Make the most of all the trimmings
A master florist offers five gorgeous arrangements, which will use up your Christmas tree offcuts. Hannah Stephenson reports.
Don’t throw away those clippings if you’ve had to trim your Christmas tree to make it fit your space.
The offcuts of Nordmann fir, blue spruce and scented pine trees can be used to make a myriad stunning decorations, from candle surrounds and wreaths to Christmas figurines.
Master florist Michal Kowalski, of top London florist Blooming Haus (bloominghaus.com), says: “We all have a creative side, and using surplus Christmas offcuts is an ideal way to tap into it.”
After some ideas? Here, Kowalski offers five imaginative ways to use up those tree trimmings…
1. Cinnamon decoration
This table arrangement was made by taking a plank of wood for the base. Kowalski used cinnamon sticks (available from any craft shop) to create a fence effect that keeps the decorations in place – a glue gun works best for this.
“Once the cinnamon sticks are in place, start building up volume with Christmas tree trimmings and foliage from the garden, including moss and evergreens. Intersperse with any decorations you have spare, or for a more natural look use stones and shells, along with candles.
“Light is an essential element of any Christmas set-up and will give it a real festive feel.”
2. Wowzer wreath
To make the wreath, you will need a wreath base or any round frame, binding wire or a strong linen string. Before you start, make sure you have all your selected materials to hand, as this will make the building process easier. Lay the wreath base on the table, cover the base with Christmas offcuts, moss, or your chosen foliage.
Make sure you cover the sides and the top of the wreath base, twist the wire two-to-three times around the wreath, ensuring it feels secure. Do not cut the wire, that will be your final job.
Once it’s in place, make a bundle of your selected material and wrap the wire around a couple of times to keep in place, continue this process with small bundles – you should work clockwise.
Make sure you overlap, you want to ensure you cover any gaps.
For a more natural look, finish the wreath adding any berries or cones collected from the garden. Dried fruits look good too. If you want a bit more sparkle, baubles work well. A glue gun will help keep in place.
3. Christmas figurines
Solder wire is the best wire to use for figurines – it’s very flexible and allows you to create custom-made shapes. You will need a base, old offcuts of wood, the more distressed the better. Work the solder wire into the cracks of the base. Once you have made your chosen figurine, use Christmas tree offcuts or foliage from the garden and take some binding wire and start to wrap the wire around the foliage to hold in place.
Decorate with the odd bauble or stick of cinnamon, small cones,
etc. Resist the temptation to add too many extra decorations, less is more for these arrangements.
4. Christmas red candle decoration
For this arrangement, you’ll need wooden blocks to create the shape. First you will need a square piece of wood for the base, then take your wooden blocks and start to arrange.
The idea is to make a Christmas tree shape, so you will have to cut your blocks accordingly. Glue each piece in place.
Next take some moss and
Christmas tree offcuts and start to cover the blocks, gluing in place, making sure you cover any gaps.
With this arrangement you want to cover with lots of decorations, be creative, use finds from the garden such as cones, berries and stones, as well as the odd Christmas bauble.
A mix of dried garden foliage works well interspersed with decorations.
5. Christmas grey candle tablescape
Take a rectangle piece of wood for the base and four to six church candles, depending on the size of the wood.
Glue the candles in place, then with some Christmas tree offcuts and evergreen foliage from the garden, start to place around the candles, creating volume, ensuring you glue securely.
Once you have all the foliage in place, start to intersperse with decorations.
For a natural look use a combination of dried items including cones, leaves and cinnamon sticks.