With Christmas just around the corner and the cost of everything rising, we thought we would put our minds to a simple, low-cost suggestion for your table decorations. We have used a basic tin can – yes, a baked bean/soup can. Washed out with the label removed they are the perfect container for an arrangement. Cut a piece of floral foam just taller than the can and place it inside so that the top of the foam shows above the rim of the can by about 2-3cm. If possible, ensure that the foam fits snugly so that it doesn’t wobble. If necessary, use small offcuts of foam to wedge down the sides to secure the main foam. Top up the can about half full of water. If you would like a candle, now is the time to add it. A simple taper candle can just be pushed into the foam but if you want a chunkier candle, use cocktail sticks, cut in half and taped around the base of the candle to create stakes that will secure your candle into the foam. Now the fun begins, you can start to add your foliage. Cut short pieces of greenery, approximately 10-15cm in length depending on how large you want your finished arrangement to be. Place these into the foam surrounding the candle and to form a ring around the top of the tin. We have used fir mixed with some eucalyptus & berried ivy but you can forage from the woods or use the offcuts from your Christmas tree – anything goes! Make sure that the foliage is kept away from the top of the candle, to avoid fires. Once you have a good covering of the foam, you can add other decorations. These can be natural like cones and cinnamon sticks but you can add colour with some berries, baubles or even a few flowers if you wish. If the majority of the arrangement is a mixture of hardy foliage with the colour and interest added with just a few berries etc. then the arrangement will be really long lasting and it will help to keep the cost down. Jingle Tins! Also, you will be able to make the centrepiece well in advance of Christmas day, which already is a busy time. Finish the design with a decorative ribbon around the tin to dress it up and tie in with the colourings of your other decorations. If you prefer gold rather than silver, then spray the tin gold before you start. You can even get the children involved as each tin is relatively small and takes only a little material to make. We have used a variety of different sized tins here which are effective when clustered together or used collectively down the centre of a table. We would love to see your creations, so get creative and please tag us on Instagram @ marleyflowershaslemere or Facebook @ marleyflowershaslemereflowershop – we will pick a winner who will receive a voucher for one of our workshops to use in 2024 Raring2go! GET FESTIVE! 30
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDA0NjA=