The Weeping Grapevine Tree

Many have commented on the "alternative tree" seen in the background of some of my previous posts. My Weeping grapevine tree as I like to call it, being a play on a Weeping Cherry, developed due to some leftover, "branchy" pieces of grapevine I had from the diy topiary project I completed.

I didn't want the pieces to go to waste and they "fell" so nicely when held, creating an umbrella-type shape, that the idea for a tree immediately came to mind. Now, I only had bought new colored ornaments last year for the "normal" evergreen-type indoor tree so I'm not quite sick of them yet, however this idea had to be put to use . . . especially with the abundance of grapevine utilized in new ways outdoors this year.

The Traditional Look

Last year's tree with the new green & bronze colored ornaments.

The Not-So-Traditional Look

This year's look with a whimsy, grapevine tree.  Lighter ornaments
from many years ago were reintroduced and complement the crystal decor.

I like both trees but am glad I created this grapevine version.  My initial idea (years ago) was to create a 7 -8 foot tall grapevine spiral topiary just as the ones I placed outdoors on the stone pillars. After working on those, I knew a LOT of time and patience would have to be given to creating such a monster.  I will do it eventually.  In the meantime, this alternative version was the perfect, simple solution and really became much more than I had expected.

Read the process I used to create this weeping grapevine tree.

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The Shabby Creek - Transformation Thursday
The Crafty Nest - Do Something Crafty Friday

Outdoor Holiday Decor Continued

Well, I know at some point back in Autumn when I created my "porch art" for my front entry I mentioned I would keep it up until the holidays.  My set of three Alpine artificial trees typically are placed in this location. However I really like the look of this display and once I began adding a bit of greenery to it (just to experiment), I knew it was a keeper.  Besides, it's nice to change things up a bit each year.

My grapevine branch and stone art gets a holiday makeover with the addition of a huge bundle of woven grapevine at the base (to replace the "wreath of leaves") and fresh clippings of Leyland Cypress and various other Pines.  Some miniature white lights were also added for nighttime ambiance and shimmer.

I enjoy using free items from nature when decorating, especially during this season.  It just seems so fitting to combine the colors of brown grapevine and the bright greens of pine with clipping of other shrubs with red/orange hued leaves or berries.

Some leftover pieces of thick grapevine were cut into "log-like" piece, tied up with some twine and placed upon a green leafy bed of Leyland Cypress.  I really like the soft, webbed feature of the Cypress as an alternative to Pine "needles".

I was trying to come up with a solution for a "trouble spot" on my porch . . . the outlet.  I have an outdoor lighting timer and numerous plugs running into this outlet in a rather visible spot.  Throughout the year I have an inverted planter over the mess of cords and timers.  This of course is easily hidden with lots of planters during the warmer months.  In the Winter, I have to get more creative.  I wanted to place greens on top of the inverted planter but in what?  I didn't want it to look too odd or intentional.  I was looking for an old rusty bucket to fill with greens and set on top but alas I have none (note to self, "look for old rusty pails at the antique shop").  I stopped by the local flea market looking for solutions and saw an old plant hanger there (the kind you place coco-shell liners in for hanging baskets.)  Heck, I have one of those at home.  I left without that one and pulled mine out of storage, still with it's coco-shell and leftover dirt within.  I would have liked it to be a bit larger but it was adequate for its purpose or should I say, its REPURPOSE!

A repurposed hanging basket filled with various pine greenery, pine cones and bundles of tied up twigs.
Free outdoor decor!

The full ensemble of natural, free decor.  A burgundy ribbon adds just enough color to set it off and tie in with the rest of the focal areas around the property.  An old wrought iron entry mat adds some additional detail, interest and helps mask the inverted planter a bit more.

Well I promised you I would speak about the items used to create the front entry seen in the DIY Topiary Tree Project post.

All free and all-natural decor includes tree branches to span the top of the stone columns.   White pine garland, grapevine wreaths, cuttings of various pines and cypress around my property for the green, cuttings of Azalea  and Barberry for colorful leaves and stems with red berries.  Jute twine for tying it all up.  I really love the outcome this year.  The best yet!

Hopefully you are all having much success with your own decorating.  I really did some neat stuff this year indoors too so please stop back soon to check out my freely-made and "whimsily-created" weeping grapevine tree (in lieu of the typical evergreen style Christmas/Holiday tree).


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The House in the Roses

DIY Topiary Tree Project

A welcoming entry of "all-natural" materials.

Well I finally put my hand to creating a grapevine topiary-type tree.  I have been talking about doing this for years.  Originally,  I wanted to create a large scale one for the interior of the home in place of a "normal" evergreen tree; perhaps about 7 foot tall.  I may still do it but now know how much time will be required to create one of that magnitude.  I decided to "go small" first and see if I could make it work before attempting to "upsize".

Grapevine Topiary Seen Atop The Stone Column

To make this project you will need:

1) Tomato cages at the height of your choice.  I purchased two 42" tomato cages at Home Depot.  They were under $3.00 a piece.  They also had 52" which I originally thought I would choose but these actually are quite tall enough for my intended purpose - atop two stone entry columns.

2) Wire mesh (chicken wire) for a base (if you require a weighted base - optional).  This can be purchased at most hardware or home improvement stores.  I bought it at Ace Hardware for a prior project.

