Keeping a central color, theme or style will make a visually stunning holiday creation. Clutter can create chaos for the eye!
• Start with an idea or vision
Choose a theme such as natural elements, snowflakes, retro, or country living to name a few. You can also choose a color scheme to match your home décor or keep it "Traditional” with red and green. A “Winter Wonderland” theme would include blues, whites and grays. For “Northwoods" use a deep red plaid with brown and dark green.
• Ribbon and bows should always go on first
The bow is your anchor, and your choice of ribbon is what sets the scene for your entire project.
• Add pics to your fresh wreath
Gertens has many to choose from including cranberry and blueberry pics, pinecones, birch log pics and more. Be sure your artificial choices will withstand freezing temperatures, otherwise the paint etc. could crack and flake off. You can also add in hanging décor items like sugar cone chandeliers or swags.
• Add fresh greens
Add fresh greens including spruce tips, red and white pine boughs, cedar boughs, ming pine and oregonia, which tolerates cold well. Use holly or boxwood indoors only.
• Poke cuts into your wreath
Poke cuts into the branches of your wreath to add a new dimension of texture, color, and depth with fresh cuts listed below. Or let your imagination go!
• Protect your decorations
Place your Christmas decorations where they won’t get the full brunt of Winter winds, snow and ice.
• Use different scents
Use eucalyptus and sweet bay in a balsam garland to create a wonderful scent to accent your living room or foyer.
Types of Cuts to use for Decorating
- Magnolia leaves - natural or dyed
- Eucalyptus: Strong herbal scent in a bough that can dry well and add color and texture to anything indoors or out. There’s also Seeded eucalyptus - a variety of colors and baby Eucalyptus.
- Pepperberries: Pinkish berries dry well and last a long time. Cut leaves off if it will be used in a dry arrangement. Great for adding color.
- Sweet Bay aka Bay Laurel: Dried leaves offer strong bay scent and texture. Also great in soup!
- Rose hips: Great for pots and garden beds. Bright red berries dry to a red/brown and last through the season.
- Holly: Cannot freeze but dries nicely. Great for indoor wreaths, garland, or a centerpiece to bring Christmas indoors.
- Silver sage (red tinted): Great for softening the edges of evergreen pots
- Grevillia Ivanhoe (red tinted): unusual texture for a fun surprise
- Willow: Curly or red willow can be used for outdoor pots or beds or wreaths. Can give height to pots and adds texture and direction.
- Dogwood: red or yellow twigged adds height and texture.
- Click here to view our full selection of fresh greens and accents to use in your decorating.
The experts at Gertens are always available to answer your questions!
