Fallen Leaf Wreath

Don't you just hate when you find an awesome project on Pinterest, try it out and then you are sadly let down by the result?

Yep, me too. But me, not being one willing to accept defeat, will often find or create a better way to complete the project. So here is my first installment of:

Pinterest Upset and Reset

A Leaf Wreath project that I found on Pinterest looked like a simple cute craft for my daughter and I to do together. It seemed like a piece of cake. My daughter loved gathering the leaves. We had all of the  needed materials on hand. The directions were easy to follow and the wreath looked adorable when finished. What a great craft!....

.....There was only one problem. The next day, the wreath looked like this:

Pinterest Upset

The leaves were shriveled up and losing color. The white paper plate was showing through the leaves and the plate was super flimsy. I was not going to let this leaf wreath craft end in disaster.

Pinterest Reset: Fall Leaf Wreath

Doesn't the below wreath look much better?!

Brilliant colors, sturdier, lasts longer, no shriveling of leaves

Want to know how to make one?!

Click on the picture to enlarge.

Materials Needed
Paper Plates (I glued 2 plates together for added stability.)
Mod Podge
Scissors
Paint Brush
Foam Brush
Brown Paint
Assorted Leaves

 Step 1: Go on a leaf hunt! 
Find leaves that are freshly fallen or pick right off the tree for best results. Don't feel bad, the leaves were going to fall off soon anyway!

Step 2: Make the wreath ring

I glued two paper plates together for extra stability. To prevent the white plate from showing through this time, I used brown  paint and coated the plate around the edges. Let dry. Cut a circle out of the middle to create a ring.

 Step 3: Mod podge and leaf in layers

Cut the stems off all the leaves.

Play with the arrangement of the leaves before you start gluing pieces down.

Coat the entire paper plate ring with mod podge. 

Place the bottom layer of leaves around the plate hanging the leaves off of the outer edge.
Coat with more mod podge.

 Add another layer of leaves and coat with mod podge.
(This is a messy craft. Your fingers will be covered in glue but the end result will be worth it).

 Repeat leaf layering and mod podge coating until you have reached your desired look.  Let dry.

Flip the wreath over and brush glue onto the back of the leaves that are sticking out past the paper plate. (Make sure the tips of the leaves are coated.)

Let dry and now you are left with a beautiful Fall Leaf Wreath.

I am not sure how long this wreath will hold up, but it has already surpassed the life span of the last one!

Happy Crafting!

Follow up: After several weeks, the leaf wreath is holding up better than expected. A few of the leaves are starting to curl but overall it still looks great!

Note: The only change that I may make next time, would be to individually coat each leaf with mod podge, letting them dry, and then gluing the leaves onto the paper ring. This method may give the wreath more depth. If you try it using this method, please let me know how it turned out.