Time to add some sparkle and color to your holiday decor! Fresh from the pages of Candlelit Christmas come four beautiful decorations that can be easily made at home. Best of all? They'll only take an hour—really! (Bragging rights not included.)
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Topiaries of Fruits and Berries

by John Terrell Fry


These bright and cheery topiaries combine fresh and festive elements of the season.

You will need:
• 4-inch dry foam sphere
• 12-inch dry foam cone
• Pedestal or footed container
• Florist clay
• Box of wooden toothpicks
• 1 bag of fresh cranberries
• 2 1/2 pounds fresh kumquats
• Sprigs of nandina
• Gardenia leaves

To make:
Step 1: Secure the round foam topiary to the footed container with florist clay.
Step 2: Starting at the bottom of each foam core, insert toothpicks spaced to size of the fruit.
Step 3: Pierce the fruit onto the toothpicks.
Step 4: Continue piercing the fruit until each foam core is completely covered.
Step 5: Add leaves to the top and bottom of the topiaries for desired effect, inserting the stems into the foam core.

Excerpted from Candlelit Christmas by John Terrell Fry. Photographs by Nancy Nolan. Copyright © 2003 by Stewart, Tabori & Chang, New York.

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