I stumbled upon a wreath that I fell in love with HERE at (MADE, a great site) a while back. So I’ve had it in my head for a few weeks. But I was in the middle of the end of the semester. Those that don’t know, I teach Communication classes at the local college. So, all my projects had to pause…HATE it when that happens. So, with a break in school I’ve been able to finish a BUNCH of projects. Can’t wait to show them all off. š
So, here is the first one. I stumbled upon lima beans the other day at the store. PERFECT! I knew that Dana, at MADE used “acorns” which look a lot like pine nuts to me on her wreath. But, I thought that lima beans could be cool and THRIFTY š since they only cost a whopping $1.24 a bag. I gave it a try.
Here are your needed supplies:
1 Styrofoam wreath: approx $5.00 at JoAnn’s ($3.00 if you have a 40% coupon)
Hot Glue gun with plenty of glue sticks
1 bag of lima beans: $1.24 at Wal-Mart (or substitute for any other kind of nuts, acorns…etc). I bought two bags because I was unsure how many I would need. I used almost 1 entire bag.
Spray paint in color of your choice. (I have a few cans laying around).
Pick a spot and start gluing in a row. I wanted mine to be on a slight angle so I glued it that way.
As I went around the circle, I had to #1: be careful not to burn myself, and #2 adjust a bit here and there to keep the angle going.
Getting closer š
After I got done, my husband thought I was crazy to spray paint it the same color as the lima beans. š Men, they don’t get it sometimes. I HAD to cover up the hot glue in between the beans, I mean I COULDN’T leave it. It would have drove me NUTS! Are you surprised that I didn’t paint it turquoise? I almost did! Hey, who knows maybe I will in a few months when I need a change in color!
WARNING: Don’t do what I did….dropped it. I almost swore.
She glued back together nicely, THANK HEAVENS. It took several hours to glue the lima beans on, so I almost shed a tear.
What a beauty! Do you like it?Who would have thought that lima beans could be so darn pretty, almost elegant!
Here is my fellow crafty friend Natasha’s version, she used nuts, and I love her variation to hang the “A” from the middle:
Love it! I especially love the red ribbon contrast against the white. I'm surprise it was able to be glued back together, but thank goodness! š
I did a wreath like this, smooth, completely covered with those flat sided marbles for Fall.
Check it out here:
http://design-aholic.blogspot.com/2009/10/be-jeweled-wreath.html
-Amy
Love it! And totally usable all year long! Super cute!
I also saw Dana's acorn wreath and wanted to give it a try. But I'm not sure where I can find acorns. Good idea with the beans, I have tons of those in storage. Thanks for sharing.
~Jessica Womble
LOVE IT BROOKE!! I think I might be able to handle this one!!
I think you two are fabulous. I just found you and can't wait to get started. Since today was Sunday I had to wait but going thrift shopping tomorrow (half price day around here). Inspired! Thanks Ladies.
Lima Beans???! I never would have thought of that! Brilliant. I got really nervous when I saw the picture of your wreath all broken. I'm so glad it glued back together! phew.
Thanks for sharing with me. Love your version!
what a GREAT idea! So thrifty too!
So I LOVE all things creative, I have been filling my brain with inspiration for the new year by blog hopping around the crafty blog world, and I stumbled upon you guys and I absolutely LOVE your site! Then I saw a picture and said HUh, that looks like Kallie Ellison…and it is! Ashley Lund Nash here, I was in Kallies ward and went to school with her long long ago… small world! anyway you girls are talented, I am totally making a sofa table bench!!! thanks for Inspiring!
Very clever wreath…I gasped at the broken wreath photo…glad it went back together well!
Wow. Amazing. I didn't know lima beans could be used in a cute craft! Very, very impressive!
Yep, I saw it the other too and thought I have to do that… i love that she has since painted a couple different colors and that you can change whenever š
It broke? I can imagine the words that crossed your mind..I love it – such a change to the norm.
tammy
I am so glad you were able to save your wreath from a tragic end! It looks great and I might have to "borrow" this idea. I like the color but turquoise might be nice too.
It's pretty…I would have the urge to paint it aqua since that is my color obsession. I would have freaked if I had dropped it…good job and good save!
Living it up at Lakewood,
Cindy
This is one of the cutest things I've ever seen. I just love it. Who knew that lima beans could be so pretty..
Great wreath! Lima beans… nifty!
~Amy
This cool wreath is how I first found your blog, and I'm so glad I did! Thanks for linking up to Trash to Treasure Tuesday and for teaching me how to make a pillow cover! š
Wow, it looks great. I might have to try this one. I'm so glad you were able to glue it back together after it broke, that would have been awful after all that work.
I love this. I am thinking about black beans and an orange ribbon for Halloween and red kidney beans and pink beans for Valentine's Day. Thanks for the great idea!
The Happy Wife
OH my gosh!!! This is fabulous!! And I am going to do this, THIS week!!! I'm not very crafty but I can totally do this! My mom, just gave me a box full of crafting supplies so I am hot glue stocked! Thank you for sharing all these wonderful ideas. Crafting really can be thrifty!
