DIY Centerpieces Made From Natural Items for any occasion. They also make great Housewarming, Birthday, Christmas, or for any occasion when you want to show your creative side with pride. Take a walk about and collect neat looking twigs or branches. You can also break a branch or twig off of a bush, tree, or ground which has flowers, buds, or leaves attached. Choose different lengths to make a nice arrangement. Don’t pick twigs or branches that are already rotten or that crumbles when you touch them. Pick sturdy twigs and branches or branches that are green (wood) that can dry out and last for a long time.
Items needed for this task are:
1) twigs and branches. I have also done this with palm leaves for a larger arrangement and use the fanned leaves for the background and then use twigs. Weeping Willow or Rain Tree branches are great fillers. Make sure to at least pick one thicker branch to be used as the center or back to follow up with smaller branches and twigs around the center branch and if you choose to add fillers. This craft is one of my favorites because it’s easy and anything goes.
2) Elmer’s liquid wood glue or hot gun.
3) 2 turkey or dressing disposable aluminum pans.
4) tongue or lemon oil (optional used instead of acrylic coat for base).
5) spray paint of various colors with glitter already added or plain colors. I white or black so I can add any color or any other added items you might think of.
6) Acrylic Spray Paint.
7) Any mix and match colored spray paints, especially, white or black.
8) Glitter- I prefer the large glitter instead of the fine but either will do. You can also add cotton balls, Halloween Spider Webs, leaves, flowers etc. Be creative and imagine what you want to do and how you’re going to use it.
9) Cans of Christmas Snow (Optional)
10) A vase, collected and sorted jars, or cans can be used, You can add flare to your arrangement by also dripping hot candle wax to vases or twigs and branches.
11) Beads, Buttons, small clear plastic pieces or colored or Ornaments can also be used to create your designed arrangement. (optional)
12) A dry, large area that has ventilation. Paint fumes are dangerous and can cause lung issues or harm your eyes or mouth.
13) Use, old sheets blankets, or used newspaper to lie twigs or branches on to spray paint with your acrylic paint and/or colored paints. How many layers you spray paint is totally up to your discretion. I prefer two or three coats of each. Make sure twigs and branches are dry before adding another coat. Once dry turn over to paint the other side. I usually spray paint a coat of acrylic for the first layet,and then follow with whatever colored paint I have chosen. Then, once all paint has dried, I come back and put one more layer on top of acrylic paint.
14) Arts and Crafts paint brush. (Used to coat glue or lemon and tongue oil).
If you have chosen green (wood not actual, but can be), you must first lay them out in your work area to allow them to dry before adding paints. If you have the work area for it, you can use a heater to dry them quickly or place in a very sunny area. They only need to dry, depending upon the thickness you have decided on for your project, overnight (thicker twigs or branches) or just a couple of hours (smaller to medium twigs or branches). If you have chosen to use canned snow, make sure you make the layers thick and coat well, let dry (takes same amount of time as above) and don’t forget the first layer must be acrylic or it will not come out right. It will crumble off.
After snow or paint has dried, rotate and coat the same. After the twigs and branches are dried and ready to add cotton balls dunked in glue in one aluminum pan, and use the other pan to sprinkle glitter. Allow to dry and then add to branches.
Smaller and shorter twigs or branches can be dipped covered with glue in one pan, dipped or sprinkled with glitter in the second pan. Add your plastic pieces, buttons, spider webs, aluminum cutouts, or sprinkles, confetti, artificial flowers, or ornaments instead or combined with glitter. Allow to dry overnight. Decorate vase, jar, or cans, if you choose, allow to dry completely, usually up to 8 hours or overnight, before arranging twigs and branches.
As shown in he pictures, this project can be used inside or outside for decoration. If using outside, don[‘t add glitter, use glitter spray paint or try using different colored cellophane to use as a bouquet or just for bottom covering. This project is great for weddings, banquets, proms, or seminar backgrounds. They also are wonderful to use on floats.
