The Seventh Day of Catmas

 

 Fai Kitteh...

 

 ...is uncooperative.

 

 You can tell when a cat feels mildly violated.

 

Okay guys, today we're going to make a mailbox swag out of leftover decorations.

You will need:

An inexpensive 9' totally fake pine garland

Wire

A measuring tape

Wire edged ribbon

Shatterproof ornaments

Oh, right, a mailbox

 

Locate your mailbox if you have not already done so.

 

Measure around it, including the support post.

 

 Grab your garland and bend the ends into a hook and eye.

 

The mailbox was 32 inches around, so we're going to add a couple of inches to accommodate the thickness of the garland.  Fold the pine in half and then measure 17 inches from the ends.

 

 Twist the garland together 17 inches from the ends. The ends should be free at this point.

 

Take the part of the garland that is now a giant loop and twist that in half. Repeat this, securing with wire. You should have 4 loops all meeting in the original twist.

 

 Fluff it up.

 

Adjust the shape through the miracle of wire manipulation.

 

 Make a big shiny bow and wire it dead center.

 

Start making clusters of ornaments. I like to wire three together for impact. 

Twist the wire and them attach them to the swag.

 

 Okay, let's haul this baby outside.

 Wrap it around, fastening the hook and eye underneath, arrange it and bend it to 

conform to the mailbox, and you're done!

Now run back inside and have some cocoa. It's only 60 degrees out here!

But I'm not sensing any sympathy.