I am not gifted with crafts, but this has worked for me for several years. When we go to buy our fresh Christmas tree, we see a pile of free tree trimmings. I pick out some, and combined with the trimmings from the bottom of our tree, make swags to put on our gates. The outdoor red bows, tied at the top of three or four trimmings, makes a nice swag to decorate our gates or hang next to our front door. When I make them this year, I'll post a photo. They are so easy (just perfect for my ability level)!
Sounds just the thing to decorate your property Jane. I think hand made embellishments of this kind always look so much better than shop bought. I look forward to seeing your photograph.
I got our gate swags up today, using the trimmings from the bottom of our Christmas tree. They aren't artistic or perfect, but they do lend a festive air to our barn and pasture gate. In the background you can see our nearest neighbor's house, who has a herd of Black Angus cattle. We enjoy watching the heifers, and the calves.
I think your swags are perfect for Christmas Jane. Who wants ones that all look exactly the same - yours look much nicer just the way they are.
Jane, what I like about your swags the bows. Where did you get THOSE?! We have been looking for some of those for a few years now to place on wreaths. They are ideal. Our swags are long and look quite a bit different to yours--they are long and are tapered at both ends and thick in the middle. I filled them with many tiny led lights for burning in the evening. Yeah, I really like yours.
Y'all are too kind! If the swags were perfect, they'd be the only perfect thing around here. Sjoerd, I got the bows at a Dollar Store after last Christmas when all the decorations were half price. If you have some shop that sells cheap stuff, you might find bows there. I'd love to see a photo of your swags--from your description they sound lovely.
The garlands/swags are pretty ordinary and made of plastic that looks like boughs of the real stuff that you used. I thought that I had posted a piccy of my lights in the past. I haven't been able to find them though. I'll see what I can do. Here then...taken a few years ago in a little snow storm: Then the following day...The bow looks a bit sad with the weight of the snow. Now-a-days the bow is at the bottom and we have two largish silver-coloured bells in the centre of the wreath. So as you can see--nothing too flash, but still in the spirit of the holiday.
I belong to a group here and one of our fund raisers is to make swags and sell them so the $$ can be donated back to charitable events. It is quite a process to cut the cedar, find big pinecones, tie the ribbon into bows and then wire it all together plus deliver. This year we made 125 and sold them all already for $25. This will all go into the coffers for different projects we support (most are based on literacy).
Sjoerd, your swags and wreath are lovely! What a great way to decorate a balcony. Islandlife, when we lived in upstate NY, the local historical society made wreaths (undecorated) and sold them to support our museum. We used wire forms and real tree trimmings, and delivered. I was sticky for days from the pine tar!