BOXING DAY IS OVER, New Years is just around the corner, and families around the world are all thinking the same thing: time to take down the ornaments and throw out that tree.
Doing cursory research and a little back-of-the envelope calculation, I estimate as many as 100 million conifers out on the street, just in Europe and the United States.
Sure, we can console ourselves by the fact that much of that will be compost material. But what if it can been re-used for more creative purposes?
Here’s one idea, which is to turn “O Tannenbaum” into “O Rudolph.”
Here’s a few examples that we whipped up over the years. Some of these also recycled pruned branches from the yard. The astute among you might recognize plum wood and other hardwoods.
Pine trees are a softwood, making them easier for carving, though usually filled with lots of sap. You can trim off the pine needles, cut the branches and the trunk into sections and let it air dry for a few months before getting to work.
These require very simple tools: a drill, small saw (dove-tail size), a whittling knife, and that’s about it. I have used nails and a hot-glue gun in some cases, but I also like to challenge myself by fitting everything together with just the source material at hand. Either way, it’s fun to do, and they make great gifts.
If you’ve got some other ideas for turning that old tree into a new treasure, let us know!
