Julie Siomacco

Many times when I purchase wooden signs for my Deco Mesh Wreaths there are other embellishments on or attached to the sign that I don’t want or have room for on a wreath. For example, the wooden sign in the wreath above was purchased with ribbon bows glued to the front of the sign and also had hanging wooden ornaments dangling from the bottom of the sign.

Below is a picture showing one of the bows that was glued onto the front of the sign. Do you see the pink pipe cleaner just beside the bow? This is where there was an ornament/embellishment hanging from the sign which I cut off. I then used the hole holding the ornament to attach the sign onto my wreath. (note: for detailed instructions on how to wire signs securely into a deco mesh wreath, please refer to my ebook, Learn Deco Mesh Wreath Design.)

When I carefully pulled off the bows that came on the sign it also pulled off the paint; but that is okay, I will show you a trick to fix this.

In the picture below, you can see where I’ve pulled off the bows (which pulled off the paint) and the holes that are now on the sign.

Once my sign is wired into the wreath, I just hot glue small flowers on top of the holes and where the bows pulled off the paint from the sign. I also add a couple more flowers around the sign to make it look as if the flowers are supposed to be there and not just covering up the mechanics.

Tip: Before hot gluing the flowers, place them around the sign to see if you like the spacing first. As you can see in the picture below, I tried out using a white cherry blossom before officially choosing the pink hydrangea blossom.

I hope this tip helped with your own wreathing challenges. Please let me know if you have any recommendations or questions in the comment box below.

Happy Wreathing Ya’ll!

Julie 🙂

I love using wreath forms to make my deco mesh wreaths but there are times when the twist ties on the wreath forms are not evenly placed. When this happens, I have a “twist tie dilemma”! This happens during manufacturing and there is no need to return the wreath form because I have this very simple fix:

1. When one pair of twist ties are right beside another pair of twist ties (or not evenly spaced with other twist ties on the wreath form), use wire cutters to cut off the misplaced twist ties. Make sure to cut as close to the wire frame as possible but do not cut the wire the twist ties are attached too. Put the cut twist ties to the side for later use. You should have 1 set of cut twist ties (2 pieces).

2. Twist a coordinating colored pipe cleaner in the correct location where the twist ties should have been placed. Note: When the color of the pipe cleaner matches the wreath form, it makes for a professional looking deco mesh wreath.

3. Continue to tie in your mesh as usual for making a deco mesh wreath and when you come to the pipe cleaner use it as you would a twist tie by placing your mesh inside and twisting it a couple of times.

4. Add your ribbon as you would normally. You can see a video for how to add ribbon streamers to deco mesh wreaths by clicking here.

5. Keep twisting the pipe cleaner until there is about 1 inch of twisted pipe cleaner and then use wire cutters to cut off the excess pipe cleaner. Wrap the twisted 1 inch part of the pipe cleaner back inside the mesh toward the back of the wreath.

6. Now find the two pieces of twist ties you cut off of the wreath form in Step 1. Add hot glue to the tips of 1 end of the twist ties and stick them into the mesh where the pipe cleaner is.

7. Add in your ornaments and picks as you normally would. I would not put heavy items on the twist ties you just hot glued into the wreath as they will not be sturdy enough to hold heavy items but you can hot glue lighter items.

Here is a video I took on my phone (sorry for the quality) showing the above steps:

The finished wreath, can you spot the pipe cleaner??

Have you seen my FREE tutorial on making a curly deco mesh wreath? This tutorial gives away my secrets for making a full deco mesh wreath, how I cut my mesh quickly without the use of scissors, why pipe cleaners are my best friend and where to purchase deco mesh supplies. Click on the link below to learn how you can download my FREE tutorial on making a Deco Mesh Wreath!

Click Here To Access Tutorial

I hope this tip helps you, if so please leave me a comment! Found a better way to fix this Dilemma, if so I would love to hear it!

Happy Wreathing, Ya’ll!

Julie 🙂

Wreath making has added so much happiness, joy and purpose to my life!  It really is so much FUN! You should see me dancing around my wreath shop to the radio as I make deco mesh wreaths.  What a sight THAT is…LOL!  I love making wreaths so much that I sometimes dream of new designs in my sleep and can’t wait to start them the next morning!

