5 ideas for holiday decorations from scrap wood Wood represents homeliness and warmth, so recycled wood decorations will be a beautiful addition to the Christmas spirit in your home. Wood also provides a unique aroma; coupled with the delicious smells from your kitchen, this will spread through your home and intensify the festive atmosphere. We have selected some sustainable suggestions for making holiday decorations from scrap wood. 1. Cone ornaments Autumn and winter are ideal seasons for finding and gathering cones, as they begin to fall off branches. You can walk through a nearby forest and pick up some fallen cones. To make ornaments from fallen cones you need: Cones Your chosen shade of the water-based coating Belinka interier Glitter Brush Thread Scissors When collecting the cones, carefully inspect them for pests to avoid any unwanted consequences. Once you have removed the damaged cones, you can start making your Christmas decorations. If you want to hang them from your Christmas tree, you first need to attach the thread. You can use a plain sewing thread or a thin string that can be found in your local shop. It is easiest to attach the thread firmly to the bottom of the cone; you can also wrap it around the top. Once the thread is attached, start decorating the cones with a paint or spray in your chosen colour. You can always add some glitter! Apply glue to the cones with a brush and then sprinkle them with the glitter. 2. A Christmas tree made from fallen branches If you dislike artificial Christmas trees or having needles from a natural tree all over your floor, this year you can make a Christmas tree from branches found in the forest. To make a Christmas tree from fallen branches you need: Fallen branches in different lengths A longer rod (made of wood or metal) that will hold the branches Drill A stand for your rod Your chosen shade of the water-based coating Belinka interier The branches should be thick and strong enough to drill through a hole the size of the diameter of the support rod. A tip is to start by sorting the branches by size. The number of branches depends on the height of the tree. Drill a hole in the middle of each branch, making sure you can insert the rod through each, to ensure your new Christmas tree can stand. Attach the rod to a stand that is stable enough to support the weight of the tree so that it does not tip over. Start putting the longest fallen branches on the rod first and continue until you have added the shortest. 3. A candlestick from scrap trunk Candles create special lighting, as well as comfort and homeliness; on cold winter days they also provide warmth. Before the first snowfall, look around your orchard or nearby forest for a suitable piece of wood that can be recycled into a candlestick. To make a candlestick from scrap trunk, you need: Scrap or sawn-off trunk (thicker fallen branches also work) Abrasive paper Drill Candles Your chosen shade of the water-based coating Belinka interier Making a candlestick from scrap or sawn-off trunk or thicker branches is straightforward. First, make sure the trunk is clean, and that the wood is dry and free of any pests. Use the abrasive paper to get rid of any chips; remove the bark if you want a candlestick with a cleaner look. Then drill holes large enough to fit the candles. Only light the candle when you are in the room. For the cherry on top, you can enhance the candlestick with the stain coating Belinka Interier. 4. Christmas tree decorations from scrap branches Thicker scrap branches can be used for another type of Christmas decoration that will create a natural and rustic look for your Christmas tree. It involves burning Christmas motifs into the wood. To make Christmas decorations from scrap branches you need: Scrap branches Abrasive paper Drill Hook for hanging the ornaments Thread or string Felt-tip pen or paint Your chosen shade of the water-based coating Belinka interier or Belinka Interier lacquer Carefully saw the thicker wooden branches into round rings and then sand them to make their surface smooth. You can burn or draw Christmas patterns on the rings, such as snowflakes, stars and Christmas trees. Someone with neat handwriting can add thoughtful messages for loved ones. You can bedeck your ornaments and tree by painting the smoothed ring surface in your chosen colours. Then drill a small hole at the top of the ring and thread through the string. Coat the surface of your ornaments with Belinka Interier stain, or just use the colourless Belinka Interier lacquer for additional protection. 5. A Christmas tree from scrap wooden boards Do you have old wooden boards lying around at home? You can turn scrap wooden boards into a minimalist but wonderful Christmas tree that will delight your guests. To make a Christmas tree from scrap wooden boards, you need: Three wooden boards Abrasive paper Thin-layer Belinka Belton stain Drill or glue for wood Thread Before making a Christmas tree from wooden boardw, first take care of the wooden surface. For example, if the wooden boards come from a used box, they will probably need to be sanded first. The two longer boards should be the same length, as together they form the top of the tree; the third board should be long enough to connect them at the bottom. Drill a hole at the end of each board so they can be attached to each other. You can drill two or three additional holes on the two longer boards (or more if you have longer boards). If your boards are shorter and lighter, you can glue them together instead. For a nicer look, protect the wooden surface with Belinka Belton. For a festive atmosphere, choose gold, silver or pearl shades. Once the wooden surface of the recycled wooden boards is dry, glue them together or attach them with nails in a triangle to mimic a Christmas tree. Thread a thicker string through the additional holes, then hang your chosen Christmas tree decorations, or decorate the wooden tree with fairy lights. We recommend using Belinka’s Interier and Belton stains when making any of these decorations. We offer gold, silver or pearl shades, perfect for the festive season, which can be mixed at selected points of sale. In addition to the standard shades, you can also choose from 70 colour shades according to the Belinka MIX colour chart. No matter what decorations adorn your home this holiday season, we wish you a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year.
