| Go out for a walk, maybe with your dog | | | | flowers. These stems can look very |
| or a friend. Go to a park, field or | | | | dramatic in a dried flower arrangement. |
| overgrown area, these are the places | | | | When you get home stand all your stems |
| that you will find lots of dried | | | | in a vase. Seeds will probably drop out |
| vegetation. I say vegetation because | | | | along it the odd bug. You may want to |
| weed means unwanted plant, and although | | | | return these later. |
| you are collecting what other people | | | | Give some of your findings that frosty |
| deem as weeds, you in fact want them. | | | | Christmas feel by spray painting them |
| Take a bag with you and a pair of | | | | silver. Read the back of the tin before |
| scissors. Some stalks may be too tough | | | | you begin and follow the directions for |
| to break with just your fingers. You may | | | | using spray paints. Don't paint all of |
| need gloves too in case some plants have | | | | your stems remember less is more. |
| thorns or spikes. Under no circumstances | | | | Add a splash of colour to the bouquet by |
| should you pick plants from other | | | | introducing Christmas baubles or |
| peoples gardens, unless you have asked | | | | ribbons. Glue or wire a bauble to a |
| for permission to do so. | | | | kebab skewer and add to the display. |
| You may find grasses of different types. | | | | To make a bow, take a length of wide |
| Some with heads like mini fox's tails | | | | ribbon and fold it back and forth a |
| others may look more like trees. | | | | couple of times. Scrunch up one end and |
| Look out for unusual seedpods on the | | | | secure it with wire. Stick the ribbon |
| plants, you may be lucky enough to find | | | | onto a kabab stick. |
| a poppy seed head or a thistle. | | | | To present this gift of nature as a |
| Pinecones are treasures, use craft wire | | | | gift, arrange the dried and painted |
| or glue to attach the cone to a wood | | | | flowers in a vase or form a bouquet |
| kabab skewer and then use as another | | | | secured in place with an elastic band |
| specimen to add to your collection. | | | | and tie a large ribbon in a bow around |
| Sometimes flowering plants dry out and | | | | the stems covering the elastic band. |
| leave a structure which, once supported, | | | | |