DIY Winter Pine Cone Wreath Tutorial

I was provided product by DecoArt and compensated to write about this project, but all thoughts, opinions, and ideas are my own :)

In the past, I haven't really decorated for Christmas until after Thanksgiving. I still feel like it's supposed to be July around the time December comes so it's super hard to get into the holiday spirit. So, once Christmas comes and goes, I feel like I really missed the whole thing. I usually don't feel like it should be Christmas time until around February :) That being said, I'm doing things a little different this year. Christmas is going up...like now. Yep, Beginning of November. I figure that's a good way to get me into the spirit quicker. Will it work? I have no clue. But, it's worth the try! 

Now, I know that people will say, don't forget about Thanksgiving! I know, I know. I'm not trying to smother Thanksgiving with red bows, flocking and glitter. But, in my family, Thanksgiving is like the gateway to the holidays and is celebrated as so. We are still thankful, and will be just as thankful with a Christmas tree up instead of pumpkins and leaves on the table. 

Now that I justified myself for putting Christmas wreaths up the day after Halloween.... :) I'm going to share with you a practically free wreath made out of pine cones. Actually, not just one, but two wreaths! Made two separate ways to get two different looks. 

Supply list for both:
Pine cones (somewhat uniform in size)
DecoArt Dazzling Metallics in Festive Green and White Pearl. I also love the way Festive Red looks!
Floral wire and/or pony beads
Wire hanger
Hot glue
Bow

As I mentioned above, try to get pine cones in the same size to make your life easier.

 I love how these three colors pop off the pine cones. I will be using the Festive Red on another Christmas project coming up soon. The Pearl White is so pretty and sparkly that it looks like snow has fallen all over the pine cone.

 For the first, more simple wreath, you'll want to take your coat hanger:

 And unbend it and try to make as good of a circle as you can. You may need to use some pliers to get the ends to wrap around.

 Get the floral wire and cut them about 10" long. Wrap it around the pine cone in the middle and then around the wire hanger. Kind of bend the wire back into the pine cone so you can't see it from the front. I alternated the direction of each pine cone.

 Continue to do this all the way around the circle.

 Play around with the look of the pine cones, and when you got them just right, hot glue them to one another.

 Now take the Festive Green and brush it on all the edges of the pine cones.

 Finish it off by hot gluing a bow to the top!

 The Festive Green pops off the pine cones so beautifully.

 This is definitely a more simple look, if you want to fill it in more, you can easily just hot glue smaller pine cones on top. 

 Now for the second technique, the more fuller version. Take the Pearl White and squirt about a 3" line on some paper, or foil like I used. Then roll the pine cone in it. Make sure to cover tops and bottoms. This gives a really nice thick layer of paint on the pine cones that look just like snow fell on them.

 Do all of them at the same time and sit them out to dry. 

 Next, take your pony beads. I chose red just because that was the only available color the store had at the time. Talk about pony bead shortage :) I would do white or clear if they had it.

 Hot glue the pony bead onto the outside bottom of each pine cone. So, not in the middle, but as close to the bottom edge as you can.

 Take your hanger and keep it opened.

 Thread the pony beads onto the wire. I made sure that each time I put the pine cone on, the bead was on the left side.

 Add as many pine cones on as you can, leaving a little room to tie the wire together with some pliers. To finish the rest of the wire, use floral wire wrapped around the bottom section, and secured onto the wire (kind of like in the process of the first wreath above). When all the pine cones are on, start moving them around. I went in this order, one on the inside, one on the outside, one on top. I did this pattern around the entire thing trying to get them as close together as possible. Once they were how I wanted, I then add some hot glue where the touching points were.

 To finish it off, I placed a bow at the top.

 And there you have it! A beautiful, full wreath full of 'snow' touched pine cones.

 I love the texture that these wreaths bring! And if you don't have pine cones falling all over where you live, just go to the store and get those cinnamon ones in bags. Then you'd have a great smelling wreath too! 

Now, let me get back to decorating my heart out for Christmas before my husband comes home and stops me!

Be sure to check out DecoArt and their social media for more inspiration!
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