Monday, December 23, 2019

Winter Decorating with Pine


As you probably know, I really enjoy the flowers surrounding my house, garden, wild in the woods, and seeing their beauty all summer. With our long winters, there are many months of the year with no flowers growing outdoors here. So, I do some winter decorating with
mostly pine, and a few flowers. And it's really easy! There's always pine trees in need of a trim where they are encroaching across roads or lanes, or thick patches of trees that benefit from a little thinning. So lots of pine branches are very easy to get here. You might have shrubbery crowding the side of your house or a sidewalk that can provide the same thing.

Watch the video below for a detailed look at how I put arrangements like these together. The above photo is the newest one in my house right now. Greens and blues with a bit of white or silver always looks so wintery and beautiful to me. That one is actually one of my most favorites I've ever done. If you're into Christmas and the traditional colors for that, you could of course do more red and white. Which I occasionally do when making one as a gift for a friend. 

 Check out some of the other possible variations of designs and color combos I've done. A few for myself and many for various friends. If you remember to keep them watered, the flowers will generally last for a 10 days or so, and the pine for two months. You can add fresh flowers when the first round expires if you like, or just enjoy all the textures of the pine for a while. 









Another option is to make swags of various kinds. I like to hang one on each side of the door for a little more winter color. As I bought the ribbon for the bows years ago, and just reuse them every year, and all the pine branches are free, so the only expense involved is a bit of wire to hold them together.


Burley seems to approve. :) Here's another video with how I put these together. Also very simple to do. 


And a few examples of other ones I've done over the years. Usually I just leave them plain pine, but you can add other things like the one below I did for a friend one winter with some antique sleigh bells she had. 



If any of that sounds fun to you, give it a shot and comment with how it went! There's really no wrong way to put anything together. Much like most cooking, just go with whatever you like most. What do you do to be able to enjoy some natural beauty through the winter? 



31 comments:

  1. There is a lot less snow in the video from two years ago compared to the current picture.

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    1. Yeah two years ago was a really below average snow year. Mid winter there were places in the valley that were bare and brown. While last year and the two before that were all above average.

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  2. I sure enjoyed looking at all your beautiful, creative arrangements!🌲👏

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  3. I'm glad that you and Burley are still doing fine, I hope. It's good to see you still spreading your excellent experience's, of the crafts and all of the things that you enjoy throughout the year. You and Burley are really missed on your Fy NYTH YouTube channel. I hope that you will return back to it real soon. I am more visual than just reading a lot. Live from your place is where it's at. I will still support your YouTube Channel, if I see more items of your need's on them. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to you: Ariel & Burley

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  4. These are all lovely! You have a knack for floral arranging.
    Merry Christmas to you and Burley. :)

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  5. Your arrangements are very beautiful. Just what I love to see in winter around the house. I also use a lot of pine, juniper, cedar for arrangements as well and I use birch bark because I could stare at it for days. I have a ton of those non birch trees around me on my land. I also have access to a lot of birch but it usually is in a place that is well, not my land ( like the side of highways, behind industrial lots etc so I really should not be skulking around cutting them down ) So I've taken to painting pretend birch. Its best to get a tree that has horizonal growth rings and then I just take a really stiff chipping brush with some white chalk paint that I jazz up with some matte apricot color and paint quickly and circularly around the branch and leave what randomlylooks like the black rings or spots. Most people think it is birch until i put it next to actual birch and then the difference is quite clear!!!! But Its fun to do. The key is to leave enough of the original dark tree color so it looks like the black marks on the true birch. I think you might be too high for birch, but this technique even works with pine trees although the growth ring is not quite right. I did not come up with the idea ( although I admit the chalk paint is mine) and if I find it every again on you tube, I'll post for folks that might be interested. Thank for posting yet again another talent you manage to fit in to your tiny house.

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    1. Thanks! That is neat, birch bark is beautiful. Yes there are aspen in this area which look a bit similar, but the bark doesn't peel the same way.

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  6. ALL ARE VERY PRETTY! THANK YOU FOR SHARING LASS! AND I HOPE YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS FILLED WITH GREAT MEMORIES! DOUG IN WEST VIRGINIA

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  7. You have a good eye for decorating. These are all so lovely. Merry Christmas and wishing you and Burley a healthy and happy New Year!!

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  8. All of these are so lovely. My knowledge of trees/ plants/ flowers is limited but my favorite is the one that looks like pine & some pine cones and maybe a bit of blue spruce (not sure) and a lavender/purplish flower. Love that one! Also love the spray with bells. So creative! peace

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  9. All so beautiful. 💟🐦💟

    May the joy and peace of Christmas be with you all through the New Year. Wishing you a season of blessings from heaven above. 💖❄💖

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  10. All of them are very lovely, so beautiful. You are so talented.

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  11. I was inspired by your blog yesterday and put together a lovely arrangement for the people who had invited me for Christmas Eve dinner. I bought just a few flowers and teamed them with the cedar and doug fir that grow all over here. Thank you for such a great idea!

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  12. Merry Christmas Ariel!! Beautiful arrangements.I tried my hand at a pine branch arrangement from a branch that blew done in the last storm. I live in town but we have three really OLD pines in the back yard. Some day I may have to take them down...but for now I will have fun.. Live in the moment! Cathy and Caylee from Sayre PA Hugs to Burley

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    1. At least it's something fun to do with a branch that breaks! Enjoy.

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  13. Very beautiful! We have an abundance of pine and cedar here, and you have inspired me to get busy! Looking forward to seeing you back on YouTube soon... I hope! Hi Burley!🐾🌲

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