DIY Cinnamon Stick Tree on Reverse Canvas

I just LOVE the rustic & natural look of cinnamon sticks….and they are so charming & festive for holiday decorating!

This DIY features the cinnamon sticks in such a unique way & I hope it’ll inspire you to make one too!

Below I’m including a SUPPLY LIST, STEPS & VIDEO TUTORIAL to help with any questions you may have in case you’d like to try and make one for yourself!!

This post may contain referral links to products used. This means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase at no additional cost to you. I only refer products I use & love

Here are the SUPPLIES I used:  (I’m including referral sources online for some of the products I used….they are highlighted in RED so click on those if you need a source. Hope that helps ya!)

• 8×10 Stretched Canvas (Dollar Tree)
• Cinnamon Sticks (Hobby Lobby)
• Ground Cinnamon
• Mod Podge
• Music Card Stock (in variety pack from Hobby Lobby)
• Metal Snowflake (Hobby Lobby)
• Piece of Stick/Twig (pack from Dollar Tree)
• Hot Glue Gun
• Rub n’ Buff in Antique Gold
• Folk Art Extreme Glitter Gold
• Chalk Paint (Waverly color “Plaster”)
• Matte Black Paint (Folk Art “Licorice”)
• Scissors
• Paint Brushes
• Pencil
• Staple Remover
• Pliers

Here are the STEPS to go along with the short Video Tutorial:

1. First, you’ll have to remove the canvas from the wood frame. This is known as a Reverse Canvas Technique. I used a staple remover gadget & pliers to remove all the staples.
2. Next, cut 8×10 size from canvas you removed
3. I traced wood frame on my music card stock & cut out. It was 8×10 also.
4. To give the wood frame a more rusty metal look, I used the cinnamon and mod podge technique….meaning I painted mod podge over entire wood frame (except for back) and sprinkled with cinnamon until full coated.
5. Then I sealed the cinnamon in with another full coat of mod podge.
6. While frame is drying, I used mod podge to decoupage card stock onto canvas.
7. I also brushed the Folk Art gold glitter paint over card stock/canvas piece.
8. After frame & canvas are fully dried, I used hot glue to attach frame on top of canvas.
9. I took a baby wipe & dipped in black paint and rubbed along random spots of the “rusty” frame.
10. Next, I glued a small twig piece at bottom/center for “trunk” of tree.
11. Now it is time to hot glue pieces of cinnamon sticks to create Christmas tree shape “triangle” (Most of my cinnamon sticks easily snapped by just breaking with my hand…..as the pieces needs to be smaller, I used scissors to gently cut down. Definetly be gentle with this step as some of the cinnamon sticks can be fragile)
12. I ended up gluing 13 pieces of cinnamon sticks in varying lengths to create tree.
13. Before attaching metal snowflake at the top, I used a combination of rub n’ buff gold & gold glitter paint to make it sparkle! I also added touches of white & black paint for added interest.
14. I then hot glued snowflake to the top 2 cinnamon sticks.
15. I also applied rub n’ buff gold & white paint to frame for added visual interest.
16. I also applied white paint to various spots on cinnamon sticks & twig trunk!

This one is really packed with such BEAUTIFUL detail!!…..and I couldn’t resist making an Ornament Variation on this FACEBOOK LIVE! Keep scrolling for that picture & supplies!

And for the Christmas Ornament variation, I used a 4.5in square wood blank from Dollar Tree, vintage sheet music sent to me by a sweet follower/friend, & made my own cardboard star!

I used the same rub n’ buff gold & glitter paint to add sparkle! I did create ripped edges on the music sheet & decoupaged it onto wood square.

I used Tim Holtz distress inks in Walnut & Vintage Photo colors to create the rustic “burnt looking” edges! Lastly, I drilled holes & added jute string to hang!! It really came out so cute!!

If you need some other Christmas ornament ideas, check out these ideas Mini Pie Ornament, Present Ornament, Birch Snowmen Ornament

Thanks so much for checking out the blog & I hope you’ll find creative inspiration always!! :) –Summer