What could be more natural than a twig, stick or branch? Though plentiful at garden centers this time of year, remember that some of the most chic alternatives to traditional evergreen could be lurking in your own back yard. Tree elements work in all seasons; but to us─they seem more apropos during the winter months when trees are naturally bare. Though Thanksgiving is only a few days behind we’ve already seen some amazing holiday tree techniques: birch branch icicle trees nestled with winterberries, banisters decked with redtwig dogwood, and cardinals perched on “snow” tufted branches hung with white twine from exposed rafters. One of our favorite ideas is this photo display featured in Midwest Living in which photographs are inserted into branches tied with twine. Bold colored berries provide a burst of color against the quietly toned pictures. We love the sparse metaphorical beauty of barren tree elements like these. Their stark elegance is a quiet reminder of another season’s passage─casting its final outline on the drifting snow of the departing year.