Once you catch the deco mesh wreath making bug…it is fun and ADDICTING!  It will be for you too when you start to make wreaths, you will see.  Wreath making can become one of the easiest and most rewarding hobbies you will ever undertake. You see, there is no right way or wrong way to make a wreath! You are creating art, just let it flow from your heart and it will be a masterpiece every time. Why? Because it is an original designed by you!

Wreaths aren’t just for doors anymore; a wreath can add so much warmth and a festive flair to any area of your home.  Small wreaths look great in bathrooms, children’s rooms, on bedroom doors, etc.  And larger wreaths can be used on a screened in porch, family room or even the kitchen.  Imagine a wreath matching your favorite sport’s team colors hung in the TV room during the big playoff game! Wouldn’t that be fun and a unique way to display your pride! What about a wreath for a new baby? Can’t you just image a pale pink or blue wreath with bears, raddles,and pacifiers tied in with coordinating ribbon? What about making wreaths to give away as holiday gifts, for wedding showers, as teachers’ gifts? The possibilities are just endless!

I often think how blessed I am that GOD has given me this wonderful opportunity to use my talent in my home based business.  So happy that I can make money at home and be home for my children when they get out of school.  And not to mention the relief of being able to help with our household expenses, times are hard for all of us.

Additionally, it is equally as important that I make a difference in people’s lives as I share, teach and encourage others with making wreaths (and selling them if they choose).  I am so thankful that I have this opportunity.  I have already had so much wonderful feedback for sharing my wreath-making secrets and I can’t wait to share and teach more! That’s why I created another FREE tutorial!

This FREE tutorial teaches you step-by-step how to make a curly deco mesh wreath.  This tutorial gives away my tips for making a full deco mesh wreath and how I cut my mesh quickly without the use of scissors, why pipe cleaners are my best friend and where to purchase deco mesh supplies.  Click on the link below to learn how you can download my FREE tutorial on making a Deco Mesh Wreath!

Click Here To Access Tutorial

Happy Wreathing, Ya’ll!

Julie Siomacco

We’ve received a lot of of people asking how we add the fabulous ribbon streamers to our Deco Mesh Wreaths and garlands, so here is a quick tutorial:

Want to learn to make your own Deco Mesh Wreaths and garlands? Well, we give away all our secrets in our ebook, Learn Deco Mesh Wreath Design, you can find more information here: www.learnmeshwreaths.com

Do you need more room for storing your wreaths? Are you a fellow wreather like me? If so, then I know you crave more storage/crafting space and smarter storage areas. I want to share with you my idea for storing my wreaths until I sell them. It’s so easy and no tools are required! This display would also be perfect for displaying your wreaths in craft shows; you can easily disassemble and reassemble as needed because this requires no tools. This took me 15 minutes to construct and cost less than $50.

 

Now attach the third shelf to the two just connected, again secure in 5 places using cable ties. Note: I attached the cable ties in the same areas all the way around. Your display should now look like this.

 

Like I said, these would be great for using during craft shows alone or combined with other display methods. What do you think? I hope this was helpful to you. I have 3 of these constructed that I use to store my wreaths until they are sold.

What to learn to make money selling your own wreaths check out http://learndecomeshwreaths.com

I just LOVE my wreath easel! I love it because a wreath easel enables me to hang my wreath vertical when designing so that all I have to do is step back and then I can see what my wreath will look like hanging up on a customer’s door. Many people design their wreaths on the wall to also get this same effect.

In my ebook, Learn Deco Mesh Wreath Design, I mention where I purchased my wreath easel but a lot of you have emailed me mentioning that, for whatever reason, you are not able to make that investment. Therefore, I put my hubby to work in helping me design a work wreath easel that is easy to assemble (you don’t need to be a wood worker or engineer), easy to use, sturdier than the floral easels found in the craft shops, and can easily be folded up for storage.

Additionally, I like that you can easily put this easel on a table top so it doesn’t take up room on the floor. Just remember to put a piece of cardboard under it to catch those glue drips. If you have a high stool, you can work and sit down, which has been a blessing during those busy seasons for me!

