Creating A Rustic, Natural Christmas Mantel: Pinecones & Oranges

If you are looking to create a rustic Christmas mantel this year, look no further. Today I’m sharing how to achieve a budget-friendly, natural holiday mantel using foraged bleached pinecones and dried orange slices. The mantel garland is filled with rustic charm, and the DIY and repurposed Christmas mantel decorations only add to the overall farmhouse feel. Let me share all the details to help you create a stunning holiday mantel.

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Creating A Rustic, Natural Christmas Mantel Garland

My Christmas theme this year is filled with lots of natural elements, including foraged pinecones. I was so pleased with my first attempt at bleaching pinecones that I decided to use them on this year’s Christmas mantel. I like how they contrast with the garland greenery and the dried orange slices. I’ll share how I attached the pinecones and dried oranges to the garland to complete this year’s Christmas mantel, along with all the repurposed Christmas decorations I included.

Prepare The Pinecones

First, if you choose to use bleached pinecones, allow about a week for the cones to bleach and dry. You can see the full How To Bleach Pinecones tutorial here.

Next, add an eye hook to each pinecone, along with a hanger and an optional velvet bow. I used jute twine and gold twine for the hangers, which I tied into the eye hook. Then I attached the velvet bows to the top of the cones with hot glue.

Prepare The Dried Orange Slices

You will also need to prepare the dried orange slices prior to decorating your mantel. Begin by drying several orange slices with this easy How To Dry Fruit For Holiday Decorating Tutorial.

Once your orange slices are dried, add the metallic gold twine to a large sewing needle. Thread the needle through each orange slice, leaving enough twine to reach from end to end of your mantel. Spread the orange slices evenly along the twine. I used approximately 22 orange slices.

How To Attach Greenery Garland to a Mantel Without Nails

I don’t want to damage the wood on my mantels, so I first added command hooks to attach to the mantel. Just follow the manufacturer’s instructions for securing the command hooks. Then drape the garland along the mantel, using the hooks to secure it. I had four pieces of garland and allowed the centers to overlap for a full garland appearance.

Once you have the artificial garland to your liking, begin tying the pinecones onto it. Distribute the cones evenly along the garland. I grouped several at the center of the mantel. And finally, after the pinecones are all attached, drape the dried orange slices along the garland and position them between the cones.

Lastly, I attached a large velvet bow to the center of the mantel and nestled more pinecones around it.

Stand back from your mantel and add or delete to give the mantel garland a balanced appearance.

Christmas Mantel Decorations

This year’s Christmas mantle decorations consist of repurposed bottle brush trees, thrifted, updated nativity scenes, and DIY glass vase candle holders. All the Christmas decor is budget-friendly and eco-friendly.

The updated nativity scene was a $3.50 find at a thrift store. With just a little update, it takes center stage on this year’s Christmas mantel.

Repurposed Bottle Brush Trees

I’ve collected bottle brush trees for several years, and last year I updated and repurposed many of my inexpensive ones with the latest trends. They are combined at one end of the mantel with another repurposed nativity scene tea light candle holder. You can see more details at Spruced Up Bottle Brush Trees Tutorials.

Another set of trees balances the other end of the mantel, along with some DIY glass vase painted candle holders.

Candlelight View of Christmas Mantel

To enhance the mantel at night, I added several battery-operated tea light candles around the nativity scene. The result is a soft, warm glow along the mantel top.

The warm, bleached pinecones complement the gold and cream colors of the trees and nativity scenes, creating a soft, cozy atmosphere around the natural mantel. I’m loving all the neutral colors for Christmas this year.

Thank you for stopping by today, and I look forward to sharing my next adventures with you.