Holiday Centerpieces & Table Toppers

Using the photograph as a guide, insert flowers by dipping the stem ends into glue before placing among cinnamon sticks. Glue pinecones among the flowers.

Wrap 2"-wide velvet ribbon around the bundle and tie a bow. Add a small bow of 1"-wide grosgrain ribbon on top of velvet bow. Use whatever color ribbons complement the flowers and your table setting. Glue a few small flowers and cones to the knot portion of your bow.

Make place card bundles in the same manner as the centerpiece, using the 4" long cinnamon sticks and the narrower ribbons. Insert a place card with the name of the guest into each cinnamon stick bundle as shown.

You will need:

12" diameter floral foam wreath ring
Balsam or any flat tree greens
Sprigs of holly leaves
Boxwood greens
6 stems red roses
10 stems white roses
39 artificial red berries
Floral tape
Floral picks
Floral wire
3 2/3 yards of 6 mm gold beading
1 1/4 yards of 1/4"-wide wired gold metallic ribbon

Tools needed:

Plastic sheet or plastic garbage bag
Ruler or tape measure
Scissors

Directions:

Soak floral foam wreath in water about 5 minutes; allow wreath to drain for two hours. Place drained wreath on a plastic sheet or other waterproof surface.

Click photo for a full size view

Cut the balsam into 3" to 6" lengths and insert into the floral foam wreath along the inner and outer sides. Insert a few stems around the top. Cut the holly sprigs to about 4" in length and insert evenly around wreath. Cut the boxwood into 3" to 5" pieces and insert evenly around wreath, filling in any gaps.

Cut rose stems to 1 1/2" in length. Referring to the photo for placement, insert the red roses into the top of the wreath, spacing evenly. Then insert the white roses, placing them on the inner and outer portions of the wreath.

Make 13 clusters of artificial red berries by taping 3 berry stems together with floral tape and attaching to a floral pick. Insert each cluster into the wreath, spacing evenly.

Use floral wire and floral tape to attach a floral pick to each end of the gold beading. Drape the gold beading twice around the wreath, crisscrossing decoratively (photo); insert the floral picks into the wreath to secure.

Cut the gold metallic ribbon into thirds. Make three loop bows with 4 1/2" long tails: Make two large loops at each side and a small loop in the center of each bow; secure with floral wire; trim the tail ends on the diagonal. Wrap the ends of the floral wire with floral tape and insert into the wreath, spacing the bows evenly.

Place the punch bowl in the center of the garland. To keep the garland fresh, spray the floral foam with water every other day.