vI came downstairs one afternoon to find my mum making the loveliest, simple, holiday garlands for the banister and couldn’t help but coerce ask her to share! So, today I’m handing the reins over to Allison who’s going to show you how to whip up a rustic Christmas garland in just a few steps.

Hi Teacup readers! I’m Allison, Kristin’s non-blogger “Mum”.

At Christmas time, I normally decorate my open staircase railing with festive garland. Well, this year I moved and I no longer have an open staircase. With a little inspiration from Pinterest, I went on a quest to buy a festive artificial decoration that would work with my staircase. No luck. So I ended up <ahem> maaakkinng something. As an adult, I’ve never made a craft – I’m a convenience shopper and the fact is that I’m NOT crafty at all. But I got brave. And worse case scenario, I could just return the materials if it didn’t work out. A win-win for me!

You will need:

  • 3 – Greenery
  • 3 – Sprig of berries
  • Twigs
  • Green floral wire (different gauge sizes)
  • Wire cutter, hand pruner
  • Cat: optional – there to oversee the project and rearrange the twigs
  • Glass of Wine – builds confidence

Steps
1. Attach a sprig of berries to the back of the greenery with floral wire. Interweave the berry stems into the greenery.

2. Arrange pieces of twigs behind the berries; fan them out for a fuller effect. Secure the twigs to the greenery with floral wire.

3. If you are satisfied with your masterpiece, use the wire cutter to clip off any excess stems of the sprig of berries, trim off any excess twig stems from the bottom and top with your hand pruner, and don’t forget to clip off the price tags.

4. You can add a ribbon, a bell, or a few mini ornaments around the center if you want to add a more festive touch (I haven’t made up my mind yet whether or not I want to add a red ribbon).

5. To get in the holiday mood, add a spray of cinnamon or pine to the arrangement, and re-spray as necessary (I love “Balsam and Cedar” from Yankee Candle).

6. Using green garland ties, attach the arrangement at the center to the staircase baluster.

And there you have it – a quick and easy project to decorate a small area of a semi-open staircase!

Cheers!