Paper Rose Holiday Ornaments

I promise not to stray too far away from my blog's usual focus on gardening, but it's the holidays, and it's fun to do little celebratory projects.

These little rose ornaments are easy to do and they'd make great last minute gifts.

Here's what you need to make your own flower ornaments:

Materials and supplies you need to do this project:

• clear glass Christmas balls
• paper roses
• sprigs of seeded eucalyptus
• scissors
• wire cutters

• low heat glue gun and glue sticks
• ribbon, decorative string or metal ornament hanger

Just a few words about the materials in this project: Glass ornaments can be found in a variety of shapes at craft stores. I bought round balls and glass hearts.

For the flowers I chose roses, but you could use any type of paper flowers.

Paper roses can be found at craft stores, but I have also found them at the Dollar Store for a much cheaper price. It pays to shop around!

Step 1: We are going to begin this project by making rose buds and individual petals.

Moving around the circumference of a paper rose, gently push back on the outer row of petals until the rose and the row of petals become separated. Snip off the wire stem and set aside the rose bud. Altogether you will need 6 or more rose buds.

Don't discard the outer row of rose petals and leaves!

Separate the leaves and rose petals by gently pulling them apart. Cut the two sections into individual rose petals and leaves.

Step 2: Remove the top of your glass ornament.

Take your wire cutters and snip away the stems of 3 or 4 roses as cleanly and neatly as you can.

Fill the ornament with roses and the petals you made in step 1. (Tip: I glued a couple of roses back to back so they'd way always be facing out from inside the ornament.)

Place the top back on the ornament. Now you are ready to decorate the exterior.

Step 3: Put a dab of hot glue on the back of a rose and attach it to the top front of your ornament. Flip the ornament over and attach another flower on the top back.

Step 4: Centre two more roses in between the first two flowers.

Step 5: Tuck two of the rose buds you made earlier in between the roses at the top of the ornament to fill in the gaps. 

Place one last rose bud just below the centre rose to create a bit of a cascade down the front of the ornament. Repeat on the back, adding a bud just below the centre rose. 

Finish with a couple of green leaves at the sides of each bud.

The final step is the most finicky and involves working with small pieces of Seeded Eucalyptus. 

Seeded Eucalyptus is fairly easy to find. I found this bunch at the grocery store, but it is also commonly available at most florists. 

I fastened the stems of my Eucalyptus together with an elastic band and hung them to dry, as I plan to use the Eucalyptus for other projects. For this ornament project however, we are going to use just the seeds and not the foliage. The seeds of the Eucalyptus are so dry I think you should be able to use them right away, without taking the time to dry bunches of Eucalyptus first.

Step 6: Cut a large branch of seeds into small sections that are about 1/4" long (on the lower right hand side of my step 6 picture there is an example of these small stems). 

Touch the seed's stem to the end of your glue gun to pick up the tiniest amount of hot glue. 

Tuck the seeds in among the paper roses.

Use some ribbon to create a hanger, or even easier, attach an ornament hook.

These ornaments would make a great stocking stuffer, hostess gift or present for your child's teacher.

Put your ornament in a pretty box and use more flowers instead of a bow. 

(I hot glued my flowers onto my gift box.)

I am sure any recipient would be thrilled with this heartfelt gift.

Jingle Berry Branches

December is here and it's time to think about decorating for the holidays ahead. Today I am sharing a simple, cheerful little project: jingle berry branches.

To make my faux berry branches you need:

• some very fine wire

• red jingle bells

• wire cutters

• some bare branches (from your garden or foraged respectfully)

• blue ribbon for a bow (optional)

Cut short lengths of wire and pass one end of the wire through the bell loop. 

Twist the wire on your bell closed.

Arrange the branches a pitcher or vase of your choice. This will make it easier to 

determine where to place your "berries".

Loop the wire around the branches a couple of times and snip off any excess. Press any sharp ends of the wire inward with your thumb nail, so you don't end up with thorny berry branches.

I couldn't resist adding a few little bluebirds when I was done.

And there you have it! Festive berry branches that jingle.

