HOLIDAY WREATHS AND PANCAKES!

 

People often wonder where creative people get  their ideas.  Some of them come from stealing seeing something someone else has done, but creative inspiration can come from anything, even pancakes! 

A few weeks ago, we were enjoying breakfast at a local restaurant with our seven-year-old granddaughter.  She ordered her favorite breakfast of pancakes and bacon.  When the pancakes were served, the waitress placed three miniature syrup bottles beside her plate. 
 

After she emptied the first one, I noticed that the bottle had a pretty pattern pressed into the glass.  Immediately, an idea began to form. . .with the caps and labels removed, wouldn't those little bottles make cute miniature vases? Wait!  Not just vases. . .but. . .vases secured to a wreath. .  . holding small single stems of flowers!

Thus, a creative idea was born.  The idea called for a few more visits to the restaurant and several more orders of pancakes, in order to acquire the number of bottles needed to complete the project!  

With the exception of a grapevine wreath, all the remaining supplies required, were in my well-stocked craft cabinets!

To make a wreath YOU will need:
           1.  7-10 small bottles
           2.  A grapevine wreath 
           3.  Wire
           4.  Wire cutters
           5.  Artificial greenery (2 or more varieties) 
           6.  Ribbon or other decorative items 
           7.  Fresh flowers
           8.  A glue gun (optional, but helpful) 

Step 1: Position greenery around the wreath, leaving some areas of the wreath exposed.  Once you are pleased with the results, secure the greenery with wire or hot glue.  (Note: using more than one variety of greenery gives a more interesting appearance).  

Step 2:   Hot glue each bottle to the wreath in an upright position (so that it will hold water). This is where a glue gun may be helpful to insure that the bottle remains in an upright position.

Space bottles evenly around the wreath. The number you use will depend on how large your wreath is and how close together you want your bottles. I like working with odd numbers, 3, 5, 7 etc.



Step 3.  At this point you may want to add a bow or other decorative items to the wreath.  If you hide a sticky-backed circle of Velcro in the greenery, you will be able to change the ribbon for different holidays, by  attaching an opposing circle of Velcro onto different bows. . .just a thought!

Step 4:  Hang the wreath where it will be displayed.
 

Step 5:  Using a small funnel, fill each bottle with water.  Since the bottles are small, you may have to add more water to them on a daily basis.

Step 6: You are now ready to add fresh flowers to your creation!
 

Wouldn't a fresh flower wreath make a cute and welcoming baby or wedding shower decoration?   Or Valentine's with a few heart pics here and there. . .or. . .Christmas. . .or. . . Birthday. . .you get the idea.  The ribbon is easily replaced because of the Velcro attachments, and the decorations on the bottles remove easily because they are hot-glued onto glass.  I filled my bottles with white petunias from my garden because they were handy, but any single bloom would look beautiful.

And now you know. . .how a simple pancake breakfast became the inspiration for a decorative door wreath!  If you decide to make one, let me know how it turned out, okay?

Thanks for stopping by!

                                    ~Norma Jean~