Holiday window treatments

12/19/2012

If you are looking to add a few more holiday touches to your house, my readers are here to keep you busy. They have sent me a few ideas through Facebook and email and it is always good to share. Today’s tip is from Alan Binger of Clyde.

Winter windowbox

Mr. Binger must be one of Santa’s elves. His home is decorated just like a festive toy shop in the North Pole. He shared a few of his decorating ideas and his winter windowbox is my favorite.

“I started with some fir, pine cones, and red twig dogwood I found in the field behind my house. It’s in a rough cut wood slab box. It can be brought in the house for a fireplace arrangement for special occasions,” he said.

I think he is being modest, because this is a simple project with big impact. So here is how he made it. “I simply put a block of dry oasis in the wood container,” he said. Use the green Styrofoam product that does not absorb water.

“Cut the branches off a Frasier fir. You can use the bottom branches of your fresh Christmas tree. Find some holly and the twigs and arrange them in the container and add a bow. If you want to keep the arrangement in the house, you would need to put some type of liner in the container that would hold water and then use the water-retaining oasis,” he said.

And to top it off, he uses hot glue pine cones on green dowel rods and adds them to the arrangement and spray paints them gold.

Window swag

Mr. Binger makes a few quick window swags by using four larger branches of fir. Put two of the branches together facing to the right and put the other two stems facing to the left. Wire them together in the center and add a festive bow and other decorations to match your house.

Vertical swag

Put a few simple decorations on the lamp post. Mr. Binger started with a couple branches of fir and added box wood and other smaller greens for interest and texture. Hold all of the greens in your hand like a big flower bouquet and arrange them. Wrap wire around the stems, then add one smaller branch of fir over the stems, pointing down. This will cover the branches and make the swag look finished.

Next, get clever with a bow or other accents to match your holiday décor. Mr. Binger added a lime green ribbon with red polka dots.

If you have other ideas, send me an email or post them on my Facebook page for others to share. Merry Christmas, my friends.

Contact Kelly Heidbreder at getgrowing@gmail.com.