Wreath Project:
Grow A Polymer Garden Step-By-Step

My craft group from the Self-Sufficiency Program at the Volunteer Ministry Center in Knoxville, TN, has completed a gorgeous veggie wreath! The program participants are planting a garden, so they interpreted the theme of "Veggies" as having to do with GROWING veggies. Thus, our wreath is covered with small polymer clay carrots, cabbages, tomatoes, eggplants, corn, peppers, potatoes and even a few okras! Curly raffia fills in the gaps. We used an image transfer technique to create mini seed packets for accents. The final touches are a bow made from purchased ribbon and a pair of purchased mini garden tools.

The base of the wreath is a wire wreath form, padded with foam rubber and polyester fiberfill and covered with fabric and wide mesh ribbon that looks like chicken wire. This made attaching the clay elements very easy! We used green shaped chenille stems (aka pipe cleaners) to attach things. These look like leaves.

We plan to sell the wreath along with other crafts we've made to raise money for a group outing to Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, TN.

Program participant, Charlie, working on a polymer clay carrot. The vegetables are formed around aluminum foil cores.	This is the garden behind the VMC dayroom. Program participants had just cleared out weeds, planted azaleas, and were preparing to plant a vegetable garden. This is what provided our inspiration.	Volunteer coordinator, Megan, makes a tomato.
	Here are the finished vegetables. Such exciting colors and textures!
Detail of one side of the wreath		Detail of the other side of the wreath.
Charlie and Diane are getting into the spirit of the project as they enjoy the spring air in the new garden.	This is me. Everyone seemed to want to use the wreath as a picture frame!	Program participant, Diane, shows how curly raffia helps to set off the colors of the vegetables.