Use Paper Bags And A Pizza Pan To Make The Cutest Home Decor Gem

When it comes to the most beautiful fall decorating ideas, there seems to be an endless flow of ready-to-go pieces and DIY projects alike. You may wander many aisles or surf many sites and still not find a theme or color combo that speaks to you. There's a fun solution for either of these dilemmas: make your own decor! With items as basic as paper lunch bags and a pizza pan, this easy and affordable Dollar Tree DIY guides you through creating the cutest wreath in a snap. Then you can customize it to suit whatever look you're after.

YouTube creator Melanie Ferguson of Southern Crush At Home used these simple elements and a cute fall-themed acrylic plate to create a decorative wreath that would be right at home in the kitchen, dining room, or living area. With a few extra steps, it could also adorn your front porch as a friendly seasonal welcome to visitors. Paper bag roses decorate an embellished pizza pan, and how you style everything is limited only by your imagination and color preferences. Best of all, this wreath can be made for under $10, depending on the crafting tools and supplies you already own.

Aside from Dollar Tree's The Home Store Lunch Bags and a 16-inch Cooking Concepts Pizza Pan, you'll need an 8- to 10-inch decorative acrylic plate for the center of the pan (or supplies to decoupage a plate), faux fall leaves, paint in your preferred colors, a paintbrush, and a hot glue gun. If you plan to hang your decorative sign on your front porch, pick up a can of Aleene's Clear Acrylic Spray Sealer for your project.

Start by making the lunch bag roses. Reach inside a bag, pinch the base between your fingers, and twist with your free hand until you have a little paper bundle that resembles a rose. Create 10 roses in total. Next, choose what will be at the center of your wreath. A lightweight 8- to 10-inch plate with a welcoming fall message or image like this Gandeer Thanksgiving Melamine Plate is a great option. Hot glue the plate to the center of your pizza pan and then glue the roses all around the plate, adding extra glue if any edges pop up.

Next, take faux leaves in coordinating colors — whether that's traditional yellows, oranges, and browns or sprigs of unconventional blues and purples like these Floral Garden Maple Leaves from Dollar Tree (or a mix of the two) — and glue them around the edge, overlapping them to build visual interest and to hide any metal pizza pan peeking through. 

If you want to add extra color to the wreath, it's best to do so with the paper roses in a hue that matches the central plate and leaves you chose. Use acrylic paint and a dry brushing technique for the pop of color. Lightly dip your paintbrush in paint, then tap or swipe it on a paper towel before gently dabbing all around the petals of your paper bag roses. The idea is to add a hint of color to the edges, highlighting shades in the central plate and giving the flowers more depth.

There are some great variations that you can use to customize your wreath. For instances, instead of brown flowers, add some brilliant color by making the roses with colorful party bags like these Vgoodall Colored Paper Goodie Bags. You'll instantly get bright blooms and avoid the extra paint step. If you don't have a central plate with a design you love, you can repurpose decorative paper napkins to decoupage a plain plastic plate. Just separate the patterned top layer of the napkin, paint the plate with Mod Podge using a foam brush, and carefully lay on the napkin to avoid creases. Brush on a few more coats of Mod Podge, allowing it to dry between each coat.

Further, you can glam up your finished wreath with gold or silver spray glitter. Just be sure to apply it outside atop a tarp or some plastic trash bags and wear a painter's mask. You can adapt this project to any season. Use pinecones and faux sprigs of pine for winter, pastel hues and blossoms for spring, or fresh greenery and bright faux citrus slices in summer. Whatever the time of year, it's a piece of decor that will instantly make guests feel at home and brighten up any room.

Once dry, weatherize your entire wreath with the acrylic spray if you're planning to hang it on your front door. To hang, use a loop of jute rope and affix it to the back of the pan with a strong glue like E6000 for a rustic touch. Alternatively, consider using adhesive solutions like Command Picture Hanging Strips that won't mar your walls.