Creating natural arrangements for Christmas

<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Arranging natural materials creatively requires knowledge of balance and proportion.  Some people seem to have natural instincts in this area, but  the skills can be learned from floral arranging books. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkp4UPY17ct9beIJev39BLhkDxBrGLv0ijjnZ8TJZRY0uIDkIBh878fapvUSqPdS4bMr2U1R9SR3mvqdpE-D-kuScl6rQgqul8FZUtg0GIrijseQeoDxxNYUseL5HV1BXvsf0bW0fiAymb/s1600/Christmas+container+with+birch+magnolia+twigs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Christmas planter birch magnolia twigs" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkp4UPY17ct9beIJev39BLhkDxBrGLv0ijjnZ8TJZRY0uIDkIBh878fapvUSqPdS4bMr2U1R9SR3mvqdpE-D-kuScl6rQgqul8FZUtg0GIrijseQeoDxxNYUseL5HV1BXvsf0bW0fiAymb/s400/Christmas+container+with+birch+magnolia+twigs.jpg" title="" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> <a href="http://www.bellechosehome.com/2010/12/christmas-front-entrance-lanterns-urns.html"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">source </span></a></span></div><br /><span style="font-size: small;">By using the following <b>four elements</b> you can achieve a stunning Christmas planter. <br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>1. Droopers (Spillers)</b></span></div></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">While there are many places/ways to start, I usually start with the hanging material  to cover the edges of the pot. These have to be set in almost horizontally  as the cedar in the above image.  You want it to droop gracefully and cover the edges of the pot. </span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">- Spanish broom</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">-  pine</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">-spruce branches</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">- cedar </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>2.Uprights (Thrillers)</b></span></div></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sometimes if I have interesting tall materials  I arrange them first to establish height and then work out and down.  Thrillers are always tall and act as the apex of the triangle design. </span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">- dried goats beard stalks</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">- corkscrew hazel</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">- yellow - twig dogwood, red dogwood</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">- spirea with dried seed heads</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">- forsythia stalks (which are very light and work well with dogwood branches)</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">-birch sticks </span><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJCsC1a7aRTZYu8R8fy1ja0kDEF9aTbqYS72nmkAf8ZXgCE-OxEgAjlK-ht9n01ZQrbdPXWqc1u7kps7YbawcIPj2-5WUSk7_5XddPwK2g9UZ15BWslJ_7MeHNePIkWaPJV1wVpXtAgosR/s1600/Christmas_Decor_Inspiration_20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJCsC1a7aRTZYu8R8fy1ja0kDEF9aTbqYS72nmkAf8ZXgCE-OxEgAjlK-ht9n01ZQrbdPXWqc1u7kps7YbawcIPj2-5WUSk7_5XddPwK2g9UZ15BWslJ_7MeHNePIkWaPJV1wVpXtAgosR/s400/Christmas_Decor_Inspiration_20.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><b> </b></span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://gardendreams.ca/jgd/">source </a></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt7HusN78ycUvBaaqCpsXzkdO3EZf8DAy9xAwqa2Ygb5xcfzev-ffEbSHTcLGAXYiE7CcHyP8_sZOIfoaMqwRerViZLT8BhE2YLFCTfmnL9EDcqqo1ujf49xDvG7kp3RFue_1hgnS2r_2r/s1600/spruce+berries+pinecones+planter+.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="berries spruce pinecones Christmas planter Designing Home" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt7HusN78ycUvBaaqCpsXzkdO3EZf8DAy9xAwqa2Ygb5xcfzev-ffEbSHTcLGAXYiE7CcHyP8_sZOIfoaMqwRerViZLT8BhE2YLFCTfmnL9EDcqqo1ujf49xDvG7kp3RFue_1hgnS2r_2r/s400/spruce+berries+pinecones+planter+.jpg" title="" width="300" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://5thandstate.blogspot.ca/2011/11/winter-urns-tutorial.html"> source </a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXFHmAdEDYadiQ6ltuwupOTPEmKsUyFiKexq57dzA4pq3m4LCoNI1FGYzUsAWzOy8Y6e3LGIqAH3OZlUmg_SAGPtHdqgPZknZBUiWT5oHU1Dvg7pM4Hgpy0ApsK5VvQ2VPzkceeQuHOLxs/s1600/Christmas+planter+with+red+twigs+and+ornaments+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;">Twigs make great uprights, and don't forget that small potted trees can be placed in the middle of a planter and other materials can be added to cover the pot. A planter within a planter!