Decorate Your Front Door With A Pistachio Shell Wreath That Looks Like Real Flowers

A bare front door can make a home feel unfinished. Now, you can get a wreath that's made of real flowers, but it usually costs more than you may be comfortable spending. And if you find something that's inexpensive, it may leave something to be desired or look like every other wreath gracing your neighbors' doors. So, throw away that basic wreath and decorate your front door with a cute, floral DIY by using something you'd normally toss away: pistachio shells. All you have to do is glue the shells onto a wreath base in overlapping layers, and paint or tint them a little to turn them into gorgeous real-looking blooms. Added to a wreath base, they make a cute decoration for your front door.

Unlike fresh flowers, which wilt in the sun and rain, these pistachio shell blooms will hold up season after season. Moreover, they hold up to everyday handling and their earthy, one-of-a-kind texture will give your floral wreath an organic look. The best part, though? With the right colors, you can adapt it to suit any season or occasion. On top of that, this is a budget-friendly DIY idea since you may already have the primary material in your home (it'll be still worth it even if you have to scrounge a little in your trash can). Besides pistachio shells, you'll also need cardboard or a pool noodle for your wreath base (or use those dusty wreaths from storage to spice up your front porch), an adhesive such as a a glue gun, super glue, or B7000), a craft knife, a roll of twine or ribbon, and a few cans of spray paint in your favorite colors. Oh, and set aside plenty of time, too, since you'll have to sweat the small details for this DIY.

Start by setting up the base for your wreath. Reuse old shoe boxes in your home or repurpose old shipping boxes, and cut one of them in a circle big enough to look good on your front door. For a standard 36-inch-wide door, a 24-inch diameter is ideal. Then, draw a smaller circle inside and cut it out to create a hollow ring. If you'd rather not use cardboard or this seems like too much work, get a pool noodle and tie its ends together using duct tape to fashion a wreath base. Cover it with a roll of twine or decorative ribbon to hide its origins.

Now, prepare the pistachio shells by putting them in a bucket of hot water and rinsing them thoroughly to get rid of any leftover residue. Spread them out on a baking sheet and let them dry. Once dry, paint them all in your favorite color, or sort the shells into separate groups and paint them in different shades to make a colorful bouquet. Be sure to cover both sides so they mimic real flowers. Once the paint dries, begin assembling your flowers. Cut a circle of cardboard the size of the final flower. Grab three or four shells and glue them together in an upright position in the center of the cardboard. Keep layering on the shells and building it outward, running a bead of glue along the lower edge of the shell beneath. Continue this process until the flower is the size you want and you have enough flowers, depending on the design you want to create. Finally, use an adhesive to glue the flowers on top of your wreath form. Once the glue sets, tie a ribbon on top to hang it, ensuring it sits 14 inches below the top of your front door. You can customize this any way you want, painting the flowers different colors for spring or fall, or changing the twine for ribbon in various hues.