Decorating with Christmas garland is one of the most versatile and effective ways to transform your home into a festive wonderland. From curtain rods, window and door frames, fireplace mantels and railings, adding garland is one of the simplest ways to paint the home with Christmas spirit.
If you find yourself admiring vintage Christmas postcards but are not sure where to start when it comes to their decorating potential, why not create your own unique postcard garland. Incorporating vintage items in decorating is a hot trend for 2011, one that makes decorating the home for Christmas simple and fun.
When it comes to decorating with Christmas balls, the vast array of styles and colors available make the perfect ingredients for a show-stopping garland that is deceptively easy to make.
Things you will need:
- Ribbon
- Ornament hanging hooks (Wal-Mart/most places that sell ornaments)
- Christmas balls
- Vintage Christmas postcards (Stationary stores, card shops or The Victorian Trading Company)
- Decorative paper clips (Wal-Mart/Michaels)
How to Make Christmas Garland using Vintage Postcards
- Find some vintage Christmas postcards and decide where you would like to hang your garland.
- Measure the length of ribbon needed, cut accordingly and lay flat.
- Position your postcards where you want them to hang from the ribbon. Be sure to space them equally apart.
- With your decorative paper clips, insert the corner of the postcard into the clip and then clip them onto the ribbon.
If you are having trouble finding vintage postcards, you can always use the fronts of old christmas cards as an environmentally-friendly alternative.
How to Make Christmas Garland using Christmas Balls
- Purchase Christmas balls that flow with the rest of your holiday decor. You can use all the same size or alternate with various sizes.
- You will need to find ribbon that has holes your ornament hanging hooks can be poked through. Ribbons that have a crocheted, lacey or braided look work perfectly.
- Once you have decided where to hang your garland, cut the ribbon length accordingly.
- Hang the ribbon and attach your ornament hanging hooks by poking them through the holes. Be sure to space them apart equally.
- Add your Christmas balls by threading them onto the wire loop and sliding them down until they are hanging from the bottom of the hook.
When planning your decor for the 2011 festive season, consider decorating with Christmas garland. Adding garland to your seasonal decor is a fabulous way to accentuate doors, windows, or fireplace mantels. These easy-to-make garlands make a strong visual impact with a minimum of effort and expense.
Lara Smith - is a freelance writer with a Bachelor of Arts in English, History and Religious Studies.
