A Few More Holiday Decorations

A Few More Holiday Decorations

Lighted Pinecone Basket
A pretty basket filled with pinecones and greenery. Use red/cranberry and green for Christmas and orange, bronze and golds with greenery for Thanksgiving baskets.

Materials:

Basket
Pinecones of various sizes
1 or 2 strands of mini Christmas lights (I prefer the clear but it's your preference)
Poinsettia stems (or fall stems)
Other greenery
2 Yd Ribbon, wire-edged (Color will depend on whether it's a Christmas or autumn basket

Steps:

1. Place half of the pinecones in the basket, putting the larger cones on the bottom.
2. Place the light cord in the basket arranging them over, under and around the pinecones already in the basket. Be sure the cord and plug is extended as much as possible
3. Add the rest of the pinecones, moving the lights so they can be seen.
4. Add the flower and greenery stems hiding as much of the cord as you can. You might wish to glue some of them in but try to keep the glue away from the lights - this basket will get warm when it's plugged in.

Christmas Cranberry Tree
This makes a pretty red tree but if you can find green strands of beads you can use them to create a green tree.

Materials:
Styrofoam Cone, 12" (Different size cones may be used)
Acrylic craft paint, red (different color is another color beads will be used)
Bead garland, dark red
Silk leaves (optional)
Moss
Floral wire (or u-shaped floral pins)
Silk cardinal or other tree top ornament
Wire-edged ribbon (optional)

Steps:

1. Paint the styrofoam cone and allow to dry completely
2. Skip this step if you're using floral pins. Cut the floral wire into 3" lengths and bend into a u-shape.
3. Beginning at the bottom of the cone, glue garland around the cone using a low temp glue gun. Insert the floral pins or wire occasionally into the cone between the beads for extra hold. Continue this until the entire cone is covered.
4. Glue silk leaves around the bottom of the cone.
5. Insert little pieces of the moss into any gaps between the beads.
6. Glue cardinal or a bow on top.

Christmas Charm Wreath
An ideal way to use up little pieces of broken ornaments, tiny Christmas accessories. You'll need more materials for a larger wreath.

Materials:

Green pine or fir wreath
8-10 Berry picks (assorted colors or one color)
10-12 Stems Baby's breath
40-50 tiny Christmas ornaments, tiny accessories, charms, etc.
15-20 Miniature silk rose buds (dried rose buds can be used but they will be more fragile)
15 ¼" wide satin bows (assorted colors or one color), made into showlace bows
4 Yards of beaded garland (of one or two garlands)
Ribbon (optional)
Green floral wire

Steps:

1. Shape the wreath so it is very full.
2. Create a hanger from a heavy piece (double if needed) of wire & attach to the top of wreath
3. Use a glue gun to attach the ornaments and charms evenly throughout the entire wreath
4. Take the shoelace bows and glue them throughout the wreath
5. Take your beads and entwine them through the wreath or take them and wrap them loosely around the wreath, using a wrapping motion to go over and under the wreath. Glue the ends to the back of the wreath.
6. Take the sprays of baby's breath and hot glue them randomly throughout the wreath.
7. Cut the rose buds off the stems and glue them throughout the wreath also.
8. You may wish to put a large bow at the top of bottom of the wreath or leave it as is.