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In this post: Everyone loves the Fixer Upper faux magnolia leaf wreath, right? Here’s how to make one for less that looks just like the original!
My first attempt at a DIY Magnolia Wreath did not turn out as I envisioned. Here’s how I made a new one that looked much prettier!
Why I Don’t Like Some Craft Projects
Crafts that take more than half an hour to finish are not my favorite…you’ll find several incomplete crafts in my basement.
Repetitive tasks are not my thing…I once quit an excellent-paying job boxing tile samples because I couldn’t take the monotony.
Detailed work makes me a little nutty…just ask our poor accountant.
However, since we live quite a distance from the Silos/Magnolia/Fixer Upper/Chip and Joanna’s place, not to mention the Canadian dollar sucking against the USD and shipping being rather price-prohibitive, I made an exception for this DIY magnolia leaf wreath.
My First DIY Magnolia Wreath Attempt
I actually tried making one last year really quickly by wiring some magnolia leaves onto a wire wreath form. But I was in a hurry and it didn’t turn out so well.
I mean, I managed to make it decent enough to use in photos of our farmhouse kitchen makeover. But those wired-on leaves kept spinning and shifting. Plus, I just used rather unrealistic-looking magnolia leaves from the craft store.
Messy and shiny was not the look I was going for! Here’s what it looked like before:
So, while brainstorming ideas for a fall craft with my sweet blog friends, I decided to revisit the magnolia leaf wreath idea again.
Only this time, I wanted to make sure it looked full and more like the original inspiration…and that the leaves stayed in place. Ahem.
Here’s what I ended up with:
So. Much. Better.
How to Make a Magnolia Leaf Wreath Just Like the Original For Much Less
So, the Signature Magnolia Wreath from Magnolia, shown above, is $98 USD at the time of writing this. Plus about $56 shipping and any customs fees when it gets to the border. For a total of about $220 Canadian, give or take with the exchange.
Even if you have a hard time finding Magnolia leaves, and have to pay a bit for them, it’s still cheaper to make your own!
One of the problems with just using faux magnolia leaves from the craft store is that they’re super green and super shiny. This may look sort of like real Magnolia leaves, but it is not at all the same look as the original Magnolia wreath.
But, if you can muster up a little patience and a wee bit of craft paint, you can give your magnolia leaf wreath the same nice matte, multi-colored look like the original!
And it will definitely cost you way less than ordering one from Magnolia.
Hey, maybe it will even help you lose weight by keeping your hands busy while you watch TV! If you’re painting, you can’t be snacking! Right?! 😉😂
Magnolia Leaf Wreath Supplies
- faux magnolia leaves (see note below)
- 12″ grapevine wreath
- small paint brushes
- sea sponges
- matte acrylic craft paints – a sunset color, nutmeg brown color, and ivy green color
- tin snips or floral scissors
- glue gun and glue
- Kraft/butcher paper (optional)
Note: You have a few options for magnolia leaves to use for this project. You can use magnolia stems, garlands, packaged individual leaves, or even a cheapo magnolia wreath.
Here’s what you’d need to make the wreath:
DIY Magnolia Wreath Instructions
1. Lay out all your supplies on a surface you don’t mind getting paint or hot glue on. I used some of my brown Kraft/butcher paper roll taped to my kitchen island. That way I could listen to music, watch TV or even make dinner between steps!
2. Separate each leaf from the stems, wreath, or garlands if needed.
3. Mix 6 shades/colors of paint using your craft paints onto a paper plate or other suitable dish. You’ll want 3 brownish shades and 3 greenish shades. I used Decoart Americana in Dark Chocolate and Antique Gold as well as Craft Smart in Olive Green. The colors I used were:
- 100% Dark Chocolate
- mix of 50% Dark Chocolate + 50% Antique Gold
- mix of 75% Dark Chocolate + 25% Antique Gold
- 100% Olive Green
- mix of 50% Olive Green + 50% Antique Gold
- mix 75% Olive Green + 25% Antique Gold
4. Paint all your leaves with your mixed paint colors. While painting, periodically look at the original Magnolia wreath to see the color mix. It’s amazing that there’s actually such a variety of colors when you really look at it. Let dry.
5. Once your painted leaves are all dry, add a little color variation by sponging on an accent color (a lighter green on green leaves, or some brown on green leaves, etc.), paying particular attention to the ends of the leaves where the lighter color is more concentrated. Let dry.
6. Then simply affix all your leaves (pointed in the same general direction) using hot glue to the grapevine wreath. Work your way around the wreath, filling it well from side to side as you go. Make sure you step back every once in a while, or hold your wreath up to make sure there are no gaps. If there are, fill them in with more leaves.
Video Tutorial
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Where to Display Your Finished Magnolia Wreath
You can hang a magnolia wreath just about anywhere you’d hang a regular wreath. Some examples include hanging your wreath on:
- an inside door or on your outside front door
- a mirror
- a fireplace mantel
- a window
- the back of a chair
- a bookshelf
- a kitchen cupboard door
But, you can also hang a magnolia wreath with a tobacco basket on the wall or even in a farmhouse-style kitchen on the range hood cover!
I played around with putting my magnolia wreath on a tobacco basket on the wall for a super farmhouse look.
I even tried this look on the range hood cover, over the stove.
And, without the tobacco basket as well. (This is actually how I’ve displayed it for the last several years!)
Which look do you like best?
What do you think? This version is so much more realistic than other DIY magnolia leaf wreaths, yes?
Printable Magnolia Wreath Tutorial
How to Make a Magnolia Leaf Wreath
Materials
- faux magnolia leaves (see note below)
- 12″ grapevine wreath
- matte acrylic craft paints – a sunset color, nutmeg brown color and ivy green color
- Kraft/butcher paper (optional)
Tools
- small paint brushes
- sea sponges
- tin snips or floral scissors
- glue gun and glue
Instructions
- Lay out all your supplies on a surface you don’t mind getting paint or hot glue on. I used some of my brown Kraft/butcher paper roll taped to my kitchen island. That way I could listen to music, watch TV or even make dinner between steps!
- Separate each leaf from the stems, wreath or garlands if needed.
- Mix 6 shades/colors of paint using your craft paints onto a paper plate or other suitable dish. You’ll want 3 brownish shades and 3 greenish shades. I used Decoart Americana in Dark Chocolate and Antique Gold as well as Craft Smart in Olive Green. The colors I used were: 100% Dark Chocolate, mix of 50% Dark Chocolate + 50% Antique Gold mix of 75% Dark Chocolate + 25% Antique Gold 100% Olive Green mix of 50% Olive Green + 50% Antique Gold mix 75% Olive Green + 25% Antique Gold.
- Paint all your leaves with your mixed paint colors. While painting, periodically look at the original Magnolia wreath to see the color mix. It’s amazing that there’s actually such a variety of color when you really look at it. Let dry.
- Once your painted leaves are all dry, add a little color variation by sponging on an accent color (a lighter green on green leaves, or some brown on green leaves, etc.), paying particular attention to the ends of the leaves where the lighter color is more concentrated. Let dry.
- Then simply affix all your leaves (pointed in the same general direction) using hot glue to the grapevine wreath. Work your way around the wreath, filling it well from side to side as you go. Make sure you step back every once in awhile, or hold your wreath up to make sure there are no gaps. If there are, fill them in with more leaves.
Notes
Note: You have a few options for magnolia leaves to use for this project. You can use magnolia stems, garlands, packaged individual leaves or even a cheapo magnolia wreath.
Here’s what you’d need to make the wreath:
