I set off for the woods yesterday looking for some holiday decor. I brought a bucket and a good pair of clippers with me. I took a shortcut through the barn yard, which is always risky.
Everybody wanted to look in my bucket!
I gave in and let them look and look until they were sure I wasn’t hiding any cracked corn in there, then I soldiered onward with everyone still in tow.
Whew! I made it to the other side!
I love to fill jars and other containers with wildflowers and weeds and whatever else I can find. At this time of year, the green pickings are scarce, but Nature also acts as a perfect dehydrator. Dried grasses, dried berries, dried….mystery weeds. I looked for texture, shape, contrast. I also like sticks!
Casper just realized I took off without him.
Here is why we can’t take the horses up here. At least not until this tree across the trail is cleared.
Here is an absolutely fantastic spring that is wet, wet, wet even on the most dry day of summer. I wish it was better located closer to a pasture.
I filled my bucket with a bounteous assortment and headed back down the trail, deciding not to go back through the circus crowd in the barn yard. I circled around the back of the barn. The cows watched me with lazy eyes.
(Nobody’s having a calf today.)
Back home, I surveyed my loot.
I spread it out inside on the dining room table and made several arrangements. This one is an assortment for the dining room table.
Here’s another combination arrangement on the mantel.
This pitcher sits on a little table in the back den. I used pine and dried materials along with some rosemary and dried hydrangeas from the garden.
Also some pine here.
I think this last one is my favorite.
I love the simplicity.
Most of these arrangements need no water at all and will last till spring if I want them to. Just because the flowers are gone, it doesn’t mean my vases have to stand empty. It was all free, free, free–and anybody can have it! All you have to do is walk outside, or pull over on the side of the road. Nobody cares if you clip some dried up dead weeds. Go gathering and get festive!
AspenFlower says:
Beautiful arrangements, they look so elegant and refreshing. I’m absolutely inspired by your creativity. I love posts such as these kind, they’re food for my soul. Thank you for the idea. I was on my way to pick up a cord from the AT&T store and out on the parking lot were some Southern Magnolia trees that shedded there pods. So gathering those pods I went. Now I have a nice center table arrangement- and the cost was free! :woof: :sheepjump: :happyflower: :sheep:
On November 14, 2012 at 4:10 am
Cheryl LeMay says:
Those are some beautiful arrangements. I love those kinds of things too. Unfortunately, so do my cats. They’d have those vases knocked down and the contents eaten if I did that. I have to make them into a wreath to hang on the OUTSIDE of my door.
On November 14, 2012 at 7:26 am
marymac says:
Haven’t done this for a while. Looks nice. When I visited W. Va I always tried to find some dry Bittersweet vine for my arrangements as it’s real scarce around here, do you have any at your place?
On November 14, 2012 at 8:23 am
PaulaClark says:
Sadly my cat would do the same. Knock it over, chew it up and then up-chuck the stuff for me to clean up.
On November 14, 2012 at 9:27 am
whaledancer says:
Your arrangements are lovely; you have an eye for it.
Are you sure that cutting through the barnyard can be called a SHORTcut? 😀
On November 14, 2012 at 11:52 am
Sue, a Florida Farm Girl says:
I love natural arrangements like that. I have one as part of my mantle decor at the moment. Wish the twigs were more “beefy” though, so they’d show up better.
I’ve used evergreens at Christmas time to make a wonderful arrangement. Pine boughs, magnolia leaves, pyracantha berries, holley berries and leaves, etc., in a footed urn. Very elegant and all FREE.
On November 14, 2012 at 11:59 am
mds9 says:
Nice
On November 14, 2012 at 1:43 pm
Jen says:
I love to do this! One of my favorites is to gather a large bundle of grass, all the same kind, & tie it together like a sheaf of wheat. I think it’s prettier than the ones you can buy. I usually display a bundle on my front porch in the fall.
I really like the tin pitcher arrangement but it’s hard to choose a favorite. I’d love to see a full photo of your wall sconce – what I can see I love.
On November 14, 2012 at 5:34 pm
oct4luv says:
I have some dried autumny looking plants in vases too this year. Got the idea from you 😀
On November 14, 2012 at 7:36 pm