Create Your Own Elegant Holiday Decor

A Centrepiece to Impress

No holiday table is complete without a centrepiece. Create your own in three easy steps.

Step One: Determine your size

• Avoid the biggest mistake most people when creating a centrepiece, making it either too small or too large.
• Put a white tablecloth onto your table.
• Set the table. The centre space left over is the size your centrepiece should be.

Step Two: Choose your base

• The classic centrepiece begins with a beautiful candle.
• Avoid artificially scented candles and opt for unscented soy or natural beeswax.
• Place your candle on a large glass platter that’s in proportion--you want at least 3 inches of lip.

Step Three: Choose your filler

• Layer sprigs of pine or spruce around the candle, adding cinnamon sticks, miniature pine cones or candy canes.
• Don’t limit yourself, use whatever material suits your table. Keep it simple and use no more than three items.
• For snow, do a light dusting of confectioner’s sugar.

Make an Aromatic Holiday Wreath

Create a personalized door wreath that will give off a welcoming holiday scent for all to enjoy.

Materials needed:

• Pine tree sprigs – 40 sprigs in a variety of lengths
• Steel coat hanger
• Florist wire
• 6-8 petite Mandarin oranges
• Bag of cloves
• 9 Cinnamon sticks
• Sprigs of rosemary
• Eucalyptus leaves
• 10 – 12 large pine cones
• 24 small pine cones (Tip: Spread your pine cones on the floor of your garage before bringing them inside for any “visitors” can leave. Putting them in the microwave for two minutes will make them pop open.)

Instructions

• Keeping the coat hanger intact, stretch the form into a rough circle.
• Arrange the first spring on the wire circle, attaching it with the florist wire
• Keep building with sprigs, covering any gaps and following the pattern. Have a few fronds cover the hook, which should be the top of the wreath.
• Take a small mandarin orange and hold between two sides. Press cloves into one side of the orange. Completely cover the area or do small patterns.
• Feed a piece of 12” florist wire through one end of the orange and out the other. Bring the wire around to the back of the undecorated side. Twist off tightly and securely, but leave enough wire to attach the orange to the wreath, clove side facing out.
• Finish each orange in this way and arrange them individually or in cluster of three around the wreath.
• Wrap florist wire around the ends of each pine cone and attach to the wreath.
• Using holiday ribbon, tie up a spring of eucalyptus, rosemary and three cinnamon sticks. Feed florist wire through the back of your ribbon. Tie off and attach to your wreath, arranging them between the orange and pine cone cluster.
• Use the hook to hang the wreath.

Create a Staircase Bough

Lighten up your vestibule for the holidays with a full-length bough for your staircase.

Instructions

• Using florist wire, attach pieces of pine boughs to the top banister.
• Overlap the boughs so there are no visible holes and continue layering until you achieve the desired fullness.
• Arrange the clusters of oranges, cinnamon sticks to your liking.
• Add some gingerbread and candy cane cookies and weave in some small LED white holiday lights for a magical Hansel and Gretel effect.

Happy Holidays!

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