I love making decorations for holidays and seasons that can be interchanged, so I came up with this simple Shadow Box Forest for Christmas and Winter. It’s a great project to ease yourself into using power tools.
Shadow Box Forest
If you follow me at all you know that my style has gotten rather simplistic. I created a forest that was simple with clean lines to add to my already existing Winter and Christmas decor. Follow the directions below if you would like to make your own forest.
Here’s what you need to make the forest:
Tray or piece of wood
Triangle trees
Green paint (at least 3 different shades)
White paint (optional)
Sponge brushes
Paint brush (optional)
Wood glue (optional)
Start by measuring the triangles to make the trees. I made all of mine different sizes, some are tall and skinny and some short and fat. The tallest is 7 1/2″ and the widest is 4 1/2″. Do what will work for your space or what looks good to you. You can use scrap pieces of wood for this project.
I was so excited to use my new BladeRunner x2 for this project. I would normally use my miter saw but this was so much quicker and easier. If you don’t have a table saw, a miter box and saw will work but it will take longer.
I attached the shop vac to the saw to catch the saw dust. It worked like magic to keep the dust away from the blade so I could see my lines and it was really easy to attach.
I started with something simple since I’m not really skilled with a saw but this project was so easy that I can’t wait to try more difficult projects. It will be fun to try my hand at making home decor, crafts and gifts.
Since I have a large collection of trays I used one of them for the shadow box. You can use any tray or simply use a flat piece of wood to hold the trees. If you use a piece of wood you will need to use wood glue to secure them in place. With a tray you can just set them in place or glue them if you like.
Cut out 7 trees and arrange them in the tray the way you like. Once I knew where I wanted the trees I numbered them on the back, then lightly sanded them.
Now it’s time to paint. If you want the wood grain to show through dilute the paint with water using a 1:1 ratio. If you prefer more color don’t dilute the paint.
Lightly paint each tree with only one coat of paint to see the wood grain. It is more like a colored stain.
I used paint I already had so that’s how I ended up with these colors. I might make more trees of all different colors for other places in the house. At this point you could add white dots using the bottom of a paint brush to represent snow. I decided not to because I like how simple these are.
You could also add some glitter to add a little sparkle if you like. It’s such a simple project but I love the impact of all the trees together.
What do you think? Are you going to try this simple project?
Pin it for later: Shadow Box Forest
You might also like these posts:
Scrabble Tile Christmas Tree
Natural Christmas Wreath
great giveaway! i would make wall shelves.
I have about a million projects I could make with this saw! The first one would be an open frame to hang photos that I saw on Pinterest 🙂
Probably some kind of shelf to test it out.
I am really wanting to make an old fashioned heavy-duty picnic table.
You made something so cute look easy to do….makes me think even *I* could do it! I’d love to make some simple, rustic decor for our house.
i’d cut some trim for my kitchen.
i really need it!
i love how portable it is!
I’d like to try making my own frames for artwork.
i have a pattern for a bench I’d like to make. 🙂
Love the tree idea. The Bladerunner looks incredibly useful!
I would make some shelves for my son.
This amazing project that you just shared! So cute!!
I have always wanted the Rockwell BladeRunner and I would love to make some wood stars for my familyroom wall and this would perfect to make them 🙂
I need some wall display shelves in my office.
I would love to make a necklace hanging rack for my jewelry!
i would love to make wood letter cut outs for my kids
wow, I love to make a key holder with it!
I love tools and adding some to my workshop would be awesome. My granddaughter and I love to craft together so this would be of great help to us!
I think the first thing we would make would be a storage closet for all her doll’s clothes. 🙂
I really want to make a headboard for my daughter made of picture frames. That is a big task but it would be the first thing I create with it. Thanks for the wonderful giveaway and Happy New Years 🙂
I have some reclaimed wood from an old farm house. I would like to make some boxes and frames.
I would love to make birdhouses and a storage unit for my jewelry. Great Giveaway! Fingers Crossed! Happy New Year!
I would love to make some wood letters for my sons room
I would make some frames for some photo canvases. Thanks for the chance to win such a great prize!
Since we just moved into a fixer-upper house in June, there are only about a gazillion things I’d do with it! And, of course, I’d make some things for organizing to share with blog readers. I’d like to make an organizer for my makeup (especially all those Bare Minerals jars!)
I love your shadow box so much I’d probably start with one of my own.
This looks so great! I would make the “shadow box forest” for my first challenge. Then, hopefully I will be off and running.
I would love to create a unique idea for office supplies.
I need to use electric hand tools and stop relyingon DH so much
This is so cool. I would use it to create bases for my wood burning projects.
we just bought an old house. I would use it to make so many things!!! I think I would start with some frames to stretch fabric on.
I like your idea for the shadow box. I would create something similar with a moon and star theme.
I’d love to make some heart shaped cut outs as part of my Valentine’s day decorations. They’d be so cute to paint.
Id make the adorable tree project, and then try some shelving for a bedroom
I’m a new DIY’er and any of these would be great to start off with.
What great project…
I would haul this bad boy to help built props for my daughter play. I could probably haul one less bag of tools with me. The versatility and the size of the Rockwell is amazing.
I’d love to make these little trees at some point but first I’d like to make a thread rack for my sewing room!
something for easter
My kids have made me all sorts of art work on canvas this holiday break, I woyuld LOVE to frame them up!!!!! PLEASE PICK ME!!!!! I NEED to win this super bad!
I would attempt some simple second shelves to utilize the vertical space in my closet.
I want to make art frames and shelves for my craft room
I want to frame some book shelves to make them look built-in
I want to make some frames for the Maui pictures I want to give to my husband for his office.
I would make shelves for the kids’ rooms, especially now that they have little things from Christmas that need to be up off the floor.
I would make display shelves for my boys Lego creations.
I would copy your winter trees shadow box.
Don’t laugh but I need to put a cat door in my laundry room so my dog will stop eating our laundry!!
I’ll make a wood rack for my dad and a target for my nephew!
i would make some craft storage bins for my cube system i have!
Well I adore that shadow box you made and I also need to make some shelves for my sons’ closet.
Fist thing I’d make would be a headboard for my daughter.
It cuts tile! A backsplash is definitely the first thing I’d do.
I would make holiday decorations. 🙂
I would love to make a wood project for every holiday. Awesome giveaway!
I would make something fun for the kid’s room! This would be so cool. 🙂
I would probably make a decor item for Valentine’s Day.
Some sort of artwork for Valentine’s Day!
Some cute shelves for my craft room.
I would make so many projects especially for Valentine’s Day. I have so many ideas. LOL
I actually think I would make the same trees that you did! I love the way they look!
My boyfriend wants to make a lamp!
when we close on our house, we want to add in a custom book shelf
I would make some mantel decor!
A wooden box similar to an old soda pop box.
I would definitely make those trees…LOVE trees!
I would make an old fashioned wagon for my daughter, she has been asking for one for a long time.
I would make some frames for stained glass panels.
I have a TON of projects I would use it before. But, I really love what you made. I would probably start there.
Looking to create some boxes, shelf, and hooks for organizing!
Not sure if my previous comment went through. Here it is: Looking to create some boxes, shelf, and hooks for organizing!
Your trees are so cute! I love that idea!
How fun it would be to
win! I’d give it to my
husband and he would
probably make me
some type of wall
decor for my craft
shed!
Carla from Utah
I’d make some hexagon wall decor for Spangenbaby’s nursery!
First I’d make myself a pantry cabinet!
Oh I LOVE my BladeRunner!!! It is the best! Your project turned out so super cute! I love it!
I would make window trim! Not as cute as your project, but great for the windows in our remodel project.
I would make some shelves
I’d teach my mom how to use it so she could build some of the things she keeps pinning on Pinterest.
Most likely a squirrel feeder.
I would make a Valentine’s Day front door display.
Wow. I would make a bench. I have the design saved and I could really make it if I won. Thanks for the great giveaway.
This would be for my son and I believe he would make his wife a nice country shelf she has been wanting!
My husband has retired and would love to start a hobby with the Rockwell BladeRunner X2 Portable Table Saw
This looks like the perfect tool for making custom bookcases for my collection. The Blade Runner looks to be simple to set up and use… perfect!
Make shelves for the garage
I would make a dulcimer.
I would give this to my dad. I’m sure he has tons of stuff he’d like to make.
I would build a shelf for my room!
I would make new shelves for my sewing/craft room.
Id like to try to make my grandson a small toy box and I need to make a large picture frame.
My husband and I are planning to attempt a coffee table together for our new apartment. I’d imagine the proper tools would be a big help 😀
I am hoping my husband will make me a cabinet for my sewing threads. Have a Happy New a Year!
I would like to make a shoe rack for my closet.
I would probably make a shelf.
We will be replacing our kitchen floor in the spring, so this would be perfect for cutting the edge and corner pieces.
I would like to make some new shelves for my laundry room.
A dog house would be good to build
The tree project you made is awesome! I would probably make that! We also need to do some trim work in my house, so it would get a lot if use.
a toy box and shelves!
We’ve been thinking about making a cat tree for our kitty, so I think we’d give it a go if we won this.
I need to reframe some light fixtures.
I would make a new table
I think I would start with something simple like a picture frame.
a shadow box for my sons awards thank you for your generosity
I would make some shelves
I would make some Valentine’s Day decor!
I would make some kitchen cabinets for my parents.
This would be my very first own saw:-). I would use it to make shelves for my little quilting room!!!!!
i need some shelves in my closet and this would hellp me make them
I think I’d make a wooden wreath for our entrance door.
I have some old painted red windows I would love to make end tables out of. Thanks for a great giveaway!
Looks like you got great use of the bladerunner. I can imagine 841 things I could do with it. So fun!
Great job Leanne!! You make it look sooooooo easy!!!
I’m totally in love with this tree project of yours. So adorable! I wish I have stumbled upon this post earlier and and got the box myself.
Wow! It looks so beautiful & pretty. Loved it! Thanks for the tutorial;)
I am just getting into wood projects looks pretty good. Love the tree forest. Going to have to try it.