Golden highlights

Many Christmas memories are associated with the smell and look of evergreens. This festive wreath uses fresh-cut golden conifer foliage to perk up the greenery. A lime-gold satin ribbon accents the golden highlights; pinecones can be added.

TIME: About 90 minutes

COST: $15 (plus about $20 for evergreens if your garden doesn’t supply them)

TOOLS AND MATERIALS • Clippers and wire cutters • 10 branches green conifers • 20 branches golden conifers • Spool of coated 22- or 24-gauge florist’s wire • 16-inch heavy-gauge wire wreath base from a craft or florists’ supply store • 8 feet of wired, greenish gold ribbon • About six pinecones (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut branches into pieces about 6 inches long. Separate by variety. Make bouquets of five to six stems that mix both kinds of greens; wrap wire several times around bouquet stems. Lash a bouquet to the wire base with florist’s wire; do not cut wire.

2. Position another bouquet so the tips overlap stems of first bouquet; attach with the continuous strand of wire. Repeat, adding bouquets around the base. Tie off the florist’s wire and cut off excess.

3. Make a decorative bow from the ribbon and attach it to the wreath with wire. Attach a sturdy loop of wire to the back of the wreath for hanging.

4. To attach pinecones (optional), wrap a length of florist’s wire around the large end of a pinecone and twist the ends together. Nestle the cone in the foliage, wrap ends of wire around to the back of the wreath base, then twist ends together.