Step by step guide to making an autumn wreath for $1

Enter your home by way of autumn colors and shapes!

Fall is such a beautiful time thanks to the trees and their fallen leaves. Bring that seasonal feeling inside your home for only $1 in supplies. Here's what you will need:

*Hot glue gun with glue sticks
*Plenty of pretty leaves collected on a fresh walk around your area
*Some kind of hook or wire
*Wreath base from the Dollar Tree
*Clear coat spray

Step one: take a bag on a walk and hunt for your favorite leaves. I tried to vary colors and shapes but you can do whatever you feel. When you get home, dump them out and praise them.

Next, sort the leaves by size, from largest to smallest. This will make it easier to work later when you can glue them on in order. At this time, keep an eye out for particularly beautiful ones you think should be spotlighted.

Gorgeous!

Now, one more step before the glu-arama.
Using wire and/or a hook, make a little mechanism the wreath can be hung with. It doesnt really matter what it looks like because it will mostly be hidden by foliage anyway and if not, people wont even notice it behind such a showstopping wreath. I used a metal ring and some jewelry wire i had in my craft box and twisted the wire with jewelry pliers like so:

Alright, plug in that glue gun, my friend! It is time to begin. Using some of the biggest (and least attractive, dont tell them i said that) leaves, wrap and glue them completely around the base so that none of the wood or foam is showing.

Now have some fun gluing the rest of your leaves on in a pleasing formation. It makes the most sense to glue the larger and medium sized ones on first and then the smallest and cutest ones on top of the others for maximum display. Heres what my wreath looked like:

And this is the back:

I hung mine up immediately, but i would recommend another step first, which i didnt think to do until the next day. Clear coat. These leaves are already dead and will crinkle, curl and dry real soon but if you spray it with clear paint, it will last way longer. Mine is three days old now and it still looks the same as the picture. Obviously, this natural decoration will not last forever so making it a few days before an event, like Thanksgiving perhaps, would be a good idea.

Below is a picture of her after the clear coat. Almost looks artificial. As if a machine could make something that beautiful! Not a chance.

Thank you nature. Thank you trees. Thank you reader. Let me know if you have more ideas for natural decor for the seasons. Have fun with your crafting and have a blessed day,
-Amanda