Yield: 1 Mantel
Foraged Fall Mantel Garland on a Board
A long, low fall mantel garland built on a foam covered board right on the mantel, filled with magnolia, dried hops, fresh persimmons, pumpkins, and foraged dried stems. Works under a TV and the board comes back out for Christmas.
Equipment
- 1 Glue Gun
- 1 Pair of gardening sheers
Materials
Board base
- 1 flat board about 6 inches wide and 3.5 feet long
- 3 to 4 dry floral foam blocks
- Hot glue sticks
- Spanish moss
- Floral pins
- 1 folded blanket
For the garland
- Dried hops
- Fresh green magnolia branches
- Dried olive branches
- Glycerin preserved leaves
- Fresh persimmons plus faux pomegranates or persimmons to swap in later
- Dried hydrangeas
- Dried eucalyptus in burgundy
- Dried seed pods
- Dried orange slices
- Small wooden clothespins one per orange slice
- Feathers
- DIY terra cotta pumpkins
- Gourds
- Small white pumpkins
- Sweater pears
For styling
- Candlesticks with battery candles
- Demijohns
- Harvest basket filled with persimmons
- Raffia pumpkin and large orange pumpkin for the hearth
Instructions
- Hot glue the dry foam blocks in a row along the board. Cover the front of the foam with Spanish moss, hot gluing it down and securing it with floral pins.
- Set the board on the mantel. Fold the blanket, tuck it behind the board, and let it spill over the right end to hide the TV cords.
- Push the dried hops into the foam first, draping them along the front edge.
- Add the magnolia branches at angles so both the green and copper sides show.
- Set the candlesticks and demijohns in place before adding anything else.
- Tuck fresh persimmons into the pockets between the magnolia, a few near the front edge and a few pushed back.
- Nestle in the terra cotta pumpkins, gourds, and small white pumpkins, larger pieces first. Add dried olive branches to the left and right sides.
- Step back and look. Fill thin spots with dried hydrangeas, seed pods, burgundy eucalyptus, and preserved leaves. Add the sweater pears.
- Tuck in the feathers. Hot glue a clothespin to the back of each dried orange slice and clip the slices onto the hop branches.
- Finish with a basket of persimmons on the hearth, with the raffia pumpkin and orange pumpkin beside it.
Notes
Fresh persimmons stay firm on the mantel for about two weeks. Swap them for faux pomegranates or persimmons once they soften, and dehydrate the ripe ones or turn them into pulp or soap.
To reuse the base, pull the stems out one at a time, leave the moss and foam glued to the board, and store it flat for Christmas.
Use dry floral foam made for dried and silk stems, not wet foam.
The times are my estimate. Adjust prep and active time if yours ran longer.