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5.31.2023

inflatable ring summer wreath

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it's finally time for some summer fun,
and i have a fun way to set the mood right at your front door - 
display a welcoming wreath made from an inflatable pool ring!

i've added one of my own Original Sweet Sweater Sandbabies TM and a sign,
but this idea lends itself to so many interpretations
i know you can round up some beach toys, pool toys, flip flops, 
and other accessories to make a one-of-a-kind wreath for your home!

continue reading for my easy tutorial...
Q
when this idea hit me, i planned to go to Dollar Tree and grab a pool ring.
 i went into Target first, and found THIS darling yellow and white inflatable ring
and you know i just couldn't resist it! especially at three bucks.

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i love the way my project turned out - however this is a HUGE pool ring!
it's actually wider than a door, so i had to photograph it on double doors.
the pool rings at Dollar Tree, Walmart, etc. are smaller than this one
and would be a better fit for regular doors.

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when i am working on a wreath, i hang it up on my studio door -
that makes it a lot easier to see how things need to be spaced and held securely!
hanging up an inflatable plastic pool ring was easy: a length of white grosgrain ribbon
wrapped around the top part of the ring and tied in a simple knot.
the ribbon slips right over a door hook (seen on the utilitarian one i use in my studio) easily.

i added a large gold paper clip to the ribbon, and slid it down to where the knot is.
this tiny 'hook' supports the wire handle of a lightweight metal bucket
and the bucket bottom rests on the bottom edge of the pool ring for support, too.
 
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then i created one of my Original Sweet Sweater Sandbabies TM in the bucket!
a wad of polyfil fiber was gathered up in a piece of sand-colored sweater fabric
and held securely with a rubber band.
plop that into the bucket, add some fun accessories
like sunglasses, a spiral gift wrap ribbon as 'hair', and a tiny baby-sized sailor's cap
that i thrifted back in the late 1990's and am STILL using in projects!
(i've linked to a post about those Sandbabies below this post)

all of that is really lightweight -
which is a consideration when using an inflatable wreath form.
you don't want it to sag or POP!

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next up, i wanted to create a sign that said 'summertime'.
this was the hardest part of this entire project - and yeah i'm gonna' show you how i did it,
but i'm also gonna' say that smart people run to the craft store
and buy an already-cut-out wood word to use!


deb is stubbornly committed to using trash so deb did not go to the store.
sometimes deb is not smart.
but deb IS industrious, and determined, so here's how i made the sign:
summer, wreaths, beach style, coastal style, colorful home, DIY, diy decorating, home decor, Sweet Sweater Sandbabies, re-purposing, up-cycling, tutorial, pool inner tube wreath, inflatable ring wreath, summer home decor, diy summer decor, summer door decor, summer wreath
i saved a large Costco-size cracker box because the inside of it was glossy white heavy paper - 
and since i needed paper with enough heft to hold its shape after being cut and glued,
i knew this would work. 

i wrote out 'summer' (shortened it because i KNEW this was going to be labor-intensive)
in a font i liked on paper, then traced it onto the heavy cardboard.

cutting it out was an undertaking! i used large scissors to cut the outer edges,
small scissors to cut into the center, and a blade knife to cut the tiniest details.
when i was done, i used an emery board to smooth all the edges i could reach.

then i covered the face and edges of the word in white glue,
and poured on some of my favorite sand from my favorite beach in Washington state.
i pressed it gently, then let it sit to dry before i shook off the excess.

that word seemed a whole lot smaller than i had planned
once i held it up to the inflatable pool ring, so i had to improvise
(which i LOVE! my best ideas are usually 'Plan B' solutions!)

out in a bin in the garage, there was a piece of metal left from another project.
i spray painted it white (it was black) and let it dry.
while it was drying, i cut out the center of a striped paper party plate
and a circle from yellow gift wrap that i cut 'sun rays' into.
the plate circle was glued onto the yellow paper 'sun'
and then i attached them to the dry metal piece with sticky foam tape.

the 'summer' word was attached with a few drops of hot glue,
and i positioned it so it would overlap the 'sun' a bit for interest.

some yellow twine was attached to both ends of the metal piece
then hung from the gold paper clip already on the pool ring.

all together, these simple elements became
a fun sunny wreath to welcome the summer season:
summer, wreaths, beach style, coastal style, colorful home, DIY, diy decorating, home decor, Sweet Sweater Sandbabies, re-purposing, up-cycling, tutorial, pool inner tube wreath, inflatable ring wreath, summer home decor, diy summer decor, summer door decor, summer wreath
oh, by the way, this pool ring has a solid yellow back side -
a whole new look would be created if i just flipped everything to the other side!

i hope this inspires you to create something similar for your summer enjoyment...

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related content:

sweet sweater sandbabies

summer sunshine door decor


shared online:

creatively beth | team creative crafts linky party #148 
thank you for featuring my project, Miss Beth!

southern sunflowers | home matters link party #432
thank you, Donna at modern on monticello for including my project in your feature this week!

funky junk interiors | new upcycled ideas #680

summer, wreaths, beach style, coastal style, colorful home, DIY, diy decorating, home decor, Sweet Sweater Sandbabies, re-purposing, up-cycling, tutorial, pool inner tube wreath, inflatable ring wreath, summer home decor, diy summer decor, summer door decor, summer wreath

4 comments:

  1. Your wreath is adorable and such a fun new way to make a wreath. And I adore wreaths! This post will be a feature this week so thanks for joining in and sharing the fun. #HomeMattersParty

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    Replies
    1. thank you so much, Donna - i am honored to be included in your feature!

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  2. What a unique idea using an pool inflatable as a wreath! Thanks for sharing at the #HomeMattersParty. Glad you're joining us!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you so much, Allyson - and welcome to my blog! and thank you for hosting such a wonderful linkup!

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