One man’s rubbish is another [wo] man’s treasure, they say. One of the fun things about living in the UK is Guy Fawkes night, where each year a giant bonfire is lit in the memory of Fawkes’ failed plot to blow up the House of Lords back in 1605 (or, mostly because we all really like a good fire and a social get-together!).The villagers gather together scraps of wood throughout the year for this bonfire, placing them at the bonfire site not too far away from our house. I don’t know if it’s a throwback from my own Canadian childhood when, while living near a hardware store, I could not resist the discard pile, always having a look through it for anything salvageable which could be used for things like tree house building or go-kart making.
There’s not a whole lot of sunlight this time of year in Shetland, my island home in the North Sea, halfway between Iceland, Norway and mainland Scotland. Come mid-winter there might only be six hours of daylight and if it’s cloudy, well… we might not see the sun for awhile. So when the sun does come out we have to take advantage of it. Recently, as a family, we did just that, donning wellies, warm jackets, hats and mitts, heading up the hill behind our house for a little adventuring, passing by the recently burned bonfire site as we did.
At first glance it may not look like there’s much to see in our neck of the woods (so to speak) but I assure you, this remote, desolate-appearing location can yield quite the adventure if you keep your eyes open. On our walk the kids got really close to a red grouse, we saw two herons fly overhead, we found two sheep skulls (gory, morbid fun – did you know the skull bones look stitched together?), we (mostly me) inspected coloured lichens and mosses, we (mostly they) splashed about in peat bog puddles and we all explored the cavernous peat trenches (which we imagined was a Shetland version of the Grand Canyon).
In the bottom left photo above you can see the sun just peeking over the horizon. This photo was taken at mid-day. I told you we didn’t get much sun!
I couldn’t resist a snoop while passing by the remains of the bonfire from a few weeks ago and what did I find? Loads of discarded coiled fencing wire!
Would you believe I was on the hunt for some coiled thin wire? In a bid to try and save a few pennies this Christmas we opted not to buy an imported Christmas tree. As you can see from the photos above Shetland is distinctly lacking in the tree department. Imported Christmas trees can cost upwards of £90 and you can’t guarantee that the tree you’ve just paid a fortune for is a nice tree. We’ve bought some pretty dodgy looking trees over the years and so this year we decided not to take the risk. I volunteered to try and make a creative reasonable alternative that wouldn’t cost the earth, so I was so chuffed to find all this wire!
I carried the wire home, washed the ash off it and set to work. I had a general idea of where I wanted to start with making a tree and I just let the rest happen as it did. I ended up curling the ends of the branches over because I thought the younger children might end up poking their eyes out if I didn’t, and I really liked the swirly effect. Initially I was planning on hanging plenty of Christmas decorations from the tree, but I think this one (picked up at a Christmas Market here in Shetland last year) sets it off just perfectly.
Despite its appearance the tree, standing at three feet high, is not very heavy and it looks so very nice sitting in the corner of the living room that I have half a mind to leave it there year-round (minus the Christmas decoration!).
- 200 feet 2 mm thick wire
- wire cutter
- needle nose pliers
- pliers
- 1 Christmas decoration
The aforementioned fly-tipper isn’t the only one who has abandoned perfectly good resources in these hills over the years. On our adventuring we came across several peat banks which reminded me of something my neighbour found a few years ago at the base of his own peat bank: a perfectly preserved neolithic stone axe! Look at that beauty! I’m sure it’s a sin of some sort to covet thy neighbour’s neolithic stone axe? I feel for the poor fellow who lost this tool though; it’s hardly like he could just pop into the local hardware store and pick up a new one!
Needless to say, we are always on the lookout for things when we are out adventuring. You never know what you might find or what you could do with it once you find it!
Mum of three, daydream adventurer, OU Life Sciences graduate, occasional crafter, ex-pat Canadian & quite possibly Britain's most northerly food blogger.
Maria Hackett says
I absolutely love this. I would still have my big usual Christmas tree in the living roon as my toddler love decoration it. but I would still try to do this tree this year for my sister who lives in a small flat and would be just perfect for her. what a brilliant idea x
Samantha Loughlin says
Fantastic idea looks amazing
Debbie Skerten says
Wow, this is amazing. Fabulous tree and fabulous blog post. Love it x
Louise Smith says
Fab idea, my daughter would love to do this
Lindy Hine says
Great photos of the scenery round there and I love your Christmas tree. Looks quite stunning with just the one decoration on!
