Christmas Wonderful: Mantel Garland

We are three sisters who make and create the things that we pin from Pinterest and then we share our results with you! Come check us out at Made From Pinterest to see whether your favorite pin “rocks” or is a “flop”. You can reach us at Facebook and Pinterest.

We love being able to actually make the things that we pin on Pinterest like this fabulous pin from Southern Living on how to turn a regular garland into a Lush & Sophisticated Garland. Can’t you just imagine this beauty on your mantel?

Supplies Needed

Scissors
Wire Cutters
Plastic to cover mantel – A small plastic drop cloth from Home Depot or Lowe’s will work fine
Floral Foam in Cage
Floral Wire

Plus these additional items:

A regular Garland like this from Hobby Lobby or other craft store.Sorghum type plant from Hobby Lobby. My store didn’t have Sorghum so I picked these up. Close enough!

The original instructions called for Millet but none of my nurseries carried this so I purchased these
bunches from Michael’s

Next up is some is to gather some Rose Hips. Mine were taken from the rose bushes in my back yard. I have 3 bushes which did not produce enough for this project. I called a friend and she was kind enough to allow me to cut some from her rose bushes.

You will also want some Holly Berries which can be found at Michael’s

Along with Magnolia leaves also purchased from Michael’s.Pine cones and pine boughs will be a must.

And I gathered these from my yard.

And now it’s time to get this party started and start assembling!

Start by wrapping your mantel in plastic to protect it from getting wet.

Next you are going to “soak” your floral foam in water. Fill your sink to the same height as your floral brick. Place your brick in the water. DO NOT push it down. Just leave it floating as it will sink as it absorbs water. As the brick absorbs the water from the bottom, it pushes the air out from the top. If you push your brick down, the middle may seem wet but will actually remain dry. Let your brick soak for about 20 minutes. This is what the top will look like as it is absorbing the water.

After 20 minutes place your floral brick in the floral cage. Place cages on your mantel.

Lay your store bought garland over the floral cages.

Now the fun really begins! Start by adding your pine boughs in by sticking them into the wet floral foam. I started in the front and then worked on filling in the back. I alternated with the two different types of pine. When attaching to the side of the garland, use your wire cutter to cut your floral wire. Attach the wire to the piece you are adding and then wire it in to the sides of the store bought garland.

Next I added the Rose Hips. I wasn’t sure that these would add very much to the garland. They turned out to be my favorite. I love how they made it look! After the Rose Hips I added the Magnolia leaves. The contrast is just stunning!

OK now I’m getting excited about how this is turning out! Up next is the “Sorghum” stalks. The faded red is the perfect tone. I love the depth it provides.

The last addition is the Millet and the Holly Berries. Millet is not an item I would have ever thought of using, but the different color and texture makes it look fantastic.

After some final “tweeking” here and there I finally finished. I LOVE the results. “Lush “and “sophisticated “are very accurate descriptions of this garland. Oh and did I mention how fantastic my house SMELLS? Heavenly with all the fresh pine!

If you are ready to get into the Christmas Spirit, I highly recommend getting started with this masterpiece for your mantel!

Even though Tracy was the sister who created this garland, Debbie and Sherri approve this message. {tee hee hee}

Come over and see us sometime at Made From Pinterest and Happy Holidays!