Natural Selection
To spruce up your home for the season, bring the outdoors in by using earthy, eco-friendly materials in unexpected ways.
Photo: © Paul Whicheloe/Best Ideas for Christmas
Browse our picks for rustic, chic & metallic holiday accents.Joy and Love Pillow Covers
Washable burlap sewn into covers and stamped with paint-covered wooden letters will send the right holiday message.
Click here for how-to instructions
Photo: © Paul Whicheloe/Best Ideas for Christmas
DIY Tree
Ring in the season with a garland made from 3-inch cowbells ($16 for 12; WindyCityNovelties.com) tied onto rope every 15 inches. Mix handmade ornaments with store-bought ones (these are from Midwest CBK; MwCBK.com for stores).
Photo: © Paul Whicheloe/Best Ideas for Christmas
Owl Ornament
What a hoot! You can easily whip up this winged creature-made from burlap, felt and twine-using the template and instructions.
Click here for how-to instructions
Photo: © Paul Whicheloe/Best Ideas for Christmas
Star Ornament
It may look like wood, but this heavenly body can be cut from faux-bois scrapbooking paper and folded.
Click here for how-to instructions
Photo: © Paul Whicheloe/Best Ideas for Christmas
Gnome Ornament
All you need to make this garden-dweller is a pinecone from your yard, felt, a pompom, string and a pipe cleaner.
Click here for how-to instructions
Photo: © Paul Whicheloe/Best Ideas for Christmas
Tree Skirt
Disguise the unsightly tree stand with adorned felt.
Click here for how-to instructions
Photo: © Paul Whicheloe/Best Ideas for Christmas
Felt Stockings
After creating these from a few shades of felt, hang them with care.
Click here for how-to instructions
Photo: © Paul Whicheloe/Best Ideas for Christmas
Table Runners
Lay wide burlap strips across the table, letting them hang about 6 inches over the sides. Pull out six strands of burlap about 2 inches from each edge, then thread 1⁄4-inch satin ribbon through every 3⁄4 inch. Hot-glue a pinecone and a sprig from your tree to ends of ribbon.
Photo: © Paul Whicheloe/Best Ideas for Christmas
Napkin Ring
Gather hemstitched linen napkins (these are from Pottery Barn; PotteryBarn.com) with twine. Slip in branches of artificial red berries you can pick up from the crafts store.
Photo: © Paul Whicheloe/Best Ideas for Christmas
Merry Garland
From sheets of 8 1⁄2 x 11-inch faux-bois paper, cut letters freehand (or use a stencil). Glue onto 2 1⁄2-inch ribbon and hang with cloth tape. Dress up your table with votive holders wrapped in 1-inch satin ribbon (secured with hot glue), pinecones and a pillar candle in a glass vessel, and snips of poinsettias in terra cotta planters.
Photo: © Paul Whicheloe/Best Ideas for Christmas
Window Swag
Cut freehand stars out of cardboard (or enlarge and use the star template ). Poke cloves through in random patterns, then glue red or white yarn around edges. Hot-glue pipe cleaners to the back, form into hooks and hang from a birch bough from your backyard rested on the window frame.
Photo: © Paul Whicheloe/Best Ideas for Christmas
Gift Wrapping
Pour spiced nuts into clear bags and finish off with ribbon, twine and a tree-shaped tag cut from kraft paper. Cover a jar of peanut brittle with red burlap, add twine and glue on pinecones. Buy gingersnaps with precut holes, string with twill tape and set in a box full of excelsior (at crafts stores).
Photo: © Paul Whicheloe/Best Ideas for Christmas
Original article appeared on WomansDay.com.
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