Birch is such a fun wood to decorate with in the winter.

It gives a space a certain brightness and the bark almost seems reflective.  Both of which brighten corners and more during the dark gray days of winter.

If you’ve been following along, you may remember the birch wreath for Christmas.  Shhh…don’t tell anyone…but it’s still up and it has a few cardinals residing in it’s quickly drying greenery. [wink]  We also used it to decorate the front of the house, which for some reason none of my photos turned out, and we used it to decorate the fireplace and mantel area for Christmas as well.

After Christmas, I didn’t quit playing around with birch.

I realized how it brightened things up and was so visually interesting with its flaking bark and “eyes”  that I used it to create a winter woodland tablescape.

 

Birch Woodland Table Setting :: How to Make Birch Napkin Rings :: Tutorial :: AnExtraordinaryDay.net

 

Seriously I loved that tablescape and we’re still using the centerpiece on the table even today.

It seems that a few other people were smitten with it too.  I was especially excited when Beckie from Roadkill Rescue featured the tablescape on her blog last week.

She mentioned that I was using birch branches from my yard.  Actually I may not have been clear on that in the post.  We had quite a windstorm come through where we lost power for nearly 24 hours, and branches and trees were down all over the area.  In fact we were quite lucky…many were without power for a week.

As my friend and her husband were driving to pick up a generator from a family member, she noticed some birch branches that had come down.  And since they already had a trailer with them for the generator….she picked up quite a bit.  Lucky us!!!

Do you keep your eyes open for treasures following a storm?

 

Birch Branch Winter Woodland Tablescape :: Simple Woodland Table Setting :: AnExtraordinaryDay.net

 

When I posted the Winter Woodland Tablescape, I mentioned that I would share a tutorial and show you how to make birch napkin rings.  Finally….I’m getting around to posting the tutorial!

I need to apologize….I create lots of tutorials.  Um.  Er…I take lots of photos along the way as I create.  What I don’t do well, is go back and put it all together into a tutorial.

Why?  Because….once the project is done….writing up the tutorial isn’t a lot of fun and choosing the right photos and doing all the editing just plain takes a lot of time.   It’s the grunt work.   The upside…many of you appreciate it….so I do it just for you.  Yup…it’s a gift of love.  So…whenever I post a tutorial….know that I do it because I love  you.  🙂

 

How to Make Birch Napkin Rings

 

Supplies:

  • Birch branches – approximately 2″ in diameter
  • Power or Hand Saw –  I used a power mitre saw
  • Jute
  • Tiny pine cones
  • Scissors
  • Glue Gun
  • Power Drill
  • Snowflake Paper Punch (Optional)

 

How to Make Birch Napkin Rings :: #Tutorial :: AnExtraordinaryDay.net

 

Directions:

  1. Saw your birch branches into 1/2 inch slices.
  2. Choose a drill bit that will create a hole large enough for the jute to slide through the birch slice.  Drill two holes in the middle of the slices, like a button.
  3. Pull the jute through the drilled holes from the bottom up.  Leave plenty of room to create a loop, large enough to slide a napkin through.
  4. Hot glue your small pine cones to the ends of the jute.
  5. Your birch slice and jute with pine cones will look like this prior to sliding over the napkin.
  6. Pull the jute strings up to snug around the napkin….but not too tightly.  Allow room for the napkin to be released…or slid out from the jute napkin ring.
  7. If you’re creating the napkin rings for a winter woodland table setting, punch out some snowflakes.
  8. Using a dot of hot glue, glue the snowflake to the birch slice.
  9. Bring the strands of jute together and tie a bow.

What a truly simple way to create an extraordinary napkin ring for your table setting.

Keep your eyes peeled for nature’s castaways following a storm.  You never know what you’ll find.

Have you played with branches and twigs or something else provided by Mother Nature, lately? 


Thank you for stopping by today.
I appreciate you and your sweet comments make my day.

Wishing you Extraordinary nature finds!

Diane

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Comments

  1. I absolutely LOVE these. While I don’t use napkin rings, I am thinking these might also make cute ornaments or gift tags. I will find a use for them! Thank you for sharing!

    • Diane says

      Thanks Lauren Ann! 🙂 You’re right…they really would make great ornaments. In fact I need to share some ornaments that I made with the birch. 😉
      Thanks for popping by….hope your weekend is extraordinary!
      ~Diane

  2. Karen says

    So pretty Diane!

    • Diane says

      Thanks Karen!! And easy too!!
      Hope you have a wonderful weekend! Enjoy the sunshine for me. 😉

  3. I love these! Simple and sweet!

  4. Suzan says

    I’m definitely pinning this – would love these for an outdoor dinner party too !!!
    Thanks for sharing – ( I have tutorials I’ve promised that have fallen by the wayside lol )
    XXX

  5. Mel says

    Uh huh…and I complained when we did a whopping 4 hours without power?! You poor things.
    Awesome storm treasures…Notsomuch trudging through the snow to collect em this winter, but I have plans come spring!!

    • Diane says

      Fortunately I was asleep for 6 of those hours!! 🙂
      I can’t wait to hear about your ‘trudging’ next year!!!

  6. This is gorgeous. I am visiting you via Wow Us Wednesdays and look forward to seeing you at My Dream Canvas.

  7. I love the napkin rings! I saw some wood pieces at Michael’s the other day and wondered what I could do with them that was different from anything I’ve seen. Thanks for the inspiration!

    • Diane says

      Thank you!!! 🙂
      Virginia….when you create something with the wood pieces from Michael’s…let me know…I so want to see it!! 🙂

  8. Oh that is very cool and organic. I love it.
    Patty at Home and Lifestyle Design

  9. I did not guess that you drilled holes into the wood. I thought you had glued them to a napkin ring. These are so cool. Thanks for sharing the tutorial! I know they are a lot of work as I do a fair amount of them, so I really do appreciated it. Thank you for sharing this and the peanut butter fudge at What We Accomplished Wednesdays. Have a lovely week! ~Deborah

  10. These are gorgeous napkin rings! I love everything about them! Thanks for sharing them at the Inspiration Gallery link party! 🙂

Trackbacks

  1. […] And for the last bit of woodland whimsy….birch napkin rings.  Again….the result of playing with power tools!   Do you love them?  I’ll be back with a quick tutorial for making your own napkin rings.  [Edited: the tutorial has been posted, click here.] […]

  2. […] How to Make Birch Napkin Rings […]

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