Now, I know that winter outdoor decor is all a matter of taste. But as I discussed last week, sometimes people just slack or don’t get enough material… Or maybe it just wasn’t as easy as it looked.

The containers pictured below are all done well. Most aren’t my style, but there is no doubt that they make whoever owns them smile! And really, that’s the thing.

Here are some helpful hints for making winter containers….

1. Sand makes the best base, not last summer’s soil. You don’t have to empty all the soil out, just a few inches, top off with sand and awaaaaaaaaaay you go!
2. I’ve used chicken wire as a base, too. It takes a lot of material to fill that out properly, but it can be done!
3. Start with the longest pieces of greens in the center, using the natural shape of the branch (like a soft “c”) to make this shape )(
4. Keep making that )( shape, over and over again, working tall to short (center to sides).
5. THEN add some accents. I don’t like the onesie here, onsie there look. I like a punch (groupings of accents) throughout. The difference between a chocolate chip cookie and a choclate speck cookie.
6. The sticks should be twice as tall as the pot. but there are 1000000 exceptions to that rule.
7. I am also not a fan of using 14 different kinds of accents. Pine cones are like Levis, they ALWAYS work, then try and stick to 3 more accents on top of that. I’m very selective when using more than one kind of berry. I guess my thoght is, use one kind and use A LOT of it!

Let me know what you think of these containers!

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