You know how I said I wouldn’t give away more of my house before the Canton Christmas Charity Tour of Homes? Yeah, I lied. I am so excited about how the table setting turned out in the dining room that I had to give a few more peeks at the Christmas vignette I created as my centerpiece.
Instead of the golden shimmer of the living room, I went with a frosty blue shimmer in the dining area. I created a scene of deer in a snowing forest for the table setting’s centerpiece. Clearly this is more interpretive since I have yet to see metallic deer bounding about Western North Carolina. Though I bet some of the local hunters would go ape-shit if we did have silver deer running around. But only if they were 12 point bucks, because everyone has already bagged an 8 point this year…
Back to the centerpiece, I scored this young buck and his mate at Rite-Aid, on sale for less than $7. I already had the crystal candlesticks (wedding present) and silver Christmas tree. Then I added some fake snow and glass babbles from a garland that got broken.
The whole table setting is set for two (don’t worry McClain has his own place setting at his high chair) and looks like this:
You might notice there is one HONKING-huge light fixture hanging above the table. Words can not describe its beveled glass, brass, hugeness. Suffice to say it is UGGGGGly. Since I didn’t have the time/budget to remove this bad boy I covered it in fresh evergreen garland mixed with ivy that had flowered and made blue berries. Who knew ivy could do that?
I also bought a large pack of plastic snowflakes at the Dollartree and covered them in a large flake glitter I got in the floral section of A.C. Moore (Due to my craft hoarding habits I just happened to have that on hand from a previous project I never actually completed). These snow flakes then got suspended from the brass tentacle arms of the light-monstrosity.
While I’m still not a fan of the fixture I do love the way the snowflakes are suspended over the eating area.
Oh and I got to use more of my wedding gifts in the form of my china pattern (Vintage Jewel by Lennox) and cobalt-blue, satin placemats and napkins. I actually took two napkins (one matching the runner) and rolled them together and used the extra snowflakes as a napkin ring.
Finally I created other touches to match around the room by using unbroken bead garland on the window.
And using my stash of cobalt blue glass. I found a single bottle of cobalt blue glass in the local river when I was around 13. I have been obsessed ever since!
I hope you enjoyed the other side of my Frosty Metallic Christmas. If you want to see the whole thing and you live in Western North Carolina you can attend the Canton Christmas Tour of Homes Dec. 5. After that date I will be posting all the details for those that can’t come!
So you want to make fresh, evergreen garland? I don’t blame you! It’s another one of my cheap and easy Christmas decorations that people go gaga over. Moreover, nothing smells like Christmas except the scent of fresh cut pine. Let’s get down to business and learn how to create evergreen garland, also known as swags.
The process is very similar to my evergreen wreath tutorial. You might want to give it a quick run through before going through this one. Wreaths are a tiny bit easier because you are working with a stable frame and on a smaller scale. However, I’m one for jumping head first into most crafts, so feel free to ignore my advice.
Evergreens: The above pictures show my collection of branches from white pine, cypress, ivy, fraser fir, and some other random pine. I just mooched off of family and neighbors because you don’t need more than a few limbs of each. Just promise them you will cut without gapping the tree/bush. Usually people are happy to let you tidy up their plants. The piles in the first picture made around 30 ft of garland for my house. The second photo shows the greens cut into various lengths 6″ to 1′ depending on how thick/wide I wanted the garland.
24 Gauge Floral Wire*: I like a 24 gauge, just make sure it’s thick enough that you can pull it without it breaking but thin enough to wind easily. I like the green florist wire because If I’m not careful (which I’m not usually) it will blend better.
Rustic Wire 18 Gauge* or Rope: In the past I have used brown rope (big mistake), green rope, and this year green covered thick wire (in the floral section of craft stores). Make sure whatever you choose is green. The brown rope was a beotch because every single micrometer had to be covered in greenery or the brown showed through. I like the wire the best because it was strong enough to hold the garland together, thin enough to cover easily, and it held its shape better than the rope. Cut it into the lengths you want your finished garland to be.
Cheap/Old Clippers: Once you cut the wire and gummy pine trees they’re pretty much done. I always just use my old garden shears for this project.
Gloves & Old Blanket/Old Clothes: Yes, most of the pictures show my bare hands. Do as I say not as I do, because this will eat your hands alive. The old sheet is to sit on, because you are going to want to do this OUTSIDE or in a garage. You will be covered in rosin and needles when done.
Step 1
Secure your two wires together.
Step 2
Take a handful of greenery (all facing the same way) and stick the wire through the middle. It isn’t important that the wire be 100% covered because, let’s face it, your going to be putting layer after layer after layer of greenery on this puppy. As you overlap it will cover most gaps.
Then take the floral wire and wrap it a couple of times around the whole bundle near the ends of the greenery. Do NOT cut the wire. It needs to stay in one continuous strand to help hold the whole thing together.
Step 3
Take another bundle of greenery and bundle it around the first piece and the wire, BUT make sure the ends are maybe 1-3″ further down the wire. Then take the STILL ATTACHED floral wire and wrap it a couple of times to secure the second bundle. Now repeat this about 10 billion times for however long you want your garland to be.
Basically you just going to keep going, bundle, wrap, bundle, wrap, bundle, wrap… Of course it will be the coldest day of the year when you choose to do this outside. So you might also want to bundle and wrap yourself.
Step 4
Now that you are almost at the end of your garland you may realize “How the Hell am I going to finish this?” Well it is pretty simple. When you’re one bundle away from finishing the garland take the last bundle and turn it the opposite direction and secure it end to end with the last piece. Now you may tie off your floral wire and cut it.
