A Natural Christmas

My theme for this week of Advent has been "cherish and care for the earth". Each year, this first week, I bring nature indoors, by collecting greens, pine cones, straw, and other natural materials to use for decorations, and for making gifts.

I've been collecting fallen branches of evergreens for the last weeks, and now I will bring them inside to deck my halls. Greens are the first decorations I put up around the house, along with a few candles, to open the door to a little light, and to connect with the earth. Evergreens are a symbol of eternal life, and also symbolic protection against trouble. Today I bring the protective spirit of nature inside.

Agenda:

1. Make scented pine cones

2. Grapevine heart wreath

1. Make scented pine cones:

I like to use pine cones as decoration, so each year I try to use them in a different way. Two years ago I sprayed some with gold paint, and last year my grandson painted some. This year, I decided to try adding some Christmas spices.

Supplies: Pinecones, any shape or size, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon, white flour, craft glue, ribbons, a glue brush

1. Wash your pinecones with warm water if they seem dirty. Preheat your oven to 250ºF, and spread the pinecones out in a pan. Bake for 20 minutes to kill bacteria, then remove to cool.

2. While the pine cones cool, mix together equal parts of spices and white flour in a plastic ziplock bag. Also, mix equal amounts of glue and water on a plate. 

3. Once the pinecones have cooled, use the glue brush to apply the glue to the cones. You can either cover the entire cone or just the outer tips of the petals for a more "frosted" look.

4. Drop the pine cones into the spice bag, and shake until coated. Allow to dry thoroughly, and then tie a ribbon around the end if you'd like, so you can hang it up. Use them on a holiday tree, or place them in a bowl to scent your room.

2. Grapevine heart wreath:

I also made a heart wreath this year, because I'm preparing for a shower for Grandbaby #2, due near Valentine's Day!

Supplies: Fresh grapevines, wire, evergreens and rosemary

1. I tied two groups of three pieces of grapevine together at the fat ends with wire, then tied the two ends together to form the bottom of the heart.

2. Next, I bent the thin ends back around and down the center, and wired them together in several places.

3. Next I wired on some rosemary. I plan to add more greenery and red tinsel before the event next weekend.