Celebrate the Equinox with a Handmade Autumn Head Wreath

Before we get into Autumn head wreath making fun, I want to share a few thoughts on sacred adornment with you.

I used to translate dress for success to mean dress how the conventional world typically views a “successful woman”.

To me, that meant boxy clothes in drab colors that didn’t flatter my curvy body shape and essentially had me feeling (and looking) like a wilted leaf in the pouring rain. It was about fitting into the army of pant suits, cardigans and ballet flats which gave me a false sense of belonging.

…until I realized it wasn’t an authentic expression of my magic.

I am a bold color, many-patterned, sometimes subtle, sometimes outrageous, vibrant being. When I close my eyes and envision my higher self standing proudly in her wisest, empowered self…she is a walking work of art. Everything she wears is thoughtfully curated, handcrafted by artisans or herself, and a full reflection of her values in the world. She is stunning.

So these days, when I think about dressing for success, I call it sacred adornment – decorating my temple body with beautiful things that make me feel amazing. Wearing colors, textures, shapes, and accessories that brighten me up and don’t have me shrinking behind them. It’s a form of self-expression that has the ability to change the way I feel about myself in a matter of minutes.

I learned about the sacred art of self decoration with the monarch butterflies perched atop my head, lightning bugs as my night jewelry, and emerald-green frogs as bracelets.

— Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Women Who Run With the Wolves

Celebrate the Equinox with a Handmade Autumn Head Wreath

So today, in honor of the Autumn Equinox, I invite you to join me in adorning yourself with an Autumn Head Wreath – made with your own beautiful and artful hands.

You can make your head wreath with anything from fall leaves to fall colored flowers to feathers and herbs (I’m a big fan of rosemary for head wreaths!).

Here are some fun autumn crown ideas to inspire your creative curiosity, but I made mine with some leaves from the Japanese Maple tree in my front yard (whose leaves have just transitioned to a bright orangey red that catches my breath each morning when I walk out to water the garden).

The process is super simple and, once you learn, you can apply it all year long with winter solstice crowns and spring and summer floral pieces. It’s super addicting – you’ve been warned!

Supplies You Will Need:

  • Floral Wire
  • Floral Tape
  • Floral Wire Cutter
  • Wreath supplies – leaves, flowers, feathers, herbs, etc

Celebrate the Equinox with a Handmade Autumn Head Wreath

  1. Grab your floral wire and measure around your head to get the right sized halo. Make a little bend in the wire to mark where the halo ends and wrap the wire 2 more times to make it a little thicker.
  2. Cut the wire once your halo feels like it’s the right size and thickness.
  3. Wrap the end piece of the wire around the bundle a few times to secure the halo size.
  4. Grab your floral tape and start firmly wrapping it around the wire bundle, working your way around the entire halo. The tape will be sticky so don’t be afraid to really pull it tight to secure it in place.
  5. Once you’ve made your way around the halo, tear off the floral tape and secure the loose end around the wire.
  6. Grab your adorning pieces and secure the stem to the wire halo using the floral tape. Be sure to wrap tightly to make sure it’s secure. Then move down the stem a few inches to secure to the halo once more. Keep doing this all the way around the halo and snip off excess stem.
  7. This is where you allow your intuition and inner artist to take over. Position the adorning pieces in a way that feels good to you. Some leaves or blooms will naturally fall one way or the other – go with it and see what comes out of it. I have found that larger flower heads are best positioned right in the front, while longer stems work well on the side of the halo, creating a regal crown shape. Be sure to secure each steam tightly with the floral tape as you go along.
  8. Once your crown has finished, spritz it with a little water for nourishment and crown yourself a success. When you’re finished with your crown, you can hang it from a doorknob to allow it to dry. Dried flower crowns have their own special beauty.

Once you’ve created your crown, I would love to see it! Tag me @beccapiastrelli with #AutumnHeadWreath on instagram.

Celebrate the Equinox with a Handmade Autumn Head Wreath

Wisdom and rituals for slow & seasonal living

Sign up for my once-in-a-while email newsletter about all things rites of passage, seasonal living, and meaningful community.