I was thinking about the different type of welcoming signs that people use around their homes. Perhaps it is a welcome mat on a doorstep or a decorative flag hanging near their house that says, “Welcome Friends.” But, one of the things I think is most common is a wreath that hangs on the door.

So many homes have wreaths — floral wreaths, themed wreaths, a different wreath for the different holidays — wreaths made out of all sorts of materials like grapevines, wood, spring flowers, summer flowers, mums for the fall, gourds, pumpkins. All signs signaling, “Welcome to Our Home.”

Thinking about wreaths also reminded me of the time my mom had a grapevine wreath with flowers on it hanging on her outside porch wall. A little bird decided to make a nest on the wreath. You could stand inside her kitchen and watch from the window as mama bird built her nest. After the eggs hatched, mama bird would make many trips throughout the day to feed her little ones. Soon the little ones were old enough to fly on their own and make a new home of their own.

I used to have a beautiful large grapevine wreath like that on the side of my house for years. It was gorgeous, with large cranberry and white mums. A little “nest” filled with plastic eggs completed the wreath.

Keeping both of those wreaths in mind, I created this paper sculpture “grapevine” wreath using only paper and paint. Peach-colored tulips, pink, red, and white peonies, leaves and ferns decorate the wreath. There is even a little nest of light blue eggs. A pretty yellow butterfly stops by for a visit.

Here’s a close-up and some photos of the finished wreath, which is framed inside a custom, hexagon wood frame.