HOME TOUR

The world is hurting and we need to remember the hurting. So how do you go about anything with everything feeling well, wrong? My heart whispers, intention.

In everything I am doing, the ordinary things even imperfectly so because I am human–the loving on my kids, making dinner, the interacting with strangers, financial support for organizations on the ground doing good work, calling a friend of color to let them know they are loved and I am sorry, the learning, the podcasts, the books being read, the quieting of my heart to make room for the good and meaningful, even the creating–ALL of it, I am trying to do it with intention. If there were ever a flower to symbolize this season I think it should be the poppy so I made a summer poppy wreath and I hope you make one too.

Red poppies have long been recognized as a symbol of remembrance to honor the fallen soldiers in WWI, becoming a national symbol in 1920 and I’m not trying to diminish this in any way because oh how thankful I am for their sacrifice. The poppy comes in various colors and has long had meaning across many different cultures and throughout time. It is often given as an act of consolation for a loss or death, with the white poppy used as a symbol of peace, it can symbolize restful sleep and even success and beauty *. I don’t mean to stretch it past it’s intended purpose–to honor fallen soldiers at Memorial Day, but I think it may have a place in this season as well. At least for me.

I want to remember with intention all that is happening right now in our world. I want to remember that even in the hard things there is good and lovely happening. There are good men and women in uniform, sacrificing for their communities and providing for their families. There are good people marching for change and healing. So even something as silly and insignificant as a wreath on my front door, for me, this is an act of intention–to exist in the uncomfortable, to remember the pain of our brothers and sisters of color and to focus in on the lovely that is here too, in the chaos and darkness and hard things. The poppy as a symbol of remembrance is gracing my door and you can make a summer poppy wreath too.

SUPPLIES:

Silk Poppies ( I got mine at afloral and they were delivered to my door, I’ve linked them below)

Wreath frame (I used one I had but I like these willow wreaths)

Hot Glue

Wire Cutters to trim the stems

INSTRUCTIONS

Far from fancy or difficult, I start by placing my finger at the top center of the wreath (12 if it were a clock) where the ribbon will be, draw an invisible line down to the bottom (6 if it were a clock) and slide your finger over to the right about halfway (3 or 4 on a clock). Place your first flower bloom here. Work your way up and down from this point for that lovely, asymmetrical look.

Cut each bloom off the wire stem leaving about an inch of stem to stick into the wreath with a dab of hot glue and cut the smaller, more delicate white stems longer to use as whispy pieces for each end. I tend to focus the bulk of the flowers in the middle of the area I am working and then taper out for a delicate look.

Add a couple green leaves here and there which were clipped off a couple of the poppy stems. A delicate beige stripe ribbon completes it. The colors are perfect for summer and it looks pretty on our dutch door. It doesn’t take much talent to make a beautiful summer poppy wreath. I hope you enjoy this wreath inspiration and can find some more beautiful ideas below by visiting my friend’s blogs.