Better Looking Than A Basic Wreath: Turn A Common Fall Yard Scrap Into Beautiful Door Decor

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

In the fall, smart crafters like you are all about using up the scraps from the yard — the fallen pine cones, the Technicolor leaves, and the fruits from the crab apple tree. Although these items often end up in a number of decor pieces, like centerpieces and sustainable holiday garlands, it is the fall door wreath that often captures the affections of the home decorator the most. Such a piece offers a visual summary of the vicissitudes of the season, punctuated by pine cones and tied up with ribbons dressed in the colors of autumn. And, because this craft's makings come from raw materials you can find in your yard, it's rich and authentic in a way that a store-bought one can't be.

A fall wreath made of yard scraps needs, well, yard scraps. For this one, your go-to item is the pine cone. It replaces the flowers that normally adorn a wreath. Your finished piece will be more visually interesting if you choose pine cones of different sizes, shapes, and types -– i.e. sugar and Ponderosa. These create a variety of textures, ensuring that your wreath doesn't look lackluster and dull. Those sit on a wreath made of twigs: Craft wreaths like Ruisita Grapevine Wreaths can be found in inexpensive bundles that cost just over $20 if you buy them online. You'll also need two sizes of ribbon for this: One will be thick and wide — up to 2 inches — while the other need only measure about an inch at most.

The tools for this cute door decoration come straight from the gardener's shed. You'll need shrub cutters, some needle-nose pliers, and a sturdy pair of scissors. Finally, grab a hot glue gun and several glue sticks to fill it with.

After you've gathered all the scraps you'll use for this, clean them off, and begin cutting them in half. Once their tops have been snipped off, the pine cones will resemble flowers. This is what you want, and what you'll use primarily to decorate this. However, save all of the pieces you've cut, even if they're small. Start gluing the pine cone flowers onto the twig wreath. They should cover the front, except for a spot at the top that you'll leave open — a couple of inches should be enough. If you're concerned that the cones won't stay put, use Cowee Wired Wood Picks to reinforce the cones. To do this, wrap the pick's wire around the bottoms of the cones. Then, push the pick into the wreath to secure it into place.

You can embellish your DIY with additional items from the yard. Your foraged fall wreath could also include items like acorns, green pine boughs, and deep red berries. If you have dried apple slices and cinnamon sticks, they'd be smart additions to this DIY, too, because they're common in fall decor. These should be pushed into open spots between the pine cones. The tops of the snipped pine cones and any miniature cones you have will also fill these empty spots.

Next, wrap a long ribbon around the open spot at the top of the wreath. Glue it onto the twig wreath base. Cover up the exposed ribbon with more pine cones. Finally, make a bow for the wreath by twisting a piece of the big ribbon in a pretzel and binding it together in the middle with a strip of the thinner ribbon. Finally, it's ready to hang on your door to welcome all who visit.