As mentioned earlier, I set out to make a beautiful, traditional, autumnal style wreath.
It came out looking like something I won at a booth outside the Mexican Circus.
Not that I’m complaining.
In fact, I’ll admit I have spent a lot of money trying to win stuff from booths outside the Mexican Circus.
This wreath just isn’t doing anything for my seasonal case of turkey fever.
Guess I’ll have to make up for it in Chocolate Turkey Cake.
Oh, darn.
Just the same, this wreath was quick, easy and CHEAP –why not share?
Here we go!
Materials:
- Any Basic Wreath Form: $1 at Goodwill! Woot!
- 200 Coffee filters: $1 at the Dollar store! Woot!
- Stapler
- Latex or Acrylic Paints
- Hot Glue Gun
How do I dye coffee filters?
Easy Answer 1: Click here. Easy Answer 2: get a stack of 50 filters, run them under water, squish out water, add paint, squish out more water, add paint, squish out more water, and repeat til they look how you want them. Try it! People ask me for specific dye recipes but I have long given up –every coffee filter brand contains a different level of starch or something that effects the rate of absorption. You will just have to try yourself. It’s very easy. This dog won’t bite. I promise!
For this wreath, I made 35 flowers of varying size and color. It was over and done before I finished The Muppets Take Manhattan. Results!
Want some variety? Fold the filters in quarters and trim the edges. I also made a few purple accent roses just by twisting and pinching (will do a follow up tutorial if anyone is interested).
It’s fun. A little funky. And very gobble gobble.
Happy Thanksgiving!
i think it’s beautiful!! i still need to get my shit together and make some colorful coffee filter flowers… not sure what my hold up is….
Love the colors! Looks pretty!
funny how we’re always so self-critical… but you know what? that wreath rocks the casa! i’m glad you decided to share it with us Peaches!
This is FABULOUS! Must make one soon! Thinking about a Valentine’s color scheme. TFS! 🙂
Not only is the wreath beautiful – so is the tutorial! I just love your visuals, Peaches – makes every visit here extra inspiring!
Darn, Peaches, how do you manage to always capture all those fantastic colours in your works?!
I LOVE THE WREATH! I’m thinking of making myself one but (and I think that next statement will take me down to the cave people) here in my country coffee filters are very very rarely used because very few people use coffee machines. Yeah, that’s right, we live nearby the caves lol! Well, thing is here in this region people really like turkish coffee, very strong and very black, so they boil it in special cups, no filters. Is there any coffee filter substitute that I can use for my future wreath?
Gift wrapping tissue paper?
i love it! seeing lots of wreaths all over the web right now, and they’re cool and all, but this one’s very original and you can’t beat the colors!!!
BEAUTIFUL!!!! LOVE the colors, the tutorial, you ROCK!!! That touch of purple just pops out. good job, girl.
It’s always so much fun to read your blog. The boom shaka laka made me smile.
Miss Vanilla: I have a Russian friend that made Turkish coffee…but she’d forget about it and leave it on the stove too long. I went to Goodwill and bought her a coffemaker. LOL
Peaches: That’s awesome! I think this is a great technique for gluing flowers onto a lantern.
If you want a more Thanksgiving-y look just head to Goodwill or the Dollar Store and pick up some fallish accessories to add in… like the berry sticks, corn things, and maybe some raffia. (yes, I make up my own words)
Alison, coffe from coffee makers isn’t nearly as good as the black coffee we drink here! (personal opinion, and I’m not Russian) It’s not that we can’t afford coffee makers, we just like coffee strong and aromatic and coffee makers do not an aroma make!
Other than that, I’ve checked all the local markets and no coffee filters. Me is sad!
Curiously beautiful! I would maybe deem it a Muppet Wreath instead. Ann
I don’t know, I can see autumn there – just a kinda bright autumn – before the leaves start to dry up. Great pics, too! I can’t wait to try my own version – I got my coffee filters a few weeks ago, but haven’t busted ’em out yet. I’m inspired!
Boom shaka laka, huh? I think I could do that.
I also did a wreath of coffee filter flowers based on your tutorials. Mine was more spring than fall, but it’s hanging up. The colors were very pastel. I’m going to put it next spring too 🙂
I love the colors soooooo much! And the name is pretty fabulous too. =) Thanks so much, I’ll be spreading the word about your wreath tute!
Shucks, thanks Rachel!!
Okay, I saw this and lost my freakin’ mind. BUT I decided “Jeez I’m flat broke, and I have all this tempura paint.I(that is about 10 years old…don’t ask)” Also, we are down to one computer so I decided to do it from memory as the kids were doing important Minecrafting. Good god, it took a)forever and b( was cold and wet.We’ll see how the VERY STIFF coffee filters do today. Good news: eh, the coffee filters were only a buck.
I already have about 45 new things to try because of Pinterest and this makes #46. What fun. I wish I were still teaching because this rocks! So grandkids, get ready for crafts!!!!
I think it looks great! I could see it in all different colors for different seasons of the year! You could also use colored tissue paper, by cutting out circles