terra cotta Christmas: clay pot wreaths

we've all seen beautiful wreaths made from terra cotta pots,

filled with herbs or succulents or flowers - in springtime.
i wanted to create a wreath made of pots
that fit this year's terra cotta Christmas theme...
simple, subtle, natural. and 'wintery' in feel.

the result is two wreaths that include terra cotta pots - 

one is a wreath of greens embellished with 'bells' made from pots,

the other a wreath made entirely of pots.

(and when i did a Google search, i didn't see any that looked like mine!)

they represent two different styles that can be made in varied sizes

for a variety of uses in your holiday decor!

continue reading to see tutorials for two variations of holiday wreaths...

dwk

i'm certain i have seen bells made with terra cotta pots before,
so this isn't a new idea... it's just an EASY idea!
and it fits this year's holiday theme so well that i had to include it.

what you need:
twine . two clay pots - any size . two plastic / resin ornaments - any size

TOP TIP:
 if you scale your ornaments to the same diameter as the bottom of the pot,
they look absolutely perfect as 'bell clappers'. any larger and they fill in the space.

TUTORIAL:

top row, from left:

* other than scissors to cut the twine, materials needed are shown.

* for the tiny pots i used here, i cut a 12" length of twine.
if you use bigger pots, you'll need a longer piece.
slide the ornament onto the twine, to the halfway point. fold twine in half.

* just above the ornament hanger, tie a knot in the twine.
when hung, the pot 'bell' will sit on this knot -
so place it to hold the ornament half in and half out of the pot.

bottom row, from left:

* pull both ends of the folded, knotted twine through the pot's bottom hole.

* complete the second 'bell', then tie both pieces of twine together in a knot
approximately 6 to 10 inches above the pots.

* when you hang the 'bells', let one hang a little lower than the other.

 

when i hung these bells, i used the metal wreath hanger on the door -
they aren't attached to the greenery. i placed it on the hook after the bells.

because i am going for a VERY simple look this year,
i didn't add anything to the pine wreath form
except a 'ribbon' of raffia and the unfinished wood 'joy' sign.

for a more detailed look, it would be easy to add more greens,
poinsettia flowers, other ornaments, even ribbon.

bells look beautiful on a greenery swag, too!

now let's look at a wreath made from small sized terra cotta pots...

i envisioned a simple version, sans plants, that could be made in varied sizes

to be used in different ways for the holiday season...

the tiniest as ornaments on a tree, larger as wall or door decor.

after a bit of trial and error, i came upon a method

that allows the pots to be removed and used for another project later

(which is something i always aim to do with my projects)

what you need:

a dozen terra cotta pots - your choice of size, but they must all be the same size
strong baling wire (it's messy but this stuff is STRONG!) and a wire cutter

TUTORIAL:

top row, from left:

* cut a piece of baling wire to serve as the wreath form - but longer.
if you want a 16" wreath, you'll double it to a 32" piece of wire.
(and the larger your pots, the larger your wreath needs to be)

* put the cut end of the wire into the hole in the bottom of the pot
and pull it through about 6" (longer if it's a bigger pot)

* make a small loop in the wire and leave at least 4" straight wire at the end.
then pull the wire backward so that loop is up against the inside bottom of the pot - 
it acts as a knot to hold the pot in place.

middle row, from left:

* beneath the first pot, create another loop in the wire.

* slide the second pot onto the wire from the other end,
letting it move all the way to that loop.
* the open/top end of the second pot will nestle OVER
the closed/bottom end of the first pot.

* continue making loops in the wire and adding pots.
they will move a bit as you work - a flat surface is best.

bottom row, from left:

* gently bend the pot-filled wire into a curve as you work.

*when all of the pots are on the wire, form a loop at the end.

* go to the other end of the wire - the one coming out of the first pot - 
and pull it through the loop you just created after the last pot.
twist the wire to secure it.

 you'll want to adjust the tilt of the pots as they 'nest' in a circle...
they should be nested closely together, not loose.
be gentle as you move them!

pot placement TIP: 
i added the three small pots with real moss on them at the very end.
i wanted them placed together so they would be a focal point of this simple wreath.

the wreath can be used flat, as a candle ring or around a plant or floral arrangement.

to hang it, loop a ribbon around one of the pots and tie a knot in the top of it.
loop that over a hook that is secure - either nailed or screwed into the wall
or on a metal wreath hook. 

if you make a wreath with BIG pots, you'll need a wire hanging loop to hold all the weight.
just cover it with ribbon after it's hung.

if you use miniature thimble-size pots, your wreaths can be used
as tree ornaments, napkin rings, or placed on gifts as an accent! 

i hung my wreath so that the mossy pots faced upward,
then i tucked in a tiny bit of moss green eyelash yarn as a small detail.
adding real moss would be just as easy.

one of the things i really love about this wreath

is that it will easily transition seasons -  from holiday into winter, then spring -

with the simple addition of white tulips and hyacinths

placed in terra cotta pots on the mantel below it.

that's triple-duty seasonal decor!!! 

related content:

easy Christmas wreath makeover

a wreath made from JUNK!

'wreaths' tagged posts

shared online:

funky junk interiors | new upcycle ideas #704

thank you for featuring my project, Miss Donna!


creatively beth | creatively crafty link party #174

southern sunflowers | home matters link party #458

Andrea at the cottage market  shared this project in her roundup

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