Center of Attention

Today’s project is a great smelling center piece/under the tree decoration using a basket and fake flowers. I’m not a huge fan of cut flowers. They’re very pretty but don’t last very long which doesn’t seem so comforting during the bleakest months of the year. Fake flowers are great because they let you bring a bit of color into the home and you can get some really nice silk flowers that are almost impossible to tell from real ones (we’ll work on the scent, too!).

You can try using live evergreen branches if you wish but remember, they’ll start to lose their needles and could prove to be a big mess. Every year, we get a bouquet of bright red carnations and pine branches and they’re beautiful together. Pinecones are completely fine to use, too, just let them dry out a bit before trying to use them—and make sure there are no bugs or dirt hanging around! Plus, you can drip lots of cinnamon oil on pinecones and make the basket smell absolutely holiday-y. We have some dried pumpkin potpourri that when we open the storage bag every year, it instantly smells like fall.

The great thing about this project is that you can do a basket that fits the giftee’s personality and home. If they live in a quaint little apartment, you probably shouldn’t give them a giant apple basket. :) If they like things with a bit more “bling” you can get wire baskets that are bejeweled or add your own embellishments. We’re ten days in so I know you have it in ya! :)

Flower Center Piece:

Materials and Supplies:

~Basket

~Styrofoam or Oasis (this is like Styrofoam but is softer and can hold water if needed)

~ Ribbon

~ Fake Flowers

~Pinecones

~Essential oil (cinnamon or evergreen is what I recommend. Found in the candle making area)

~Wire snips

~Scissors

Directions:

1. Select your basket. Rustic is the overall feel of the one in the example. The paint’s knocked off and the weaving isn't perfect. A plain wood one would be a great choice as would a gift box.

2. Cut your Styrofoam down so it fits snuggly into the basket without being seen. I like green Styrofoam because if it shows, it’s not as glaring as white. Oasis (the first one pictured) is great because it's squishier and is made for floral design work. Either works fine.

3. Flowers usually come in bunches so cut your flowers apart using the wire snips. I recommend cutting them at different lengths so when you start putting them in the Styrofoam, they look a bit more natural.

Sometimes less is more but in this case, MORE is definitely MORE.

4. Add in embellishments. Pinecones, cranberries, holly, vines…anything that makes it look festive and happy.

5. Drip oils in a few places to make it smell really good.

Extra idea?

Include a candle in a hurricane lamp in the middle to protect the flowers from getting hot and getting wax on them.

Ever hear of an advent wreath? It’s something that I think helps us take a quiet moment once a week to reflect on the life of the Savior so I decided to include it as the extra gift idea. It’s to be part of the four Sundays of advent so it’s a little late this year, but it can be used for years to come.

Advent wreaths have great meaning in Christian religions. Advent means “coming” as in Christ is coming. Each of the candles, progressively lit on the four Sundays of Advent, has a special meaning—

1) Candle of Hope, usually purple

2) Candle of Preparation/Love, usually purple

3) Candle of Joy, can be pink or rose

4) Candle of Love/Peace, can be blue or purple

5) Christ candle, white

I recommend pillar candles. They’re the rounder ones and don’t need a base to stand up straight. Just be careful with the wax!

Instead of a basket, the evergreens or maybe vine wreath are placed on a table, instead of a wall, and the four colored candles are placed around the wreath with the white candle in the middle. The neat thing about this is you light the first candle the first Sunday, then light it again and the second candle the second Sunday and so forth so that when you light the Christ candle, the four surrounding candles are at different heights.

Here are some accompanying scriptures but you can find others or stories that help remind you of Christ:

1. Romans 15:12-13; Isaiah 60: 2-3

2. Luke 3:4-6; Psalm 25:1-10; Mark 1:4

3. Luke 2:7-15; Isaiah 35:10; Matthew 1:18-25

4. John 3:16-17; Matthew 3:1-12; Isaiah 9:6-7

5. Luke 2:1-20