One of the joys of Christmas is the exciting feeling of decorating the house. Sadly, we often buy pricey decorations and by the end of the celebration, we throw them away and buy another for next year Christmas. Apparently, it such a waste action and we should think about the plastic-made (many are toxic) ornaments that won’t be easily biodegradable would harm our environment. For this Christmas, why not decorate your house the green way with our nature.
You can re-make and recycle your organic and scrap materials into Christmas decorations. Eatable and spices materials such as popcorn, fruit and vegetables, pine cones branches, eggshells can be make use to decorate your house. These decorations can be store after Christmas and will be in good condition for next year usage.
Assemble your garden greenery and organic seasonal fruit, with seasonal fruits such as bright red apples surrounding the greenery.
You will save costs with the garden trimmings. You can use the greenery and bright fruits into beautiful wreaths and garlands to be hanged or make table arrangements. Fruits such as apples and oranges can last up to 3 weeks in decorations. After the period, you can consume or used them for pie fillings and as well for making juice.
Greenery as your Christmas table decorations
You can also decorate the outdoor trees and bushes in your yard with homemade decor that will survive for a few weeks of weather. It\’s nice to know that eco-friendly Christmas decorations need not to be traditionally green and red. Put together your creativity and inspiration from the environment to make your own unique and individual style. Let’s start helping our nature with these great ideas for Christmas decorations.
Christmas tree and the Ornaments
It\’s great if you can purchase a real tree from a small -scale sustainable grower and choose a tree with roots so it can be replanted. For another alternative, you can use a native tree, found dead twigs, metal or aluminum sticks that you can decorate. This idea is suitable for people who are not living in places where pine trees won’t grow. You can decorate the Christmas tree with decorated eggshells, pine cones, stars made from old greetings card cutting. You can also add your own creation of baubles and bake ginger bread for decorations. Use your imagination to create your own personalize Christmas tree. For traditional touch, hang colorful reuse paper chains, popcorn, cranberry strings or lines of beads and buttons.
Cut outs of simple shapes from magazine and old recycles card can be use as Christmas tree ornaments. Cut the shape out of cardboard and paint with non-toxic paint or cover with foil or re-use gift wrap. You can make shapes of suns, moons, stars, snowmen angels, bears, birds, candy canes and much more. Scraps of white papers such as envelopes can be cut into peace doves or snowflakes.
Christmas tree Baubles
Old tennis balls makes beautiful baubles, all you have to do is wrap it in colorful twine and then add some holly for a unique Christmas baubles. Other tiny to medium size of sports balls such as golf balls can be used as well. You can also use foam balls and odd scraps of material cord
Don’t throw your egg shells. Instead, turn the hard boiled organic eggs shells into Christmas baubles. Just neatly slice off the top either close to the top or halfway depends on your design. Avoid cracking the eggshells; clean out the eggs shells with of the remaining of egg and wash carefully in soapy water. When the egg shells are dry, all you have to do is to stick the shell together with a strip of tape such as masking tape that is suitable to be painted over.
Alternatively, you can pierce an uncooked egg at the top and bottom to remove the contents and rinse the shell in soapy hot water then leave it to dry. You can paint them with non-toxic paints or glue on pictures to harden the eggshell. Thread wire from the bottom to the top of the egg, leaving 4cm at both ends. Tie the wire through a bead to anchor it at the bottom and cut off any excess wire. At the top thread the wire through a bead, tie it and then make a loop of the wire. You can add decoration to it with crayons and paints, sequins or beads.
Christmas Bows
Turn old material, ribbon or any suitable garments into bows. If you have an old formal dress, shiny shirt, petticoat or old curtains, you can design them into lovely bows. It will be such a waste to see such pretty decorations thrown away, especially when you can use them again in other occasions or celebrations. What you can do is to store the bows and ribbons in a sturdy shoe box and they will lasts for many years to come.
Christmas Stockings
Re-use your old clothes into stockings. An old top, old cushion covers or any old scraps of material that can be painted can be revived into Christmas stocking.
You can sew the stockings with bright, thick cotton or wool from an old jumper or jeans. Sew or staple cut-outs materials to the stocking. Then, you can add buttons, ribbon or plain white buttons colored with indelible markers.
Oh Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
You can design stars from recycle woods, wool felt, cardboard covered with foil or painted with silver, or gold, old woods, or even match-sticks and raffia. Instead of silver and gold stars, why not try blue and gold stars. You can have big and small ones to make the tree covered with constellation of stars. You can hang them on the window s with different levels and size of stars.
Play with different color and texture combinations that will jazzes up your stars. You can make them with variety of gold with textures, ruby, deep blue and green finishes or with a bit of pastel tone. Or, you can cut out only the centre of the stars so they are only silhouettes. Make them in gold, cream, silver, or any other color to produce a delicate look on your tree. You can also create stars with texture by painting materials such as old sandpaper or torn cardboard.
Additional Reading:
http://ecobites.com/home/635?task=view
