berry and citrus fruit swag

Materials

• Natural raffia, or ready-made plait (braid), available from florists' suppliers or art supplies store
• pruning shears
• 2 heavy rubber bands
• Medium stub wires or hot glue gun
• Small citrus fruits (variety makes it even more beautiful)
  
• Red berries on branches
  
• Roses or complimentary flowers to your home (choose flowers that dry with their petals)
  

Instructions

step 1 Natural raffia comes in its own already-tied bunch. Take the raffia and cut off one end
to make square and even.

step 2 Tie a rubber band 4-5 inches in from the end to make a tassel.

step 3 Lay out the raffia and lightly spray water over the entire piece to make more pliable.

step 4 Separate 3 equal amounts of raffia and braid in thirds, starting from the rubber band, to
the desired length, and finish off with a tassel per instructions in step 2.

step 5 Push a stub wire across and through the base of each fruit, from one side to the
other. Attach to the raffia braid. Hide any ends.

step 6 Cut the red berries, creating small bunches, and tie the stems together with stub wire.
Using the remaining wire, secure the berries around the raffia braid at intervals around
the citruses.

step 7 Take rose or other flower and divide into smaller bunches. Then wrap
the stems with stub wire and attach per instructions in step 6.

Note:

Depending on the freshness of the citrus fruits, this swag should last, in room temperature, for at least 2 weeks. The roses will dry out but will remain looking pretty and smell so nice. Rozebottel and other berries might shrink a little but will still retain their color and style. When you buy the fruits, make sure they are extra fresh and firm.