You can add in real pieces of tree trimmings to the fake garland. The year before last I went to Home Depot, and in the section where the live Christmas trees were being trimmed, they let people take the scraps for FREE! So I brought them home and attached them to the fake garland with florist wire or you can use green pipe cleaners. But if you don't want live, just buy 2 or 3 of the more inexpensive garlands and twist them together and then you will have one full one from the 3. How I pretty it up depends on what style I a going with etc, another thread for another time, I am off to cut my grass before it rains here Never enough time, I need 3 more of me LOL

I agree with Judith about buying a couple of the cheaper garlands and twisting them together. If you have access to pinecones wire some on them into the garland, since you have a HollyLobby close by they usually have rolls of the cheaper ribbon that you can wind through and also make puffy bows to add. Adding shiney ornaments will give it some punch. Holly cut from outside any cuttings from evergreen shrubs will work

On another note - I bought the cheaper outdoor wreaths and cut greens to add to them to make them nice and full. It is amazing how pretty they look with the additional greenery added. In this wreath if you look closely you can see the base artificial wreath. I added the juniper, leyland cypress and holly from my yard to give it a professional look. It lasted well in February hanging outside......

Lynne

Bright, there should be quite a few garland photos in our Christmas album, tho not sure what page or if they are just scattered thru. Now that Photobucket has an organizing tool to move rearrange photos, I should try to do better on that album.

hugs, Karen

Here is a link that might be useful: Christmas Inspiration Album

bright,
I use a 9 foot lighted garland and then add little picks and christmas balls, faux sugared fruit and clusters of berries. I sit a deer in the center and three lighted grapevine trees on each side. My mantel is 8 feet long and it takes a lot of stuff to make it look like there is anything on it.
Tam

{{gwi:1449482}}

I loop a few together and put real greens from my yard in between. Then I put the lights through and the fresh Baby's breath..

I thought I had another pic with it lit, but I can't find it...

Thanks for the help everyone. I used all fresh stuff from the woods behind my house last year and it all died sooo quickly. That's why I decided to go artificial this year.
Tam I remember yours from last year I just love that fireplace!! And the garland is beautiful!
Kathleen I remember yours too!! I want to use the nativity dd got me last year for Christmas as well.

I might try to find another garland with a different needle pattern to add to it.

One more question how do you get them to stay in place?? Nails?? DH would have a fit!!! But I was trying it on for size yesturday and it would NOT stay on the mantel.

Thanks again everyone

Karen I have been to the inspiration album daily! LOL!! Never get tired of lookin.

Bright - maybe try those small command hooks? Don't use the offbrand! I used the off brand on my bathroom wall to hang something. Tore off the paint AND drywall. I used the small command hooks on the top inside part of the crown on my hutch. Works great and I don't see them. I used like 8 of them.

Bright, just wanted to add that you can get a lot of color and fullness by adding some large silk poinsettias to your garland too. I often just cut a bunch apart and then poke the individual ones here and there along the garland on my mantel. And I love pinecones on the garlands. Oh, another thing that works well is clusters of three red ornaments--they sort of look like holly berries that way.

Luvs

Bright, the author to the book that a few of us are doing here, says she uses a long piece of plywood sized to her mantel top. Painted or stained to match the original mantel on her FP. She just places it on top of the mantel, then she can staple in the live pieces of garland material, therefore not damaging her actual mantel.

Now Judith That's an interesting Idea. I really do want to check out the book you all have been using if I ever get to the library to see if they have it.

Luvs I was looking at some pointsettas and ivey bunches at the DT yesterday... I will check out wally world too. Hobby Lobby has their picks on sale 5o% this week and I have a gift card with about $9 so I may check it out.
I bought a big floral branch last year at 75% off... it was the only one they had like it wish I had two.. I'm thinking it would look good in the center if I can even out the florals. I will have to take a pic so you understand what I mean.

I'm so tempted to go ahead and put it on the mantel so I can work on it and have it done by Thanksgiving!!!

Thanks again for all your help.

Go ahead and do it, Girl. It's not too early for me. I'm the one with the Christmas tree in my living room for going on 3 years! I just keep adding ornaments. Maybe by Christmas I will have it 1/2 as full as Judith's! I've still got to order the crystals to go on it, plus get some more silk flowers.

I also bought a large garland to use on my mantle this year.
I absolutely adore Jim's blue one and his blue wreath.
I sat at work last year and drew up a graph of both and tried to list everything he had used so I could copy them! Sort of like what Judith is teaching us with tablesettings.
Betty

it is never too early for Christmas - for the last month I have been working on crystal beaded ornaments and buying Christmas stuff. I am so ready to set up a couple of new trees and arrange my ornaments on them. We bought 4 additional trees after Christmas last January and I want to see how they are going to look with what I have been buying and making. You guys have really got me excited about doing some themed colored trees......

Lynne

Oh, Lynne, are you going to show us a pic of the beaded ornaments you are working on?

I do good to get one big tree decorated, and you added four more! Wow! I can tell this forum is going to be fun this year~ ;o)

Luvs

I have a fireplace that is open to both livingroom and familyroom, so two mantles to decorate. Tho they are quite narrow, darn it. Last year was the first time I'd tried draping the garland down from them. I used fishing line! Its so thin it easily slid behind the mantles at each end, and I tied it to the garland. I was even able to slip a piece down the middle of the mantle too, to keep the garland from sagging more than I wanted.
It worked great for me.

I'm very concerned my little trees, or at least some of them, won't get to come out this year. I'm not sure I'm up to keeping the "Orange Re-Decorator" from climbing them (knocking them over I should say) or playing with the ornaments. sigh. What was I thinking getting a teenage kitten during the holidays??! I am going to hang several wreaths and decorate them heavily with ornaments I think. I usually have two small ones in the house, and then two on the front porch. Right now I'm wishing I had a giant one for inside in lieu of a tree or two.

hugs, Karen

"When life gives you lemons - turn it into lemonade,
then mix it with vodka."

Betty, don't worry, you will fill up your tree, it just takes awhile, it has taken me quite a few years due to the lack of "pink" items, and money LOL, but you will eventually get there.

Karen, a wreath decorated sounds like a good idea to keep the kitties out of mischief. I have seen some beautiful wreaths out there, so that would still be a pretty subsitution for a tree.

Lynn, I am looking forward to seeing your beaded ornies!

Bright, If I remember correctly, her tip was in her Christmas book.

Found this, it gives some guidelines and tips.

Here is a link that might be useful: How to do a Garland