At the weekend I made the first of this year's bindweed wreaths to dry for Christmas.
Take a long string of bindweed (you can also use some climbing plants like passionflower or clematis). Roll it into a loop and then carry on by wrapping the thread around the loop tucking in any leaves or odd ends as you go.
I make some each year and dry in a dark place to decorate for Christmas. The look really good decorated with chilis or seed heads. I would post a pic but I'm too lazy at this time of the evening to get the camera out.
Cheers
Zoe
Start now for Christmas
Cheers Zoe, what a great idea 
A practicle use for bindweed, who'd have thought it
A practicle use for bindweed, who'd have thought it
Ann Pan
"Some days you're the dog,
some days you're the lamp-post"
My blog
My Tea Cosy Shop
Some photos
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"Some days you're the dog,
some days you're the lamp-post"
My blog
My Tea Cosy Shop
Some photos
My eBay
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Millymollymandy
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- Location: Brittany, France
Well done! 
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Jobi1canobi
- Living the good life
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- Joined: Tue Aug 21, 2007 4:01 pm
- Location: Leicestershire, England
Thanks for the tip - while camping this weekend my partner picked up some fallen pine cones, initially to burn on the camp fire - but I decided these too would look lovely sprayed either gold or silver and hung on the Christmas tree with thread.I picked a whole bunch of poppy seed heads today to dry for Christmas. They look lovely sprayed gold or silver and put in amongst dried flower displays.
Does anyone have any tips on making any other type of decoration - I'm new to self-reliance and wanted to use natural materials as opposed to plastics. Any materials I can find free of charge whilst out walking would be a bonus.
Any tips gratefully received!
Jobi1
"A bargain is something you can't use at a price you can't resist." - Franklin Jones.
"A bargain is something you can't use at a price you can't resist." - Franklin Jones.
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Thomzo
- A selfsufficientish Regular
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- Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2007 1:42 pm
- Facebook Name: Zoe Thomas
- Location: Swindon, South West England
Hi Jobi
Not quite what you are looking for but old CD's (the sort that you get shoved through your letter box all the time) make great decorations. Find a really strong pair of scissors and cut them into thirds or quarters. Then you can paint on them with nail varnish, glass paints, acrylics or permanent marker pens. You can also stick those peel-offs that card makers use on them to create some lovely patterns. Leave some of the CD showing and it will reflect light like a mirror. If you are really technical you can drill a small hole so that you can hang them. Otherwise, stick a bit of ribbon on with tape, a sticky label or a peel off.
You can do the same with plastic containers, particularly milk containers. Cut them up with scissors and decorate.
Keep any bits of junk mail that has shiney paper or foil or pretty coloured/patterned paper. I work in an office and I keep an eye out for anything like that which comes in. My colleagues all know now what I'm like so they save it for me. Then use it to cover cardboard shapes which you can hang on the tree. Try simple shapes such as circles, rectangles, fan shapes or tiny greetings card shapes.
If you have old bits of jewellery, you can use them, either straight on the tree or with any of the ideas above.
For natural items then your fir cones will be great. Look closely at other trees, such as beech and other conifers, as they often have smaller seed pods which you can use. Wait for conkers, although they will probably shrivel by Christmas and keep an eye out for acorns. They can all be used.
For edible treats, try walnuts (any nuts can be used but walnuts are really easy to hang as you just wrap some thread around the join). You can also hang satsumas (although again they are a bit fiddly to get the ribbon right). Chillis in bright reds and yellows look lovely too.
Spray fiddly items but remember that spray paint isn't very good for the environment. Beg old bits of nail varnish off friends. Once the bottle is empty, paint that and hang it up. Some of them are quite stylish. Also other small make up containers can be decorated.
Paper chains, of course, made from junk mail.
Finally, take scraps of cardboard and make into small boxes (or use empty matchboxes). Then cover with christmassy paper and a bit of ribbon to make into tiny, present-shaped decorations.
