The stars of Advent Fresh DIY ideas for festive decorations with poinsettias

With their magnificent, star-shaped bracts, these winter flowering plants are perfect for wonderful decorating ideas. The experts at Stars for Europe (SfE) share new DIY projects, featuring poinsettias, that will turn heads and create a festive mood.

Glowing poinsettia bouquet

Here’s how to make it: Attach the test tubes to the winterberry stems with craft wire, then tie the stems and grasses into a bouquet using the red ribbon. Fill the test tubes with water, insert cut poinsettias and place the bouquet in a vase with fresh water.

A bouquet of cut red poinsettias, winterberry (Ilex verticillata) and dried grasses will definitely not go unnoticed. This beautiful showstepper is simple to make. You will need (mini) poinsettias, winterberry stems, decorative dried grasses such as quaking grass (Briza media, here dyed red), test tubes, craft wire, red ribbon, secateurs and a vase.

A star-filled bowl for the table

A bowl planted with mini poinsettias and decorated with winterberry stems is a showstopper that will brighten up any room. With a little skill, you can make this festive DIY idea yourself.

You will need a high-qulaity plastic planting bowl, mini poinsettias, several winterberry stems (Ilex verticillata), compost, moss, thick and thin gold craft wire, a drill, wire cutters and secateurs.

Here’s how to make it:

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Step 1: Use the drill to make holes at the top edge of the bowl at intervals of about 5cm. Make sure there is enough clearance between the holes and the edge.

Step 2: With the wire cutters, cut a piece of the thick gold wire about 25cm long for each hole. Double the pieces of wire and push them through the pre-drilled holes, closed end first. Form a loop so the lengths of wire don’t slip out again.

Step 3: Spread the open ends of each length of wire apart and twist one of the two ends, first around the adjacent length of wire, then back around the other half, to create a wire mesh as shown in the photo.

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Step 4: Fill the bowl with compost and plant mini poinsettias close together. Fill the border around the poinsettias with moss.

Step 5: Around the poinsettias, tuck the winterberry stems into the wire mesh until it is no longer visible.

Step 6: Finally, secure the ends of the stems to the mesh using the thin craft wire so they don’t stick out. Tip: Make sure to angle all the stems in the same direction so they form a circular shape. This creates the impression of a swirl when you look at the arrangement from above.

Place the finished poinsettia bowl in a bright spot indoors, protected from draughts. Water in small amounts to avoid waterlogging.

Artistic poinsettia table arrangement

A modern centrepiece for a festive table setting. In this elegant Scandi-style arrangement, cut cream poinsettias rival the candle in brilliance. This artistic design in warm autumnal tones takes very little skill to make. You will need a bowl, chicken wire, floral tape, high-strength glue, a candle, a short piece of plastic pipe, wire cutters, scissors, secateurs , poinsettias, kangaroo paw (Anigozanthos manglesii), winterberry (Ilex verticillata), wild asparagus (Asparagus acutifolius), eucalyptus pods (Eucalyptus robusta), James Storie orchids (Aranthera James Storie) and kiwi vines (Actinidia deliciosa).

These tools are missing from the ingredients in the DE text. You need the scissors for the tape, the wire cutters for the wire and the secateurs for the plant materials.

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Here’s how to make it: Stick the plastic tube to the bottom of the bowl using the glue. With the wire cutters , cut a length of chicken wire to roughly the diameter of the bowl, scrunch it up and place it inside the bowl, around the section of pipe. Fix it in place, using floral tape placed over the edge of the bowl. Now insert the cut poinsettias and the other florals close together into the chicken wire. Finally, place the candle in the plastic tube and fill the bowl with water.

Poinsettia in elegant upcycled amphora planter

A bright red poinsettia makes a statement in this black DIY planter. This stylish upcycled vessel is simple to make yourself. You will need an old bowl and planter, a poinsettia, compost, black dye, baking powder and silicone.

Here’s how to make it: First attach the bowl to the bottom of the planter with silicone and let it harden. Then mix the black dye with a little baking powder to make it more matt and rough. Dab the paint onto the pot with a brush and let it dry. Finally, plant the bowl with one or more poinsettias, depending on the size, and place your finished arrangement in a bright, warm spot away from draughts. Tip: Water lightly to avoid waterlogging.

Poinsettias as cut flowers

With their huge mock blooms, poinsettias make excellent cut flowers. Cut the stems at an angle and immediately dip them first in hot water of about 60 °C for a few seconds, then in cold water, and they will keep for about two weeks. The hot water seals the cut surfaces and stops the milky sap from escaping. It’s important to regularly change the water of cut poinsettias in vases or arrangements. You can also use flower food to extend the vase life of cut poinsettias.

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