I have a love affair with evergreens, especially at Christmastime. Pine, spruce, and balsam are my go-to picks, since our property is loaded with them.
Nothing beats heading into the woods on a cold day and gathering bunches of fragrant greens that will be transformed into wreaths, garland, outdoor planters, and arrangements for the house. It’s one of my favorite holiday rituals.
This year, we’ve had some pretty nasty storms come through our area, making completion of our outdoor planters nearly impossible. I was able to protect the two urns flanking our garage, but didn’t spend any more time designing new ones. Sometimes you just have to let Mother Nature win and move on to something else.
So, I focused on my indoor arrangements instead!
Main Entry
The first one I created was one for our antique mission-style sideboard. The sideboard commands a spot in our main entry, so I wanted something there to greet us and visitors as soon as you step inside.
The container is a galvanized pail with snowy evergreens embossed on it. I placed a plastic floral tray with a block of floral foam that had been pre-soaked in water inside. Then I just started clipping and sticking greens into the foam.
I usually start with a triangle shape and fill in the gaps as I go. I used a branch of white pine as my vertical piece (the top of the triangle) and some balsam across the bottom. That created my skeleton form. I filled things in with more white pine, balsam, pinecones, and some ribbon I attached to a floral pick.
Sofa Table
When the sideboard was done, I had some fresh clippings left over, so I rummaged through my cabinets and decided to make a small arrangement in a vintage white gravy boat.
I followed a similar approach to my sideboard arrangement, creating a sort of skeleton with my initial branches and then filling in the gaps with small loops of ribbon, pinecones, and one of my rustic cow bells.
It gives my mid-century cabinet/sofa table a bit of needed softness amid all the wood, but doesn’t distract from the start of the show, the Christmas tree.
Dining Table
Next, I decided to make an arrangement in the large bowl on my dining table. It’s a Royal Doulton bowl with an Andrew Wyeth design featuring cherry blossoms. Most Christmases, I fill it with faux wrapped gifts, but this year I wanted something a little more dramatic.
Like the other arrangements, I started with a floral tray and floral foam that I propped up on a couple of pieces of Styrofoam. The bowl is pretty deep, so I needed some lift so the arrangement would drape properly.
White pine forms the base because it drapes so nicely. I made a full circle using white pine and a few hemlock sprigs. Then I added balsam, gradually angling the pieces upward.
Once I had the live greens in, I started adding decorative elements like some faux flocked evergreen sprigs, gold berry picks, pinecones, and ribbon.
This sweet little bird crowns the arrangement, and is right at home nestled among the pinecones.
What I love most about crafting these arrangements is the chance to experiment and sort of get lost in the process. The dogs usually join me in the craft room and snuggle up for a nap while I work, so it’s pretty peaceful.
I also love that the arrangements aren’t perfect. Something about the imperfections makes them feel more real and comforting.
For more holiday decorating, check out our woodland-inspired Christmas mantle.
Merry Christmas!