So one day at work, we got a Christmassy bee in our bonnet (so to speak) and started looking for some cool Christmas decor that was eco(ish) and that wasn’t typical Christmas. After a quick Google search I found myself reading the blog Redhead Can Decorate and I fell in love with this pallet idea. (Who doesn’t love a worn, rustic pallet?)
Wooden pallets are so versatile – and so beautifully textured and rough. I’m sure I’ll be posting more DIY projects about them but for now – a Christmas Tree!
A Facebook shout out resulted in picking up a free pallet from a school friend I hadn’t seen in about 10 years – BONUS! Building community… and homemade Christmas trees.
And then I got going…
I found some old beige paint and did a rough slap-on go of it. I then got hubby to scuff it down for me – he’s good like that.
I measured it (drew the shape with pencil), grabbed some nails and pinned one about every 20cm(ish) down the sides of the tree, starting at the top.
I decided on a silver and gold theme (okay fine, I pretty much copied Redhead Can Decorate, because I loved hers – gold and silver together – who would’ve thought?). And then I threw on the decoration:
– a gold foil star garland (I found tinsel too chunky and overwhelming)
– a string (or 2) of gold/silver beads
– 60 count outdoor white Christmas lights (with a battery pack) which I found at Checkers for R120
– something to pop on top – a star/angel etc. Ours is an angel we bought in Banff, Canada. Beautiful memories
– silver, gold and black Christmas balls (and paper clips).
The decor worked really well and it was easy and quick to wrap around the nails.
I started zig-zagging the lights on from the bottom so I could hide the battery pack behind the right hand corner. Then, I strung the star foil garland from nail to nail, allowing some of it to coil or curl here and there (go with your artistic gut). I hung the Christmas balls on the garland and beads with unfolded paper clips. And ta-da!!
Check that little hand trying to grab something sparky.
I’m in love with this tree! It looks even more beautiful in real life. So simple, so rustic, but also not overloaded with Christmas Kitch. Win.
(We’ve wrapped the battery pack in a ziplock and put it outside the front of the house). I hope to look back on this as something we bring out every year and that it carries many memories for my family…
Do you do anything unconventional when it comes to Christmas decorating? Tell tell!
