19 Nature-Inspired Crafts Ideal for Festive Winter Tablescapes

Mushroom Tree Ornaments

miniature christmas tree mushroom ornaments — Kritsada Panichgul

Christmas tree ornaments don't always have to be traditional and DIYing them can be a great way to bring a whimsical element to your home. These handmade mushroom ornaments are perfect for a small tree centerpiece on an entryway table. Using some modeling clay, acrylic craft paints, Mod Podge, and a few other items, these cute ornaments are fun and easy to make. Let your mushrooms air dry overnight before painting them. Connect the stem and the head of the mushroom using hot glue and add screw eyes to the top for easy hanging.

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Nature-Inspired Winter Centerpiece

evergreen tallow berries decorative container — Kritsada Panichgul

Creating a bundle of nature as a centerpiece can be simple. Go out in nature to find fresh items to use instead of paying a premium cost. Evergreen twigs, hypericum berries, pinecones, and birch branches can all come together to create a beautiful centerpiece. Find other additions like cinnamon sticks at a local craft store.

03 of 19

Mini Twig Christmas Trees

small christmas trees from cut branches — Kritsada Panichgul

For an easy DIY centerpiece for your dining room table, head out into the woods. These wood twig ornaments are simple to create and look great when placed on a wood slab, garnished with eucalyptus leaves and white tallow berries. Hot glue two 4-to-6-inch wooden twigs to create the tree trunk. Continue to cut twigs gradually and glue to the trunk twigs to create a Christmas tree shape. Crisscross gold twine back and forth and then hot glue to create a garland effect. For more shimmer, spray paint gold.

04 of 19

Rustic Bouquet

Tin cup with evergreen branches and berries — Adam Albright Photography Inc

Reimagine common kitchen utensils like measuring cups and flour sifters as vases to add a rustic touch to your winter table. Search flea markets and antique shops for vintage containers with a timeworn look. Then fill them with fresh-picked bouquets of tree clippings and real or faux holly berries.

05 of 19

Natural Napkin Rings

Place setting with name on leaf — Trevor Dixon LLC

Forego fancy napkin rings and craft your own natural variation instead. Wrap a few strands of jute twine around eucalyptus clippings and tie around folded napkins. Using a fine-tip permanent marker or pen, write each guest's name or initials on a leaf to personalize each place setting.

06 of 19

Organic Medley

pinecones plants and candles in small metal holders — Jay Wilde

This natural table decoration combines candles, pinecones, and other natural elements in a simple DIY display. First, head outside to collect pinecones, sprigs of greenery, and seasonal berries. Then arrange galvanized metal cups atop a tray or platter and alternately fill them with votive candles and your winter bounty.

07 of 19

Bundled Up

Place setting with ornament and branches — Adam Albright Photography Inc

Fashion woodsy place card holders for your winter table using tiny bundles of branches. Gather small twigs outside and cut them to about 3½ inches in length. Tie the bundle together with jute twine before tucking in a fresh sprig of fir and a handwritten name card.

08 of 19

Pinecone Forest

Mini trees made of pinecones — Jay Wilde

To make this simple nature craft, cut wooden skewers to 2 to 4-inch lengths. Using hot glue, secure one end of the skewer into a ⅛-inch hardware nut, making sure it's even with the nut edge. Attach the nut and skewer to the base of a pinecone with hot glue. With a ⅛-inch bit, drill through a wooden doll-head knob to use as the base. Insert the skewer into the hole and secure with hot glue. For a snowy look, brush thinned paint over the base, skewer, and pinecone, and let dry before assembling.

09 of 19

Woodland Scene

Centerpiece with tree, pinecones, and deer — Trevor Dixon LLC

Use an ironstone tureen or other porcelain serving dish as the foundation for a miniature woodland scene. Plant a natural rosemary topiary inside the tureen and add mounded moss on top to form the forest floor. Layer in Hypericum berries and frosty pinecones brushed with watered-down white paint. Dot the display with vintage wooden kids' toys for a nostalgic touch.