Gerri Tennant says
What a great idea, thanks. I am going to make this for my son’s wedding anniversary and hang small mementoes of his wedding day, photo’s and other meaningful things on it for them, including a piece of jewellery as their surprise present.
sandralynn ralph says
oh i love this, i think i will give it a try with my grandson as he loves crafts
bev says
That is really fab!
Barbara Handley says
This idea would work for any time of the year. Such a pretty unique decoration which would cost a lot in the shops.
Heather Haigh says
it looks gorgeous – so simply, stark and beautiful, rather like the wonderful place you live. I’m so jealous.
Elizabeth says
Thank you Heather 🙂 It is a rather unusual place we live; beautiful, wild and rugged, but when the sun shines oh it is glorious!
KATE SARSFIELD says
Great idea, love its’ simplicity! Have you ever tried using bark, lichen, mosses etc. as natural dyes? They pong to high heaven when you’re boiling them up (( I use old paint tins) but the colours are beautiful! Perfect for tie-dying etc.
Johanna GGG says
What an elegant tree – I do love a real tree but ours are two or three times cheaper than yours – and it is very steampunk which seems just your sort of thing. And you make it look so easy but it seems a great creative project to me
Leanne Rain says
I loveeeeeeee up-cycling!!! 🙂
Elizabeth S says
Me too! 😀
Emma T says
Great project – really impactful, and the single decoration looks beautiful on it.
Shetland looks beautiful as well.
Elizabeth S says
Thank you Emma 🙂 I like the look of the single decoration too. Initially I thought I’d hang a few but I stopped after one. I think I might end up changing it throughout the seasons as I love the tree so much!
Katherine GG says
I just have to echo all the other comments – such a gorgeous recycling project! I’m hoping to make a simple tree myself this year, and this has given me lots of inspiration.
Elizabeth S says
Aw,t hanks Katherine for your lovely comment! I’d love to see what you come up with yourself!
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Elizabeth S says
I’m afraid I’m far too shy irl to get involved with such a project, but good luck! 🙂
Chris at Thinly Spread says
I adore this – place and tree. Thanks so much for linking up to Festive Friday and drawing me over here with your crafty goodness, what a beautiful blog!
Elizabeth S says
Thank you Chris, I’m glad you like it 🙂 Thank you for hosting such a great linky!
Mumof2.com says
How beautiful is that Christmas tree! Popping over from #countrykids
Elizabeth S says
Thank you, I’m glad you like it 🙂
Mummy Mishaps says
what a beautiful place you live – and your tree is just fantastic! so creative x
Elizabeth S says
It is a pretty amazing place. Sometimes I need a reminder of how lucky we really are! Thanks for your lovely comment 🙂
Coombe Mill says
How brilliant to be able to find such treasures on your walks! It sounds like you all have a great adventure on your family walks, it’s very picturesque with it’s rugged beauty. The tree you made looks fab, thanks for linking up and sharing with Country Kids.
Elizabeth S says
I spend a lot of time living in my imagination and I’m pretty sure I’m encouraging the children to do the same. It helps keep life a little more interesting. 😉 Thanks for hosting such a fantastic linky!
Laura Mummy to Boyz says
Wow this is amazing and I af=gree it would look great at all times of year #CountryKids
Elizabeth S says
Thanks Laura 🙂 I’m liking the year-round idea too!
sustainablemum says
What a gorgeous tree, we have a little one in the corner of our room all year round. We hang seasonal bits and bobs from it to mark the changes in the seasons.
Elizabeth S says
I love that idea! I think we’re going to have to adopt it too 🙂
Pinkoddy says
Oh wow what a fantastic tree. That is a gorgeous capture of the sun.
Elizabeth S says
Thank you 🙂 I’m glad you like!
Michelle says
Once again you have put me in awe of your creative skills; I LOVE that tree!
Elizabeth S says
Blush! Thank you 🙂
mumturnedmom says
I absolutely love your tree! Beautiful photos of your walk too 🙂 #CountryKids
Elizabeth S says
Thank you 🙂 There’s some fantastic low sunlight this time of year – it transforms the colours of the landscape.
Choclette says
Ahh, interesting. It seems as though I can comment if I use a different browser. Was just going to say, the depth of that peat is quite impressive. Life your tree – it’s not the only tree in Shetland is it?
Elizabeth S says
It is pretty deep – is it not that deep everywhere? No, my wire tree isn’t the only tree in Shetland, hee hee 🙂 There are a few small woods about. See my Kergord post back in the spring for one of my favourite haunts: https://www.elizabethskitchendiary.co.uk/2013/05/a-picnic-at-kergord-and-walkers-hoops.html