Natural Ideas for Christmas: Fantastic Decorations to Make - Softcover

Cameron-Ashcroft, Josie; Cox, Carol

9781861081322: Natural Ideas for Christmas: Fantastic Decorations to Make

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1861081324 ISBN 13: 9781861081322

Publisher: Guild of Master Craftsman Pubns ltd, 2000

The most traditional and beautiful Christmas decorations come from the garden, woods, seashore, and kitchen--not from a store! Garlands, candles, centerpieces: making all these richly illustrated projects to adorn your house, inside and out, is as simple as following a recipe. Using rustic themes and natural ingredients, gilded and silvered, whip up some holiday glamour and magic. Or, think big and dramatic, gathering a glorious abundance of materials and making striking statements with your arrangements. Such staples as nuts, dried fruits, and pinecones, wired and painted, form the basis of a pretty display, as does a candle surrounded by ivy and pomegranate. Add a little Christmas shine with jewelike silver twig tree. More than 21 projects in all.

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Review:

Store-bought decorations rarely have the charm and vibrancy of natural ones--how can plastic compete with the lush bounty of the garden? Rather than spending loads of money on mass-produced items, take a look around the backyard, the kitchen, and the store room for evergreen foliage, mosses, pinecones, vines, twigs, flowers, fruits, nuts, spices, and various containers like flowerpots, buckets, vases, baskets. (Of course, you can visit the craft or garden shop for any of these supplies too.) Add some metallic spray paints, ribbons, raffia, and candles, and you're ready to create the two dozen or so projects presented here (along with many variations): garlands, wreaths, centerpieces, chair swags, and more. The first half of Natural Ideas for Christmas is devoted to basic techniques, including drying fruits, wiring individual elements, and making bows. The step-by-step instructions in the second half are nicely illustrated and reasonably well explained, but the directions are sometimes a bit cumbersome since they refer back to specific methods in the techniques chapter. Still, most projects are easy and all are attractive. --Amy Handy

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