This dough bowl design is fall-themed however, the process will be the same regardless of the season the bowl is being designed for. With a few simple changes and this bowl can go from fall to the holidays, to spring and beyond. Regardless of the season, the process is the same. This is dough bowl designing 101!

To make this design, I’ll let you in on a little secret…it’s all about layering! More on that below, let’s first talk about these clay pot candles!

Clay Pot Candles:

For this fall centerpiece I decided to incorporate 3 clay pot candles. I made some this past summer for a party and loved the look of the candles sitting in the clay pot all nestled in with my beloved moss – you all know how I love moss! These clay pot candles add some interest to this design and play well with the rust tones in the florals.

Layering:

The clay pot candles were assembled first (instructions below) once those were done and in place, I started layering the rest of the contents. I took one element at a time beginning with raffia. I almost always start my dough bowls with raffia because it adds such a pretty texture and acts as the foundation for all the flowers and ribbon I will add on the subsequent layers. It begins the “lift” I’m always looking for when working with a deep tray or dough bowl. Without layers and “lift” your dough bowl contents will “sink” into the bowl instead of arching and flowing over, the look I’m always going for.

Variations and Special Considerations:

• The Design: This is a very loosely designed centerpiece meaning the contents are simply laid and tucked into the layers placed before. I do use dry floral foam however, the foam in this project is used to raise the various elements. The flowers, ribbon and wheat are not “in” the foam but simply laid in place.
• Clay Pot Candles: With the moss and raffia being so close to these candles, for safety reasons, I do not plan to light them. Flameless candles may be an option if you are interested in lighting the candles. You may also omit the clay pot candles altogether.
• Florals: The floral choices these days are endless! This design can be easily transformed into a holiday centerpiece, or spring centerpiece simply by switching out the florals. The process is the same.
• Dough Bowls: There are many shapes and sizes available. I will include a few you can purchase below. The one I’m using is quite large (35″). If your bowl is smaller you will want to adjust quantities.
• Floral Plugs: A floral plug is a larger cluster or small bush of faux flowers. For projects like this, you will need to cut the plugs apart making individual or smaller clusters of flowers. This way you can even disperse them through the centerpiece.
• Wheat Bundles: For this design, I cluster small groupings of wheat in my hand and place the little cluster in the design. For more stability and control you can also wire or tape the cluster together before adding it to the design.
• Direction of Amaranth: The amaranth is the leggy rust color flower in this design. Since I plan to keep this design on my hutch as in the picture below I place the Amaranth facing forward. For an all-around centerpiece, you will want to place it on both sides.

*This post includes affiliate links, for more info on affiliate links visit here

Tools and Supplies:

Dough bowl options:

Florals and Supplies:

Quantities noted

Thank you for stopping by for how to make a dough bowl centerpiece! For more dough bowl ideas head over the my Neutral Fall Dough Bowl post!