I also made an evergreen version. 

To make the evergreen arrangement you need:

• assorted evergreen boughs (from your garden, foraged respectfully or purchased from the store)

• red dogwood branches

• red and gold jingle bells

• wire cutters

• very fine wire

• pine cones

• low heat glue gun & glue sticks

• shish kabob skewers

• faux red berry branches

• red ribbon for a bow (optional)

Fill your the pitcher or vase with fresh water and arrange your evergreen boughs. (Tips: Try to strip away any evergreen needles that will be sitting below the surface of the water. This will help the water stay fresher longer. Cedar and pine branches spill nicely, while fur boughs add an upright element to the arrangement.)

Insert the red dogwood branches, which can be cut from the garden or bought from a florist or store.

Add pinecone pics to the arrangement. (These can be pricey to purchase, so I make my own.) 

How to make the pinecone pics:

Create snow by brushing some white latex paint on the tips of your pinecones. 

Set aside and allow to dry.

The wooden sticks are just shish kabob skewers purchased at the Dollar Store.

Put a generous blob of hot glue at the bottom centre of your pinecone. Take a shish kabob skewer and twirl it in the blob of hot glue to coat the end of the stick. Shift the stick into its proper upright position and hold it for a minute until the glue sets.  

Use fine wire to tie the red "berry" bells to the evergreen bows. Use the same wire to tie gold jingle bells to the dogwood branches. (Note: These bells were one size up from the bells I used to create the previous jingle berry arrangement.)

Finally add some faux or real berry branches to the arrangement for that extra bit of holiday cheer.

Keep the water in your pitcher or vase fresh and the arrangement should last for a couple of weeks.

If you have a minute, check out the DIY holiday ornaments on my home page.

5 More Ways to Dress Up a Basic Evergreen Wreath

Last holiday season I gave myself a challenge: take a basic evergreen wreath and personalize it. I had so much fun with this project, I thought I would do it again this year.

In case you missed it, here's a quick snapshot of I came up with:

Based on page views, your favourites were the Lady Bug Wreath and the Blue Jay Wreath. 

I also did a Partridge and Pear Wreath, A White Rose & Berry Wreath and a Fruit & Berry Wreath (the links will lead you to the how-to's).

This year, the challenge again began with a very basic evergreen wreath, which I purchased at the grocery store for $10.99. 

My wreath came with a rather sad, crumpled bow and a few token pinecones. But the hard work was done for me, so I am not complaining. All I had to do was to dress it up and make it pretty!

So what did I come up with for the 2015 holiday season?

A Snowy Owl Holiday Wreath

(Here's a link to the how-to)

A Holiday Bell Wreath

(Here's a link to the how-to)

An Antique Rose Holiday Wreath

(Here's a link to the how-to)

A Butterfly Holiday Wreath

(here is a link to the how-to)

And finally, a Teddy Bears and Toys Holiday Wreath.

This one is for the children or grandchildren in your life!

(Here's a link to the how-to)

So what's your favourite?

5 Ways to Dress-up a Basic Evergreen Wreath

Basic evergreen holiday wreaths are available here at most grocery and big box stores.

One of the best thing about these store-bought wreaths is that all the hard work is done for you. 

They're also affordable- I picked this one up at Walmart for $12.98. 

But, they are a little ho-hum. 

So for fun, I gave myself a little assignment: 5 ways to dress up and personalize a basic, store-bought evergreen wreath.

The first thing I did was to give my wreath a bit of a haircut. As you can see, it was looking a bit like a shaggy dog! You could barely see through the centre.

The first design I came up with was themed on birds and the color blue.  

How-to in a nutshell: (For more detailed instructions and a materials list, click this link.) Insert some boxwood sprigs, dogwood branches and red berries into your store bought wreath and allow them to catch in the mix of evergreens. 

Take some white craft paint and dry-brush "snow" onto the pinecones and branches where snow would naturally collect. Once dry, use florist's wire to tie the pinecones into the wreath.

