Happy Monday everyone, hope you had a fantastic weekend! We built a 12’ x 12’ cabana on Saturday on our patio and I can’t believe how great it looks! I’ll show you the whole space later this week, I’ve just got to pull it all together and snap a few pics.
We spent Sunday in Sonoma, lounging in the Plaza, bliss I tell you. Balmy and perfect. The kids ended up a little bronzer and we had a relaxing time, strolling around and popping into a favorite tasting room. I meant to write about this lavender wreath last night but then got caught up in past episodes of Million Dollar Decorators and could not avert my eyes. Some peeps are very self absorbed and completely out of touch! But it makes for great television, I admit I am hooked.
There are few things in the garden I love more than lavender, so last week I harvested a few plants and crafted a front door wreath. Here it hangs from my trusty Command hook, so natural and fragrant.
For a simple summer wreath like this one, you’ll need a craft floral ring, floral wire, wire cutters, ribbon, and clippers for your stems (not shown). I used the 18” craft ring, which requires lavender from 3-4 mature plants. I imagine you could make the 12” version with 2-3 plants. Be sure to cut the lavender 12-15” from the top.
Clip 12-15 lavender buds 4 inches below the lowest bloom, group them together, and secure them to the ring with floral wire.
Keep working your way around the wreath, adding the bunches one at a time. Once you’re done, continue to fill in any bare spots with additional blooms. Trim the excess wire on the back with wire clippers.
No need to toss the remainder of the stems into the bin, simply wrap them up in twine and dry them out for use over campfires or on the BBQ for flavor and scent. Or save them up for a cold night by the fire for the smell of summer lavender on a winter’s eve.
Group as many buds as you can together around the wreath for maximum fullness (they will shrink down over time as they lose moisture).
Hang it up on the door to welcome visitors!
The larger version looks great on a front door, but smaller versions would be wonderful indoors to fill you home with the fragrance.
If you’d like more tips on cultivating and growing lavender in your zone, and an explanation of the different varieties, I found this helpful article.
Enjoy!
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This is really pretty! I’m sure your guests will love the smell when coming to your house.
Oh that is so simple and beautiful and I can only imagine how amazing it smells as you walk in the door! I love it. You are one seriously crafty cookie! <3
Oh it’s so pretty! Just wish I could smell it!
Debbie
Gorgeous, yet simple wreath. I adore lavender!
So pretty & sweet! And I bet it smells soooo good!
so pretty! I bet it smells so good to :)
Lovely! I can almost smell the lavender – I love it!
Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!
Jo-Anna
Oh it looks gorgeous & so elegant! I love it, I bet it smells so lovely walking in your home. :-)
I bet that smells so good! It’s a beautiful wreath!
Simply stunning! I wish my lavender did as well as yours appears to!
It really is quite pretty Kate and I am sure a welcome whiff of summer for your guests!
So pretty. I would love to walk through your door.
It’s lovely; I can almost smell it here!
Jane
This wreath is so pretty. Oh the possibilities!!
I’m super picky about what I put on my front door…this is simple and classy! GORGEOUS!
Gorgeous wreath! Wish I could grow lavender like that in NE. I have one I bought a long time ago that is heart shaped. I gave it a shower to wash off the dust and it still has a nice fragrance.
That looks so beautiful! Growing lavender is now on my To Do list! :)
Oh this looks so beautiful!!! I have lavender in my garden and guess what I´m doing tommorrow…:D
Thanks for sharing this great idea!
Hug´s,
Verena
I love this! It makes me wish I had planted lavender in my garden this year!
That is so pretty, I know it must smell heavenly.
OMG, it was so hot here yesterday in Mill Valley I could not even hang outside. Sonoma must have been boiling. I swear I can smell that lavender. I so love it. Perfect wreath.
Cat
Hi there! I’ve been following your blog for a long time and have been soooo inspired. I had a dresser that I wanted to restore for a long time and you were all the inspiration I needed. Thanks so much for your detailed directions…you are a great resource. I thought you might enjoy seeing a pic or two of the project that I basically completed with your instructions…the only problem was that some of the products for staining that I was going to use are now illegal in CA or at least Orange County. That was super frustrating! I hope you enjoy…Thanks so much!
http://ashleygregg.blogspot.com/2011/06/after-months-of-work-i-am-finally-able.html
Its not my cup of tea but I certainly appreciate it. I am surprised you say to burn the stems though. I did that a few years ago. Harvested a bunch of lavender from my moms garden then hung it in the basement to dry then knocked off all the heads and kept blossoms for scented sachets. We then burnt the stems in the fire and the whole house smelt like weed. I twas icky.
