CRAFTS Wreath becomes a welcome sign of spring

Seed packets and broken flowerpots are recycled by this talented crafter.
By GWEN SCHOEN
SCRIPPS HOWARD
Crafters, it seems, can find each other in serendipitous ways.
In the case of our friend Dawn Conyers, it was our dogs who brought us together when they met during a walk in the park.
We stopped by Dawn's house one day to see if her two retrievers could come out and play with Mickey, our retriever mix. That's when we discovered that Dawn loves crafts almost as much as she does her dogs.
On Dawn's front porch was a wonderful spring wreath she decorated with broken flowerpots and seed packets. It didn't take much prodding to persuade her to show us how she made it. So while the dogs bonded in the back yard, Dawn took out her crafting supplies and gave us a quick lesson.
Dawn found most of the items for her wreath at an arts-and-crafts store or a dry-goods store in Sacramento, Calif.
Her technique
Paint the wood hearts red. Before the hearts dry, wipe them gently with a rag to remove some of the paint around the edges and give them a weathered look.
You will need to break the larger flower pots before they can be attached to the wreath. To do this, gently tap the pots with the tack hammer until they crack. Turn them over and tap the opposite side. It doesn't matter if some pots break into more than two pieces. Small pots can be left whole.
Use wire cutters to cut the stems of the silk flowers to about an inch in length. Also cut off a few leaves to use in the wreath. Gently pull open the seed packets and pour out the seeds, being careful not to tear the packets.
Seed pockets
Use the glue gun to attach the flowerpots and pot pieces to the wreath. Place the pots with broken edges against the wreath so that they form pockets to hold the seed packets and flowers.
Glue flowers, leaves, painted wood hearts, garden tools and mushroom birds to the wreath. Roll the corners of the seed packets around a pencil so that they curl. Place seed packets inside the flowerpots and use hot glue to hold them in place.
When you have finished the wreath, use a sponge brush to paint the seed packets with Mod Podge. This will help them stay curled and will protect them from the weather.