DIY Snowflake String Art + 18 Easy to Build Christmas Projects

I’m excited to be participating in a fun blog hop today, where several other bloggers and I have partnered to bring you 18 Easy to Build Christmas Projects, all using RYOBI power tools! (My fave.)

I can’t believe how quickly the holidays are approaching! The project I chose to make is this DIY Snowflake String Art. (You can find links to all the other bloggers’ projects at the end of this post.)

Here’s what you’ll need for this project:

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1×4 cut into (4) – 16″ segments
Saw
RYOBI Brad Nailer and 1/2″ brad nails
RYOBI Sander
Wood Glue
Thin scrap wood (I used a wooden yard stick) to connect your boards
Wood stain of your choice (I used two coats of Minwax Special Walnut)
Small Nails or Brass Escutcheon Pins
White Yarn
Printed snowflake template/stencil of your choice OR Overhead Projector and Transparency Paper
Scotch tape (if you use a paper template)
Hammer
D-Rings

Ok, I know the supply list seems a little long, but this is really an easy project, particularly if you have experience with tools.

Step 1:

First, cut your 1×4 into (4) 16″ segments. I used my RYOBI Sliding Compound Miter Saw for this. (A circular saw would work too — I just love my miter saw for making perfectly straight cuts!)

These segments make up the actual artwork. Cut two additional segments (you can use scrap wood or whatever you have on hand for this part), to 13″ each.

I used a wooden yard stick — thin wood is best if you want to hang your art on the wall, otherwise it will protrude an inch or two from the wall.

Step 2:

Sand your wood.

Step 3:

Line up your four 16″ boards so that they are pressed together, parallel to each other.

Attach the two additional 13″ segments to the back (perpendicular to the boards) with wood glue and brad nails to connect all of the boards together. Nail twice into each board.

Step 4:

Stain the boards in the color of your choice. I like to use a good pre-stain wood conditioner first, and then I used Minwax Special Walnut Stain. (Here’s a helpful post about how to stain wood.)

Step 5:

If you’re using a stencil or paper template, gently tape it to the center of your boards.

If you are using a projector (which I did), print out a snowflake photo or clip art and trace it onto a transparency sheet with a Sharpie. (This is way cheaper than having it printed.)

Trace it with chalk or a pencil. (Thank you to my friend Dena from Hearts & Sharts for letting me borrow her projector!) For my snowflake image, I just Googled “free snowflake clip art” and chose one that I liked the best.

Step 6:

Hammer tacks or nails around the snowflake, spacing them about an inch apart, to create the snowflake shape on your boards. You can wipe away the chalk with a damp rag or a wet wipe.

Step 7:

Connect your brad nails with yarn. Randomly string it across and back and forth until you achieve the amount of coverage you want. Tie a small knot when you begin and another one when you end to secure the yarn in place.