82-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 7, 2002
Turn a discarded piece of wood into a checker garneboard, which also makes a nice
decorating accent when hung on the wall. Use pieces of old shutters or old wood to cre
ate shelves and hanging racks. «
/jifts
LOU ANN GOOD outbuildings.
l oad And f amily These pieces of “junk” can
features fditor form the basis for gift giving and
NEW HOLLAND (Lancaster for home decor if you follow the
Co.) those who live on a farm, example of Judy Kurtz, Bow
no doubt can find odd pieces of mansville, and Cindy Wegaman,
wood, wooden shutters, paint, Berks County,
and other discarded items from It’s true that Judy and Cindy
years past in the barn and other are adept with using a drill, jig-
Ruth Frantz said that the foundation for this cedar and
pepperberry swag is formed using a bent wire clothes
hanger.
LOU ANN GOOD
Food And Family
Features Editor
LEBANON (Lebanon Co.)
Items to transform into stunning
decor and gifts can be found in
your backyard, in the field, or in
the woods.
With a little bit of know-how, a
set of instructions, and the leni
ency to adapt and substitute
what you have, Ruth Frantz
demonstrated just how easy it is
to create a “natural holiday.”
Frantz, master gardener with
Penn State Lebanon County,
used greens, birch branches, box
wood, and a crafts person’s sta
ples of hot glue, floral foam, and
floral wire for several projects.
Can't make a perfect wreath?
Frantz is reassuring: “Nothing is
straight in nature. It doesn't need
to be perfect."
However, do make sure that
you wire wiap things tightly.
Natural materials shrink as they
dr\
Here arc ducctions tor three
projects. Frantz adapted them
from "Nature Crafts for Christ
mas” by Dawn Cusick and Carol
SFrom
It?
Taylor.
Remember, you can use mater
ials you have on hand. Make
wreaths and swags as full and as
thick as preferred.
OBLONG WREATH
This three-foot-long wreath
can decorate the largest fireplace
without looking skimpy. The
base is heavy, galvanized clothes
line wire shaped into an oval with
the ends overlapping about 3
inches and taped together with
duct tape.
Bunches of boxwood 3-4
branches about 12 inches long
are wired together and to the
base, starting at the bottom and
working up one side, overlapping
the bunches to cover the stems of
the previous bunch. The other
side is covered in a similar mat
ter.
Three-inch burgundy cock
scomb heads (or yarrow, rose
hips, oi whatever else \ou have
on hand) are hot-glued at
random to the branches; White
strawflowers, sprigs of baby’s
(Turn to Page B 12)
saw, and sander. But they claim
that “it takes no talent” to use
many of their ideas.
Old tins and clay pots can be
given a new look with a bit of
paint. If you can’t paint free
hand, many stencil designs are
available. The star motif is espe
cially popular not only at Christ
mas but year-round. Craftmakers
can even stencil with the word
“joy” or other words.
Old doors with original peeling
paint or made to look that way
are in vogue in home decor. Prop
doors upright in a corner or hang
horizontally on a wall. You can
even cut out parts of the door to
use for a variety of shelves or
other craft ideas.
Fill a painted aluminum buck
et with cookies, teatowels or vari
ety of other little gifts.
Use an area rug (new or clean)
beneath a table centerpiece.
Turn old porch posts into can
dlesticks.
Update old clay flowerpots
and saucers.
Have some old mason nails? If
they aren’t already rusted, leave
/
Old shutters can be
painted and used a variety
of ways, from hanging on
the wall to using as a cup
board door.
(Turn to Page B 12)
Judy Kurtz, left, and Cindy Wegaman used an animal
skin stretcher for this snowman. After painting the
snowman, they hung a few finishing touches on it.
The top of an old chair finds a new life as a shelf when
hung on a wall.
’ j// •
'. /
Fay Strickler, Berks County home economist,
serves soup in a pumpkin and offers many ideas for
packaging soup mixes for holiday gift giving. She
also stresses the importance of washing hands
often and thoroughly to prevent spreading germs
when cooking and serving food. Turn to page B 6 for
recipes by Strickler and others.
• >,?■// fa*
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