making wreaths!).
I don't know who first thought of using a hula hoop to make a giant wreath but it's a genius idea and my current fave crafty trend. Oversized stuff is always cool, and it's really easy to find cheap plastic hula hoops in pretty colours on the high street.
I decorated my wreath with plastic fake flowers, which add lots of colour and will also withstand a bit of English drizzle! (If you know it's going to rain heavily or be very windy I'd recommend moving the wreath indoors or to a sheltered spot to help protect it from the elements).
You will need:
- A plastic hula hoop
- Plastic fake flowers
- Craft glue which will stick to plastic (I used extra strong Bostik Glu Dots)
- Pliers or strong scissors
- String or twine
To make the wreath:
1. Choose a selection of fake flowers to decorate your wreath. I bought five sunflowers, which I thought would make a lovely cheerful display, but you could mix and match lots of different types and colours of flowers.
2. Use a pair of pliers or some strong scissors to disassemble the flowers, removing the individual elements from the main stems.
Once I'd detached the flowers and leaves from the main stems, this is what I had to work with:
3. Locate the join in your hoop and make sure this will be hidden under your floral arrangement. Because I planned to add the sunflowers to the top of the hoop, I placed the join at the top so it would be hidden later.
4. If you'll be adding flowers at the top of the hoop, like me, you'll need to attach a piece of string or twine before you start adding the flowers. If the top of your hoop will be undecorated you can leave this step until you come to hang the hoop.
Cut a long piece of string/twine and knot it securely around the hoop leaving two ends of equal length. Think about where you're planning to hang the wreath (e.g. from a nail in a fence panel, or from a fence post) and make sure you've got an appropriate amount of string/twine for the job.
5. Lay the flowers and leaves out around the hoop to roughly plan your arrangement. When you're happy with how it looks, make a quick sketch of the design or take a digital photograph for reference then set all the pieces to one side.
6. Now it's time to decorate the hoop!
I used extra strong Bostik Glu Dots to secure my flowers and leaves - the mess-free dots stick instantly and make constructing the wreath a quick and easy process.
Glue the flowers and leaves to the hoop one by one, starting in the centre of the design and working outwards. Add the Glu Dots (or your chosen adhesive) to a section of the hula hoop then press the flowers/leaves into place. Repeat to gradually build up your floral design.
7. Hang your finished wreath in the garden and enjoy!
DISCLOSURE: this post is sponsored by Bostik, who also provided the Glu Dots I used to construct the wreath.
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