Christmas Roses Centerpiece

With inexpensive materials you can create a glittery, jewel-toned flower and candle centerpiece for Christmas. This will look lovely lit on the Christmas table.

Materials:

• Artificial roses: red with leaves, six; cream, four
• Artificial greenery: holly leaf stems, four; holly leaf stems with red glitter berries, eight; pine sprays, four
• STYROFOAM Brand Foam:
  • Balls: 6", one; 5" and 4", two each
  • Sheet, 36" x 12" x 2"
• Green reindeer moss, four bags
• Candle holder cups, five
• Red glitter taper candles, five
• Floral pins
• Serrated knife
• Candle stub or paraffin
• Pencil
• Yardstick or ruler
• Wooden skewers
• Wire cutters or floral shears
• Low-temp glue gun and glue sticks
• Thick, white craft glue
• Optional: Battery-operated mini light string

Steps:

1. Wax serrated knife with candle stub or paraffin. Measure and cut one 8" x 30" piece and one 6" x 28" piece from foam sheet. Center and glue smaller piece to top of larger piece to create base.
    
2. Glue reindeer moss to foam base and all foam balls, covering surfaces.
    
3. Cut five 2" lengths from wooden skewers. Glue one end of each skewer into bottom of foam balls. Apply glue to ends of skewers and insert into base as follows: 6" ball in center; 5" balls on each side of center; 4" balls on ends. Balls should touch one another. Note: For added strength, push additional skewers up through base into balls; glue small pieces of moss to any exposed ends.
    
4. Twist and glue candle cups into center tops of balls. Insert candles to aid floral and greenery placement.
    
5. Use wire cutters to trim all holly and floral stems to 2" lengths. Glue and insert two holly berry stems into tops of 6" and each 5" foam ball, with leaves surrounding candle cups. Glue and insert one stem into 4" balls.
    
6. Using photo as guide, glue and insert three roses into base on each side under 6" ball; insert leaves around roses as shown. Insert cream rose stems between 4" and 5" balls, two on each side of arrangement. Insert four remaining holly stems, one on outside of each cream rose.
    
7. Glue and insert pine sprays into foam base, two at each end. Shape pine stems to gently wrap around sides and front of base. Secure with floral pins.
    
8. Glue small pieces of moss to any exposed stems or floral pins.
    
9. If desired, secure mini light set to centerpiece with floral pins; glue moss to exposed pins. Attach lights to centers of balls and along base edges. Position switch and battery holder at one end of base and secure with floral pins.

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