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Beautiful Branches

Vase with branch and pinecones — Peter Krumhardt

This nature craft reimagines branches clipped from the yard as a seasonal bouquet. Fill a clear vase with glass baubles and pinecones and tuck branches in between. Attach hanging hooks to pinecones of various sizes to create ornaments, then dangle them from the branches.

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Nature-Inspired Napkin Ring

Place setting with ring of berries — Steven McDonald

Greet guests at their seats with a wreath when you wrap napkins in these frosty rings. Pull berries from an existing strand of garland, taking care to remove each berry with its wire still attached. Wrap the wire securely around a grapevine ring. When you've attached as many berries as you like, brush the berries with a light layer of decoupage adhesive or clear-drying glue, and sprinkle them with clear glitter. When dry, bookend the berries with sprigs of greenery stuck through the grapevine.

12 of 19

Woodland Creature Place Card Holders

Invite woodland creatures to your table with this whimsical nature craft. These place card holders are made using plastic animal figurines ($11, Hobby Lobby) that you can find at most crafts stores. With a coating of gold spray paint, they make a playful (yet still sophisticated) addition to your winter decorations.

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Snowy Tabletop Display

Centerpiece with candles and birds — Steven McDonald

Your tabletop will twinkle with candles covered in a dusting of faux flurries. To create this glistening display, pour Epsom salts onto a flat surface and mix in a sprinkling of glitter. Apply a layer of decoupage adhesive to the candle sides using a paintbrush or foam brush. Keep glue away from the top and top edge of the candle so the salts and glitter stay clear of the flame. While wet, lay the candle in the mix of salts and glitter. Lift, rotate, and set the candle back in the faux snow until all sides are covered. When dry, arrange as a centerpiece on a tray covered in fake flakes.

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Pinecone Wine Charms

Pinecone on wine glass with name — Steven McDonald

Your guests will be sitting—and sipping—pretty with pinecone-petal drink tags. To achieve the flower shapes, cut straight through a pinecone with pruners. (One pinecone yields multiple blooms.) Paint the petals white using acrylic paint. When dry, write guests' names on a leaf shape cut from green cardstock paper ($1 per sheet, Hobby Lobby), then slide the leaves between the petals. Place a pinecone flower on the rim of a glass at each place setting.

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Branching Out

Branch with birds and glass with candles — Steven McDonald

Create a stunning DIY chandelier to light up your winter table. Start by spray-painting a branch white. When dry, make it a perch for clip-on songbirds. Place removable adhesive hooks on the ceiling and hang the branch above your table using two ropes. Tie terrarium bulbs from the branch using fishing line, then add votives to each bulb before guests arrive.

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Winter Feast

Holiday glass plate with treat — Steven McDonald

Dress up an inexpensive glass or clear plastic plate with a blanket of drawn snowflakes. Before you doodle, wash the plate so it's free of grease and fingerprints. On the underside of the plate, draw snowflakes with a white oil-based paint marker ($4, Michaels) Let dry and flip over. Once you've polished off your dessert, hand-wash gently, being careful not to scrub the bottom of the plate.

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Take the Cake

Cake with holiday decor — Steven McDonald

Whether it's from scratch or store-bought, dessert tastes sweeter when it's served on a made-by-hand cake stand. Cut two different-sized logs for the pedestal and platter, then hot glue them together. Set the cake on a circle of cut cardboard before placing it on the wood base.

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Tree Cake Topper

Top your frosted treat with a tiny evergreen. Cut a sprig of greenery from your holiday tree or garland, and strip the growth around the base. Push the sprig into the end of a cinnamon stick. Use a short length of jute twine to tie a bow where the sprig meets the stick. Push the cinnamon stick "trunk" into the center of the cake.

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Natural Light

Mason jar lights with cranberries and leaves — Steven McDonald

Cast a warm glow on long winter evenings with this natural table decoration. Place a branch of greenery at the bottom of a glass jar or vase and fill it about two-thirds full of water. Drop in cranberries and a floating candle to add ambiance to your winter dinner party table.

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