We love our new magnolia wreath! Can you believe it is so easy to make, and it is free?
This DIY magnolia wreath happened in a totally spontaneous way: I was taking a walk and saw a tree-trimming guy putting some magnolia branches on the curb.
Two minutes later, I walked by a cardboard box by the recycle bin. And a light bulb came on: maybe I will try to make a wreath using the magnolia leaves and the cardboard ?!?
MY LATEST VIDEOSSo, what do you think? Doesn’t this magnolia wreath look beautiful, especially considering it is free, and unplanned? =) The other thing I like about it is that this wreath would be lovely not only for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but also for any time of the year!
Below are the video and written tutorials!
Step 1: Gather some magnolia leaves.
( Some of the helpful resources are affiliate links. Full disclosure here. )
Dried ones or fresh ones are both great. I painted some of the leaves gold and some silver, using Decoart 24K Gold Americana Decor Metallics paint and Decoart Stesilver Americana Decor Metallics paint, I love these paints! Thank you Decoart for the gifts!
I made a big magnolia wreath, which measures 24″ across. For a wreath this size you will need about 100 magnolia leaves. It sounds like a lot, but it is very easy to collect this many under a big tree!
Some of you might be wondering “How long does magnolia leaves stay green?” If they are out of direct sun, magnolia leaves will age to a gorgeous light olive green, then turning to brown a couple of months later.
You can preserve magnolia leaves by soaking them in a solution of 1 part vegetable glycerin and 2 parts water for 3-5 days, then let dry in shade before use.
Step 2: Make a wreath form from cardboard
Our front door is protected from the rain. If your magnolia wreath is exposed to the rain, use a grapevine wreath form, or foam wreath form instead of the cardboard.
You can also make a grapevine or honeysuckle wreath form easily as shown in this tutorial!
How to make a grapevine or honeysuckle wreath form easily!
Draw two concentric circles on the cardboard. Overlap the cardboard if it’s not big enough.
I used an 18″ bowl for the outer circle, and a 12″ bowl for the inner circle. You don’t have to use these dimensions, the key is that the cardboard section should be about 2-3″ wide.
Cut out the cardboard ring shape. Make sections of the ring and glue them together if your cardboard piece is not big enough.
Make 2-3 cardboard rings. Overlap and glue them together for extra strength.
Step 3: Glue magnolia leaves onto the cardboard wreath form
Take a hot glue gun and use hot glue to attach the stem of the magnolia leaves to the cardboard wreath form.
Arrange the leaves in a fan shape. Alternate the green leaves with the painted leaves, and make them dense enough to cover the glued stems and cardboard.
When you reach the end of the circle, carefully glue the last few leaves so they are tucked under the first ones.
This magnolia leaf wreath would look beautiful hanging on a panel of reclaimed wood or any colored door! All you need is a door wreath hanger like this one, and some strings tied to the cardboard at the back.
If you love DIY wreaths, you would love this hack on how to make wreaths using a dry cleaner’s hanger!
How to make gorgeous wreaths using a dry cleaner’s hanger!
A couple more favorite ideas on decorating with nature’s elements: 24 Stunning pots for winter and Christmas decorations! No plants? Use cuttings!
Make a beautiful and long-lasting centerpiece in 10 minutes!
16 gorgeous planters for the shade, with plant list for each !
16 gorgeous planters for the shade, with plant list for each !
Happy creating! See you next week!
Joline
Your magnolia wreath looks fantastic! Cheaper than the ones from the store too. You make it look super easy 🙂
cara
Oh my gosh how clever is this?! This seriously looks so chic and who knew it was so easy!
Sara Nichols
I love these ideas! I can’t wait to try making the wreath.
Patricia @ Grab a Plate
I absolutely love the metallic wreath! It’s so easy to make! I can’t believe it’s simply a cardboard backing! LOVE!
Ashley @ GrowingSpangs
This is a genius idea, and I especially love the different colors, and the metallic is a great touch. I love natural decor, but never get around to doing much of my own. I’ve been inspired – sometimes, the best things to use are those unnoticed and cast-off things. Way to turn trash into an absolute treasure.
Christine
I really love the Magnolia Wreath! It is beautiful and I would like that for my door. It looks easy enough to make for me!
Barb
Your magnolia wreath is gorgeous – doesn’t need another thing added to make it “fancy.” The leaves speak for themselves and the little gold and silver you added just makes it sparkle! I just make a boxwood wreath from freah, preserved boxwood. Hope it holds up well.
ananda
thank you so much barb! did you preserve the boxwood with glycerin? 🙂
Ashika R.
I really love the Magnolia Wreath. It’s stunning and so natural. Great idea. Thank you very much for sharing.
ananda
thank you ashika! happy creating! =)
Barbara Shaw
ananda – this magnolia wreath was an accidental and happy find and it has left me DIY inspired! So beautiful and resourceful, thank you. I live in Colorado and have so much natural beauty to draw from – I’m going to hunt for materials today, I may not have a magnolia, but I’m going to make a wreath using the bounty from our other beautiful trees on our property. Thank you, again.
Great blog! Glad I found you, (I originally searched for paper art and shadow boxes) I’ll be back for more art and craft inspiration!
ananda
hi barbara! thank you so much for your sweet comment! great to have you here! happy crafting! =)
ig viewer
What a fun idea! Thank you for sharing!! I guess I won’t buy Christmas wreath this year. There is a magnolia tree in my neighborhood.
Summer
It looks great! How long have the leaves lasted after only soaking them for 3-5 days? I had heard longer soaking would be necessary but if I can get away with 3-5 days I would be thrilled!
ananda
hi summer, mine lasted for over a month without glycerin, in shade.
i may try it this year and see! =)
Daisy
Absolutely lovely ideas,great job thanks for sharing
Shirley
Gorgeous wreath..and other wreaths on your site…and everything else I’ve looked at today. The pine cones, the packing tape labels, the newspaper wreath…just gorgeous way of doing things with all these things that usually get thrown away or are simply from nature. I seriously can’t decide which of these is my favorite today. They are all just perfect! So many ideas coming to mind as I’ve browsed through the last 3-4 hours..lol!
ananda
oh shirley, thank you SO much for your sweet comment! so happy we share the love of crafting! 🙂
Allison
Hi! I’m preserving leaves and making these as Christmas gifts this year. Do you have any idea how many leaves you painted per wreath? Also, have you tried preserving them yourself? Curious how long they will last
Kathleen
This magnolia wreath is beautiful. I saw this post last year and admired it so this year I will actually try it. Can this wreath be preserved for next year if I treat the leaves as you suggest?
ananda
hi kathleen, i found that magnolia leaves hold their shape even without preserving. you could save it for next year as it dries, i would tuck in some fresh green leaves because they do turn brown. 🙂
Anita
I made this wreath out of leaves from the dwarf magnolia tree in our yard. We soaked the branches in a solution of glycerin and water for a couple of days and the leaves have stayed beautiful for a month now. Your tutorial and written instructions were fabulous. This was a fun project for an evening and will be our winter wreath this year. Thank you so much!
ananda
thank you so much anita! happy new year!:)