25 Days of Christmas - Day 10: Foraged DIY Garland

Day Ten: DIY Garland 

by MB

Every year at the end of summer when the air turns crisp and everyone’s fall decorations come out, I turn into a roadside forager.  My friends and family can tell you I am and have always been a dumpster diver diva, trash picker, grape vine cutter, bittersweet hunter... and I am proud of it.  My poor baby birds grew up spending countless hours in the back seat of the car with “treasures” that I had found in someone else’s trash or with bundles of roadside vegetation (doesn’t that sound much fancier than weeds?).   I have actually had to call my hubby, Poppy Bluebird, to come with a truck to pick things up while I stayed and guarded the trash treasures until he got there!! I can assure you there have been many awkward moments with the owner of said trash and a few times with police...that happened this weekend actually! That is another story for another day.  

The Christmas holidays are no different.  In fact, I keep a pair of gloves, pruners, scissors and wire in my glove box. I mean, doesn’t everybody??  I begin the hunt for my Christmas holiday greens early in the fall. Just like Chevy Chase in National Lampoons Christmas vacation, when I see that juniper tree, cedar bush, renegade pine tree or sections of grape vine, the trumpets sound in my head, and the image is surrounded by twinkling stars.  

The whole foraging thing started for me years ago.  You see, Poppy Bluebird and I didn’t have much money and, like AJ mentioned, Christmas is our jam!  So what better way to decorate on a budget than foraging for greens, pine cones, sticks, holly branches and the ultimate find MISTLETOE!!   I am sure you are all familiar with the hot sauce commercial where the Grandma says, “I put that $%@# on everything.” Well, I stuff greenery everywhere in my home!  To this day, it is one of my favorite things about my holiday decorating.

HOW-TO MAKE THE GARLAND

I thought I would share how I make my holiday garland each year from a trunk load of foraged finds. I have four different types of branches: fir, red cedar, juniper, and (my favorite and the sappiest of all) white pine. I just love the feathery nature of the needles.     

To make the garland, I start by going to my various staked out trees and shrubs, and I cut the the branches.  Then I store them in my garage until I entire side of my garage is dedicated to this garland making process…ha!  

 

The next step is to get the right tools together.  For my garland I used: a pair of pruners, a pair of plastic palm gloves (ALWAYS USE GLOVES!!), 18 gauge wire, and 22 gauge wire.  

To create your garland base, take the 18 gauge wire (silver) and make a loop in the end. Then, take the 22 gauge wire (gold) and attach it to the loop. The 22 gauge wire will be used to wrap around your greenery bundles when creating your garland.  

IMPORTANT: DO NOT CUT THE WIRE! You will use two continuous pieces of wire all the way down. The 22 gauge wire (gold) is used to both wrap and secure small bundles of branches to the continuous piece of 18 gauge wire used as your base.

Now you are ready to start adding the greenery. Cut the branches, boughs, whatever you foraged, into about 6” to 10” length. Organize the similar greeneries in ready to grab to piles.  WARNING: The smells you will encounter while making your garland are heavenly. Yankee Candle doesn't have anything on your garland!

Now, take a couple stems of the white pine and nestle in some fir, then some juniper and finally cedar creating a greenery bouquet like this one.  

While holding the base of the bouquet grab the 18 gauge wire and hold it with your bouquet base take the 22 gauge wire and wrap it tightly around the sticky base of your bouquet.  

Next, trim the ends of your branches.  

Repeat this process until your garland is the length you want

 

Once the garland is at the desired length, make another loop just like the one at the beginning of the garland. Secure the 22 gauge wire to the loop and cut both wires from their spools.

 Now, you get to hang your garland! You did it! You foraged and did it!  

I will look for you on the side of the road with your pruners next year!   Remember that live garland is heavy so keep that in mind when you are hanging it!!   

Watch the blog for what I do with the little leftover pieces of greenery...kissing balls! We'll try to make some of those and share soon.