I love to make Christmas decorations. I’m sure it’s because Granny made Christmas decorations every holiday season. Actually she still does, although these days her creations are limited to the crochet variety.
I found this simple tutorial on how to make Christmas trees and decided to give it a try.
With The Deer Hunter’s help the project was done in no time.
We headed out into the woods beyond the chicken coop with his trusty folding saw. We cut down a small tree and went to his workshop in the basement.
Click on the video to watch – Click on the video to stop it
The tree was about two inches in diameter. The Deer Hunter sawed the tree into small 1/2 inch lengths. After the rounds were cut he used his drill press to drill a small hole in the center of each. I’m sure a hand held electric drill or even a hand powered drill or screw-driver would work to make the holes too because they don’t have to be very large or deep.
I went out to the back yard and cut off small pine branches to stick in the drilled holes.
I think they turned out just dandy! The day I made them I baked a Black Walnut Pound Cake. Late that evening I took Granny some of my cake and I took along one of the little trees we made. She thought it was the cutest thing! She said “Do you think it’ll make it till Christmas?” I said “Well if it don’t just go get you another piece of pine to stick in the hole.”
I love to use fresh greenery during Christmas and I know I’ll use the small rounds for years to come.
Tipper
Oh how sweet! They remind me of the little Charlie Brown Christmas tree.
Pam,
scrap-n-sewgranny.blogspot.com
I am equally interested in your little tree decorations AND your black walnut cake 🙂
I love those little trees…I can picture them lined up on a mantle…and bet they smell good too…
thanks for showing us..i love seeing what you make…and bet the cake was good too
much love
Angie-I have seen it before-so pretty! I tried to grow it once, but had no luck. I did not know you could make tea with it!
Speaking of black walnuts…in October ’79, I bought slice black walnut pie-looked just like pecan pie–at the Fall Festival. Best thing I ever had. We tried several times to make one but didn’t come close. If you or any readers have a Brasstown recipe for Black Walnut pie, would you please share it with me? Thanking you in advance–Rooney
Tipper,
I commented earlier about 12:00 and just as I hit Post, everything went off. But the box wasn’t there either and my comment didn’t preview, but it said “your comment has been saved” so I thought “how strange”.
I forgot what I said so I’ll comment again tomorrow. …Ken
We love using fresh greenery too. Looks like we found a fun project for this weekend! Thanks for sharing.
Great idea! But I’m more interested in the black walnut pound cake.
nice bit of greenery – put together with a few others and interspersed with some possumhaw berries, they’d make a nice table centerpiece. ” ’tis a gift to be simple ”
Very nice! And I saw some rounds similar to yours out by my husband’s shop! I, too, am blessed with a very handy husband–he can do nearly anything but, like me, he’s had to slow down some.
Wish I could have a piece of that black walnut cake. I love the flavor of black walnuts and treat myself to some black walnut ice cream once in a while.
Tipper,
Love your trees…Easy peasy, too!
However, you know me….I would have to get me a brown paper poke, sprinkle a tiny bit of flour and some iridescent fine glitter in the poke, give the tree a very light spray of (spray) glue, turn the tree upsidedownards in the poke, close the poke around the base and give it a few shakes…Instant sparkling snow!….Back in the “olden” days we did this with cedar branches then hung the tiny red balls on them or not and put in those vintage Forrest Green 1950’s or Royal Ruby Anchor Hocking vases and place around in the living room for decoration! Cedar is such a strong odiferous tree as well as Pine that it is a instant Christmas success for the nostrils…
Dad would cut us a piece of pine log very small sapling, about a foot long, slice a piece off the bottom so it would lay flat, drill three holes in the top and we wired greenery around it and put in different sized (tall, medium, small) wax candles….I wish I still had some!
Thanks Tipper,
PS…back In the day we used only flour…no glitter and water dampened branches…fancy pancy spray glue back then…or fine sparkly stuff for decoration! Ha
I shore wish I could be crafty like that. Oh well, we can’t have it all. I guess I’ll have to settle for my strength of character, intelligence, charm and striking good looks.
What do women that don’t have a Deer Hunter do? What do Deer Hunters that don’t have a Tipper do? You two are lucky to have each other! I know you know that but do you realize just how lucky?
I can not figured out why I can’t comment. no matter what I try I get the round red NO when I hover over publish. I am trying again today. what super duper idea and so easy. love it.
Cute a good project
We used to make candle holders this way. Just drill a hole big enough for the base of your candle, then let your children glue on berries, little stones, etc that they gather on a nature walk.
Cute as a speckled pup under a red wagon and crafty to. There are quite a few choices of greenery, or other, to put in those rounds; mountain laurel, rhododendron, Christmas fern, ground pine, hemlock and cedar come to mind besides all the different pines and even evergreen ornamentals. Would also work for a weathered red cedar limb or root to add spice drops or minature Christmas ornaments. Sounds like I need to make my own doesn’t it? My challenge would be getting both the cut straight and the hole plumb.
Along that line, I have made five point star ornaments using a white pine branch whorl. Takes a bit of looking but balanced points are not too hard to find. Each one is unique, kinda like the fairy crosses you posted about some time ago. I have also wanted for years to get a cut through a white pine branch whorl where the branches were the rich red pine and cut it thin enough to let the light through. They would also make a beautiful base for greenery, a pillar candle, etc.
On the end of one of the steps at the CCC museum at Unicoi State Park is a star pattern. The steps are white pine and they just happened to cut through a branch whorl.
I like that the small rounds still have the bark on them, it makes them feel fresh and woodsy and they are cute as can be! I love all the clever things you and the Deer Hunter do!