One of my favorite ways to decorate my home for the holidays is with items I find in my yard or neighborhood. Foraged bauble fillers add a natural element to your decor and, best of all, are free!
Whether wandering through the woods or gathering sprigs from your garden, clear baubles make unique keepsakes that bring the beauty of the outdoors into your home.
Let’s explore some inspiring ideas for turning simple clear baubles (you can get a pack of 25 clear baubles from this page on Amazon) into captivating, nature-inspired ornaments.
Forage Finds
Evergreen Clippings
Gathering fresh evergreen clippings from pine, fir, holly, juniper, or cedar is an immediate way to add a natural touch to your home decor.
Acorns and Mini Pinecones
Collecting acorns and mini pine cones from trees like Water or Willow oaks and hemlocks adds a natural, rustic element to your decor. These species produce small cones and acorns that are perfect for baubles.
Dried Flowers
Using dried flowers such as lavender, rose petals, or, my favorite, hydrangea blooms, adds texture and color to your holiday displays. I particularly love using blooms from my Limelight hydrangea because they dry to a lovely neutral color and are easily customizable with a bit of spray paint.
Grasses
Collecting grasses in the fall is ideal because they form seed heads that make interesting subjects for baubles. Just make sure to shake off any seeds before placing them inside the bauble.
Seed Heads
Other seed heads, such as those from Black-eyed Susans, are also a great option. They provide interesting textures and look even better with a coat of metallic spray paint or dry-brushed craft paint, which enhances their texture.
Herbs
Hardy herbs like rosemary are perfect for decorating clear baubles. They dry beautifully and naturally, offering a holiday-inspired look. Lavender, with its lovely foliage, is also an excellent choice.
Feathers
Birds naturally shed their feathers, which can add a fun, whimsical touch to your baubles! A great place to find these feathers is near lakes or ponds, where geese and ducks often gather in flocks and leave feathers behind.
Tips on Forgaing
If you plan to forage in your neighborhood or local park, ensure you have permission to do so. While it may seem harmless, you still need permission before entering someone else’s property.
After gathering your items, clean and dry them thoroughly to prevent mold. I usually lay my items outside on a tray for a day to ensure they are dry and give any critters a chance to crawl away before bringing them indoors. For a festive touch, consider adding a sprinkle of glitter or a coat of gold paint to highlight their textures and enhance their charm. Consider sitting the foraged items on a bed of fake snow. Holiday Magic Hub editor, Tracey, has got the world’s easiest and cheapest fake snow here.
Displaying the Baubles
Hang the baubles or display them in a bowl. At the end of the season, you can empty the container and compost the items if they aren’t painted. The best part about foraged bauble fillers is that you can swap them out each year with anything you like!
Leave a Reply