Home and Garden

Ideas For DIY

Finally A “Forever” Christmas Tree

by

12309209_10206977651172801_126779268_n

We spend Christmas with family in Australia and let me say finding a “Real” Christmas tree is like finding a pine needle in a present stack. The local stores sell trees that are alive but you’re lucky if they are 2 ft tall and under $100. Their limbs are so weak that you put the Angel on top first, so that she can pray for the branches to bear the weight of the ornaments. So when Balsamhill.com.au wanted to send me a Norway spruce I was very excited to try out their tree.

12285717_10206977651252803_1440538548_n

When I opened the box I was a little worried and thought “what the heck?” It not only came with instructions it came with a set of gloves in a little zip bag. I didn’t find the needles spiky or a need for the gloves, perhaps these are better suited to the amazing lighted Christmas trees.

Let me just say it took me less than 2 mins to put up (add another 5 mins for sprucing out the needles) to put the tree together. Oh and 2 extra mins cause I still had to put the gloves on and do a little Michael Jackson sing song.

12305845_10206977651212802_795263163_n

The stand is not plastic like most tree’s  and will last a lifetime and folds flat.

12309058_10206977651052798_2078113640_n

The pine needles are thick and not brittle or fragile at all. Which will make packing it down a lot easier if I don’t have to be pedantic at gently pushing it into the bag (it comes with one for storage).

I decided I didn’t want to add any ornaments, not this year at least. I want it to look beautiful and natural and real. However I think when the kids get home from school they will start adding ornaments. I will first convince them it is real. My only disappointment is that it doesn’t smell real. I think i’ll add some of Balsam’s Scented Ornaments.

The trees not only come in varying sizes, they come in different shapes and even frosted. Frosted Christmas Tree.

But wait it gets even better they have a 50% off sale on right now.

rss-t-au-1 tan-t-au-1 was-t-au-1

Thank you Balsam Hill. We love our new Realistic Christmas Tree.

12309052_10206977651132800_1141394177_n

Related Posts:

Comments

  1. I’m Australian and we don’t grow the Christmas trees that countries with colder climates have. For one pine trees are not native to this country and shouldn’t be grown here either. Natural ground covers can’t grow under them and thus our native animals gain no benefit from them either. But, it’s nice to see someone has come up with a tree that has that full Douglas fir look, at last.

  2. Wow, way to get the Aussies offside. Our tree is always real, at least 6 foot tall and 3 foot in diameter and has never cost more than $60. Glad you like your new plastic tree though.

Have you read?

Easy Patriotic Mason Jar Cricut Craft for Summer Decorating

Mason jars really do earn their keep in the craft room, don’t they? One minute they’re holding buttons, the next they’re filled with flowers, fairy lights, paintbrushes, or the random collection of pens that somehow migrates from every drawer in the house.

This Stars & Stripes 4th of July Mason Jar Cricut Craft from CraftBits is a simple red, white, and blue project that turns plain pint-size mason jars into festive patriotic decorations. It uses paint, white vinyl, a Cricut machine, and a stars-and-stripes SVG file to create a clean, bold design that works beautifully for 4th of July table decor, patriotic porch styling, summer BBQs, Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Veterans Day displays.

You can find the full tutorial here: Stars & Stripes 4th Of July Mason Jar – Cricut Craft.

What I like about this project is that it looks polished without being overly complicated. The jars are painted red and blue, then finished with white vinyl decals cut using a Cricut. The tutorial uses a Cricut machine with a fine point blade, standard grip mat, premium white vinyl, transfer tape, weeding tool, paint, clear glaze, and two pint-size mason jars with at least one smooth side.

The instructions walk you through painting the jars with 2–3 coats, sealing them with clear glaze, uploading the SVG into Cricut Design Space, resizing the design, cutting and weeding the vinyl, applying it with transfer tape, and sealing again before filling the jars with flowers, flags, or other embellishments.

These jars would be adorable lined up down the centre of a picnic table, tucked into a porch display, or grouped on a mantel with mini flags and battery candles. I especially like the idea of using faux white flowers so they can be packed away and reused next year — because let’s be honest, holiday decorating is much easier when half the job is already sitting in a labelled storage tub.

If you are already planning a front porch refresh, this project pairs nicely with our 15 DIY 4th of July porch decor ideas, which includes mason jar accents, patriotic wreaths, painted rocks, custom doormats, and budget-friendly red, white, and blue styling ideas. CraftGossip also notes that mason jars work beautifully for porch tables, windowsills, drinks stations, battery candles, fairy lights, flags, and wrapped cutlery.

A few handy tips before you start: make sure your jars are clean and dry before painting, let every coat cure properly, and use the smoothest side of the jar for your vinyl. Raised lettering on mason jars can make vinyl placement a bit fiddly, and nobody needs to be arguing with transfer tape the night before guests arrive.

For supplies, this is a natural place to mention a Cricut machine, white permanent vinyl, transfer tape, weeding tools, mason jars, clear spray glaze, and red and blue craft paint. Amazon works well for general Cricut supplies and mason jars, while Cricut-branded materials or vinyl bundles are a helpful affiliate fit if you’re turning this into a shopping-supported post. A small Cricut scraper or spatula is also worth having nearby because it helps the vinyl transfer cleanly without bubbles.

You could also change the look depending on your decorating style. Use navy and burgundy paint for a more vintage Americana look, bright red and royal blue for a party table, or chalk paint if you like a softer farmhouse finish. Add twine around the rim, tuck in mini flags, fill them with sparklers for display only, or use them as utensil holders for a backyard BBQ.

This is a lovely beginner Cricut project because it uses a simple vinyl application on a small surface. It gives you a finished project that looks impressive, but it doesn’t require a huge material list or complicated layering. And if you’ve been saving jars because “they might be useful one day,” congratulations — one day has officially arrived.