has anyone made a fireplace garland for christmas before ?

[justcallmemummypig]

every year i dream of finding the perfect fireplace (artificial) garland and never can so thought about making one myself. Just wondered if anyone had done it, how easy it was, and where you found the best bits.

Thanks

[WhatsWrongWithYou]

Oo I'm watching this as I mean to make one every year but never get around to it.
Wonder if there's anything on an old Poncetastic thread?

[mycatsaysach]

i like putting white/clear fairy lights on mine

[MerylStrop]

yes, me and mate do it each year with a few glasses of something festive to drink. it is a piece of the proverbial tbh

we use holly from my garden, bits of fir from the garden centre there's always tons of it just lying about when they sell xmas trees, a few other evergreen bits from here and there. pinecones, ribbon that happens to be about. i think part of the success has not being to precious about it.

[justcallmemummypig]

whats poncetastic ?

[MerylStrop]

if you google kirsty allsop/channel 4/christmas i think there is a how to guide

you just need a bit of decent rope and some twine or wine to tie your bits and pieces on it. hard to go wrong.

[kellestar]

Mine is handmade, but ribbons and bells rather than artificial flower type.

The one that twines down the stair rail is a base of green tinsel that looks like pine branches, I wirein real holly and bead red berries, artificial ponsiettas I jazed up. Ponsiettas were from poundland in the post christmas sales, I took them apart and added florists wire. This year will be looking for fake Holly as DD is almost walking and will defo be by christmas, which is a week after her first birthday.

[justcallmemummypig]

if you make a fresh one howlong does it last? we have the most humungous holly bush and loads of pine cone trees (fir?) (hangs head in shame as not sure what trees they come from!)

[MerylStrop]

wire, wire NOT wine
you see we always drink booze whilst doing it.

it is the very definition of ponce-tastic

[MerylStrop]

last at least 2 weeks. might look a bit jaded after 3 but I never put any decs up until school breaks up

[sugarandspiceandallthingsnice]

Made my own artificial one last year - cheap basic strand of artificial fur from Argos then wired in dried orange slices, cinammon sticks and made some salt dough shapes and threaded them in too. Looked quite effective. Oh - and fairy lights through it too. Did our staircase with fairy lights and then a salt dough decoration strung between each spindle thing of staircase.

It smelt lovely! Also made pomanders and left them dotted around as I like the smell of them too.

[queenmaeve]

Yes I do mine the same as kellestar. Use an artifical one for the base then wire your real stuff on, fir , orange slices, cinamon sticks, etc.

For the fireplace I want it to last longer. I use a few thin plastic floral trays, or even the plastic meat trays you get will do. Something that is narrow and won't stick out over your mantel.

Fill these with florists foam soaked and put my foilage into that. I also put tall candles into it as well. It will last a good three weeks as you can keep watering it.

I will be doing one this year and putting it on my blog,so will keep you posted if you would like to see it.

[Pudden]

I make mine each year and also wreaths for the doors; I gather boughs of fir tree- various including larch which ususally has lots of cones attached and wire them together to required length. The add more cones, ivy, beech and birch thingies (name has escaped me...winne!!) rosehips adding until it look very luxurient. I might add slices of dried orange or cinnamon sticks if there is any knocking about but it looks just as good without. Lasts about two weeks so I only do it a couple of days before Christmas