Autumn Decor

I've got a little Ribbon Oasis project to share today. I'm determined to enjoy autumn this year and not jump too quickly into winter and Christmas so I decided to make some pretty autumnal decor. Before I started this project I did a quick google for autumn wreaths and found lots and lots of inspiration so if you're wanting to make one for yourself that's a great place to start to pool your ideas. Most of the instructions begin with buying a ready made wreath or ring but I'm a bit of a recycler so I decided to find something I already had and found the perfect solution in a cardboard pizza base from a ready made pizza. I rescued it from the paper recycling bin and cut a hole in the center to make it into a perfect card ring base. Because it was white I covered it with brown paper first - again reusing some brown paper bags too! Next came the fun part of picking out some ribbons to use! These are the colours I went for.... I picked out the Browns and Golds organza mix, Yellow and Orange organza mix, the Browns and Golds solids mix, the mesh and chain ribbon in gold and the green leaf colour satin ribbon. I also picked out this lovely red stitched ribbon to make a bow centerpiece.

As well as ribbon I had a little look around the house for some bits to use. I found lots of lovely spices in the cupboard to use I picked out cinnamon sticks, cloves and these lovely star anise that echoed the tones in the ribbons.

Now it's time to start playing! I started by using some wired ribbon to make these rose type embellishments. I just twisted one end of the ribbon around my thumb and then took it off and bent the ribbon over to make extra petals then fixed it all together by twisting it at the ends. The buds were made the same way but without the extra petals just twist it around your thumb, pull it off then twist the ends together. It's really fun to have a go at and the wired ribbon makes it easy to 'sculpt' the ribbon into the shape you want. There are lots of wired ribbons to choose from here so you can pick out some that work with your project I went for ones in orange and gold colours.Another quick embellishment I made was to tie ribbon around the cinnamon sticks. I grouped together the green leaf colour satin ribbon and one of the brown organza ribbons and tied them in a bow around each of the cinnamon sticks.
To cover the inside of the ring I layered two more of the ribbons from the browns and golds set and tied them together in knots at regular intervals then glued it to the ring all the way around. To make extra embellishments I picked out some papers and cut out leaf shapes to layer with the ribbon embellishments.To fill more of the ring I glued another knotted length of ribbon around the ring. Then started to add more flowers.
Some of the flowers I made with more scraps of patterned paper. These are really simple to make. Just cut out a rough circle of paper and distress the edge.
Cut a spiral into the circle of paper
Then roll it up from the middle to the end, securing the end with a dab of glue.
I made a few of these up in patterned papers that worked with the colours of the ribbons.
Another quick embellishment I made was to use some of the orange organza ribbon looped over and then tying a piece of the brown organza ribbon around the middle to make a different kind of bow embellishment.
Once I'd got a good collection of embellishments made I started to build them up around the ring mixing in some other found objects like the pine cones and the little glittery balls that I found in last years Christmas decoration stash.
The gold mesh ribbon I made into little tiny flowers just by rolling small pieces of the ribbon around and gluing it at the end. They add just a touch of extra sparkle.
To finish off the ring I made a ribbon bow with the red stitched ribbon and glued it to the bottom leaving the ends long to hang down.
This was really lots of fun to make and I love the finished effect.

xx Leo