Four ways to give your home a festive feel for free from foraging
GET the family out for a walk and you can find wayside treats to give your home a festive feel for free.
Pick up pine cones, twigs, holly and pretty foliage, but steer clear of private property and forage responsibly.
Here’s how . . .
HAPPY PLACE: Make pretty place settings to put on your festive table.
When you’re out for a walk gather sprigs of different types of greenery, such as ivy and holly.
Bind them together with natural string and place at the side of each dining place for a lovely rustic look.
CONE CREATIONS: Pine cones are a seasonal favourite.
Painting them gold or silver will give them an instant festive feel.
You can also dab on glue to the end of each “branch” and in a few little nooks and add mini pom poms or beads.
Once dry, thread ribbon through the cone to dangle from your tree or hang them from a vase filled with twigs and foraged greenery.
TREE-T TIME: Gather thin twigs of differ-ent lengths or cut them down so you have a selection from short to long.
Glue the twigs on to a lolly stick, putting the shortest near the top and the longest at the bottom, so you create a triangular “tree” shape.
Leave a gap at the top for a star and at the base for the “trunk”.
Add a homemade star or stick a star anise (find a jar in the supermarket spice aisle) at the top.
Dab with white paint for a “snowy” finishing touch.
Glue a loop of string to the back of the lolly stick to hang it from your tree.
TWIGGY PUDDING: Make Christmas “trees” or “stars” from twigs you find on your walk.
Use twigs that are as thick as a chunky pencil and, if you have one, use a glue gun to stick the pieces together into a star or triangular tree shape.
Wind coloured string or raffia twine around the decoration in random directions to create a kind of net.
Decorate with pom poms, paper stars or whatever gives you that festive feeling.
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