DIY Christmas Garland and a Nutcracker Makeover
One of the simplest ways to dress up your home for the holidays is with garland, whether it be greenery, wooden beads, or something a little more unique. Last year I added dried oranges to my evergreen garlands for a warm, natural touch. This year I'm layering in a few more fun DIY garlands that couldn't be easier! I was also inspired to style my home with a cozy, moody Christmas vibe full of dark greenery, black and vintage metallic accents, and warm wood tones. I saw these gorgeous black nutcrackers at Crate and Barrel, but they are definitely not in my budget. Keep reading to see my dupe for only $9!!!
Where can I hang garland?
Garland isn't just for your mantle and, really, can be displayed just about anywhere for a pop of style. Hang greenery around your windows with lights or accents mixed in. Drape them over shelves, letting them cascade down the sides or hang them on stair railings tied with ribbon.
With a few small command hooks, I strung this adorable pom pom garland on the wall of our playroom this year.
For my mantle this year, I intertwined my dried orange garland with dark eucalyptus garlands. I made my new DIY garlands different lengths so they would hang separately from one another to show them off. For a cohesive look, I used twine for both of them, which ties in with my dried oranges as well. Layering different tones, textures, and materials creates a curated look and adds depth and interest to the main focal point of our family room. And I couldn't be more obsessed! Are you ready to make some for your home???
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DIY Nutcracker Garland
Materials
paint - this is option because these little nutcrackers would look gorgeous as is! I used flat black spray paint, but choose a palette that works for your style!
hot glue gun or super glue
twine - or any type of string you like
How to Make it
If you are painting your nutcrackers, do that first. Place a small dot of glue on the top of one of the nutcracker's heads and attach your twine. Continue doing this with each nutcracker making sure to evenly space each soldier. Mine are about 6 inches apart. Tip: Make sure you leave several inches of twine on either end of your garland string to hang it!
DIY Tree Garland
Materials
mini bottle brush trees - I found mine in the Bullseye section at Target and arranged them in an ombre pattern. If you like this look but can't find these trees, you could easily spray paint mini trees in any color you like! Here's a few other mini tree packs I found:
Hot glue gun or super glue
twine - or any string you like
How to Make it
Just like with the nutcrackers, place a tiny dot of glue on the top of the first tree and attach your twine. Continue with the rest of your trees making sure to evenly space them. Mine are about 2-3 inches apart.
You could also choose to paint the base of each tree. I chose to leave mine natural to coordinate with other décor on my shelves, but black or gold would also look amazing!
Remember the black nutcrackers I mentioned earlier that were way out of my budget? I found almost identical ones at Michaels! These 14 inch raw wooden soldiers are slightly shorter than the high end ones, but they are currently on sale for $9! I covered mine with a few light coats of matte black spray paint and transformed them into the perfect accents for my fireplace shelves! Here's a cute, shorter version as well!
I hope you find some holiday inspiration here with these super simple décor DIY's! Have you started to decorate for Christmas yet or are you just collecting ideas to make your home feel special this year? I'd love to know in the comments! As always, make sure to subscribe to my mailing list to get updates when new blog posts are posted so you never miss an opportunity to be inspired! And follow along on Instagram and Facebook for more easy DIY's, home styling tips, and a peek inside our every day life!
xoxo, L
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