Thursday, December 22, 2011

So what did I do with those Blue Atlas Cedar branches?

I had such high hopes for my $8.99 blue cedar branches (click here if you want to read about the hunt), I was confident I could come up with some clever way of using them that would make me forget all about wanting a Blue Atlas Cedar tree…no problem! But you know what? Sometimes there just is no substitute for what you really want. Since we are spending Christmas at home this year I wanted a tree, branches alone weren’t going to cut it. So up went the vintage aluminum tree. I do love it! For the Blue Atlas Cedar branches…I thought about making a garland/swag for the mantle, but in the end just made sort of a centerpiece and mixed in some silver balls, stars, and Tillandsia. I planned to put the tallest branches in several vases, and distribute them throughout the house. But they were far too heavy, and curved in such a way that only the strongest of vases would stay upright, so only one vase full of branches was done up. At least it went right where I could stare at the blue needle clusters… I used a few more cuttings to fill a metal bowl as a centerpiece on our dining table, and tucked in a few ornaments. I should explain they look old because they are, I love the crackled and faded look of vintage ornaments and they’re all I use. What was left got mixed in with some greens I scavenged on a long walk after a windy night, along with a little Eucalyptus left over from a cheap Trader Joes bouquet, to make a wreath for the inside of our front door. I was happy with things until the day I unexpectedly came face to face with a potted Blue Atlas Cedar tree at a quick nursery visit…my heart skipped a beat and then sunk. Sometimes there is no substitute for what you really want.

9 comments:

  1. Your arrangements are beautiful. I love the chicken wire tree, the vintage ornaments, the great colors and natural greens are all so special.

    I envy your evergreen choices. Natural greens don't work here at all. By the time they arrive at the stores they are already brown. *sigh*

    Merry Christmas!

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  2. I agree, your arrangements are stunning. Sunset Magazine should do an article on your decorations! I love your aluminum tree, and the cedar branches are incredible. I never used to be a conifer guy, but that has started to change!

    P.S. I bought two of those eucalyptus bouquets from Trader Joe's but they didn't even last a week :-(

    Gerhard
    :: Bamboo and More ::

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  3. What you did with your branches turned out beautifully! You totally did not need a whole tree. I may do something like this next year. I haven't even put our fake tree up, and I don't think I will. Too much work for too little reward, and then it all has to come down again. I could cope with branches though.

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  4. My wife inherited that same tree from her grandma! She even found a place online that sells reproductions of the original light accessory. It looks like a table top fan but with a colored glass disc that spins slowly with lights behind it. You plug it in and point it at the tree, it looks pretty amazing.

    I really like your pine boughs with the air plants!

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  5. Beautiful. Merry Christmas. See you next year!

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  6. There are so many Atlas Cedar, Cedar of Lebanon, etc cedar limbs here to use, on trees planted in too-small spaces. You are giving me ideas for such incredible displays!

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  7. Very creative Loree, and beautiful results!

    Merry Christmas to you and your family :)

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  8. Shirley, wow...that sounds so sad. Just yesterday I was walking by a florist with buckets and buckets of greens on the sidewalk. The smell was absolutely intoxicating...

    Gerhard, I fell for the Protea at TJ's and it just happened to have some Eucalyptus mixed in, how can you not pick up a bundle of 3 Protea for $5.99?...btw I too had a long running dislike of Conifers. I am finally starting to be won over...slowly.

    Allison, yay! Glad to have inspired.

    Ryan, to have an aluminum tree that was a family members is extra special. I've never had one of those light wheels, although I have a good friend who did. Glad to know they are being made again as often the tree survived the ages but the light did not. I bet your boys love it!

    Lancashire Rose, I hope you're traveling someplace for the holidays so we can all enjoy more of your travel posts in the new year.

    DD, that sounds even better than going to a nursery or florist to purchase branches.

    Thank you Mark and Gaz, and the same to you both!

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  9. The mantle is gorgeous: you are very talented! Looks like something out of a style magazine.

    There are a couple of blue atlas cedars in the neighborhood, 40' tall maybe, and yes, they are extremely beautiful. I'm kind of hankering after one myself.

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