Would you believe these Bali-inspired tabletop Christmas trees kicked off their journey as polystyrene takeout trays? Yup, the kind that usually ends up in the bin without a second thought.
Carved with rustic patterns and dressed in a breezy whitewash, they channel that laid-back, artisanal island vibe, bringing a touch of the tropics to holiday decorating.
Everything, including the tree stand, is made from scraps or throwaway stuff. So, if you love eco-friendly holiday décor or trash-to-treasure crafts, this is the project for you.
But, before we get to the tutorial, do me a favor and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram. And don’t forget to subscribe so you’ll never miss a post!
What you need
In this tutorial, the stars of the show are polystyrene takeout trays, brown paper bags, wood glue, and a craft knife.
You need four trays for each tree. I saved these from the bin. Not my bin, someone else’s. A friend of mine does a lot of catering, and she was going to toss a whole bunch out because they were damaged. It’s a classic case of one woman’s trash is another one’s treasure.
To give the tabletop trees the rustic carved relief and whitewashed appearance so typical of Balinese décor, you’ll also need:
- Acetone/Nail polish remover
- Stencil
- Sharp pencil
- Earbuds
- White craft paint
- 120-grit sandpaper
You can cut the polystyrene into any shape.
Making Bali-inspired tabletop Christmas trees
If your trays are greasy or dirty, wash them first. Warm soapy water should do the trick. For stubborn grease, mix some baking soda with water to make a paste and scrub lightly. Let them dry and cut away any raised edges.
Carving and shaping the Balinese trees
Place a stencil over the polystyrene takeout tray and poke little holes all around the stencil pattern with a sharp pencil.
Dip an earbud into nail polish remover and “draw” inside the holey outlines.
The acetone in the remover, chews dissolves carves melts the polystyrene, leaving behind a sticky residue that hardens as the acetone evaporates.
Please do this outside or in a well-ventilated area. Acetone fumes can irritate your lungs. Ask my Hubbie. He hates the stuff and gets soooooo dramatic when I take off my nail polish.
Anyhoos, once you’re happy with the carving, cut the trays into triangular shapes using a sharp craft knife and a ruler.
The Christmas trees don’t have to be perfect. Handmade Bali decor is all about relaxed shapes and organic lines.
Polystyrene takeout trays are quite thin, so use the cut triangle to cut 3 more equally sized shapes and glue them together. If you want thicker trees, add more layers of polystyrene.
Painting the Bali Christmas trees
Polystyrene, or Styrofoam, is a great craft medium, but it doesn’t do paint very well and isn’t that strong. You can use that to your advantage, like I did when I made this casting mold, or you can create some kind of “primer” first. My go-to is normally our homemade texture paste, but this time I’m going to use brown paper bags and glue.
Mix equal quantities of wood glue and water in a bowl and give it a good stir.
Tear the brown paper into small strips and dunk them in the gluey mixture.
Starting on the sides and back of the Balinese Christmas trees, glue the paper bag strips down. Don’t worry too much about overlapping the paper, as long as you cover all the polystyrene.
Leave the glue to dry. You can use a hair dryer to speed things along. Flip the trees over and repeat on the carved front. Be sure to push the paper down into the carved areas. Use the back of a spoon or your fingernails to get the paper into all the nooks and crannies.
Cover the whole area and leave the glue to dry completely.
Look at those beautiful details. The brown paper bags make the polystyrene more durable, and, if you squint, it looks like Albesia wood that’s used so often in Balinese décor.
Give the tabletop trees 2 or 3 coats of white chalk paint.
Leave the paint to dry before lightly sanding the trees with 120-grit sandpaper.
I love this part. As soon as you remove some of the paint and expose the paper bags, the Bali jumps out. Doesn’t that look so real?
At this point you can call it a day and put your Bali-inspired tabletop Christmas trees on display. Or you can take it a step further and make little tree stands.
Table-top tree stand
When it comes to small tree stands, you have so many options. You can:
- Repurpose small doorknobs into chic tree stands. Just glue them on.
- Keep it rustic and raw by glueing on a branch and planting the trees in a cute bucket or wooden box. Add a little bath sponge moss if you’re feeling fancy.
- For a cosy, homespun look, pop the trees on a cardboard tube and add faux snow for texture.
- Or you can make tree trunks out of air-dry clay. Cure the clay in an air fryer if you want to speed things up.
Or you can use leftover copper pipes and empty tealight holders like I did.
Cut the copper pipes and glue them inside the tealight holders.
Fill the tealight holders with plaster of Paris. It adds stability and gives them some weight. If you don’t have any plaster of Paris, you can add play sand or small stones. Paint and decorate the tree stands to your liking. I wrapped leftover brown paper around the stems…..
…..and gave the tealight holder a distressed paper skirt.
Glue the stands to the trees.
And that’s it.
Sustainable Christmas decorations that look artisanal but are totally handmade.
What do you think? Will you rescue takeaway trays from the trash to decorate for the festive season?
If you like the idea of Bali-inspired tabletop Christmas trees, don’t forget to pin the tutorial for later.
Sharing is caring.
More crafts using a takeaway dish or tray
- This DIY fairy garden door turns trash into pure garden magic. It’s a quick and easy craft the kids will love making.
- Save money and craft smart with this simple casting mold made from a repurposed takeaway dish. It’s reusable and surprisingly sturdy.
Oh, and if you’re looking for some of the things we used to make the Bali Christmas trees, we’ve got you covered. Disclosure: Clicking on the links below means we may receive a commission from Amazon. But don’t worry, it won’t come out of your pocket, and it helps us make more amazing crafts to share with you.
Or if you prefer to buy rather than DIY, then here you go.
And as always, wishing you a wonderful, crafty week filled with lots of love and laughter. Thank you for popping in for a visit.
