Nature themed skirt

So, thanks to having Ms Slavin instead of Mr Skelton we're doing a different project instead of the teddy bear one.
I'm not complaining though because it's actually quite good.
We had two options, a playmat, or nature themed winter garment. So I picked the garment.
I want to do a skirt because it's important to show the examiners many different techniques and on a skirt you can easily pile a load of sewing techniques and construction on to it without making it look odd.

Thing is I don't know how I'm going to show the theme on it >_<
I have to do my nature research this weekend and basically if we research say, trees, but then on our garment we decide to do something else we'll have to either lose a load of marks or do the research again to make it look like we used it...

I was thinking perhaps vines (the spooky kind like on the Evanescence DVD cover) and dark woods but also maybe blossoms..

I just think if I hear you lot all kinda brainstorming about how I could show this and that, or other themes that'd be cool, it'd really get my thought process going. It worked with the teddy bear thing!

Maybe a vine pattern embroidered all the way around the hem?? Or should I incorporate the theme through the fabrics I use? Maybe a "waterfall" theme, and then I use blue fabric and make a gathered skirt to show the waves and put brown underneath as the rocks at the bottom?? I really don't know..

If i were you on this, i'd do a basic knee length skirt that maybe has a few underlayers to make it a little poofy, and then I'd use applique to put on maybe some trees or whatever in dark colours, so they aren't too in your face, but quite cute.

I wanted to just do applique, cus that way I could practically do ANY winter suitable garment I wanted and just sew some nature on lol

but we have to use our questionnaire results and applique was:
A- The most unpopular embellishment
B- The most unpopular way of showing a them on a garment

If I have to I can just change the results.. But my teacher has already seen them and discussed the with me so she might notice

Ooh I could even do some sort of leaf thing.. and use leaf lace.. see, my thought process is already going and I didn't post this long ago! ^__^

Some inspiration:

Does it have to be outwardly nature looking? Or could you do something like fabric made of hemp or bamboo (enviro friendly, from nature ect.) And then just do a design thats wintery looking like an earthy color or just made to be warmer ect. ect....

Nope it doesn't have to be outwardly nature looking, but it must be part of the design features. Hmm yes I might think about incorporating the fabric into it.. Neat idea..

Also a tip for the aplique...it works better and lays flatter if you use stitch and tear behind the aplique while sewing it.