A guide on dressing your mantel this Christmas
What's your favourite Christmas scent? Fresh pine is definitely up there! It's such a gorgeous fragrance that instantly makes me feel festive.
Whether you've got a plastic tree or are looking to add a bit of natural drama to your living room, we've got just the thing here at Grandad's Shed...
A natural mantel dressing at Christmas not only looks stunning but smells amazing too. This is the perfect handmade Christmas project to get you in the festive spirit.
Here is our step by step how-to guide on creating your own stunning mantel garland.
1. Get Foraging!
The first step involved getting your hat and gloves on and heading outside. Don't forget something to cut the foliage!
Forage your garden or local hedgerows for lots of gorgeous greenery such as leylandii and spruce. Aim for different textures to add extra interest to your piece. This will be the main bulk or your filling so be generous - or you'll be back out in the cold again later! Pick up a good bunch of twigs too.
Top tip: If you've had to trim your tree to fit your living room, keep the trimmings handy too.
2. Prep the foliage
Place the greenery in water overnight to condition them. Let the twigs dry out by spreading them out.
3. Purchase any Extras
Now, not everything can be foraged from our gardens so you may need to purchase some extras. We recommend any flowers and greenery that you love. My personal favourites are Bells of Ireland and Eucalyptus. For this example, I'm also using Roses and Lilies as they add a lovely pop of colour.
You could also use artificial flowers for this part. Take a peek at our selection here.
4. Spray paint the twigs
We've gone for a white in this case. This is when we can start getting creative. Depending on what look you're going for, you can change the twig colours to match. This could be a classic gold, cool white or trendy blue.
5. Wire Fir Cones
Wire some fir cones onto long florist wire, as you can see in this picture.
6. Prepare your Oasis
Do this by soaking your oasis water. You'll know it's ready when the bubbles disperse.
7. Attach your Oasis
Secure your oasis to water trays using florist tape and place it on your mantel.
8. Fill it out
Fill and cover your oasis as much as you can using the greenery to hide the oasis block. Here's a look at how ours was looking at this stage. The scent was just glorious!
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9. Decorate
Now's the really fun step. Add your flowers and berries evenly between the foliage...
10. Finishing touches
Add your white sprayed twigs and fir cones, again evenly but not too symmetrically.
Finally, add in a selection of fairy lights or candles to add a last sprinkling of magic to your mantel piece. Artificial candles are a good option as you can set them to a timer and not worry about them.
Don't forget to share you snaps with us on social media (Facebook & Instagram) - we'd love to see your mantel masterpieces.
Top tip: Don't forget to keep the oasis watered through the Christmas season to keep your garland fresh and beautiful.