Creator Desiree Reinhard is more than happy to share with us her new favorite craft project, a DIY fall garland. You'll want to hang this from your DreamBox Crown, a doorway, or even over the mantelpiece.
This guest post is written by Desiree Reinhard. Follow along below as she teaches us how to make this beautiful garland:
To get my DreamBox ready for the fall season, I swapped out my Create Room Wallpaper from the Blue Tile to the Buffalo Plaid. It inspired me to update my entire craft room and create a fall garland for the DreamBox Crown!
Total Project Time:
2.5 hours (30 minutes if you don't include drying the oranges)
Difficulty Level:
Easy & fun!
Step 1. Create Your Vision & Gather Inspiration
I knew I wanted to incorporate dried oranges. I have seen this trend floating around on Pinterest since last Christmas! This was the perfect time to try it out. I also wanted to do a fall-themed garland without pumpkins. I decided instead to include leaves, wooden beads, and fall-themed paper!
Step 2. Grab Your Create Room Planner & Plan Out Your Project
I love my Create Room Planner! It has helped me to focus on the steps needed to execute my ideas. I can get easily side tracked as a busy working mom. My planner keeps me focused. For this project I wrote down all the steps and created a quick drawing of how I wanted this garland to look.
Step 3. Gather Your Supplies
Recommended Supplies:
- 2 Oranges
- 1 Baking sheet
- Cinnamon
- Sea salt
- Wooden beads with twine
- Artificial leaves
- Fall themed paper *limited edition no longer available, find similar here & here
- 3m Hooks
- Craft Scissors
- Cricut Maker (optional)
Step 4. Create Your Garland
1. Dry out your oranges!
Preheat your oven to 225° Fahrenheit. Slice your oranges and lay them on a non-stick baking sheet. Sprinkle them front and back with cinnamon (for a lovely smell) and sea salt (to help the drying process). Cook for 2 hours (or until they begin to dry and look golden), flipping every 30 minutes! Once they are done, let them cool & completely dry overnight. Your house will smell AMAZING!
*Want to skip this step? Buy them already dried here or use whatever items you have in your craft room!
2. Cut your paper shapes!
Using my Cricut Maker, (you can use any cricut OR you can trace & cut shapes by hand) I cut out circle shapes.
3. Assemble your garland
Now that my oranges are dry and my shapes are cut, I can begin to assemble. Using twine, I began creating the design I had already planned out in my Create Room Planner. I did not want it to look perfect (I like a mismatched look). String your beads first, then tie a knot on both sides of the beads to hold them in place, then string in a leaf, then a paper circle, then an orange, and repeat! I made sure to cut small holes into each item (aside from the beads since they already are predrilled).
4. Attach your garland to your DreamBox Crown
Attach your garland to your DreamBox Crown using 3m hooks. I got my hooks on amazon. You can also use tape!
Step 5. Admire Your Work! You did it!
Time to celebrate your work! The best part about creating is knowing that you thought of an idea and you brought it to life. Enjoy.
Meet The Creator: Desiree Reinhard
Desiree Reinhard, also known as Create with Desi, loves exploring new ways to make jewelry, home decor, and other DIY projects. Here’s what Desi has to say about her creative work:
What brings you the greatest sense of accomplishment in your creative process?
My favorite part of the creative process is the end! When I can admire the hard work and energy put into the project. Creativity is a journey. Sometimes there are bumps in the road and sometimes it's smooth sailing. Either way it's fun and you can create something you are proud of. I love that being creative means thinking of something, envisioning it, and putting the pieces together until you can hold it in your hands. Accomplishing what was just a thought and bringing it to fruition.
What is the most memorable project you’ve ever made?
My wooden mermaid hanging above my DreamBox in my office. It was really nice for me to take the time to create something for myself. A lot of my creativity goes towards my family, my business, and my work. Finding the time to paint that mermaid and hang it in my craft space was extremely meaningful. I loved every minute of it and I am so happy I can see it everyday!
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