Guest Post by Liz {Gingerbread Wreath}

Happy Monday everyone!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

Today, my best friend and matron of honor, Liz, is sharing her gingerbread wreath and a tutorial.

Liz and I met way back in college when we were both in the same sorority. Since then, she graduated, I graduated, then we both graduated again, she got married and I moved to Chicago. Liz is a speech language pathologist, and she and her husband just bought a house right by my parents.

Liz and I at her 2010 wedding. Isn't she a beautiful bride?!

When Liz sent me the picture of her gingerbread man wreath, I knew I had to share it with you! Liz wrote up the directions for her wreath and sent me lots of pictures too!

Here is Liz's tutorial...

Gingerbread Man Wreath

I am so excited that Katie has invited me to share this craft with you.  Katie and I have been friends since college.  She is an amazing friend and blogger.  I, on the other hand, am not a blogger, but I love to look at the creative ideas people write about.  “Katie Stories” is my favorite blog of course.  So when I found the inspiration for this wreath on Pinterest I knew which crafty friend to turn to.  She made an adorable wreath.  I wanted to make a version for my home.  I think that the wreath was originally made out of cookies; I wanted something less ephemeral.  This is what I came up with, using felt.  I hope you enjoy!

Supplies

• 7 9X12 felt sheets  in cashmere tan –  I bought 10 sheets in total since they were on sale at Michael’s and I made the extra gingerbread men into Christmas ornaments.  I might even attach a few men to gifts for people I really like J 
• Puffy paint in winter white
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks
• Polly fill
• Gingerbread man template – 3 in tall
• 3 bells
• Red ribbon
• Wire

Directions

1. Trace gingerbread man onto felt.  I used a white crayon.
2. Cut out men.  You should have 40. (makes a 20 piece gingerbread man wreath)
3. Hot glue wrong sides together leaving head open.
4. Stuff men with polly fill spreading evenly though arms and legs.  I used just enough polly fill to make plump men.  I wanted them to look like real cookies.
5. Glue closed.
6. Fluff men.
7. Trim any ends that don’t match. 
8. Carefully outline a boarder on the gingerbread men with the puff paint, and then create a face and buttons.  I found this to be easiest for me but you could paint the face and buttons, then do the outline. 
9. Let dry overnight. 
10. Hot glue hands and feet together.  Hands should just barley overlap.  Feet will overlap about ½ inch.  Make sure the men are forming a circle.
11. Thread bell though ribbon.
12. Hot glue to the back of a gingerbread man.
13. Make a bow and glue to the front of the wreath.
14. I did not use a wreath form for this project.  I didn’t want it to be visible through the gingerbread men so I used wire to make the wreath steady.  Hot glue wire behind the gingerbread men taking care not allow it to show in any open spots. 

Thank you so much Liz!

I will see you all tomorrow :)