STEP 1 Set up on a work surface or drop cloth suitable for gluing. Remove plastic wrapping from wreath. Plug in your glue gun and allow to heat up.   STEP 2 Prepare your gourds by trimming any lengthy stems to ½" - 1 ½" in length, depending on personal preference (shorter stems may be easier to work with). If you would like to apply a dye or stain to your gourds, this will need to be done ahead of time and the gourds allowed to dry completely. TIP: When cutting away the plastic wrapping, be careful NOT to cut the string that binds the straw.   STEP 3 Prepare the dried foliage/flowers by cutting into small sprigs, approximately 1"-2" in length. If you would like to add a stain or dye to your gourds, do so now and allow to dry completely before continuing. If you plan to hang your wreath, tie a small piece of wire or heavy-duty string around the wreath base before continuing to step 3.   STEP 4 Glue the gourds onto the wreath base: Begin by experimenting with different arrangements to see what the best way is to fit the gourds close together. The gourds should be as close as possible, overlapping in areas if necessary. Use generous amounts of glue to attach gourds to base and each other. Any holes can be filled in later with the smaller gourds. Continue until the entire wreath is covered. Be sure to extend the gourds all the way around to cover the sides of the wreath. The base is kept flat on the table; no gourds are glued on the back so as to create a flat surface to lie against the wall or on a tabletop.   TIP: If you find the glue is leaving strings of glue over your project, use a small, cheap paintbrush to clean them off. The problem can be minimized by making sure your glue gun tip is kept clean; you can also hold the glue gun in place several seconds after expelling the glue to minimize the stringing effect   STEP 5 In a well-ventilated area, spray your gourd wreath with the clear spray finish (gloss or matte). Allow to dry completely. NOTE: This is done before adding the dried foliage to ensure all parts of the gourds carry the finish, rather than having dull spots in areas blocked by the flowers. A final coat of finish will be applied at the end.   STEP 6 Add the dried flowers/foliage: fill in the gaps (anywhere the straw shows through) using the thicker or fuller of the two types of flowers; form the flowers into small bunches and push down into the gaps; no glue is necessary, you will affix the foliage by applying the spray adhesive at the end; if the flowers fall out or do not stay in place, add more flowers to your bunch; try using the handle of your paintbrush to push the flowers down into place. TIP: When adding the filler, you will get a fuller effect if you bunch several very small springs together so that all the flower heads are the same height, then cut the stems so they are all the same length (usually ½" - 1" long). The second type of flower or foliage can now be added, either as an accent or as complimentary filler.   STEP 7 Once all the dried flower is in place, spray the entire wreath with the spray adhesive. Allow to dry completely. Finish the wreath by spraying with your clear spray finish (gloss or matte). Always spray in a well-ventilated area.   TIP: The spray adhesive may create a slightly bumpy look on the gourds; if this happens, apply two coats of clear finish as your final step, being sure to allow the spray to dry completely between coats. Hang your wreath or place on a table as a centerpiece and enjoy!