Very slick. The red monogram is awfully cute too! Thanks for linking to Poppies!
Oh, I love this! Great job. Thanks for sharing. Makes me want to try that myself!
I love it… but I think it might require a little too much patience for me to give it a try… I'll just admire yours!
What a great idea! I have one of those styro wreaths, and now the possibilities are endless!
Thanks for sharing.
Wow, what a great idea! I like that it's a wreath that can be used all year if you want. Visiting from the Shabby Chic Cottage.
GORGEOUS, elegant, simple…I love it! Hope you will not mind that I feature it tomorrow on my TT recap. Link love included, of course!
Thanks, friend, for linking up to Thrifty Thursday on Tales from Bloggeritaville! Great thrifty treasure!
Leigh
Tales from Bloggeritaville
http://www.lbratina.blogspot.com
That is so pretty! And I can't believe you dropped it!! Thanks for posting!
Simplicity with class! So glad it glued back together! Lezlee
Beautiful simple look…LOVE it!
Blessings,
Linda
A-dor-a-ble!!! Lima beans are on my grocery list now. Thanks for the great idea!
Hey those don't look like lima beans at all – they look very cool š
I love this wreath, what a great idea!
you may have started a lima bean revolutions! i just love what you did.
I love it. I would have never THUNK it. Thanks for the idea.
How COOL. I just HAD to stop over after seeing it at Kimba's DIY party š I think we'll make one too — easy enough for the kids (if I don't care about symmetry…)
"I almost swore" ROTFL! You can be sure you would have heard me doing JUST THAT if I had dropped it! Beautiful job!
I love BOTH versions … the nuts and the lima beans! They look "homey" and sophisticated at the same time. Great idea!
That is REALLY cute!!
I have one of those styrofoam wreaths that I was planning to do something with for Valentine's day… So you can hot glue to it? I was afraid the glue would melt the styrofoam.
Love it!
I must say that this is pure genius! I'm loving the texture that the lima beans add to the project.
I am in the process of making this right now. I am painting it Red and using a PINK bow…and then when it gets closer to St. Patricks Day I might change the color…and then again and again and again! I LOVE IT! YOU ARE A GENIUS!!!!
Super Duper creative. I love that you linked it this week on the VOTW feature. It's so unusual, and pretty!
Thanks for linking up to VOTW @ Design-Aholic. Check back to the recap post soon… š
-Amy
I did it!! I did it! I didn't just like it and talk about it, I actually did it and it's BEAUTIFUL! If you friend me on FB, it's on my site š
What a great idea! I'll definitely be using this next Christmas ~ thanks! š
I love it! I cannot wait to try one myself!
FYI if you have a dollar tree store near you-you can get foam wreaths and other things like that there for only a dollar. š
This looks great! Because I am a newbie, and also because I want to do this for a craft night, I'm wondering if you know about how many glue sticks you used? Cuz I need to buy them beforehand and i live in Germany where you can't return things (i think. I've never actually tried to return anything because i'm scared to try).
I love it AND I have a ton of lima beans (don't ask!)
i just had to click over from funky junks. i HATE to eat lima beans ~ but just love this.
Soo pretty! I especially like that you put the beans on an angle and continued it all around the wreath, looks so orderly. I'm not a wreath person but I could imagine having something like this.
I felt so bad when I saw it broken in pieces, I'm glad it went back together well – yes – it does look sophisticated – who knew?
This is so cool! And I LOL at your comment on the broken one. Ah man, been there!
Thanks for linking up to SNS!
FJ Donna
What a beautiful wreath! I had to make a Spring one for myself. I posted a link on my blog. I hope that was okay! Thanks so much!
This is awesome! I will definitely be making one in the next few weeks! Great idea thank you! š
I hope you don't mind I used one of your pictures in my post today š
I loved your wreath so much I made one similar… I couldn't get my ribbon to look as good as yours so I just improvised… lol Check it out!!!
http://stinkeymonkey.blogspot.com/2010/08/front-door-makeover.html
What kind of nuts did your friend use? They both look great. Thanks for sharing.
I saw this and automatically loved it! Once I made the Lima bean wreath I had to make more. I made an conversation heart wreath that I absolutely adore for Valentine's! Thanks for the inspiration.
http://aandnblackburn.blogspot.com/2011/02/valentines-decor.html
Love this!! I made one this weekend as well and it will post tomorrow morning. š Thanks for the idea!!
lauraandconnersteen.blogspot.com
I am so glad you posted about spray painting it! I started a lima bean project last night with hot glue and almost abandoned it due to the glue peeking through! Thanks!
I just finished making this. I'm going to use it for Thanksgiving and Christmas, just change the ribbon! When St. Patrick's Day rolls around I'll paint it grean! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!
Who would have ever thought using dried lima’s would make such a pretty wreath. I bought my lima’s the other day, already had a wreath from. Soon as time permits, I will try this. You did a fab. job.