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As an exceptionally temperate 2015 fall season comes to an end, the impending holidays are suddenly smack around the corner, leaving many of us scrambling to put away the overdue Halloween items and pull out the winter cheer.
For a dose of quick and simple holiday inspiration, we’ve turned to a handful of local experts to guide us in creating easy and unique holiday decor pieces at home, using objects that can be found around the house and in the yard or inexpensively sourced at local thrift shops, florists or design shops.
Read on for simple at-home instructions on how to create your own holiday wreath, vintage-inspired tablescape or fireplace garland!
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Photo by Theresa Stanley
DIY Holiday Wreath
By Robin Michler, Michler’s Florist, Greenhouses and Garden Design
Each December, you can find Michler’s owner John Michler working long evenings at the Michler’s wreath table, where he creates dozens of handmade, full-bodied, mixed evergreen wreaths. An annual customer favorite at Michler’s, the mixed evergreen wreath can also be beautifully made at home following John Michler’s instructions.
1. Gather the following materials: a wire wreath frame, a paddle or spool of wire, and a selection of fresh evergreens. For the evergreens, take a look around the yard, as many people have excellent options right at home – boxwood, holly, magnolia, taxus, spruce, pine and juniper are all good choices. Michler’s also sells evergreens by the pound.
2. Cut evergreens into pieces about the size of your hand. If they are too long, they will be too floppy.
3. Take your paddle or spool of wire, and tie the loose end to the frame.
4. Layer a few pieces of greens – we call this small group of greens a “hand” – and using the paddle of wire, wrap the base of the hand to the frame.
5. Repeat, placing the top of each new hand over the stems of the previous one and wrapping the newly placed stems firmly with wire to the frame until the greens go all the way around.
6. Cut the wire, leaving enough room to pull it through the frame and tie it off.
7. Using additional wire, attach decorations such as a bow, pinecones and berries onto the wreath.
Now your wreath is ready for the door of your choice!
Michler’s
417 East Maxwell St.
859-254-0383
In addition to plants, flowers and other garden essentials, Michler’s sells seasonal supplies for homemade wreaths and can create custom-made wreaths to order. Various wreath designs are featured on its website.
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Photo by Theresa Stanley
DIY Holiday Tablescape
By John Feather, Street Scene
For this quick and easy non-traditional centerpiece using vintage goods, I chose to go with a “Feliz Navidad” theme. Most items used for this centerpiece were found in our Frida Kahlo-inspired vintage venue here at Street Scene, and all items can easily be found at a local thrift store or vintage store.
1. Lay down a favorite tablecloth that fits the theme of your choice – a large brightly colored serape blanket was used here.
2. Place a long strand of garland across the center of the table. You could even use real greenery here, but I chose a funkier red garland for a big pop of color.
3. Incorporate plants in with the garland. I used three small planted cacti.
4. Place in your favorite holiday ornaments throughout the garland. (I used about 30 colorful vintage ornaments.)
5. Add candles, using your favorite candlestick holders.
6. Set the table with dishes to match your theme – this is where you can really make the table setting your own, by using dishes that complement your own style. Vintage mix-and-matched Fiestaware worked great for this theme!
Street Scene
2575 Regency Road
A vintage store featuring a large selection of men’s and women’s clothing and accessories, jewelry, barware, kitchenware, furniture, home goods from the ’50s, ’60s, ’70s and a touch of the ’80s and ’90s, Street Scene has a bevy of ornaments, decor and other unique holiday-themed items.
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Photo by Theresa Stanley
DIY Fireplace Mantle Garland
By Dwayne Anderson, House by JSD
With three standard floral craft items and a pair of wire cutters, a mantle garland is the easiest of DIY Christmas decorations!
This mantlepiece started with a standard 9-foot, pre-lit garland, with pine needles and magnolia leaves added for texture and color. The natural outdoors are a great place to source a variety of items to embellish the garland – pine cones, magnolia leaves, holly and evergreen clippings can make this a fun adventure and craft for the family.
The garland is an indoor or outdoor piece, perfect for the fireplace mantle or the front door.
1. Gather the following supplies: 9-foot artificial, pre-lit garland; spool of ribbon; floral wire; wire cutters; any additional greenery or items you may want to garnish your garland.
2. Stretch out 9-foot garland on the floor or table.
3. Unroll the ribbon on top of garland, randomly weaving throughout the garland. Secure the ribbon with floral wire. Use wire cutters to trim any extra wire, and continue weaving and securing ribbon to the end of the garland.
4. Garnish with items such as pine cones, magnolia leaves and pine needles. Attach items with floral wire, trimming excess wire.
5. Hang on fireplace mantle or front door.
6. Store carefully with Christmas decorations for use next year; each year, trade out the ribbon to update the style.
HOUSE by JSD
250 Walton Ave.
(859) 523-3933
Since 2010, House has been one of Lexington’s leading boutique design companies, offering a retail storefront that becomes a winter wonderland each holiday season as well an interior design and floral/event design business. cc