Last week I hosted an event in my barn where the attendees all learned how to make Thanksgiving centerpieces from elements that we found in the woods and in our fading November gardens. The results were stunning and I thought I would share a list of things that we used, as well as a little inspiration from other bloggers who also have made some DIY centerpieces from natural materials, and how they came up with their looks.
This time of year we were able to find plenty of things to put in our centerpieces. Here are a few things to look out for and gather:
- hydrangeas (they will be dried and brown and will look amazing if you deconstruct them and use little flowers here and there)
- boxwood
- tiny fruit (eggplant, artichokes, persimmon, apples, pears)
- moss
- a variety of branches and twigs
- euonymous
- pine cones
- bittersweet
- rose hips (wild and from the garden)
- dusty miller
- lavender
- laurel
- privet (greenery and beautiful navy blue berries)
- holly
- mums (you may actually have to get these from the market)
- succulents
- solidago
- evergreens
- callicarpa
- chinese lanterns
We used an Oasis ring (soak it in water and start sticking stems in the foam to arrange), and this allowed us to put a candle in the middle. Alternatively, Kelly Oshiro has a great DIY for a similar arrangement on her blog — hers, in a bowl, but also using oasis foam. I am in love with her orange and grey theme, created with persimmon and dusty miller.
For a more minimal and modern display, Steve Asbell shares a great how-to for using mistletoe cactus and driftwood to create an arrangement. You can use it on the table now and then hang it later for a different kind of longer-living display.
(Images: 1. Kelly Oshiro, 2. Steve Asbell)
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These are gorgeous. Be careful though dusty miller and mountain laurel are endangered in the wild. No one should be picking those. Others may be endangered too so check the IUCN list first. Otherwise much better to get decor from the wild than stores.
What, no pics of your guests' stunning creations? I was hoping:( These are both lovely. I've always called them scavenged centerpieces, lol. So much more interesting than 'the usual' to me and such fun to put together.
I once even raided my dad's yard trash pile & scavaged a last minute centerpiece for a family shower my mom was hosting. (Hey, her lovely table was just missing 'something' okay?) I don't think mom was too impressed. She joked during the shower that I never outgrew the stage of presenting a fistful of weeds as a gift and that I just found more stuff to mix in with the weeds as I grew older. Funny thing...we had lots of family potlucks in those days and thereafter, I was often asked to provide a 'scavenged' centerpiece. Turns out I wasn't the only one who found beauty in what we often overlook.
More please.
These are good ideas!!! Using any type of fruits combined with plants makes a beautiful center piece or wall hanging .. You can use anything from natures garden to achieve this.