• About Us
  • FAQ
  • Work With Us
    • Resin Crafts Influencer Programs
  • Contact Us
  • SHOP
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Resin Crafts Blog by ETI

Resin crafting projects and tutorials

  • Home
  • Resin Projects
  • Molds
  • Project Type
    • Jewelry
    • Home Decor
    • Art
    • Gift Ideas
    • Crafts
  • Roundups

Pine Needle Resin Coasters from the Christmas Tree

November 27, 2019 By Natalie Shaw 2 Comments

554 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet

Pine Needle Resin Coasters from the Christmas Tree

Hi Resin Crafters, it’s Natalie from Doodlecraft sharing a great way to preserve your Christmas tree to enjoy year after year. Pine needle coasters are easy to make with EasyCast Resin and a small branch from your Christmas tree. Make a resin coaster each year to memorialize your holidays spent together. This craft is simple and doesn’t take much time at all.

In all honesty, my husband and I have never had a live Christmas tree. This year will be our 19th Christmas together and no, never had a live tree. I’m okay with that. I like to work on handmade gifts, and they almost always involve pine–so I still get that delightful Christmas tree smell…in saw dust form. I diffuse my home with pine to make it smell amazing…but our tree has always been a fake. This craft is perfect if you get live trees each year. I’m showcasing coasters, but go ahead and add a hole, tie a string and hang it as a Christmas tree ornament. It would be fun to see the differences year after year.

Supplies Needed:

  • EasyCast Clear Casting Epoxy
  • Coaster Silicone Molds
  • 2 Mixing cups, 2 stirring sticks, disposable gloves and work surface
  • Pine Needles
  • Heat Gun, Embossing Tool or Mini Torch
  • Nail File
  • Number Beads (optional)

Step 1: Resin Mixing

Begin by reading the directions carefully for the resin. Mixing resin is simple, but needs to be done exactly for the chemical reaction to take place. It is mixed in a 2 phase process. 1 part of the resin and 1 part of the hardener, mixed for 2 minutes. Then transfer into a second mixing cup and use a second stick to mix for another full minute. This ensures complete mixing.

Then pour the resin into the silicone molds. I just filled up 2 of the cavities and used about 6 ounces of mixed resin, 3 ounces for each coaster.

Step Two: Pop Bubbles

Next, wait about 20 minutes, then use a small heat gun to pop any of the bubbles that have formed and come to the surface.

Gently blow heat or use a torch to pop the bubbles on the surface. Do not apply heat to one spot for too long. Just work quickly and pop the bubbles.

Then the resin will be clear and free from bubbles.

Step Three: Add Pine Needles

Then add the pine needles right on the surface of the resin. No need to press them down, they will sink as they sit and become completely covered with resin.

Step Four: Harden Overnight

Add a good amount of pine needle pieces and then set the coaster mold aside to cure overnight.

Step Five: Remove and Enjoy!

The next day peel the resin coasters out of the mold, this part is highly satisfying. Check out the pine needle coasters! I love seeing how the needles settled in the resin to give texture and life to this fun coaster.

Another fun idea would be to add the year of the tree the pine needles came from…using these plastic number beads.

Use a nail file to lightly sand around the edges of the resin to make sure it is smooth and ready to sit on the coffee table without scratching it.

Now you can enjoy the texture and look of your pine tree year round! Or pack these away with the Christmas decorations and enjoy them again next year!

 

That’s it!

This is a great way to preserve that Christmas tree and enjoy some hot chocolate on a cold Winter morning.

Like, Pin and Share!

 

Natalie Shaw
Natalie Shaw

Natalie Shaw is a Craft/DIY blogger at Doodlecraftblog.com. She loves sci-fi, fantasy and video game geekery and that comes out in many of her projects. She posts budget conscious DIY’s, crafts, jewelry, kid friendly projects, upcycled treasures and other fun on her blog 5 days a week.

554 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet

Filed Under: Gift Ideas, Project Type, Resin Projects

Previous Post: « DIY Mermaid Jewelry Dish
Next Post: Resin Alcohol Ink Christmas Tree Ornaments DIY »

Reader Interactions

Subscribe

for Resin Crafts updates!

Comments

  1. Rachele

    March 21, 2022 at 1:12 pm

    Do you think and entire pine bough could be encased in resin? I’d like to do the branch with pine needles and small pine cones.

    Reply
    • Lydi

      March 28, 2022 at 10:33 am

      Hi Rachele, absolutely! This would work best with the polyester casting resin and you would want to ensure that it’s well sealed prior.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Thank you so much for leaving a comment on Resin Crafts Blog! For technical questions you can email our customer service at: [email protected] or via telephone @ 1-800-368-9323.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Pin With Us

Resin Crafts Blog is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2022 Resin Crafts

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter