Cozy Bay Wreath Craft Inspired by A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic
Inspired by A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic by J. Penner, this simple herb craft is a little tribute to potential love and romance interwoven in the cozy pages of this book. The interplay of the characters and the plants they encounter in their fictional world was magically lovely to read. If you haven’t read it yet, snap up a copy and enjoy this cozy book filled with tasty treats.
I’VE SPILLED THE TEA: SPOILER-FILLED CRAFT TUTORIAL BELOW!
As we look into the use of herbs in fiction and their role in the progression of this story, some details will be revealed.
If you don’t like spoilers come back and check this craft out after reading the book!
A Fated Mate Wreath
The inspiration for the project started with the bay arch on a foraging adventure in search of Arleta’s “little dash of magic.” Bonus points that Arleta shimmed up the arch to harvest the best bay leaves! And so the idea of a wreath was born from this image where I could embrace the bay arch as a place of meeting. An both being fond of gardening, herbs played a wonderful role in Arleta and Theo’s blossoming relationship. This wreath is a cozy herb-crafted tribute to them.
Sweet Bay Laurel Leaves (Laurus nobilis)
From the story: The arch under which Theo meets his Fated Mate
I loved the image of the bay laurel arch in the book and the idea of meeting your fated love under such a beautifully fragrant symbol. Bay laurel has meaning as a symbol for everlasting love. Like the evergreen leaves of the plant itself, bay speaks to endurance in love. Seems to be a likely outcome for Fated Mates!
Note: Some varieties of bay are toxic. If you plan to use the bay from your wreath in cooking, make sure you use the culinary, edible variety: Laurus nobilis.
Lemon Slices (Citrus limon)
From the story: Theo’s first taste of one of Arleta’s bakes is a strawberry lemon bite.
Arleta’s passion for baking is a part of her and Theo’s first taste of one of her bakes seems to be an important moment in their relationship. Lemons are ancient in their use by humans with a fascination for the beautiful fragrance and bright skin contrasted by the sour inside. As anyone who has tasted a lemon pastry can attest to—the sour flavor of lemon balances well in sweet baked goods bringing a delicious tanginess much like Arleta’s bakes are sure to do. Perhaps much like the thorn and the petal of a rose, lemon used in A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic hints at taking the sweet with the sour. This suggests that love and life can be complicated, hinting at the road ahead for these two as they get their relationship sorted.
Gem Stones: Carnelian and Prehnite
To represent the two fated mates meeting under the arch, I brought in a gem stone for each of them. Originally I was going to include two pieces of rose quartz but then I found stones to represent each character and honor them as the individuals they are.
Carnelian for Arleta
A beautiful red-orange stone that speaks to creativity and helps to release the pain from the past while emanating passion. Arleta is a bundle of creativity and passion. She is unstoppable in her desire to bake delicious food. She is healing from her past and her own perceived lack. I think this stone represents that and would support her.
“My creativity is limitless”
Prehnite for Theo
Yellow and green come together in this lovely stone much like Theo’s magic radiates as yellow and green out into the world. This stone is said to offer support to those who provide healing to other people. Magic Fairy Candles explains that prehnite helps to connect the heart and the Earth.
“With the deepest love, I lay my heart at the feet of omnipresence"
Note the information about the gem stones is from Magic Fairy Candles where the stones were purchased!
Rose (Rosa spp.)
From the story: Rosewater in the story is part of Arleta’s dreamy, creative process when she is imagining bakes she would like to create.
Nestled behind the stones is one, single rose bud as a nod to the symbolism of love that rose invokes. These beautiful blooms are often used to describe a setting or world that invokes floral abundance. The addition of a rose felt like a wonderful way to honor the love that Arleta and Theo eventually enjoy together.
Learn more about rose here and get our free ebook here with even more information about roses in fiction as well as recipes to try right in your own home!
Cinnamon Sticks (Cinnamomum aromaticum) and Star Anise (Illicium verum)
These are pretty herbs that smell amazing and look beautiful. They both feature well in baked goods too! Included on this wreath as a baker-centric decoration.
