Deck the Halls

The holidays will soon be here. Based on a recent survey, people report they are returning to the traditional holiday colors-red and green. Yet, I thought blue was so gorgeous, and went very well with silver and white. Of the metallics, gold is expected to be the most popular shade. Overall, consumers said they would spend around $115, the same as they spent last year.

For herb lovers, it is easy to decorate for the holidays. A great place to start is some topiary herbs. For a classical look, these can be potted in traditional terra cotta pots. If your pots aren't attractive, wrap them in heavy-duty waterproof Christmas wrap. Just remember to remove this before watering the plants.

Rosemary is an ideal holiday plant, especially the upright forms. These are often trained as spheres or hoops, but that isn't always necessary. Tall ones can be used as tabletop Christmas trees. For that purpose, keep the decorations simple. Usually a bow is about all that is needed.

On the other hand, decorate liberally with herbal wreaths, swags, and garlands. The more, the merrier. Typically a swag can contain any fresh or dried herbs that you have on hand. For longer lasting decorations, I prefer to use ones that won't wilt easily, such as lavender and lavender cotton. Mix and match different colored herbs any way you want. Some of my favorites are chile peppers, purple oregano, tri-color sage, dried yarrow blooms, and garlic bulbs.

Large twig trees could be decorated with herbs and everlastings. For this project, one needs to keep the decorations in scale with the tree. I usually choose fine-textured plant materials, such as dried yarrow flowers.

What could be more traditional than teddy bears? These can be dressed appropriately in holiday colors and prints of your choice with Christmas bonnets, dresses, and other clothes. Miniature teddy bears also make delightful Christmas tree decorations. Just attach yarn or string to the hands, and hang on the tree. These can also be used to decorate mantles, tabletops, and the like.

From full-size quilts to quilted wall-hangings, table toppers and other quilted items, this craft is a delightful way to decorate for the holidays. All you'll ever need to know about quilting is presented in "Your Guide to Quilting," written by the folks at Jo-Ann Stores, Inc. and published by Meredith. Whatever one's level of skill, this title is suitable. It features techniques for creating pieced and appliqué quilts. This guide walks you through all the steps-from choosing the colors and fabrics to planning, cutting, sewing, and quilting. Founded in 1943, Jo-Ann's is now America's largest retailer for craft supplies and fabrics, and carries a full line of sewing and craft items, including craft books.

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