How to Make Fresh Pine Swags

This is the first time I've ever channeled my inner "Martha Stewart" for Christmas, but in keeping with my 2017 New Year's resolution, I decided to add fresh greenery for Christmas too! Instead of palms or magnolias, I stepped out to the front yard and gave our twirly pine trees a little trim! I didn't hack off any large branches - I just snipped off the ends in about 5-8 inch lengths and stuffed them all in a bag to bring inside. 

After rinsing and letting air dry, I grabbed some twine and scissors. That's really all you need to complete the job! But, if you're feeling extra crafty or want to add some more detail to the swag, you can tie on ornaments, pine cones, jingle bells, etc. I'm always a fan of getting creative with these projects and bringing in objects that will reflect your personal style or seasonal theme. Laying all of the pieces flat, tie your twine at the ends and loop in your accent object if you choose to use one. 

In this example, I wanted to add a swag to my cute new "Let's Mistletoe" garland and I thought a single jingle bell would do the trick. 

Notice that behind the small pine trimmings I used a branch-end from a tall pine that I found laying on the ground. (We have tall pines behind our house and lining our roads, so for me, these are really easy to find.) 

Once you've bound the ends of pine, you can then take the excess twine and tie another knot around the garland string, or whatever it is you want to attach it to. 

And here is the finished product, hanging over my bar cart! (You can see the rest of my Christmas Home Tour here.) Notice the same pine trimmings are used in a vase with gold ornaments. I didn't add any water because I found that doing so promotes molding and a very unwanted smell! These trimmings have lasted me about 2 weeks without being watered or sprayed at all. 

Another way you can use pine swags is to adorn the backs of your chairs or stools. I left enough excess twine to tie a nice long bow and then attach it to the ribbon around the back of the chair. See more of this room and the rest of my house in my Christmas Home Tour.

I also used the pine swags with pine cones to decorate my faux wrapped gifts, which I used to hide my outlets and Christmas tree light plugs. I love how it added a natural touch in my dining room to balance out the other shiny, metallic decor throughout the living room.  

These tiered gifts kind of remind me of a cake!

Are you feeling inspired yet? I hope so! Let me know if you've tried this, or a similar project, in the comments below. :)

Sending Sunshine,

Jessica