Bells
Two beautiful little bells were included to bring movement to the wreath and as a symbol of protection. They move in a lovely manner that make me smile!
Cozy Herb Crafting: The Process
Here are instructions to help you along if you choose to make your own Fated Mates Wreath! Choose whatever herbs speak to you about this book.
Ideas include:
Bay leaves
Rose blossoms
Lavender blossoms
Thyme sprigs
Rosemary sprigs
Lemon slices, dried
Anise stars
Cardamom pods
Maybe even an earl grey tea bag with a little painting on the front!
This is how I made my wreath. Follow your intuition on how to lay out the herbs, there is no wrong way to do this!
My top tip is to enjoy the process—put on The Great British Baking Show and make a cup of tea while cozying up and crafting.
You will end up with a beautiful wreath to enjoy!
Materials:
Grapevine wreath
Bay leaves, fresh or dried (see notes below)
Dried lemon sliced
Cinnamon sticks
Dried rose(s)
Gem stones of your choice
Bells
Golden ribbon for securing the bells
Hot glue gun and glue sticks (see notes below)
To Make:
Lay out all of your supplies and plug in your glue gun. You will use the hot glue gun to secure the herbs and stones to your wreath. (see notes below)
Start layering the bay leaves on the wreath to create an arch-like appearance.
Work your way up each side of the wreath until the leaves meet in the middle.
Next add the lemon slices. I added them in a symmetrical arrangement so the slices mirror each other on the sides of the wreath.
Add the cinnamon sticks by slipping them in along the sides of the bay leaves.
Secure the stones, the rose, and some extra bay leaves at the bottom of your wreath.
Carefully flip your wreath over and tie on the bells on the underside so they dangle down into the center of the wreath.
Finish it all off with a star anise at the top of your wreath!
You can add a ribbon for hanging or simply place the wreath on a nail in the wall or wreath hanger. Enjoy!
Notes:
Hot glue: If you have never used hot glue before, be careful! It can burn you. I like to place the herb first on the wreath to see what it will look like and then add a blob of glue to the underside of the herb and place it. I usually count to about ten to ensure that the glue has hardened before removing pressure. Of course, if you use hot glue, you will not want to consume the herbs on your wreath.
Other attachment methods: You could use wire to secure the herbs to your wreath. This would be a good option for anyone who wants to consume the herbs on their wreath in cooking.
Bay leaves: I used fresh bay leaves and they were a joy to work with! Now that some time has passed they are curling up and not drying flat as I had hoped they would. I think this is in part due to the dryness of my climate. An option here would be to use already dried bay leaves; place the wreath under a heavy book for a few days once the leaves start to dry to hold them flat; or dip the bay leaves in beeswax before attaching to the wreath to help preserve them. Again, some varieties of bay are toxic. If you plan to use the bay from your wreath in cooking, make sure you use the culinary, edible variety: Laurus nobilis.
Hang this fragrant wreath above your reading nook—the scent of bay and cinnamon with the light tinkling sound of the bells is perfect for nurturing rest and connection while enjoying a cozy book.
Happy herb crafting!
References
Froese, T. N. (2022). Gods, Goddesses, and Lemonade. Retrieved on 11/03/2025 from https://medium.com/@tiffanyfroese/gods-goddesses-and-lemonade-e08b76e38fbe
Magic Fairy Candles. (n.d.) Carnelian Information Card. Self-published.
Magic Fairy Candles. (n.d.) Prehnite Information Card. Self-published.
Penner, J. (2023). A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic. Self-published.
Readal, M. (2022). Bay Laurel – Herb of the Month, Herb of Achievement. Retrieved on 11/05/2025 from https://herbsocietyblog.wordpress.com/2022/02/07/bay-laurel-herb-of-the-month-herb-of-achievement/
a.Sierplant.be. (n.d.). Laurus Nobilis - Flemish laurel. Retrieved on 11/04/2025 from https://sierplant.be/en/algemeenlaurier/