THE SECRET TO BRANCH CENTERPIECES

Sharing the secret to branch centerpieces this fall

Welcome to this month’s Pinterest Challenge with a group of women who prove we are only limited by our imagination and creativity. This month was all about decorating with branches from our own yards. Good thing I always have something that did not survive my green thumb.

PINTEREST CHALLENGE

The photo below was our inspiration pic. I love that basket. Welcome to Everyday Edits. My name is Laura and I am a Realtor and blogger in Colorado.

Sara had the following elements in her vignette:

• Lantern
• Blanket
• Twigs, Branches
• Pumpkins
• Basket
• Shoes

In full disclosure, I missed this photo and landed on another photo on her blog post. My first reaction after I realized my mistake was similar to me in 5th grade when I did the wrong math assignment. Sheer panic.

So my emphasis was heaving on shrubs, scrub oak and an urn. I did not work my running shoes into my vignette.

THE HUNT FOR RED + YELLOW OCTOBER LEAVES

As I looked out the kitchen window, with more leaves on the ground than on the trees, I was worried. And then I decided I just needed to wander my yard.

BRANCHES

A walk around the house was just the thing to find a few shrubs that had plenty of stems with leaves in every Crayola fall-inspired color.

That’s how I thought of my search for branches. Unfortunately, a few shrubs had more branches than leaves. I grabbed my shears and removed the dead branches.

I grabbed a few branches, with and without leaves.

Tip: dead branches are just as pretty as leafy branches.

The dead branches gave a more earthy feel to my urn. And the best part, a dead branch is not going to drop its leaves.

BASKET/URN

This metal urn was itching for branches.

I chose something sturdier because the weight of the urn could sit on the the sofa table.

Like most of these challenges I have to work around Elliott (our farsighted, barnyard, Bernese Mountain dog rescue.

PUMPKINS

This raffia/wicker pumpkin was perfect for my branch centerpiece in the family room.

The pumpkins added color and texture to a blank wall in the background stay tuned for this blank wall makeover). That’s all wall behind the urn.

Well, I had a few leaves float to the sofa table behind the family room couch.

Sidenote: Do you say couch or sofa? Just curious if it’s a regional thing.

So this vignette was created in maybe ten minutes I went back and added pumpkins and gourds and my Pinot Noir-like leaves sadly did not make it over the weekend.

I made another loop around the yard and grabbed these beautiful gold leafy scrub oak trimmings.

THE SECRET

The secret to decorating with branches is to not overthink it. That’s it. The yard is filled with twigs, stems, and leaves of all colors. Sometimes the not so pretty branches make for the best arrangement.

Think as you did in elementary school when you made bouquets of Dandy Lions.

Remember the enthusiasm for all those “flowers” in your yard? We all just need to explore our yard or walk like our eight-year-old selves. It’s like a field trip for grownups. Here’s the secret to decorating with branches. Have the mindset of your eight your self and don’t overthink it.

Oh, and I added a few elements to my branch centerpiece. I love it even more with the lantern and the blanket. But, no shoes in this centerpiece arrangement.

What a fun challenge that reminds us to use what we have in our homes or yards. I hope you enjoyed my slightly off-course branch vignette.