When we go to Christmas tree lots I’m often found trailing behind the family with my eyes scanning the ground for the perfect pieces of flat, cut tree stumps and greenery like a crazed 5am Black Friday shopper. This time as I climbed into the car a few minutes after the rest of the family Jared rolled his eyes and knew exactly what I was up to, “craft project”. BINGO. You know me too well. I love using free, salvaged greenery to make home decor and these mini trees do not disappoint! They’re hanging out on our mantle and bookcases, making the perfect little Christmas forest.
Here’s how we made them…
Supplies: Tree trimmings (really any type), tree trunk stumps or wooden flat disks (at the tree lots as well, ask if you don’t see them–they’re usually just in a pile by the chainsaws), hot glue gun
Step 1: The holes in the tree stumps were much larger than the diameter of the branches so we stuffed a few pieces of bark in there first.
Step 2: Place your trimmings branch in the hole and fill with hot glue. Hold the branch upright and steady while it dries for a minute or so.
That’s it! Decorate your forest with mini reindeer (we gave ours a pom pom Rudolph nose) and colorful bottle brush trees.
Photography and styling by Liz Stanley. Assisted by Sarah Iveson and Sara Albers
Hi!
I just wanted to let you know that I absolutely loved your craft and I featured it on my blog, Sincerelyrox.com. It’s, 50 amazing Christmas DIY’s since it’s Christmas in July (: I hope you don’t mind and I wish you a great weekend! Thank you!
Roxanna
These are so beautiful and resourceful. I love that they are from nature, from “scraps” – PERFECT!
I am so happy that I have stumbled across this! May I ask exactly what kind of tree branches you used? I have tried it but it is not the same as the gorgeous ones you have created! Please share!!
I am a new fan! What an adorable and clever idea!!! Way to go!
I need major help. I threw out our fake tree last year because it was very old & wore out. My husband didn’t want me to. I wanted to make sure I got a new one this year. Well, here it is Dec. 21 and no tree. He doesn’t like real ones. But I have to have a tree mainly because of my kids. So I went over to my neighbors house & got permission to see if I could find one and cut it down. He said yes. The only thing I could find was a very little branches on it. It was the best one for what I could find. I need to fill in quite a lot of spaces. What would any suggest how to fill it in. Its small and not very strong. Any suggestions, any one. My email address is angel0577@live.com. I am desperate.
I mean, c’mon. This is so simply genius! I am going to make these to sit at place settings for my garden club…love, love! Thanks!
Do you feel like a genius, you genius?
This is genius!! I also collect all of the stump scraps and can’t wait to try this out.
This is such a clever and amazing idea. Organic and refurbished crafting. I love it!
This is such a clever idea! Our apartment is too small for a tree so I have been just putting up little lights to decorate but this would be perfect, festive and not crowd our space too much. Thanks!
http://www.southernfolly.com
LOVE this idea, I need exactly this for my desk! Where can I get those wood disks? Were they the coasters on the table decor post?? Too cute.
they are from the tree lot – the tree lots cut off the bottom of the tree when someone buys it – there are piles of these near the chainsaws in the staging lot.
Yup! What K said! They cut them off the trees when you buy them so they’re just hanging around the lots
What the what?! This is too cute! I’m totally going to try this project.