Get ready for the Kentucky Derby with this DIY easy boxwood wreath tutorial! Learn how to make a beautiful wreath that will impress your guests and add some Derby flair to your party.
If you’re attending a Kentucky Derby party and want to bring a gift for the hostess, consider a wreath!
A wreath is a beautiful and versatile gift that can be used year after year to decorate the front door or any room in the house.
Get creative with this wreath project and add embellishments and a beautiful bow that can be seen from the street.
Opt for a classic artificial boxwood wreath with a racing horse to invite your party guests.
The wonderful thing about making a large wreath at home rather than spending hundreds of dollars for one that is premade is that you can tailor it to your needs.
For this wreath, I wanted something that could be hung on a door for a Kentucky Derby celebration.
I love the look and smell of fresh boxwood stems on a beautiful full wreath but as the weather turns warmer, I needed a faux alternative.
I’ll save the real boxwood wreath for cold weather.
This diy wreaths tutorial can be easily adapted to include other creative elements depending on whether you want a wreath to celebrate the Christmas season or any holiday during your favorite time of the year.
Wreaths don’t belong just on the front door.
Hang your finished project in a guest room, on a mirror or on an inside door.
What you’ll need to make your own wreath
These wreath supplies can be found at any local craft store. I found everything I needed in the floral section at Hobby Lobby, but be sure to check the sales and coupons available for a discount. My project costs were a total of about $50 with savings.
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- A 22-inch boxwood bush wreath on a grapevine wire wreath form
- Small bunches of faux boxwood sprigs and a red rose bush sprig
- Floral wire and wire cutters
- Ribbon of your choice. I chose a black and white ribbon that reminded me of a jockey’s checkered jersey.
- Hot glue and gun
- Wooden horse form
- Black matte paint or spray paint and paint brush or foam brush
- Mounting squares and floral wire, fishing line or zip tie attachments
Make a large bow from wired ribbon
- Cut a length of ribbon to your desired size.
- Fold the end of the ribbon to make a loop with one side of the ribbon.
- Tie the center of the bow with floral wire to hold it together.
- With the remaining ribbon, make another loop coming back to the center and twist it so the printed side is showing on the outside. Cross it over the first loop to create a second loop.
- Continue making loops and crossing them over each other until you have as many loops as you want.
- Pinch the center of the loops together and tie a piece of floral wire around it once to secure it in place.
- Cut one more piece of ribbon and fold it in half attaching it to the center with the floral wire. Twist the wire to include the extra tails to the center.
- Fluff out the loops and trim the three tail ends of the ribbon as desired.
How to make a Derby faux wreath using store bought materials
Follow these simple steps for an easy DIY boxwood wreath.
Gather all the materials you’ll need to make this wreath.
Paint the wooden horse cutout on a piece of newspaper with one or two coats and let it dry.
Purchase or create a large bow with ribbon using floral wire.
Trim the sprig of faux roses with wire cutters, cutting off the tops of the flowers short enough to attach with hot glue.
Once the horse is dry, attach the red roses using a hot glue gun to create a blanket of roses around the neck of the horse.
Place the ribbon and horse on the wreath where you wish to attach them so you have a visual idea of placement.
Attach mounting squares to the back of the cutout and insert floral wire or green zip ties.
Next, attach the additional greenery to the grapevine wire wreath frame. Be sure to fluff out the sprigs first before attaching.
Attach the bow.
Attach the horse cutout to the wreath using the attached wires.
Hang the finished wreath on the front porch.
Tips to make a faux Derby boxwood wreath more full
- Once you bring home the wreath, fluff the boxwood branches out.
- Note where the wreath ring is on the back of the wire form before you get started.
- Purchase four to five faux sprigs of other similar branches of greenery and fluff them out before tucking them into the grapevine wreath. This gives the illusion of a more expensive and fuller wreath.
- Add flowers, like red roses, faux fruit, ribbon, letters.
- Make sure the sprigs are going in the same direction as the boxwood leaves.
- Add a large bow. This is the easiest and quickest update and easily achievable with wire ribbon.
- Add a sign. Add a wooden horse covered in roses like I did or other Derby ideas like a horseshoe or jockey’s uniform.
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Easy Kentucky Derby Faux Boxwood Wreath (DIY Tutorial)
Materials
- A 22-inch boxwood bush wreath
- Small bunches of faux boxwood sprigs and a red rose bush sprig
- Floral wire and wire cutters
- Ribbon of your choice.
- Hot glue and gun
- Wooden horse form
- Black paint and paint brush
- Mounting squares and floral wire
Instructions
- Gather all the materials you’ll need to make this wreath.
- Paint the wooden horse cutout on a piece of newspaper with one or two coats and let it dry.
- Attach mounting squares to the back of the cutout and insert floral wire or green zip ties.
- Purchase or create a large bow with ribbon using floral wire.
- Trim the sprig of faux roses with wire cutters, cutting off the tops of the flowers short enough to attach with hot glue.
- Once the horse is dry, attach the red roses using a hot glue gun to create a blanket of roses around the neck of the horse.
- Place the ribbon and horse on the wreath where you wish to attach them so you have a visual idea of placement.
- Next, attach the additional greenery to the grapevine wire wreath frame. Be sure to fluff out the sprigs first before attaching.
- Attach the bow.
- Attach the horse cutout to the wreath using the attached wires.
- Hang the finished wreath on the front porch.
