These Wood Slice Ornaments are adding just the right decorative touch to my Woodsy Christmas this year, as I tried to avoid the usual tinsel, in lieu of a more “earthy vibe.” Hand-painted and perfectly imperfect, they came not from the store, but from a tree that, up until last spring, was in our backyard. When we were forced to take it down, I saved a piece of the stump and a couple of giant branches. That gave me more than enough material for this year’s Christmas craft project.
Because I love Before & After pictures of any and all D-I-Y projects, I thought I’d throw this in just for fun. It’s the actual tree my ornaments came from, as it’s coming down.
The tree in my backyard, as it’s coming down.
I had my husband slice up the logs in all different sizes and thicknesses, so that I could not only make Wood Slice Christmas Ornaments, but cake pedestals, candlestick holders, and other things that come to mind.
What I didn’t realize is how rough the cuts would be. Initially, I had visions of painting wood slice ornaments for all my family and friends this Christmas, but that quickly faded. The surface just wasn’t smooth enough. Not like the smooth wood slices you find at the craft store, anyway. So I decided to pull out my electric sanders and see if I couldn’t knock down the roughness to make them more suitable for painting.
Unfortunately, you can’t really sand a wood slice, but I did make a few of them slightly better. And those chosen few went on to be treated with a little linseed oil. I figured it would help stabilize the wood and keep it from cracking. I used a rag to apply the linseed oil on the flat portion and a small paint brush to get it in the grooves of the bark.
I let the linseed oil dry for about a week before attempting to paint my Wood Slice Ornaments. I then used black chalkboard paint for my base, and regular acrylic craft paint for the lettering on top. This part is fun, because you can make it say whatever you’d like, or you can paint a silhouette of a deer, like I did. I first sketched my designs using a light colored pencil, then I went over it with paint.
Painting them took no time at all, and despite the not-so-smooth-surface, the end result was something I actually loved. So much so, that I want to paint a few more non-Christmas ones after the holidays. Do you hear what I hear? The wood pile is calling!
Half the fun of Christmas is coming up with gifts or decorations you can create with your own hands. If you liked this year’s Christmas craft, be sure to check out last year’s at http://www.muralsbymarcy.com/christmas-craft/
Plenty of wood slices in my backyard, looks like a fun project with my granboys.