Step 5
Bend the piece going in the wrong direction back on itself and stick some random pieces of greenery in the few wires that show. Voila, your done! And probably cold and sticky, but DONE!
Notes
If you know where your garland is going then you can focus on one side or the other. For example I made a swag to go in the kitchen over the window. I knew only one side was going to show so I put all my pretty berries etc… on one side of my bundles. Beware! Staircases will be seen from both sides.
Incorporate other things in your garland: You can use ivy, vines, twigs, juniper, dried flowers, etc… Anything that is not going to wilt or rot in 3 or so weeks
You can decorate garland: While I tailor each garland for my rooms (i.e. bittersweet vines for the kitchen, ivy mix for the living room) I also decorate it after it is in place. It’s easy to take a little floral wire and stick on lights, ornaments, fruit, etc. Also, if you messed up an area or it has a gap just shove a few loose pieces in. Usually the will be held in place by the other limbs.
Remember that it is going to be MUCH heavier than fake garland: Secure accordingly. I just use doubled over floral wire on hooks and nails to secure it. If you put up a 15′ piece by yourself cuss accordingly. Also try draping it over your shoulders, poke yourself in the neck, and cuss more.
To prolong life mist with water: I mist mine ever morning when I water the tree. Okay, I mist mine every few days when I hear the cats drinking the water out of the Christmas tree and it reminds me.
We all think of garland over the mantel, but I use mine over windows and around light fixtures (be careful about potential fire hazards). Where will you use your garland?
Feel like it is too much to make your own garland? Read my tutorial on how to Make Artificial Garland Look Real for tips to cheat the DIY process and come out with beautiful Evergreen Christmas Garland.
I promised a preview of my Christmas mantel and by damn I finally delivered (Yes, this is the same fireplace that included the saga of (removing 6 layers of paint from brick). If you’re just following this blog then I should let you know we are decorating for charity. We are on the Canton Christmas Tour of Homes this year so I feel the need to kill myself by going over the top with handmade wreaths, fresh garland, and a lot of bling. Anyway enough with the talking here she blows:
The mantel incorporates fresh, handmade evergreen garland, various DIY candle holders, antiqued mirrors, and a shit-ton of candles. If your interested in how to make garland I will be posting a tutorial tomorrow. It incorporates fraser fir. white pine, some other random pinetree, leyland cypress, and ivy. For now here are a few details of the mantel.
The second candle holder that is grooved it actually a cut glass sugar holder from Goodwill. After painting and antiquing it achieved a burnished metallic look I was pleased with.
The metallic-frosty look was a little cold so I decided to add a few pops of cranberry to the mix. Also, you can see how to create the antique gold of the candelabra here.
So what do you all think? Did I get the glowing but shiny Christmas from my inspiration? I would love to hear your comments/critiques before I show this puppy off at the tour on Sunday. I’m thinking I’m close but I still have till December 5th to mess with it. If your interested in the garland I’ll add a link to this post tomorrow.
“Granny” has been helping me collect cheap items for the Christmas Tour of Homes. Since McClain is not always the easiest baby to entertain she sometimes resorts to taking him places, which, often happens to be Goodwill. She has found lots of wonderful items that just need a little love to look fantastic.
I thought it would be wonderful to have an antique, Rococo, gold candelabra to set on the mantel. However, the real things (even in brass) are upwards of $200. Luckily, my mother found this beige rusty candle stick at Goodwill. I believe it was marked down to $2.
First, I knocked off the loose paint, but because I wanted it shabby antique style I didn’t bother making it smooth. Just left it chipped and rusty. Then I spray painted*a nice SHINY gold. Bling, bling.
So, this is the point when I get involved in the project and forget to take pictures. But, basically I need to knock the gold down a few notches. I had some black craft paint that I mixed with a LITTLE water and rubbed all over the candlestick. Then I took a rag and wiped the black off of everything but the crevices and ruff spots (Yep, I giggle at crevice but it’s the best word to use). For the final step I took one of my favorite craft products, Rub N Buff* in antique gold. Despite the name it is safe to Google and trust me Rub ‘n Buff didn’t pay me to say how much I love their product. If they did then I would totally require more than the 4 colors you can get at the local craft store.
Moving on, the product has instructions but basically you squirt a TINY amount on a rag or your finger and rub it on. I just hit the high places leaving the black and shiny gold showing through in. Honestly, I was so excited! It turned out awesome. So awesome, that I am going to have to find a permanent home for this candelabra after the holidays. The final look is more of a Rococo, lustrous-gold candelabra. Here’s a picture of it in my mantel display.
Speaking of mantels, I really hope some of you can make it to the Canton Christmas Tour of Homes this Sunday (Dec. 5). I’ll give you a sneak peak of our mantel tomorrow, but for the rest of it you’ll have to wait until after the tour, and not just because I’m not completely done yet. The event is for charity and only $12 so I want to save the whole shebang to surprise the attendees.
My son turned one yesterday. While, I was pretty choked up about the whole thing, I actually was calm the day of the event. We had a few friends and family joining us to celebrate for the second time. To mark the historic occasion, and because I was feeling nostalgic, Granny and I decorated her house with old school balloons, bows, party hats, and confetti.
I have to admit that other than a few Sesame Street items, most of the decorations were items we just re-purposed. We used party hats over baby food jars to weigh down the balloon centerpieces with lines of bows, noise makers, and curled ribbons we had on hand from other parties.
McClain really enjoyed his personal cake that Granny made.
However, I can’t say he was a huge fan of his party hat.
We had to make sure his best friend Hippity made it to the party.