<b><br /></b></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>3. Fillers </b></span></div></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">Once these two aspects have been arranged you need to fill our the arrangement (fillers) by applying the branches at roughly 45 degrees. I have lots of possibilities in my garden:</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br /><span style="font-size: small;">- boxwood</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">-yellow mound cedar</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">- holly </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">- blue spruce</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">- rhododendron leaves </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">- dried hydrangea blooms</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt7HusN78ycUvBaaqCpsXzkdO3EZf8DAy9xAwqa2Ygb5xcfzev-ffEbSHTcLGAXYiE7CcHyP8_sZOIfoaMqwRerViZLT8BhE2YLFCTfmnL9EDcqqo1ujf49xDvG7kp3RFue_1hgnS2r_2r/s1600/spruce+berries+pinecones+planter+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXFHmAdEDYadiQ6ltuwupOTPEmKsUyFiKexq57dzA4pq3m4LCoNI1FGYzUsAWzOy8Y6e3LGIqAH3OZlUmg_SAGPtHdqgPZknZBUiWT5oHU1Dvg7pM4Hgpy0ApsK5VvQ2VPzkceeQuHOLxs/s1600/Christmas+planter+with+red+twigs+and+ornaments+.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXFHmAdEDYadiQ6ltuwupOTPEmKsUyFiKexq57dzA4pq3m4LCoNI1FGYzUsAWzOy8Y6e3LGIqAH3OZlUmg_SAGPtHdqgPZknZBUiWT5oHU1Dvg7pM4Hgpy0ApsK5VvQ2VPzkceeQuHOLxs/s400/Christmas+planter+with+red+twigs+and+ornaments+.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://5thandstate.blogspot.ca/2013/12/winter-containers-2013.html">source  </a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>4. Accents </b></span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">These are the final touches that hightlight and brighten your arrangements.   The sky is the limit here. </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">- sprayed grapevine spheres</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">- brightly coloured plastic ornaments </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">- wooden Santas</span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">- plastic ribbons  </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">- plastic Christmas flowers</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">- artificial birds </span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">-woven twig stars</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: small;">-toys </span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">- small colourful lanterns</span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">- large sphere shaped ornaments </span><br /><span style="font-size: small;">- ribbons </span></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicrrFfTt9xn7wXhiiB3JAOUzWfdVCGt59mNJ1iscsep1yIl4YjqycSjWn9rqpLvFbhgtJk3Bs_mY4nHEaiE4NZcl_aqfhaPh1CCE1DMMQc6C5WZlN0LYW0WsQ6VxxEfLNgEybdXoCZPRA-/s1600/DSCN540766.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9zIEGdm04GyIprCnKky1ssycpIMttqG60hwePJgIQGK0e7vn_djSEADivXYWPbh16HChxu6jRixdAVgmAsWyOHgLlnQQooJ8mVUilMIclY3r0t0W_JsbNK419EduYURAe7KApTgpi9OIA/s1600/ChristmasArrangement.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9zIEGdm04GyIprCnKky1ssycpIMttqG60hwePJgIQGK0e7vn_djSEADivXYWPbh16HChxu6jRixdAVgmAsWyOHgLlnQQooJ8mVUilMIclY3r0t0W_JsbNK419EduYURAe7KApTgpi9OIA/s400/ChristmasArrangement.jpg" width="351" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://inthegardenradio.com/v.php?pg=9">source </a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><span style="font-size: small;">berries, pinecones, pods </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA5TfV08wQhi0dIbNEYUbBTeXINGCYkZaw2LiOpyWNj2WbVXUCz0KheazFYwlP1EFt5Z0OaW6cPy7WBTvKSzMy3-Hm4g3967bUvZkRGoHz8YRV9rmiUQwSpXoZhHYMqhoSxRkIlpwnKZHJ/s1600/centerpiece.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA5TfV08wQhi0dIbNEYUbBTeXINGCYkZaw2LiOpyWNj2WbVXUCz0KheazFYwlP1EFt5Z0OaW6cPy7WBTvKSzMy3-Hm4g3967bUvZkRGoHz8YRV9rmiUQwSpXoZhHYMqhoSxRkIlpwnKZHJ/s400/centerpiece.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://www.katesgarden.ca/events.html">source </a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><span style="font-size: small;">fresh fruit or plastic fruit</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: small;">  </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPbT0DPeO-E-uUzZ8nqjjSW3-pX2ELViAf5f6LhNm6Znehpav0xgYaG-oADX_PU0_JcN-jtjXTNCOpqAGB2-5ba5YdzeQg-8YAgP2rJbpNQsSJq0wiHniP7vqNgPB9wNj9tJxzQTLu2jPQ/s1600/imageso8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPbT0DPeO-E-uUzZ8nqjjSW3-pX2ELViAf5f6LhNm6Znehpav0xgYaG-oADX_PU0_JcN-jtjXTNCOpqAGB2-5ba5YdzeQg-8YAgP2rJbpNQsSJq0wiHniP7vqNgPB9wNj9tJxzQTLu2jPQ/s400/imageso8.jpg" width="299" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">source</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><span style="font-size: small;">and even birdhouses!</span></div></div><span style="font-family: andale mono,times;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span>

Creating natural arrangements for Christmas

Arranging natural materials creatively requires knowledge of balance and proportion.  Some people seem to have natural instincts in this are...

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