Hey Kate, What a gorgeous wreath! Not to mention it’s my favorite color. I got caught up watching Million Dollar Decorator too!! Can you believe that Max Factor woman with the room full of unused stuff, and she also had two storage units full too?!?! Crazy! Love that show. Anyway, sounds like you had a great weekend! ~ Catie http://www.catiescorner2.blogspot.com Pop by if you get a chance!
I imagine that smells wonderful! Beautiful too!
So beautiful and I know it smells heavenly.
Lovely!! I bet it’s even prettier in person…such beautiful color and texture…if I could feature it on BOTB this weekend, I would…but that wouldn’t be fair, now would it? ;) Have been meaning to sit down and watch Million Dollar Decorators, but just haven’t done it yet. Sounds like a hoot!
So pretty. I need to grow some lavender.
The wreath is beautiful and I just love the smell of fresh lavender, but how do you keep it from disintegrating and making a pile at the bottom of your door as it dries? I would love to hang one inside my house but every time I touch dried lavender, I end up with a handful.
Beautiful! And can imagine the smell!
(PS: I have the same front door & have been wondering how to hang wreaths on it. Is that a Command hook?)
The wreath is beautiful! I’ve tried to grow lavender down here in southeast Texas with no success. I’m going to check out that article. Thanks.
what a great idea! so pretty kate!
Beautiful-I love to see how you celebrate and enjoy each season.
Just beautiful, & I can almost smell it. Love fresh lavender!
BorniaZoo, yes that is a Command hook. Mine has lasted over a year now, as long as the wreath isn’t more than 2 pounds, you’re good!
Tracey, yes it’s true, the wreath will eventually get so dry I’ll have to take it down. Lavender does that, but it’s so pretty for a few weeks! When dried upside down, lavender will last for months.
Kate
Your wreath is GORGEOUS! May I ask what variety of lavender that is? It’s really quite lovely! Thanks in advance!
Susan
Kate,
LOVE the wreath, it is absolutely beautiful. Thanks for showing us how you made it!
Are you kidding me? ARE YOU KIDDING ME ARE YOU KIDDING ME ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? That wreath is stinking breathtaking. Which I realize sounds like a bit of an oxymoron, but I mean it as a huge compliment. I *LOVE* it and all I want to do is plant lavender now. Sooooo beautiful. Stunning. Did I mention it’s beautiful? Wow.
Beautiful!! I bet it smells SOOO good. You just keep coming up with the best ideas….you are pretty much the new cooler Martha Sturart
Long sprigs of rosemary are superb as well… as it is summer in December in Australia, I use rosemary as my green wreath on the screen door and it scents the whole front of the house. Love it! Yours is gorgeous and I might have to try it myself.
Kate it is really beautiful and what is better than the fragrance of lavender!
xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
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It’s lovely, Kate. I bet the scent is just heavenly. I’ve got to plant some more lavender in our garden. I need more!
It’s gorgeous! You inspired me to plant lavender this year with last year’s posts on the topic. Keep the inspiration coming!
So beautiful. I can almost smell it!
That’s a great idea. So pretty! :)
Crystal
Hi there,
I have been following your blog and I am simply amazed at your creativity. As we say in the south, your lavendar wreath takes the cake! It is absolutely beautiful. I will be making one of my own thsi weekend. I can only hope mine turns out half as lovely as yours. Blessings!
LOVE IT!!! Need to plant me some lavender so I can do this, too! :)
Oh, it’s so beautiful!! I need to plant some lavender as well. I am loving the dried lavender I bought last month.
That is such an beautiful project that it makes me want to go into my neighbor’s yard and gank his lavender bush in the middle of the night. I guess I could go to Home Depot but that wouldn’t be anywhere near as exciting.
What a fabulous project – lavender is so wonderful to have around the house.
I love it..Beautiful..
Janet
Gorgeous, Kate! I love it. :)
It is so glorious! I almost have enough in my yard to make one. I love that M.D. Decorators show too – some of the things that come out of peoples’ mouths are too much. And the money that gets spent! Yikes.
thanks for the lovely tutorial!
What a lovely idea. I expect to retire next year and this looks like a fun project. I will keep the instructions. Thank you so much.
B.
ola amiga ,moro no brasil sao paulo,voce pode me mandar uma dessa ,aqui no brasil nao temos essas lavandas,eu gostaria muito de ter uma dessa ,voce pode me mandar.quanto custa.$$….