How to easily make wood burned ornaments

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Learn how to create simple wood burned ornaments for your Christmas tree.

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Wood burning has been around for years, and some people are incredibly talented at this craft. I just picked it up a few months back and can already see how people get hooked on wood burning.  

It’s a lot like painting or drawing, but with a more dramatic effect.  I made two simple wood ornaments using my Silhouette and an inexpensive wood burning tool.  

After this project I am ready to make ornaments for everyone on my Christmas list this year.

Here is what I used for these wood burned ornaments:

• 2 flat wood ornaments
• Silhouette
• Cardstock
• Pencil
• Wood burning tool

You can create wood burned ornaments using a freehand approach. Just use the tool directly on wood. For my first project I wanted a stencil to help guide me. You could purchase one, but I chose to create my own.

I started by designing my ornaments in the Silhouette design studio. I used shapes and text to create a stencil that will lay on top of each wood ornament.

I then cut these stencil designs from card stock. I used simple designs that wouldn’t be too intricate to burn, the word NOEL and a chevron pattern. Then I traced the designs with pencil onto the ornaments.

This wood burning tool comes with four tips that allow you to create different effects.  A few months back I experimented with all the tips on a scrap piece of wood to see what each could do.  For this project I used the cone and shading tip, one to trace the design and one to fill it in.

I toyed with the idea of staining or painting these ornaments but opted to leave them natural.  I love how the burned design looks on plain wood.

There are many other ways to create wood burned ornaments. Since this original post I have experimented with other techniques using this tool. These wood slice ornaments are a simple free hand design.

I have also use a scorch marker and heat cut to create a similar effect. Watch how to use a scorch marker to create beautiful and intricate wood burned ornaments.

The most intricate and involved way to burn wood is with a laser. There are so many options out there for at home hobby crafters to get into laser engraving.

I own and have reviewed a number of machines and highly recommend this one as a budget friendly, powerful laser engraving and cutting machine. Watch the full review of the Aufero Laser 2.

I hung these ornaments on my tree, but I think I will make a few personalized wood burned ornaments for gifts this year.

Have you ever tried your hand at wood burning?  I’d love to hear about your project.

Thanks for visiting!

The Perfect Shave Wood Burned Box

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