Ashley Williams

SIMPLE COTTAGE DIY FROM ASHLEY WILLIAMS OF
ASHLEY’S COZY HOUSE

MATERIALS:

24-inch grapevine wreath
Ribbon or scrap fabric (for a bow)
16 inch Doily
Small frames (Amazon find, but you
could thrift!)
Your favorite paint (I am using leftover
wall paint in the Sherwin Williams’ color
Comfort Gray, but choose any color that
complements your home)
Pressed flowers (I pressed some from my
garden, but can also be found online)
4 bunches of fresh or dried baby’s breath
White cardstock or textured paper
Mod Podge
Paintbrush
Scissors
Twine

This vintage inspired pressed flower wreath is an easy way to add a bit of vintage charm
and whimsy to your home. Flowers are a part of daily life for me and I enjoy finding
creative ways to use the flowers from my garden in my home. Don’t worry, even if you
don’t have your own garden, you can still easily create this wreath. All you need is a few
supplies and an afternoon to complete this DIY.

Step 01: GATHER MATERIALS AND DECIDE ON A LAYOUT

Gather all your materials so they are easily
accessible while you are working. Next, decide
which frames you want to use on the wreath. Lay
out the frames on the wreath to get a sense for
number, shapes and the spacing of frames. Snap a
quick photo to refer to later.

Step 02: PAINT YOUR FRAMES

Remove the front insert and paper from the frames.
Paint all the frames using your color of choice.
Choose a color that complements other colors in
your home or a neutral (white, antique gold, etc). I
am reusing some old wall paint I had leftover, which
is a great place to start when selecting a paint color
for this project. It keeps the project budget friendly
and leans into a color palette that already exists in
your home. I let some of the gold show through to
give an antique look.

Here are a couple color choices I suggest:

Matte acrylic paint: linen or muted green
Rub ‘n Buff: European Gold
Sherwin Williams: Comfort Gray

Step 03: ADD PRESSED FLOWERS TO YOUR FRAMES

Use the insert from each frame to trace the same
shape on a piece of cardstock or textured paper.
Cut and use each to adhere the pressed flowers to.

Select the flattest flowers you can find to work with.
Lay out your design with the pressed flowers on the
piece of cardstock you just cut. Carefully apply a
thin layer of Mod Podge to the flowers using a
paintbrush. Allow to dry completely before adding
to the frame.

Continue until you have filled all frames.

Step 04: ADD THE DOILY

Start by cutting several pieces of twine. This is what
you will use to attach the doily. Turn your wreath
over back-side up. Position the doily in the center of
your wreath. Loop the twine through the doily and
attach to the inside branches of the wreath.
Continue the process around the doily, attaching
several points so the doily lays flat and is taut. Turn
your wreath back over to check symmetry.

Step 05: ADD THE FRAMES

After you have added all your pressed flowers to the
frames, lay out all the frames on the wreath. Review
the design photo you took earlier. Leave a little
space at the top of your wreath to add your
ribbon/bow. Once you are happy with the layout,
use hot glue to secure the frames to the wreath.

Step 06: ADD BABY’S BREATH

Cut the baby’s breath stems short. Cut several
stems so you have a pile to work from. Tuck the
stems into the vines of the wreath. Continue to
work around the wreath, filling the space in
between the frames. The goal is to cover most of
the wreath but still allow some of the grapevine to
show through. The fresh baby’s breath will dry out
over time on the wreath naturally.

Step 07: ADD RIBBON/BOW

Measure out the length of ribbon you need
depending on how large you would like your bow
and how far you want it to hang down in the middle
of the wreath. Once measured, tie the ribbon to the
wreath. I used some scrap fabric from a thrifted
sheet to make my bow. I like to keep my bows
effortless and organic, nothing fancy.

A FEW CONSIDERATIONS

Since your wreath has painted frames and
pressed flowers, consider finding a place
indoors to hang your wreath.

There are endless possibilities for this wreath
and that is what makes projects like this so
fun. Here are some variations:

Use family photos in the picture frames to
create a “family heirloom wreath.”
Make a holiday inspired/seasonal wreath
by printing holiday inspired/seasonal
watercolor images (or even paint your
own) and use those in the frames.

A few tips:

The thrift store is a great place to look for
large grapevine wreaths and doilies. Also,
keep an eye out for sales at your local
craft store.
I always have leftover paint from various
house projects, this is a great starting
point for paint for your frames. Affordable
and easy!

PLACES TO HANG