Decorating Your Tree ~ Au Natural

Ever one for a challenge I delighted when my sister issued me with one last night.

"I've been asked to decorate the church's Christmas tree for the Christmas tree festival and obviously I want it to stand out from the others. Any ideas? (Other than dousing it in petrol and setting it on fire as that will only last a few minutes)."

I have come up with several ideas for decorating your tree and will post them on the blog with links to great tutorials etc. Au Natural ~ A naturally decorated tree sourcing items form nature and the food cupboard. Componants:

Dried fruits: slice oranges and apples. pat between a towel to absorb excess moisture. place on clean baking sheet and dry in a low setting oven.

You can also dry chillis and hawthorn berries (leave on the twigs) and Rosehips, (leave in clusters) by placing them whole on the oven tray.

Pine Cones: can be collected and tied on with rafia, hemp or twine.

Star Anise and cinamon sticks: can be bundled or hung with string, twine or hemp. (buy from Asian food stores for better value)

Lavender bundles: tie a few strands of dried lavender together with jute or hemp thread and add to the tree.

Ivy Garland: Untangle some long strands of Ivy and spray gold then drape about the tree.

Other items: Feathers, whole red apples (use small ones) Kumquats, rafia ribbon ties.

Decorating Your Tree ~ Let It Snow

This is part of a series called Decorating Your Tree.
Let it snow features heavily on the colours white and silver and is a great excuse for the use of glitter.

Cut out paper snowflakes (see tutorial HERE)  Use sharp scissors.
Laminate the shapes and cut around then.  Make a small hold and thread silver string through.

Use this tutorial to create these fantastic quilled snowflakes

This tutorial can be used to make your own Icicles.

These 3D snowflakes can be made in all sizes .  Make a large one to top off your tree.

Decorate Your Tree ~ Nativity Story Tree

Another post in the series Decorating Your Tree

The reason for the Season

Place a star on top of your tree

Use the tutorial HERE to create Mary, 

You can then use the basis template, but make 

Joseph (Brown)

shepherds (striped outfits and crooks)

sheep

wise men (use strong jewell colours)

Angels

Herod 

Break the Nativity story down into simple sentences.

Write these onto cardboard signs and hang on the tree

eg. An Angel said to Mary, "you will be the mother of Gods son"

An Angel said to Joseph "take Mary as your wife"

Decorating Your Tree ~ Good Enough to Eat

Continuing on the theme of decorating your Christmas tree.

Gingerbread men: recipe HERE (remember to add a hole before cooking so you can tread ribbon through.)

Dried orange slices: HERE

Quality Street Sweets: Quality Street come with beautiful jewell toned wrappers and can be tied onto the ends of branches.

Pasta decorations: follow these tutorials

Pop corn Garland:  thread pop corn and cranberries onto thread using a darning needle. drape about the tree.

other items: candy canes, sweets, apples

Decorate Your Tree ~ All Angels

Another post in the series Decorating Your Tree

Angels played an important role in the Nativity story.  They were God's messengers who brought the news to Mary and Joseph and they were the ones to bring "Glad Tidings" to the shepherds

Angels tree is heavily into the colour scheme, white, gold and silver.

Template for angel from CBeebies

I love these cute little angles ~ Tutorial HERE

Use paper plates to make these

Beautiful Coffee Filter Angels ~ Tutorial HERE

A great excuse to open the wine!

see more HERE

You could also add plaques with sentiments such as 

"Do Not Be Afraid"

"I bring you tiding of Great Joy"

"The Lord Has Found Favour With You"

"Take Mary To Be Your Wife"

"A Saviour Has Been Born"

"You Will Find Him Lying In A Manger"