Ok, we have a fun little craft for you, complete with an easy how-to and some festive photos.
First things first: we finally got our tree decorated this past weekend. Each year we enjoy changing things up a bit with a loose theme or a few fresh ideas, but this year the theme was simple and meaningful — family. We decided to fill the tree with ornaments that mean something to us: homemade pieces, personalized keepsakes, gifts from loved ones, and items that carry memories. For the first time we had enough special ornaments to decorate a full-size tree instead of our usual tabletop tree, which felt just right now that our big girl is eager to help.
Because handmade ornaments were such a big part of the collection, I decided to make about three dozen wood-slice ornaments with a rustic yet colorful look. The first step was finding a fallen branch roughly three inches in diameter. After celebrating silently for finding the perfect piece of wood, I brought it into the garage and sliced it on the miter saw into many thin rounds. The cuts went smoothly and I ended up with almost three dozen wood slices.
One side of the branch was more gnarly than the other, which gave me a fun mix of pieces — some with weathered holes in the center and others that were smoother. I let the rounds dry for about two weeks so they wouldn’t be damp when painted or sealed. If you’re short on time, pre-cut wood slices are an alternative, or you can look into safe quick-dry methods designed for raw wood.
When they were dry I sanded them for a smooth surface and tried three simple designs using paint pens: a small arrow motif, a pie-shaped fraction segment, and a dipped-edge look where the bottom is colored in. I deliberately left a lot of the wood grain visible so each ornament kept its natural character with just a pop of color. I used a red and green paint pen and a turquoise pen for variety — inexpensive options from craft stores work well.
After painting, I sprayed the fronts and sides with a clear gloss sealer to protect the color and give the slices a slightly polished finish that contrasts nicely with their rough edges. Once the sealer cured for 24 hours, I drilled small pilot holes at the top of each slice, added eye-hooks, and slipped metal ornament hooks through them. That was all it took to turn those slices into tree-ready ornaments.
I loved how the red ornaments popped against the green tree. The total cost for making around three dozen ornaments was low — roughly thirty cents per piece when you factor in paint pens, sealer, and eye hooks — making this an affordable, handmade addition to the season’s decor.
These wood slices joined a jumble of other homemade pieces we’ve collected over the years, which is what made this tree feel so warm and personal. We’ve made many ornaments before — from faux antlers and painted ceramic animals to dried orange slices and keepsakes that commemorate baby’s first holidays — and it’s fun to see them all together again.
- Some early projects included faux antler ornaments and painted ceramic-style pieces.
- We’ve used filled or snow-covered glass baubles in past seasons.
- Dried orange slices were a favorite one year for their scent and color.
- We’ve also made sentimental items like baby’s first-Christmas ornaments with hand and silhouette impressions.
The tree itself was a hand-me-down that we’ve come to love — soft-feathered tips that look pleasantly natural and a shape that reads as real and slightly droopy in a good way. We placed it in our bay window so the lights reflect into the evenings, and it quickly became the focal point of our living room. Decorating was a family event: Clara took the bottom section, I handled the middle, and John reached the top. She did an impressive job, even hanging fragile ornaments carefully after we taught her to place just one per branch and to consider the sides and the back.
As we hung each ornament, Clara asked where they’d come from, which led to stories about honeymoon souvenirs, ornaments picked up on trips, gifts from readers during a book tour, handmade pieces from past years, and family heirlooms. By the time the table full of ornaments was empty, we could recall the origin of every single one — a testament to how strongly personal objects can lodge in memory.
Clara was very proud of her work and posed happily in front of “her tree.” Seeing the whole display at night, lit and reflecting in the windows, felt like the perfect reward for a collaborative decorating effort.
We also kept a few playful details — like tiny novelty ornaments and a simple tree skirt made from faux sheepskin rugs — so the look remains cozy and homespun rather than overly styled. In short, this year’s tree wasn’t about a strict color scheme; it was a curated, handmade hodgepodge of memories that made the season feel personal and joyful.
How does your tree look this year? Do you prefer real or artificial trees? Any handmade ornaments in the mix? Next year we’re thinking about including Clara in baking or crafting ornaments from clay or gingerbread that we can seal, paint, and hang together — a project to look forward to.
