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The easiest way to make fresh garland

Easy DIY fresh garland from Countyroad407.com
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One of the many great things about the country and being surrounded by trees is that you get to make your own fresh Christmas garland.  And goodness me, I clip and pluck and cut and prune to my hearts content.  I put live clippings everywhere!

Today though, I thought I’d share with you the easiest way to make fresh garland.  Even though I made it for our front gate, you can do this for a mantel, to hang over the door, or even above the kitchen cabinets if you’d like.  But for this post, it’s for our 16 foot front gate.

Easiest Way To Make Fresh Garland

Easiest way to make fresh garland by countyroad407.com

Supplies needed:

  • 2 – 6 foot faux Christmas garlands from any craft store (get the cheapest you can find).  I got mine from Hobby Lobby.  They are used to secure the real clippings and won’t really be seen.
  • 2 – 6 foot decorative Christmas garlands (optional).  We had these left over from last year so I threw them in but they aren’t necessary.  Use whatever faux garland you like.
  • Floral wire
  • Pruning Shears
  • Real clippings (some home improvement stores or tree lots will often times give them to you free of charge)

 

The easiest way to make fresh garland for a front gate by Countyroad407.com

I put the dogs in the laundry basket that’s strapped to the 4-wheeler and we head out to gather the limbs.  I think they love it as much as I do.  They sit and sniff and I snip and stack.  It’s therapeutic really.  I can see why people love gardening but my brown thumb and I just don’t have that kind of patience.

Dogs helping gather live clippings for the garland on CountyRoad407.com

cedar and pine clippins for fresh garland

Steps to the Easiest Way To Make Fresh Garland

Step 1:  Wrap the gate with the cheap garland securing it with floral wire.  If your stems are long enough, you can twist those around the gate and it will work just fine.  If you’re not doing a gate, just lay the fake garland out on a table and find the middle.  This is where I added the left over garland that had a few flocked leaves with pinecones but it isn’t needed at all.  It actually makes it look less real.

Easy DIY fresh garland from Countyroad407.com

Step 2:  Start adding the live clippings.  The longer the clippings are, the less you have to add and the fuller it will look.  I use pieces about 20 inches long.  Work your way out from the middle when placing the clippings on top of the fake garland.  When you are pleased with the look, twist the fake garland stems around the real clippings to secure it.  If the stems aren’t long enough, use the floral wire to secure each clipping to the fake stem.

DIY Easy fresh garland by Countyroad407.com

Step 3:  Step back and take a look.  If I have a bald spot or a place where one stem is standing higher than another, I simply secure another piece of the live clippings until I’m satisfied.



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Fresh garland DIY and wreath on front gate from Countyroad407.com

That’s it, you’re done!  I also hung a fake wreath but added live clippings to that as well.  Top it off with a bow then pat yourself on the back.  You just accomplished the easiest way to make fresh garland in 3 short steps!

I also added these lights.  They are battery operated and on a timer so we don’t have to run down to the gate and turn them off and on.  Adding a bow was the last step!  We love how it makes this old rusty gate look good!

Ooh, it would also look even more festive if it were flocked.  If you want to see an easy DIY for that, click here.  Although if it rains and snows where you’re at, the flocking will just fall off if it gets wet so beware!

Merry Christmas!

 

12 Comments

  1. November 30, 2017 / 2:56 pm

    I love your garland. You might not have a green thumb but you are a crafty lady!

    • November 30, 2017 / 5:33 pm

      LOL That made me smile Carol. Thanks for the compliment and for visiting my blog today!

  2. November 30, 2017 / 4:47 pm

    I love using fresh greenery and I love how you’ve used yours for the outdoors, great idea!

    • November 30, 2017 / 5:34 pm

      Thanks Linda. I’d probably cover the entire house with greenery if I thought I wouldn’t have to cut down a forest to do it! Merry Christmas

    • November 30, 2017 / 6:31 pm

      Honestly you can barely see the faux and it’s easier than stringing all the real stuff together. Adding the faux makes it so much thicker and manageable.

    • November 30, 2017 / 7:17 pm

      Thanks Florence. I think it looks fuller without the extra hassle of securing so many limbs. 😊

  3. Jean
    December 2, 2017 / 10:21 pm

    Well, your wonderful way of bringing new life to old things continues to astound me. Such creativity AND a nod to saving our planet.
    Who raised you?

    • December 3, 2017 / 9:29 am

      Mommy Dearest raised me – LOL. And not sure how I’m saving the planet if I’m cutting down trees or at least the tree limbs. Nice thought though.

  4. Jann Olson
    December 4, 2017 / 7:46 pm

    Great idea to use the faux garland as a base! Love how your garland turned out. I give my father in laws pines a good trimming every year. πŸ™‚ He has lived in that house over 60 years and he has huge pines. Mine are still small and I don’t want to trim them yet.
    hugs,
    Jann

    • December 4, 2017 / 8:03 pm

      Look at it as killing two birds with one stone. You get fresh pine and he gets them “trimmed”. πŸ˜‰ Thanks for the compliments and for visiting today!

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