A few days ago, I promised I would show you the holiday swag I made during a craft class I attended, so here it is.
Even though it might look complicated, it was really easy to make. All you do is choose 2 evergreen branches for your base and wire them together with the branch tips at opposite ends (so the sturdier parts of the branches are at the center). I used floral wire for this purpose and wove the wire around the branches from end to end to give myself a sturdy base to work with.
Next, I started poking in different types of smaller evergreen branches, using spruce, pine, cedar and that beautiful Arizona cypress with its gray needles. Once I felt it was substantial enough, I added in some berry branches (Ilex verticillata) for accents.
The last step is to make a large bow and wire it onto the center. Don't forget to make yourself a small wire loop for hanging the swag.
As you can see, they are really attractive but actually quite simple to make. Even if you don't have a place to hang a swag, consider making some to give as gifts this holiday season.