3) Wire snips/cutters and pliers.

Cages, Wire Mesh, Wire Cutters and Strewn Grapevine

4) Paddle Wire, Floral Wire and/or Small Ty-wraps.


5) Brown or similar colored spray paint (optional).


6) Tons of grapevine.  (Free from the woods or purchased in garland/spirals from online sources such as Amazon).


8) Miniature outdoor lighting (brown grapevine lighting recommended)


8) Lots of patience and perseverance!


I placed my tomato cage on top of the wire mesh and cut a square with the wire snips to fit the circumference of the cage.  Once cut out, I carefully folded the corners that extended beyond the "circle" inward over top of the bottom ring of the tomato cage.  I snipped the wire where necessary to make it neatly "foldable".  Use your pliers to bend and press the wire inward tightly around the bottom ring of the cage and to clamp it down securely.  This base is intended to weigh-down the topiary with rocks or a brick (as I used).

Getting ready to cut a square of wire for the cage's base.

NOTE: Use caution when handling the cut ends of the mesh wire.  They are sharp.  Use the pliers instead to bend them into place.

The corners have been carefully folded inward over the bottom hoop of the cage.

If you so choose, you may elect to do a quick spray paint of the cage itself to mask the silver so it blends better with the grapevine you will later be wrapping onto it.

Once dry, begin wrapping grapevine to the base.  You may want to use the thicker diameter vine at the bottom and work upward with the thinner more pliable vine.  You will want to connect the bottom "base" grapevine well with paddle wire (floral wire) or ty-wraps.  I used paddle wire.

Thicker vine has been secured to the base and diagonal spirals are beginning to be added.

Due to the tapered shape of the cage, you can not simply wrap the vine continually from the bottom to the top as it has a tendency to slide upward (unless you constantly want to wire it in place).  Instead, you will begin to wrap the pieces upward at an angle (diagonally).  Go to the bottom, attach another piece in another location and wrap upward at an angle again.  You will want to begin attaching and wrapping in this manner, both clockwise and counter-clockwise, alternating every so often so that your vines begin crisscrossing over one another in an "X" shape.  Soon you will no longer need to use any paddle wire or other means of attaching the vine as you will be able to weave it through itself to hold it in place.

A brick for weight is still visible within the structure.

If you want a weighted base, you want to be sure to add a few rocks or a brick before you totally weave the form closed with vine.  However, it's pretty easy to shift the vine around to create an opening to slide a weighted object inside if you forget.

Another angle

You may elect to fully cover the form with grapevine or leave it a bit more open as I have done.  If you choose the latter, you will be able to observe any lighting you place around the structure the whole way through which will give the illusion of more lights.  You may want to choose brown miniature lighting as I have done so it blends in and is less noticeable during daylight hours.

I placed my completed structures on top of concrete planters to give them a decorative base. They are set atop 8 foot stone columns.  At this height, the brick inside is not visible.  I placed cuts of evergreen around the top of the planter before setting the topiary structure down.  This helped mask any signs of the mesh wire base that may have been visible.

A concrete planter is used as a pedestal for the topiary tree.

I would estimate that each topiary took about 3 hours.  I worked on them over a 2-day period.  I also ran out of the free grapevine I pulled down from the trees along my road and from my own property or I would have continued adding more.  All in all, I'm quite pleased with the finished result and can always add more grapevine at any time should I choose to do so.

This project cost less then $20.00 total in supplies.  The biggest "cost" would be your own labor but you can't put a price on your time when you end up creating a project of which you can be thoroughly proud.  In that case, it makes it ALL WORTH IT!

For more projects such as this, see my post on Grapevine Galore.  I will be adding more information about this completed entry project and the all the natural materials used to create it, as well as the additional, coordinating decor for the front porch and doorway.  I'm going "Natural-Minimalist" this year so please stop back for more soon! 


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The Shabby Creek Cottage - Transformation Thursday

The Shabby Nest - Frugal Friday

Grapevine Galore!

Heavy Grapevine Creates An Entry Arch (see below)

The freak, Winter storm that hit the Northeastern U.S. over Halloween weekend created quite a mess of downed trees and damaged shrubs.  One such tree was a Mulberry tree in my pasture.  Unbeknownst to me, it had a mass of grapevine throughout its upper limbs, making it top-heavy and too weak to hold the weight of the wet snow.  The tree will be greatly missed but the grapevine mess found within has been put to good use.

The bramble of branches and vine in the pasture is seen at lower left.

Some of these I have posted before but I think I'm done playing with vine for awhile.  You can see various ways I have incorporated it decoratively around the property.  Nothing like free, decorative, raw materials from nature.

A new arch for the wild Clematis to cling to next year

Branch and vine add a nice touch to this stone column entry

Quirky, organic, entry art until the holiday decor gets placed.

And my week ago project of creating an arch for a front door entry.  I created one years ago for a prior residence but from much smaller and more pliable grapevine.  This was thick and heavy-duty.  It was kind of neat to work with . . . twisting, weaving, intertwining and braiding it as best I could to form the shape.  It took me about an hour to complete.  A few pieces of jute twine are wound in certain sections to assist in holding its shape.

Miniature Christmas lights always look super strewn through grapevine

Hope your holiday decorating plans are well underway!


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