How to Make a Faux Christmas Tree Look More Natural
Well, it’s that time of year! Christmas is growing near and it’s time to put up the tree! You know I’m a big fan of bringing the outdoors in. It’s always a good idea in my book… and Christmas is the perfect time to showcase nature by bringing in an evergreen, right? Well, unless you’re actually allergic to them. It just so happens that there are family allergies in my home so a live tree is out of the question. However, we don’t despair! I found ways to make my plastic pine look picture-perfect… follow along and I’ll show you how to make a faux Christmas tree look more natural.
pinecones and acorns
Bringing the outdoors is one of my favorite things to do to make my home more festive, especially during the Christmas season! And adding natural elements is key! So the first thing I do to make my tree more realistic is to add pinecones and acorns that I found in my neighborhood. My bur oak acorns are extra large and extra special because they look just like tiny bird nests. Nestled in the branches they look wonderful on my tree.
Fruits and Nuts
This year I thought I would try to dry orange slices to add a bit of color to my tree. It’s an easy process but took quite a few days to completely dry them out. I just sliced up three navel oranges and put them on a roasting rack on top of a cookie sheet. I dried them for 3 hours at 200 degrees in the oven, flipping them periodically. When I removed them from the oven they still needed more drying time. I left them on the drying rack in my art room for several days. I’m so happy with the outcome! And, along with my orange slices I have walnuts hot glued to twine strings…very festive indeed!
crafty and woody
The more wood the better! In fact, my star is made out of twigs! I bought popsicle sticks and made snowflakes. I also bought wooden mushrooms and wood discs from Amazon. With a bit of hot glue and twine, they became instant ornaments!
Whimsical and wooly
What can I say about these furry funny friends? I needed a bit of whimsy and when I saw these handmade alpacas made with pure natural alpaca wool, I fell in love instantly! They are soft, wooly, and definitely whimsical!
Voila, my favorite tree!
Without a doubt over the years, this has become my most favorite tree. There is something magical about the combination of all these natural elements together on one tree. And even though my family’s allergies to evergreens are unfortunate they don’t have to stop me from having a fabulous fir! You can still dress up an artificial pine with natural materials to create an amazing tree that looks beautiful and more realistic. So, whether your tree is faux or real you can bring the outdoors in with found or bought objects. Get creative, maybe add a cranberry swag or ornaments made of twigs… experiment and have FUN! Believe it or not, sometimes my tree looks so real to me that when I walk into the room I can almost smell it!
- Some of these natural items might be able to be found in your own backyard or neighborhood – its fun to hunt and gather! But, if you do not have access to them, Amazon is a great place to pick up some of the materials for these ornaments (paid links). They have the following supplies:
