Decorating with found greens

Up until last year we went out and purchased a live tree and loved the scent of it and the look of it and the idea of it--but not so much the dropping needles and the need to keep it watered and dispose of it after Christmas. So now that we're in a smaller space it was a no-brainer to purchase a little tabletop artificial tree.  Here it is on the table in the bay window with a few treasured ornaments. So easy. And kind of cute.

So to balance out the lack of natural greens I took a little walk around the neighbourhood with my clippers and a shopping bag and found a few twigs and sprigs and branches that can be used to bring some natural greenery indoors.  First I arranged the red twigs and some leaves and big berries in this simple glass vase. 

The mantel is the obvious place for boughs of fir, cedar and blue spruce, plus some oregon grape  and arbutus unedo. The candles are only lighted when we're in the room though, so don't worry.

This little milk bottle carrier vase is perfect for some greenery sprigs in the kitchen.  I've added rose hips to this for colour-- although I wish I'd arranged them differently before taking the photograph. They're too close together!

The holly-like leaves are from a large Mahonia plant and I like the fresh colour better than holly.  The paper white narcissus came from the local grocery store and also have that bright fresh green that hints of spring. I love their scent and the promise of greener, warmer days to come.  Today is the Solstice so we really are beginning the upswing. Yay!