Naturally Beautiful Fall Wreaths

Finders Keepers
Acorns were everywhere--it must have been a good year for them. On the way back to the car, we couldn’t help plucking a few from the soft beds of moss that edged the trail.

• Using a glue gun, attach moss to a straw wreath.
• Insert lichen, prefitted with skewers cut to 2 inches in length, into the wreath to form a shelf. Add more lichen as desired. Attach sticks with a glue gun, and then tuck in a leaf or two.
• Display acorns on the lichen shelf, securing with a glue gun, if desired.

Sources
Most of the materials needed to make our wreaths are available at crafts stores or from www.afloral.com.

• Barbed wire--For new wire, try a farm-supply store, and then spray-paint it with Krylon Brushed Metallic paint in the color of your choice.
• Bird’s nest--If you can’t find an abandoned one outdoors, try the floral department at a crafts store.
• Florist wire--Check at any crafts store.
• Quail eggs--Try eBay (www.ebay.com) to purchase the real thing, or opt for faux look-alikes at crafts stores. If you use real eggs, you’ll need to blow them out as you would chicken eggs.
• Pheasant feathers--Check at any crafts store.
• Dried hydrangeas--Dry your own, or look for them at crafts stores.
• Moss--Any type will work. We used light green reindeer moss from Smith & Hawken (www.smithandhawken.com). Most crafts stores also carry this product.
• Glue gun--You can find one at any crafts store. A hot-melt glue gun creates a stronger bond.
• Lichen--Try crafts or floral-supply stores. Tip: Preskewered lichens are a snap to work with.
• Acorns--They’re easy to find in fall, but you can also buy them on eBay.
• Straw wreath base--Look at any crafts or floral-supply store.
• Oval grapevine wreath--Check out crafts or floral-supply stores. A round wreath works just as well.
• Rose hips--Check the garden first. Many roses, such as rugosas, have wonderful, showy hips. If you have no luck, contact your local florist or a floral-supply company.