Materials needed:
2 6′ long 2×2 pine studs (will cut to three 3′ sections)
5/16″ wooden dowel (only need 4″)
#16 light duty, link chain
1 5″ bolt 5/16 in diameter
1 5/16 Wing Nut
2 #212 x 15/16″ Screw Eyes
2 5/16 x 1-1/4 Washers

pencil
ruler
drill
drill bits (7/16 & 5/16)
circular saw or jig saw (or have Lowe’s or Home Depot cut for you)
clamp
pliers

Step 1 Cut The Legs

Using a circular saw or jig saw (or have Lowe’s or Home Depot cut for you) cut 3 pieces of the 2×2 three feet in length. Hubby made a mark on each side of the wood and then used a straight edge to draw a line all the way across. After the cuts are made, feel free to sand your wood pieces but we weren’t going for looks here so I opted not too.

Step 2 Angle the Tops of the Outside Legs

Lay one of the three foot pieces you just cut flat on the table straight; this will be your back leg and will be in the center of the finished easel. Now, lay a second piece on top of that one but move the bottom of that leg out 9 inches from the center back leg (in the 2nd pic below you can see we used the cheap craft store floral easel as a guide).

Using a pencil mark your angle underneath this piece of wood.

Turn the wood over and use a ruler to sharpen up the pencil line you just drew if you cant see it.

Using a circular saw or jigsaw and a person to hold the wood, cut on the line.

This newly cut piece of wood or outside leg will now be your guide for your other outside leg. Lay the newly cut leg on top of the other outside leg and use a pencil to trace the cut. Cut this piece of wood the same as the last with the saw.

Now when you line up the top of the three legs, it should look like this:

Step 3 Adding The Bolt

With the tops of the legs lined up, use a clamp to hold all the legs together tightly.

Turn the clamped pieces on their side and measure 3 inches down from the top and place a mark in the center of the wood with a pencil. This is where you will drill your hole.

Use a 7/16 drill bit to drill a hole all the way through all three pieces of wood.

Once your hole is drilled, insert the bolt through one washer, through the three legs, and place another washer on the other sie. Use the wing nut to screw on and tighten as much as you can but still be able to move the center leg backwards.

Your wreath easel should look like this. Once you complete the easel, you can use the wing nut to tighten in order to keep the legs in place, or loosen to collapse the legs for storage.

Step 4 Adding the Dowel Hook

Measure 3 inches on the dowel and use a hacksaw to cut the dowel. This will be the peg used to hang the wreath hanger on when you design your wreaths. (NOTE THE PICTURE SAYS 4 INCHES BUT I THINK IT COULD BE 3)

Lay the three legs back down on the table an use the drill with a 5/16 drill bit to drill a hole on a 45 degree angle. Drill the hole only about 1/2 inch deep. This is where your dowel will go and you want it to be angled up.

Use wood glue to glue the dowel into the hole you just drilled. Squirt glue into the hole and then put the dowel inside the hole. Some glue will seep out of the sides. You do not need to let the glue dry before finishing the wreath easel but obviously let it dry before hanging a wreath on it.

Step 5 Securing The Legs

In order to secure the legs to each other, add a chain from the front two legs to the back leg. To do this, open the wreath easel up and stand it on the table. From the bottom of one of the front legs, measure 12 inches up from the table and insert a screw eye into the center of the leg but facing to the back of the wreath easel (or back leg). If you have soft wood, you can just twist it in with your hand or if not, use an awl to start the hole and twist in the screw eye. Do this for the front two legs. On the back leg your screw eye will still be 12 inches from the bottom but the screw eye faces towards the front of the wreath easel.

Use pliers to open one of the links on the end of the chain and insert this into a screw eye on one of the front legs. Use the pliers again to close the chain link back making it secured to the screw eye. Now hold the chain up and back towards the back leg to measure the length of chain needed. Use pliers to again to open the link, which will now free it from the rest of the chain. Insert the link into the screw eye on the back leg and bend it back with your pliers securing it to the back leg.

You can now use this chain length to measure out your second piece of chain length. Use your pliers to open the links and insert into the front and back leg screw eyes.

There you have it a sturdy table wreath designing easel

I do hope this is an easy project for you, that was my goal; easy but effective. I want you to be able to crank out those wreaths quicker & easier. Let me know if you need help with any other aspects of your wreath making endeavors and as always, I am here to help you succeed!

Happy Wreathing Ya’ll!