Winter Moon Wreath

How to Make

1. Draw around moon template on thick cardboard. Cut it out using a Stanley Knife being very careful to keep your hand away from the blade.
2. Scrunch ½ sheet of newspaper and stick down onto the moon going from point to point, following the curves. Use more newspaper if needed and stick paper over edges for a smoother finish. Try and keep lumps and bumps to a minimum. Allow to dry fully.
3. Cut the Plaster of Paris in small strips so it is more manageable and follow manufactures instructions on how to use. Cover the whole moon including the back. At least layer twice more if needed and smooth over plaster with a wet finger or brush concentrating on edges and seams. Allow 24-48 hours to dry.
4. Before painting, the plaster has to be primed. Make PVA and water mix to brush over the plaster. Allow to fully dry (keep the mix as will use again).
5. Using the white acrylic paint, paint the whole moon (front and back) giving it a good coat to get even coverage. Allow to dry.
6. Take a wooden snowflake and paint it (both sides) with white acrylic paint, then sprinkle some iridescent white glitter onto both sides. Allow to dry.
7. While you wait for the paint to dry, make the pine cone spruce. To do this take the silver berries and make 4, 3 berry clusters by twisting their stems together. Then take 2 of the clusters, place one above the other and twist stems to form 1 long cluster. Repeat for the remaining clusters.
8. Take an artificial pine branch and sit a cluster in it, almost to the top. Align and stick the stems together using hot glue. Repeat to make another.
9. Slide the stems of the branches together so the ends are hidden into the pine, leaving about 1.5cm space between the base of the 2 branches, berry clusters should both face up. Run a bead of hot glue along the stems and hold together until glue dries.
10. Stick 3 larch cones together at base. When glue has dried stick them into the gap of the new spruce.
11. Mix a little PVA glue with white iridescent glitter. Brush all over cones and pine spruce. This will give a frosted appearance to spruce when dry.
12. Back to the moon – brush a small section of the front with the PVA/water mix and then sprinkle the white iridescent glitter over it. Shake off excess. Carry on with rest of the moon in the same way. Allow to fully dry.
13. To ensure the glitter is fixed, paint on a layer of the PVA/water mix over it.
14. Take the silver 10mm width satin ribbon and starting from back wrap 4 rows around the middle of the moon, spacing wider apart at outer edge. Stick ends down at back with hot glue.
15. With the same ribbon cut a length 35cm long for the hanging loop. Measuring 9.5cms in from the top point of moon, position the hanging ribbon. Using hot glue stick ends at back and a little way along ribbon to secure well.
16. Cut a silver 4mm wide ribbon 6cm in length. Take the glittered wooden snowflake and put a tiny dot of hot glue on back at top. Stick an end of ribbon down. Stick the other end on the tip of the top of moon, at the back.
17. Lay the moon flat, take the pine spruce and using hot glue stick centrally onto the moon at a slight angle.

Top Tip

A good way of smoothing down the Plaster of Paris is with a wet finger in small circular movements and it’s best to do this while the plaster is still wet.

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