Lughnasadh Altar Wreath Craft

I'm still in the process of trying to use all of my current stock of craft supplies. I dug through my items and slowly put together a craft in my mind to make for Lughnasadh. I found a grapevine that I had forgotten about. I found some corn husks from a couple of years ago that were left over from other Lughnasadh crafts. I looked at my clay and came up with a way to use it. I found some material that I cut into strips. I went on a morning walk and found some gorgeous sunflowers. This would be the only thing that I didn't have.

I tried using a kitty litter method to quickly dry the sunflowers — it ended up being a big NO NO. I then ended up running back up the hill in the rain, laughing, with scissors in one hand and a bag in the other, to get some more sunflowers. I hope that the flowers dry nicely, but if they don't I have more to replace them that are currently hanging to dry. So I've made this with my fresh sunflowers, but you can use fake or dried if you would like.

My process for making the wreath was in this order:

**1. Making the clay wheat decoration** I used Original Sculpey clay. I remembered a Lugh bread tutorial from a couple of years ago and I translated it to my clay. I want to make it look like wheat. I made a base for the wheat — it is 5½ inches tall by 3½ inches at the widest top part:

I rolled out another bit of clay and using scissors I cut it into strips. I laid the strips on the base like so. (Ignore my nasty clay baking pan!)

Next, I rolled out lots of little balls around this size, flattened slightly. This will be the wheat tops.

With a pair of small sharp scissors I cut down the middle, without cutting in half — I stopped just short of the end.

On each side of the middle cut, I cut small slits. You don't want to cut all the way to the middle cut — again, stop just short of the bottom.

Place them all over the top of the base, covering the ends of the strips.

Now roll out three skinny strips and braid them.

Place the braided strips like so. Now your wheat is ready for baking. I baked at 275°F for 30 minutes.

When it comes out of the oven and cools, paint it all over with an off-white color. I used Apple Barrel English Lace acrylic.

When the base coat has dried, give it some highlight color — like it is baked bread. I used burnt sienna mixed with king's gold.

**2. Forming the grapevine wreath** While the wheat baked, I formed the grapevine into a wreath.

I took the fabric that I found, cut it in half down the middle, and then tied it together, making one long piece to wrap around the wreath.

I also had a small piece of the fabric and made a small bow to place on the knot at the bottom. You'll see it in a later pic.

**3. Making the corn dollies** The next step is making corn dollies for your wreath. I'm going to make a boy and a girl. First you take two husks and place back to back.

Take a third husk and wrap around the top of the two.

Tie them down with a string.

Separate one husk into 3 pieces. This will be the arms.

Tie together at one end, and then braid.

Slide between the husks. Place so that you have an even amount of arms on each side.

I wrapped and tied another husk for her waist. Then I shredded the skirt.

For the boy, you follow the same process as above, but after you tie his waist, you separate the bottom part of the husks into two legs and tie them off at the knee and the feet. I also did not braid his arms — I just tied them off.

**4. Assembling the wreath** When you are finished making all the parts, assemble your wreath as you want it. To attach the sunflowers you can hot glue, or you can poke a wire through the base of the sunflower and then tie it to the wreath. Sunflowers have a good sized base so this makes it easy for attachment. I glued my corn dollies and clay wheat and wire-attached my flowers.

That's it for this craft. I hope you like it and make one of your own! Brightest Blessings, Saga