Christmas gifts from your garden - winter still life centrepiece
Flowers on a Christmas table look lovely, but, let's be honest, they can cost a fortune at this time of year and they tend not to last very long. The reason fro the latter is simple; Christmas is the time when most families are very active - running in and out, eating huge meals, going for walks etc. This means that the flowers are exposed to constant changes not just in temperature but also in humidity, from the cold dryness of the night to the moist heat of breakfast, then the increased heat and humidity of lunch, normally a cool but moist afternoon as people sleep or go off to do other things, and then a boost of heat and moisture for dinner. In addition, the doors are always opening and closing giving wafts of icy air to chill them. It's no surprise they don't hold up well.
Instead, think of using a centrepiece that looks suitable festive but isn't going to be affected by heat or damp, cold or chill breezes.
You Need
- Dried twigs (red coloured stems are wonderful) and leaves from your garden
- Large pine cones
- Pine or spruce twigs
- Red and tartan paper ribbons
- Florist wire
Choose a big container and put some dry foam in it to hold the twigs. Slide some of the leaves between the glass (if it's clear) and the foam so that it looks as if the container is filled with dried leaves. Push the twigs into the foam at various angles and wire the pine cones and more dried leaves to them, covering the wire with bright bows of red or tartan ribbon.
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