Documenting how to make the magnolia wreath which was used by the Prattville Dragoons, SCV Camp 1524 for the Remembrance Service for the Fallen at Trinity Presbyterian in Montgomery AL, May 2017.
Purchased a grape vine wreath from Hobby Lobby, approximately 26-28" in diameter. Clipped a half trash can bag of magnolia limb ends from some magnolia trees including a couple with flower bulbs. Careful to choose limbs/leaves which were in nice condition and which had medium size leaves.
Next, using some utility scissors, clipped off the best leaves from these branches, choosing the shiniest perfect leaves and of varying shades of green from the dark green of the mature magnolia leaves to the lighter newer leaves. These leaves were all of a medium size. Need to clip the leaves back close to the branch to allow a stem to remain for assembly.
Warm up a hot glue gun and ensure you have plenty of glue sticks, also available from Hobby Lobby. Then start gluing the leaves to the grape vine wreath frame fanning them across the front side to conceal the wreath backing. Use plenty of glue and also try to insert the leaf stems into and between the wreath vines somewhat to secure.
Continue layering around the wreath. For the bulbs, leave them secured to the small branch and remove the larger leaves and lay the branch in the direction of the layered leaves. Use plenty of glue and again, try to insert into the wreath vines somewhat to help secure.
Continue to assemble and glue the leaves all the way around the wreath. We included two flower bulbs on opposing sides of the wreath. To get the last few leaves assembled, care must be exercised to lift the leaves which were first glued to the wreath under which the last leaves are glued. Let the wreath lay to cure the glue fully, preferably inside in an air conditioned environment until the wreath is used in the memorial program. The wreath was placed on a wire wreath stand to display.
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