Gathering Greens

Holly Leaves with Berries

I'm usually not one to rush the season. I enjoy Thanksgiving as it's own holiday and enjoy decorating in the gold and browns reflective of this harvest celebration. This year, I'm in search of antique Amber Glass and would slowly like to build a collection to display this time of year. I plan on setting the table in wheat colored browns and crisp white. Simple and neutral, and let the food speak for itself. To see a preview, see my post November Soft and Calming.

Cedar

But there are a few things logistically that we like to get done ahead of time. Things like... putting up Christmas lights before we have 3 feet of snow to contend with. Ladders and ice are not a great mix. 

This is either Balsam or Black Pine?

This year, I've also been collecting greens to make wreaths and swags for our front porch. I plan on making several decorations this year using elements from nature, and would like to have a good stock pile ready for December 1st. The front porch of our new home is an exciting opportunity to use REAL greens, something I've never been able to do. As a child, I would spend the holiday season at the doctors, toting home inhalers and decongestants, until we found out that I have a severe allergy to pine. Bringing a live Christmas tree into a warm home opens up all sorts of problems for a person with my allergy.

A beautiful variegated Holly

But the front porch is a wonderful bridge to the outdoors. It stays cool out there, and it's sectioned off from the rest of the house by spanning windows. So I can enjoy the greenery, without the medicine.

Juniper with its dusty blue Berries

So far, I've trimmed some of the trees in our own yard. We have several spruce trees that I can take clippings from, and an assortment of pine cones.

Fraiser Fir

Then I was at Home Depot, for something unrelated, and they were trimming the fresh cut trees. The employee was gathering up a bunch of trimmed branches to haul off to the dumpster and I asked if I could have them. She said sure, so I loaded the car.

Spruce

Then Zach and I were at a nursery in Ann Arbor and they had a beautiful selection of holly branches and juniper very reasonably priced. So I picked up a few for accents.

I save wreath forms, and ribbons from year to year, so I'm excited to begin arranging these lovely elements of nature into something festive and beautiful. Ill post pictures of some of the finished projects as I go.