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We have been tackling some big home projects over the past 2 months and my dining room has become the room where everything gets temporarily stored or dumped . It drives me a bit crazy!
I even had this situation at one point!
A toilet and an old sink next to my great-grandparents lovely dining table. Gave me the sweats.
The projects are wrapping up and so just the other day, as I started to unravel the mess in the dining room and put this pretty space back together, I rediscovered these beauties…from my Christmas centerpiece.
I knew that these gorgeous, now dried, Magnolia leaves deserved a permanent place in my home and suddenly my inner Joanna began to emerge.
If you are a Fixer Upper fan like me, then perhaps you have been longing for one of Joanna’s trademark Magnolia wreaths. I have!
I have browsed in the past and have fallen in love with some lovely Magnolia wreaths but, of course, I fell in love with the ones out of my price range…isn’t that the way it always goes?
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$179.99 Source
$334.99 Source
$110 Source
Fresh or dry. Faux or real. I simply cannot justify that amount of spending on a wreath.
With this pile of dried leaves staring back at me and knowing that I spent just $15 for this bundle before Christmas, I wasn’t going to let these beauties go to waste. In just 30 minutes, I made my own Magnolia wreath that even Chip would be proud of!
Here’s how I did it…
I gently stripped the leaves from their branches.
I organized the leaves by size and then I separated the flattest leaves from the ones that had curled.
I had a grape-vine wreath that I was going to use as a base but decided I wanted something simpler. My leaves were also so delicate and brittle that I didn’t want to use wire to attach them to this type of base. With the nearest craft store 20 minutes away (and it was a snow day at home), I had to come up with some solution. I decided to make my own wreath base with some sturdy cardboard.
I simply traced a platter and a basket and used my sharpest scissors to cut the new wreath shape out.
I started to place the flattest, largest leaves in one direction, overlapping the ends, to get a feel for how I was going to design my wreath.
I used my hot glue gun to attach these leaves one by one.
Once the cardboard was covered and the first layer of leaves were secure, I grabbed some rolled up leaves and began to tuck them in around the flat leaves, securing them with a little hot glue.
It helped to stop every so often, hold up the wreath, and see where there were holes or areas deserving of a leaf. 
I used my remaining flat leaves to make another row on the inside of the wreath, giving it more body.
And again, I used the curled leaves and tucked them in wherever necessary to fill in the wreath.
Since the leaves are so delicate, I couldn’t wrap a ribbon around it for hanging. Instead, I used one of these binder clips attached right to the cardboard and now it can easily hang on a nail.
In just under a half hour and for just $15, this lovely Fixer Upper inspired wreath came together so easily!
Want to add a bow? Go right ahead! While you have your hot glue gun fired up, try making this simple no sew bow for your wreath!
$15
My biggest dilemma…where should I hang this? I’m still working on that. Decisions, decisions. 
Not ready to tackle this DIY but still longing for a Magnolia wreath? I’ve rounded up some more affordable options that I think even JoJo would approve of.
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$50 Source
$69.95 Source
$70 Source
$35 Source
Okay, all you Fixer Upper lovers, do you have any Joanna inspired projects in your home?
Supply List
- Magnolia leaves (fresh, dried, or faux)
- Hot glue gun
- Glue gun sticks
- Heavy cardboard
- 2 different sized platters or bowls for tracing
- Pencil for tracing
- Sharp scissors
- Binder Clip for hanging
Check out my easy and affordable Easter Hoop Wreath too.
I’ve been looking for a way to do this! My mom has a huge magnolia tree in her back yard and I was thinking about “cleaning up” her leaves. Haha. A couple of questions: Did you preserve the leaves before using them? How have the leaves held up if they weren’t preserved? Is the hot glue still holding? (I was a bit afraid that the leaves might pop off the glue if the released any moisture.) Thanks!
Hi, Ashley! You are so lucky to have access to a fresh magnolia tree!!! I’m guessing a wreath with fresh leaves would look lush and beautiful and would last longer. My leaves were fresh when I initially used them in some Christmas decor but then they were left and forgotten about…so when I made my wreath they were dried and some were even curled. They leaves were a bit fragile but they still had so much beauty in them so that is why I made this wreath. The wreath has held up and is still hanging on my wall. The only difference is that it is a tiny bit faded compared to the original post, but it is still so lovely! The glue has stayed in tack and I have not lost one leaf. I love it!
I believe if you left some stem on your fresh leaves you may be able to wire them in bunches and attach to a wreath. It’s worth looking into how to make a fresh magnolia wreath. It will take more time so if you’d rather male a speedy wreath like mine, then let them dry up a bit and get that hot glue gun ready.
Have fun! And thank you so much for stopping by!! I would love to see your final result!!
Thank you so much!
W•DESIGN• Thanks you for the shout out!
Find us @:
Etsy.com/shop/MagnoliasGrove
We’d love to design something for you!
Your DIY was amazing! Keep us in mind if you don’t have access to materials or time❤️
your projects are all so beautiful! I love this wreath!
Thanks, Brittany! I was so happy with how this wreath turned out…especially at that price!
This looks like it is fairly easy to make, even for me. I will save this blog for after my family moves into our new house!
Hi, Angela! I hope you’ll visit the blog again!
That wreath is very creative! Good job and idea. Keep it up! Love it.
Thanks!
Wow, this is absolutely beautiful! You’re so creative!! I totally love wreaths!
Thank you! I love wreaths too! I am still figuring out where to hang this beauty!
OMG those are uber expensive leafy leaves! My Mom will be hysterial for this, hahaha. Your DIY is much better coz it has personal touch!
Right?! I am so happy to finally have a magnolia wreath and thrilled with the price! Hope your mom likes it!!
Oh my goodness!! This is so pretty. I never thought about doing that with the leaves.
Thanks, Taty! I’m so happy I didn’t toss these dried leaves! I’m really happy with the way the wreath turned out!
That is really easy. I have a magnolia tree in my front yard. Now I know how I can use it. Beautiful!
I wish I had a magnolia tree! I think I could get addicted to decorating with them all over my house…my tree might be bare! lol Thank you for the compliment!
Wow, I think yours is prettier than the crazy expensive ones! Great tutorial, I might have to give it a try! ????
WOW! Thank you so much! I am really happy with it and it was so simple to make! I’m still trying to find a permanent spot for it…
Your wreath came out awesome! Such a cute DIY!
Thanks, Cameron! An inexpensive and simple DIY is the best!
This Magnolia wreath is really beautiful and great for decorating home.And costs only $15.At first I thought it is bit difficult to make.But,seems it is easy to make even for a beginner like me.Thanks for the clear instructions with photos on how to do this.
Thank you, Amila! I love a simple DIY!
That wreath came out awesome. It’s way easier than I thought it would have been to make it.
Thank you, Robin! I was surprised at its beauty myself…but then again, you can do anything with a hot glue gun! lol