Hearth kindling arrangement.

This beautiful holiday season project was kindly contributed by Author: Richard Bedsole, American Floral Arts, AIFA, Inc.. For more floral arrangements and design tips click here

What better way to share wonderful, warm Holiday Greetings than creating a gift from the hearth? It`s so easy to create an inexpensive, olde world gift of love and creativity with just a few items from the woods and you`ll have a great Christmas Floral Design to keep or give.

If you take a walk through the woods, you`ll see lots of things you can use to make a wonderful holiday gift. Even if you have no place to search for your woodsy items, you can still create this wonderful hearth arrangement simply by purchasing a kindling bundle from your local firewood supplier.

First, take a bundle of wood, this can be small logs that you`ve gathered yourself, or you may purchase a bundle of kindling wood. The logs can be any size you wish, but remember to keep them small so that you can deliver your gift with ease. I prefer to use logs that are about 1 - 2 inches in diameter and about 1 foot in length.

You should use 6 or 10 logs. Then (if you`re using 6), simply lay 3 logs side by side and run a thin bead of hot glue between the logs (make sure to do this on a protected surface in case glue should leak between the logs). This will secure them while you work with them. Then, on top of your 3 logs, you`ll lay 2 logs in the same position/direction and glue those two logs together and then glue them to the first set of 3 logs. Then take a final, single log and glue it to the last set of 2 logs. You`re attempting to make a pyramid of logs. See FIGURE #1

Hint: If you decide to make a larger log pyramid, you`ll start with 4 logs, lay them side by side and glue them together, then lay 3 logs atop those, then 2 logs, then 1 log on top. Make sure you use hot glue between each log and to secure each set. This will help you hold the logs in place for the next step.

Now that you have your logs glued together, simply take a length of ribbon that is long enough to wrap around all of your logs. Make sure to leave enough ribbon so that you will be able to tie a knot on top of your log stack. This ribbon needs to be tied very tightly around your stack of logs. See FIGURE #2

When you have your bow attached, simply embellish it, (using hot glue) and glue pinecones, cinnamon sticks, artificial berries, poinsettia blooms, artificial evergreen, and/or plastic ornaments. See FIGURE #3

When you`ve finished adding all the goodies, you`ll have a marvelous hearth arrangement to give to family, friends and neighbors, or keep for your very own. It`s inexpensive, easy to make and they`ll LOVE it!!! It`s JUST TOO EASY!!!!! SEE FIGURE #4