Looking for a simple way to light up your home up as the nights grow longer? This is a quick way to create an early winter centrepiece or a reading lamp for your favourite corner.

Supplies

10 inch branch ball (look by wreath making supplies in a craft store)
2-3 Pussy Willow branch stems (decorative, not real)
Small Mason Jar
Thin Wire (any kind)
Yarn
Scissors
A Candle or LED tea light

1. Using scissors or wire cutters, clip the pussy willow branches off the main branch into individual pieces.

2. Look over the 10″ ball- there’s a stiff wire structure that keeps its shape. Locate the center line of the ball where the wires inside the ball leave the widest gap, then rotate the ball on that center line, examining it for the section that has the fewest branches crossing through. This will be the base where your mason jar will slip inside the ball- mark it by tying a piece of yarn to keep your place.

3. Weave the pussy willow branches into the ball by gently tucking them under and over the branches. Try to create arcs or spirals that wrap around from one side of the ball over to the other to ensure you have an even distribution of the branches.

4. Head back to the section that you marked with yarn, where we’ll create an opening for the mason jar. First slide over any of the branches over that are flexible and nearest to the wire structure inside the ball- the idea is to create a gap the mason jar can fit through as naturally as possible. When you’ve slid the movable branches, secure them to the wire or other sturdy branches by wrapping them with wire. Make sure you start and finish with the end of the wire on the inside of the ball so it won’t scratch your furniture.

5. For any branches that you can’t move, snip the branch and secure it to another branch or the wire inner structure of the ball with a couple wraps of wire.

6. Test to make sure your mason jar will fit through the gap.

7. For a decorative look, wrap your mason jar in a complementary colour of yarn and securely tie it above the lip of the jar to keep it from falling down. You could also paint the jar for a frosted glass glow!

8. Place a candle in your mason jar & enjoy! I used three LED tea lights to get a bigger glow without having to worry about heat.

Best enjoyed while reading blogs or sipping tea!

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