Yesterday evening I was out in the back yard trimming our perennials (yep, it’s very California to be working in the yard the day before Thanksgiving) and afterward I twisted together a wreath out of what I’d cut: mostly lavender, with some strawberry tree branches, white sage and toyon berries. All I did was attach the green bits with wire to a thin branch I’d bent in a circle.
The wreath was spectacular last night. This morning it is a bit wilted, as the picture shows, but still nice. Properly, if a wreath is to last, it should be made of dried stuff and/or evergreen boughs. We’ll see what this one does over the next couple of days. I’m not bothered if it doesn’t work, as it only took about a half hour to make, and I made it more for the pleasure of the making than anything else.
It is worth remembering that you can throw together a wreath or swag or centerpiece out of whatever fresh plant matter you can find, and it will look fresh for the rest of the day. It’s really nice to have fresh, fragrant greenery on the walls and tables for parties. Here’s a thoughtstyling for you: maybe holiday decor should be as compost-able as the food, so we don’t end up burdened with boxes full of low-grade novelty holiday items which have no future outside a thrift store–kid art and family treasures excepted, of course!
I have made swags from the yard, swags long enough for the bannister to the second story and other areas around the stairs. I taught my children how to do this, too. However, I have enough of the silk/plastic stuff to do the same thing. I was not always so ambitious.
When I go to a friend’s Christmas party and to her open house, I always take several limbs of holly, the ones with the most berries.
Your artistry does not look wilted to me.
My goal this year is to have only christmas decorations that I can compost or use as kindling in the fireplace (other than a small box of special ornaments).
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