Awesome DIY Fall Wreath- Easy Upcycling Project

This DIY Fall wreath is a quick and easy upcycling project with an old metal frame mirror I’ve found recently. Because I could easily remove the mirror from the frame, I’ve decided to make a fabulous wreath with it, just in time for this colorful time of year—super easy fall decor idea. The mirror had a rope frame added later on.

The material I used like grass, teasel, and acorn I’ve foraged on walks with my little boy. You can easily buy them in flower shops or online, or perhaps you can find something similar to where you live. I had the mirror frame to use but you can simply buy a metal wreath like this one.

Any dollar store pumpkins will do great for this project. I didn’t have access to any artificial pumpkins, so i decided to make them out of paper clay/dough. 

YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED IN:

How To Make A Fall Wreath-Superfast And Easy DIY Fall Decor
DIY Wooden Vase Holder- A Quick Fall Decor Pallet Project
Simple And Quick DIY Fall Decor Vase
Amazing DIY Fall Decorations Ideas
Really Cool Halloween Pallet Ideas And Decorations
Awesome DIY Halloween Decorations And Ideas

How to make a DIY fall wreath step by step

1. Prep

Firstly I removed the mirror from the frame and then cleaned it with an Elbow Grease degreaser. 

Then I used the recipe from the video below to make the pumpkins. This step is not necessary if you have fake pumpkins that you can paint.

I used regular toilet paper and skipped the plaster of Paris because I didn’t have any. I think I didn’t let the paper soak long enough, and the final dough came out not quite smooth.

But I used it anyway, having no choice/time to make a new batch. I let the pumpkins dry- it took several days in the sun to dry thoroughly.

Making the paper dough

2. Painting

> Making DIY chalk paint

You can use any chalk paint, including a DIY one. You can use the recipes from this article. I made mine with a ready-made chalk paint powder I bought on eBay. Or you can use chalk spray paint like this one, especially if it’s a metal wire you have to paint.

All I needed to do was to weigh the powder, mix it with a little bit of acrylic paint to make a paste, and then add the paste to the rest of the paint. If you want to have a go at mixing your own chalk paint, here is a link to a chalk paint powder that works with any water-based paint.

I painted three layers of chalk paint to have nice coverage. If you use Anie Sloan, for example, it would probably cover it with one. Or you could use a sprayed primer first.

> Sanding and distressing

After the paint dried, I sanded the frame lightly all over, distressing it at the same time in places the paint would typically wear off/scratch.

> Painting the leaves and pumpkins

Then I moved to paint the pumpkins and leaves. I used a layer of chalk paint for the pumpkins first, and then I painted them with acrylic paints.

I wanted pretty neutral colors like off-white, gray, pastel green, and blue. I painted the fake leaves using the same methodology. Chalk paint first and then added some color on top. I was going to paint the acorn as well but decided to leave them as they are.

Arranging the decorations

I started with the bendy branches and arranged them around the frame. I attached them with a piece of twine to make sure they won’t come off. Then using a glue gun, I glued the grass and other elements like teasel. 

Next, I added leaves and glued them to the frame. In the end, I glued the acorns, the raffia bow I made quickly, and finally, pumpkins. 

To secure the pumpkins, I used plastic cable ties. I made a loop and glued it to the bottom of the pumpkin, and then I glued that to the frame. If you are using plastic/styrofoam pumpkins, you can skip this step. They are light enough to be secured with hot glue only.

If you hang the wreath outside, you’ll need to seal the chalk paint, at least with a layer of wax. And probably seal the paper dough pumpkins with a waterproof top coat so they don’t absorb any moisture from the air.

I hope you enjoyed this post on how to upcycle an old mirror metal frame into a DIY fall wreath! I realize that you may not be able to replicate this project, but I hope you have found some tips and inspiration to make your own design. 

If you have any questions about the process, please feel free to leave me a comment below. Don’t forget to pin this article to your Fall decor ideas and projects board. Thanks for stopping by!

I link-up over at:
On Poinsettia Drive