Make a Christmas Centrepiece

If you're celebrating a Christmas dinner, you can add a finishing touch at the table with a Christmas-themed centrepiece. But instead of adding another item to your (already expensive) shopping list, you can make your own with a few basic, inexpensive craft supplies.

Steps

  1. Strap the floral foam brick to the saucer using the floral foam tape, which sticks when wet. You may need to cut your floral foam block into a shape that will fit snugly in the saucer. Leave room for the candle by taping diagonally over the corners and around the bottom of the saucer. Place the candle in the middle of the foam and push it down 4cm (1.5") into the foam.
  2. Press 4 small branches of blue pine (approximately 25cm or 10" long) horizontally into the base of the foam, parallel with the saucer. Remove the last 3cm (1") of needles either by hand or scissors. Place the next layer of blue pine at 45 degree angle on both the sides and top of the oasis. Be careful not to place anything too close to the top of the candle. You wouldn't want it to catch fire!
  3. Place the berried ivy in between the blue pine. Ensure everything points toward a central point just beneath the candle, allowing all the foliage to radiate outwards from the centrepiece. The larger sprigs should be at the bottom of the arrangement. Check for any gaps. Fill them in if necessary.
  4. Wrap around the middle of a cone and twist the wires together, leaving two prongs sticking out of the cone. Once three cones have been individually wired, bunch them together by twisting all the prongs to form one. Snip any wires longer than 10cm (4"). Place the bunches of cones at even intervals on the centrepiece.
  5. Tie 30cm (12") lengths of cinnamon into bundles of three with cord, feeding it in between the sticks and around a couple of times to secure the bundle. Tie with a bow. Wire the cinnamon bundles by feeding one piece of stub wire under the cord on the opposite side of the bow. Twist the wire three times, leaving two prongs. Cut the wire to 8cm (3") lengths. Place one cinnamon bundle with each group of cones: one above, one below and the third on an angle.
  6. Push the stub wire right through the fruit. Pull both ends of wire together and twist together 2 or 3 times, again leaving two prongs to feed into the foam. Ensure half of the apples show the bottom and the rest show the top. Place the apples in groups of three around the three bunches of cones. Repeat until all 9 apples are wired and placed..
  7. Cut the rose stems on an angle and split the stem vertically to approximately 20cm (8"). Remove all the thorns and leaves, too. Place in groups of three beside each bunch of pine cones. Cut the roses shorter if they are going into the top of the centrepiece.
  8. Make a double loop with the ribbon, bunching the bottom together between thumb and forefinger. Wrap the wire around the base, leaving some sticking out, and cut off any excess ribbon. Place a bow on two sides of the centrepiece underneath and a third at the base of the candle. Tug the loops apart gently so that it looks more like a bow.
  9. Place your Christmas centrepiece and ask the guest of honour to light the candle.

Things You'll Need

  • a saucer with 16.5cm (6.5") diameter
  • half brick of floral foam
  • scissors
  • a knife
  • floral foam tape
  • a tall candle
  • stub wire
  • ribbon
  • lurex cord
  • 12 sprigs of berried ivy
  • 3 blue pine branches
  • 9 small-medium fir cones
  • 8 grand prix roses
  • 9 small shiny apples
  • 9 sticks of cinnamon.

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Sources and Citations

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