The sweet gum tree can be a thorn in the side of any homeowner. They are a mess and quite difficult to clean up – clogging many a leaf blower. However, they are a crafter’s delight. I first encountered these seed pods when I was in kindergarten in New York. My teacher brought a bag of them into class and had us glue toothpicks into the holes. We then spray painted them gold and gave them to our mothers as Christmas ornaments. My mother still gets hers out every year and they grace a table or buffet top.
This wreath stems from that very project. When I moved from the Midwest to North Carolina I found these gumballs all over my neighborhood and I quickly put them to use for a pretty wreath for my front door.
Simply hot glue gumballs onto a wreath form. Spray paint silver, gold, or any other desired color. Hang with a ribbon.