Greenery Wreath Backdrop

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:

• 2' wood embroidery hoops (3)
• 9oz Color Shot Spray Paint, Metallic Paint + Primer, First Million (2)
• Steel Wool Pad, Medium (optional)
• Drop cloth
• Wire cutters
• Floral Wire, 22 gauge
• 9' copper wire, 22 gauge
• Hot glue gun/glue gun sticks
• Painter's Blue tape
• Pliers, Needle Nose (optional)
• Garlands: 6' Eucalyptus (2), 5' Dusty Miller (3)
• Floral Stems: Greenery (5), Eucalyptus (6), Dusty Miller (5)

DIRECTIONS:

Paint the hoops:

1. Remove all stickers from the hoops. Tighten all wing nuts on the outer hoops. Lay down a drop cloth in a well ventilated area. Spray one light coat of paint on the inside of all hoops. Spray the top edge and outer side of each hoop. When dry flip and repeat to other side. Apply a second coat. Optional: When paint has dried, wrap a steel wool pad around a hoop and rub all sides. Repeat on all hoops. Label hoops A-F. Use the outer hoops for A, B and F. These hoops have dense greenery that can conceal the hoop connector.

Floral layout:
Greenery, 2, Eucalyptus, 1, Dusty Miller, 1
Eucalyptus garland, 1, Greenery, 1
Dusty Miller garland, 1, Eucalyptus, 2, Dusty Miller, 1
Dusty Miller garland, 1, Eucalyptus, 2, Dusty Miller, 2
Dusty Miller garland, 1, Greenery, 1, Eucalyptus, 1, Dusty Miller 1
Eucalyptus garland, 1, Greenery, 1
Attach floral:

2. Dry fit all floral to the hoops using the photo as a guide. Apply the garlands first. Bend the stems to contour to the shape of the hoop. Flare out all greenery from the main stem. Apply a bead of hot glue to the top edge of the hoop, a short section at a time. Press the center stem of the garland to the hot glue. Painter's tape may be used to hold each section in place while the glue sets. Cut the stems to smaller sections. Keep at least 1" at the bottom of each greenery and eucalyptus stem to be able to hot glue the stem to the hoop. Layer the stems around the garland stems. Add floral wire around stems and the hoop if necessary. Use the wire sparingly as this will need to be covered with greens to conceal. Add short cuts of the Dusty Miller as fill. Reserve some leaves and fill to cover wires. Bend all wired stems to naturalize. Intertwine greens. Lift each hoop and gently shake to make sure that all floral is secure. Use the reserve leaves and fill to cover any wires visible on the inside and outside of the hoops and any thick hot glue sections on stems.
Hangers:

3. Cut six 18" lengths of Copper Wire. Fold each in half. Locate the top of each wreath. Loop the wire around the top center of each wreath. Make a quarter size circle with the free ends of the wire. Take the ends of the wire back through the top of the loop around the wood. See reference photo. Spiral the ends around the circle. End the wire by wrapping around the bottom of the circle closest to the hoop. Pinch tight using needle nose pliers (optional).
Hang the backdrop:

4. Use the template for the approximate layout. To print the templates, click on the "Download Project PDF" button (above). Hang B and F first. When hanging the hoops that overlap, adjust the eucalyptus and greenery in B and D so all the hoops lay relatively flat against the wall.

Craft Hack Tips and Tricks:

• Eucalyptus garland: After attached to the hoop, shift some of the lower leaves, on the individual stems, down to the hoop. Attach random leaves to the hoops using hot glue. This will increase the visual fullness of the garland.
• Optional: Use needle nose pliers to tighten the wire twists on the hangers.