Boxwood Christmas Crafts

By Teresa Opdycke

The halls and homes of merry old England decked out in greens, berried branches of holly, and mistletoe gathered from the crotch of a tree each represented an aspect of the Yuletide. Evergreens, including boxwood, remained vibrant green while the outside world seemed lifeless. Trees, barren of leaves, raised their arms to heavens in stark contrast to crisp, blue skies and gray clouds filled with snow. No flowers brightened days as cold crept into every nook and cranny. Is it any wonder that most evergreens - pine, ivy, and the beloved ornamental boxwood - all stand for constancy in the language of flowers? They never died, or so it seemed. They were ever present and ever green.

The beauty of boxwood goes far beyond neatly trimmed hedges and intricate mazes found in Williamsburg and estates in England. With staying power that lasts through the holidays and beyond, a bushel and a half of boxwood will make one wreath, and most florists or garden centers sell fresh boxwood. The boxwood wreath, kissing ball, and table tree, simple to craft, will set the pace for a beautiful Christmas.

Boxwood Wreath

You'll need:

• 1 box wreath frame (a flat frame can be used, but the wreath will be flat rather than have some depth to it)
• Paddle wire 22 gauge
• Clippers or a sharp knife
• Green pipe cleaner
• Fresh boxwood

1. Trim stems of boxwood into 5 or 6 inch sprigs. Fill the concaved wreath frame with less desirable branches, but make sure there's a thick base of boxwood. Using the paddle wire, begin wrapping around the frame, keeping the boxwood securely in place. Once the frame is completely covered, do not cut the wire.

2. With the wreath lying flat on a table, gather three to five nicely formed stems in your hand and place on the top of the wreath. Wire the bunch to the wreath, but do not cut the wire.

3. Place the next bundle of boxwood so that the leafy top covers the woody stems, wire in place. Continue placing bunches of sprigs all going in the same direction until the wreath frame is covered. The closer you place each bundle of boxwood to the previous one, the fuller your wreath will be. The stems of the last bunch should go beneath the tops of the first bundle.

4. Cut the wire from the paddle, leaving a tail and weave it around the wires.

5. You're going to fill in the outside and center by gathering the boxwood stems and inserting under the existing wires. Use the same method of covering the previous bunch's stems with the tops of the next one. By inserting the stems under the wire, you're making the entire wreath tighter.

6. When the wreath is finished, it should have a swirling look as the boxwood encircles the frame. Loop the green pipe cleaner through the frame and wires to make a hanger and twist it tight.

7. Use your imagination to decorate your wreath. You can add stems of holly and berries, Christmas balls, baby's breath for a wisp of white, small apples, ornaments, or just a big jaunty bow. Every stem you insert from this point will cascade down, giving the look of a perfectly shaped tiny evergreen tree. Hang it on an outside door or inside. If you use your wreath indoors, spritz with water to keep it looking fresh all through the holidays.

Boxwood Tree

You'll need:

• Floral foam soaked in water overnight or for at least several hours
• Floral pins
• Floral picks or toothpicks
• A tray to hold the tree (big box stores have large round glass trays)
• Boxwood
• Cranberries

1. Place wet floral foam on the tray and whittle the floral foam using a sharp knife into as round a triangle as possible. (You could use a Styrofoam cone, but it's harder to insert stems and of course it does not hold water.)

2. Choose a perfect stem of boxwood and cut to approximately 3 to 4 inches. Insert the stem into the tip-top of the foam. This is the all important point or tip of your tree.

3. You can work from the top or bottom. Cut sprigs of boxwood and insert them into the foam. If the cone you've made does not flare out at the bottom, the lower areas will require longer stems of boxwood. Keep eyeing your tree to give it the desired Christmas tree shape.

4. When the foam is completely covered and it looks like a miniature tree, it's time to decorate it. You don't have to put anything on the little tree, and in fact, a tablescape of three or five trees of varying sizes set on a blanket of white creates a charming winter scene. If, on the other hand, you wish to decorate it, try one of these ideas: Place cranberries on toothpicks and insert like tiny Christmas balls. Narrow ribbon bows or streamers give the tree a darling appearance, as does baby's breath inserted to look like white garland or just a wispy white veil over the entire tree. Sugar tiny fruits, like grapes and cranberries, and insert with a floral pick or toothpick to give a subtle shine and muted color to the tree. Let your imagination fly and you'll come up with great ideas to decorate your boxwood tree.

Boxwood Kissing Ball

You'll need:

• Half a block of floral foam soaked in water
• Chicken wire
• 22 gauge wire
• Clippers
• 4-5 inch sprigs of boxwood
• Small sprigs of mistletoe
• Ribbon

1. Wrap the chicken wire around the floral foam, creating a cage. If there's an overlap, use wire to hold it together. Bend one end of a 10 to 12 inch wire and then thread it through the center from the bottom up. The bend or U shape should catch on the foam. Make a hook or loop at the top for a hanger.

2. Cut sprigs of boxwood 4 or 5 inches long. Begin inserting the stems to form a ball. The foam will be completely covered so that a lush, full round of boxwood is ready for decorating.

3. Add a bow at the top and streamers to the bottom of the ball. Insert mistletoe wired to a pick at the bottom of the ball, also. Leave the ball as it is or decorate with cranberries, grapes, tiny Christmas balls, flowers, or whatever captures your fancy. May you meet the one you love beneath the kissing ball.

The holidays seem more charming when fresh botanicals are used to craft stunning decorations. Each creation is individual; no two people are going to make identical wreaths of boxwood. The pleasure of hanging a wreath that you made yourself on the front door makes the holidays merrier and brighter. So get busy and may you have a joyful boxwood Christmas.

© Doityourself.com 2006