Remove the rope hanger from a little cardboard birdhouse ornament, poke a hole in the bottom and inserted a florist's pic. Add a dab of hot glue to secure the pic onto the birdhouse. 

Insert the birdhouse pic into the wreath and allow it to catch in the evergreens. Clip 3 bluejays and 3 little bluebirds onto the dogwood and berry branches (I found these at Michaels craft store).

Finally, attached a blue bow with some florist's wire. 

My next idea was to use a mix of fruit and berries to add a little pop of color to all that green.

How-to in a nutshell: (For a more detailed how-to and a material list, click this link.) Take some white craft paint to dry-brush "snow" onto the pinecones. Once dry, use florist's wire to tie them into the wreath.

Insert some boxwood sprigs to add a some leafy texture. 

Next, add in red and orange berry branches and allow them to catch in the mix of evergreens. 

Apply a dab of hot glue to the bottom of the yellow and red mini-apples (I found these at Michaels craft store). Insert a florist's pic into the hot glue and hold it for a minute or so until the glue sets. Insert the finished apple pics into the wreath. 

Attach a red bow with florist's wire. 

I think roses are a lovely holiday flower. This wreath combines white roses with red berries.

How to in a nutshell: (For a more detailed how-to and a materials list, click this link.) Take some white craft paint to dry-brush "snow" onto the pinecones. Once dry, use florist's wire to tie them into the wreath.

Insert some boxwood sprigs red berries into the store bought wreath and allowed them to catch in the mix of evergreens. 

I bought a stem of little white silk roses and a stem of white forsythia (I found these at Michaels craft store). I cut the large stem into a number of shorter branches and inserted these branches into my wreath. 

I did the same for a stem of pearl berries and glittery gold eucalyptus (also found these at Michaels craft store)- cutting one large stem into several smaller branches. 

I then added the smaller stems of pearl berries and glittery eucalyptus. 

Finally, I fastened a white bow with some florist's wire. 

My third wreath is inspired by the "Twelve Days of Christmas" song that has the refrain 

"and a partridge in a pear tree". 

Okay, this probably isn't a partridge, but it is close enough.

How to in a nutshell: (For a more detailed how-to and a materials list, click this link.) Take some white craft paint to dry-brush "snow" onto the pinecones. Once dry, use florist's wire to tie them into the wreath.

Insert some boxwood sprigs and red berries branches into your wreath and allow them to catch in the mix of evergreens. 

Apply a dab of hot glue to the bottom of the yellow mini-pears (I found these at Michaels craft store). Insert a florist's pic into the hot glue and hold it for a minute or so until the glue sets. 

Insert the finished pears pics into the wreath. 

Gather three feathers together in your fingers. Hold them at the top of a florist's pic and wrap the fine wire around and around to create a feather pic. Insert several feather pics around the circumference of the wreath. 

Clip on your partridge.

Attach a red bow with florist's wire. 

I thought that my final wreath should have a garden theme- this is a garden blog afterall- so I decided to do a red ladybug wreath with a pretty plaid bow.

How to in a nutshell: (For a more detailed how-to and a materials list, click this link.) Take some white craft paint to dry-brush "snow" onto the pinecones. Once dry, use florist's wire to tie them into the wreath.

Insert some boxwood sprigs and red berries branches into wreath and allow them to catch in the mix of evergreens. 

Take a single large stem of glittery eucalyptus (found at Michaels craft store) and cut it into a number of shorter branches. Insert the shorter eucalyptus branches into your wreath. 

Take a large branch with gold glitter (found in the floral department at my local grocery store) and cut it into a number of shorter pieces. Add them into the wreath allowing them to catch in the evergreens.

Take the red wooden ladybugs (found in the craft section of my local Dollar store) and apply a dab of hot glue onto the back. Place them on the gold branches and hold them in place for a few seconds until the hot glue has set. Note: If you can't find ladybugs, festively colored butterflies might be fun (look for butterflies at Michaels)

Attach a plaid bow and jingle bells to the wreath with some florist's wire. 

While I was working away making these holiday wreaths I came up with at least 

five more themes...ah well, maybe next year!

Have a wonderful weekend!