The first thing you do, after you have gathered your free tree trimmings, is go and find a pine tree with branches that are low enough to cut. Then, take some pruning shears and cut enough branches to lay on top of your wood railings. Make sure the branches are as straight as possible. It will also help if you can get some with the pine cones still on them. Now line them down the wood railing, one by one, end to end. Then take heavy duty fishing line (clear) and wrap around and around the branches, going underneath each railing and coming back over the top of the branches in a criss-cross pattern, until you come to the end of the 1st section of your railing. Then simply tie off the fishing line 3 or 4 times, making sure the line is taut enough to hold down the pine tree limbs.
Next, snip off sections of your tree trimmings and place them underneath the fishing line, tucking around the pine tree limbs. The fishing line acts as a way to hold down the tree trimmings once you have started tucking them under, and the pine tree limbs act as a good base to work the tree trimmigs underneath. But be careful. If you put too much trimming underneath the already taut fishing line, it might snap it, so judge carefully. Also make sure that all the fishing line is covered from view. Use your creativity to see how much tree trimming to use.
After you have finished the base of the tree trimming on the wood railing, it is time to add the finishing touches. I go out into the woods and find holly trees and snip off the green leaves with the red berries still attached, to tuck inside the tree trimmings. Also, additional pine cones are great to tuck in as well, especially spray painted gold. You can add Christmas tree ornaments and leaves from your yard, especially multicolored ones. Acorns are great to tuck inside as well. Another great idea would be purple grapes which would look great against the green colored cedar leaves. Also the birds would enjoy this too.
Don't have a covered porch or wood railing? That's fine. Just decorate your window seals with the tree trimmings. You can simply add all the items inside these as well, the holly berries, acorns, pine cones, grapes, etc. Also, you can add candles in the center of your tree trimmings that you place inside the windows. The candles will be a nice backdrop for your home when you are outside looking in.
This inexpensive Christmas decorating is a great looking rustic way to decorate for the holidays. If you are like me, you enjoy having a Christmas party and inviting the neighborhood children over to help you decorate. They love to go out into the woods and gather all the supplies. How much more inexpensive Christmas decorating can you do for free? It does not get any easier than that. For that touch of Christmas ambience, add a drop or 2 of your favorite Christmas fragrance oil into the branches of the decorations. See below banner for an inexpensive, online fragrance store where each 1 ounce bottle of fragrance oil is under $5!
For more inexpensive Christmas decorating ideas, visit my other blogs posted on this site.
