Bark Wreath – Natural Advent Wreath 2019

Inspiration can hit you anywhere and at anytime. This years natural advent wreath is inspired by one of my autumn walks across the cemetery. It was a beautiful day, I needed to clear my head, the air was already crisp and the smell of rotten leaves drifted by. While I was listen to one of the many podcasts on my phone I was hit with this view.

I tried to remember if that tree was really a cottonwood. I remembered someone once told me that the cottonwoods are not native to Germany and Germany. And that during/after WWII US pilots dropped many seeds over Berlin to re-grow vegetation that was cut down by the population during the years of war for firewood. I was also wondering why it shed its bark. And if it is a re-grown material… how much supplies will you get. Only an idea…

Well and here we go. The squirrel in me started picking up scraps of bark and putting them in my shopping bag. I had just decided no groceries today. On top I added some hazelnuts and walked home. There I let the bag sit near a heater until advent season was just around the corner..

My initial idea was to wrap a wreath form in bark by bending it. This didn’t really work as the bark was too porous. It kept on breaking and splitting. I briefly considered wetting it as wood usually is more agreeable to be worked with but decided against it. I actually quite liked the scale-kinda-look.

Ok, let’s get started by gathering materials:

• dried bark of a cottonwood tree
• wreath form
• glue gun and enough glue
• candles
• decoration

The tutorial is rather easy.

• Break bake in smaller pieces.
• Make sure there are not dirty or wet areas.
• Glue on wreath form, The outer bark will be put on form so you will see the inside of the bark.
• Once done place the candles. I decided to go with all candles close together.
• Add decoration to your liking. I went with a brown golden color theme and really liked it.

That’s all you actually have to do. The most intriguing part of this natural advent wrath is the material. Most people I asked would not figure out what it was.

What is your favorite material to make an advent wreath? As you probably know I always try to figure out some new ways and rarely use fir-branches. Leave a comment and tell me about yours. It’s never to early to plan for next year.

Happy wreath crafting

Tobia