Just have fun
Zoe
Not quite what you are looking for but old CD's (the sort that you get shoved through your letter box all the time) make great decorations. Find a really strong pair of scissors and cut them into thirds or quarters. Then you can paint on them with nail varnish, glass paints, acrylics or permanent marker pens. You can also stick those peel-offs that card makers use on them to create some lovely patterns. Leave some of the CD showing and it will reflect light like a mirror. If you are really technical you can drill a small hole so that you can hang them. Otherwise, stick a bit of ribbon on with tape, a sticky label or a peel off.
You can do the same with plastic containers, particularly milk containers. Cut them up with scissors and decorate.
Keep any bits of junk mail that has shiney paper or foil or pretty coloured/patterned paper. I work in an office and I keep an eye out for anything like that which comes in. My colleagues all know now what I'm like so they save it for me. Then use it to cover cardboard shapes which you can hang on the tree. Try simple shapes such as circles, rectangles, fan shapes or tiny greetings card shapes.
If you have old bits of jewellery, you can use them, either straight on the tree or with any of the ideas above.
For natural items then your fir cones will be great. Look closely at other trees, such as beech and other conifers, as they often have smaller seed pods which you can use. Wait for conkers, although they will probably shrivel by Christmas and keep an eye out for acorns. They can all be used.
For edible treats, try walnuts (any nuts can be used but walnuts are really easy to hang as you just wrap some thread around the join). You can also hang satsumas (although again they are a bit fiddly to get the ribbon right). Chillis in bright reds and yellows look lovely too.
Spray fiddly items but remember that spray paint isn't very good for the environment. Beg old bits of nail varnish off friends. Once the bottle is empty, paint that and hang it up. Some of them are quite stylish. Also other small make up containers can be decorated.
Paper chains, of course, made from junk mail.
Finally, take scraps of cardboard and make into small boxes (or use empty matchboxes). Then cover with christmassy paper and a bit of ribbon to make into tiny, present-shaped decorations.
Just have fun
Zoe
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contadina
- A selfsufficientish Regular
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- Joined: Thu Mar 29, 2007 12:11 pm
- Location: Puglia, Italy
Take a wander in the woods and hedgerows Christmas week to find interesting foliage, berries , cones etc. Decorate tables, mantels and window ledges with them interspersed with colourful fruit (clove-studded tangerines look and smell great), baubles, candles etc.
I'm with Zoe with tree decorations, ours is covered in all manner of sparkly hair grips, rings, keyrings, old cracker gifts and many bizarre toys that hubby has unearthed with his Rotivator.
I'm with Zoe with tree decorations, ours is covered in all manner of sparkly hair grips, rings, keyrings, old cracker gifts and many bizarre toys that hubby has unearthed with his Rotivator.
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Jobi1canobi
- Living the good life
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- Joined: Tue Aug 21, 2007 4:01 pm
- Location: Leicestershire, England
Wow - that's brilliant. Thanks guys. I'll definitely be doing some of those ideas.
I think I'll set a weekend aside at the beginning of December so that Jybson and I can go out walking and/or look for things to make decorations with.
It's got to be more fun than spending good money on plastic tat.
Thank you!
I think I'll set a weekend aside at the beginning of December so that Jybson and I can go out walking and/or look for things to make decorations with.
It's got to be more fun than spending good money on plastic tat.
Thank you!
Jobi1
"A bargain is something you can't use at a price you can't resist." - Franklin Jones.
"A bargain is something you can't use at a price you can't resist." - Franklin Jones.
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mrsflibble
- A selfsufficientish Regular
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- Joined: Mon Sep 04, 2006 9:21 pm
- Location: Essex, uk, clay soil, paved w.facing very enclosed garden w/ planters
would any wiry climber work? we don't have any bindweed (I know, slap me now) but our carpark is covered with a climbing plant which in spring has flowers that look like bunches of grapes.
oh how I love my tea, tea in the afternoon. I can't do without it, and I think I'll have another cup very
ve-he-he-he-heryyyyyyy soooooooooooon!!!!
ve-he-he-he-heryyyyyyy soooooooooooon!!!!