DIY Wood Poinsettias for Indoor and Outdoor Decor

Learn how to make wood poinsettias that can be used for festive decor indoors or outdoors! I strung three poinsettia’s together for a unique piece of art I can display all season long!

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Hello Crafty Friends! It’s day #3 of my series “12 Days of Holiday Crafts” and today I’m sharing a tutorial for making your own wood poinsettias. These are simple to make using wooden flowers, acrylic paint and sparkly gemstones.

I love creating outdoor art for our home and over this past summer I created a trio of flowers and a sunflower sun catcher using wood flowers I found on Amazon. The trio of flowers hung on a hook on the front of our home and I loved seeing it every day.

With the weather getting colder, I decided it would be fun to replace my trio of blue summer flowers with festive poinsettias! I’m so glad I did because they really pop hanging outside. The sun catches the pretty glass gems in the center of each flower and they sparkle.

While I made my poinsettias something I could hang outside, they would be equally lovely as indoor wall art. They can be used to decorate your home in many different ways from setting them on the mantle, using them in a holiday tablescape, or making one into an untraditional wreath.

Below you can see my trio of poinsettia’s hanging together outside. It is was still very fall outside while taking the picture, but I can’t wait to see the poinsettias look in the snow!

DIY Wood Poinsettia Art

Supplies Needed

Wood flowers
Patio Paint Outdoor Acrylic Paint – I used Geranium Red, Holly Berry Red, Fiesta Yellow, and Wrought Iron Black
Sealer – I used DuraClear Satin Varnish
Paint brushes
Twine (I used the twine that came with the wood flowers)
Glass Gemstones – I used 2 containers of Gold Glass Gems from Michaels, but these on Amazon look similar
E6000+ All Weather Adhesive

Painting the Wooden Flowers

Start by painting the front and back of each wooden flower red. I used my lighter shade of red acrylic paint which was Patio Paint Geranium Red. Give each side two coats of paint, letting them dry a bit in-between coats.

If you plan to only use these flowers indoors, you can use any type of acrylic paint. Since I knew I wanted to hang mine outside, I used my favorite outdoor paint, Patio Paint. I have used it on lots of other outdoor projects like my Stepping Stones, Painted Doormats, and Mandala Garden Ornaments.

Paint the center of each flower yellow. I used Patio Paint, Fiesta Yellow.

Next, use the darker shade of red to paint vein lines on alternating petals. I chose to paint the five petals that were not under other petals. Before painting, use a ruler and pencil to add guidelines.

Finally, use black acrylic paint to outline each petal. I find this really helps make the petals pop and adds a finished look to each flower. Choose a small paintbrush that is the right width and it will make it easier to keep your lines even. Don’t worry too much about making them perfectly even, this is a handmade art piece and little imperfections and variations add charm!

Once you are happy with how the painted flowers look, you have the option of sealing them on both sides. The DecoArt Patio Paint does not require sealing, just allow 72 hours before it exposed to moisture. I did not seal my stepping stones or painted doormats and they have held up really well outside. I do usually seal my decorative garden art – I figure it can’t hurt to have an extra layer of protection, especially during the winter months!

Add Gemstones to the Center of Each Flower

Once the flowers are completely dry, it’s time to add the gemstones! These are a fun way to add dimension to the flowers and they look pretty when the sun hits them.

Arrange the gemstones in a pattern on the center of each flower until you like the design. The decorative gems I purchased from Michaels were a mixed bunch of gems. I chose to use two gold options, some that were frosted and some that were clear, and create designs with them.

Adhere the gemstones with strong outdoor glue like E6000+. I recommend using this glue outside in a well-ventilated area and with gloves.

Attach the Trio of Poinsettias Together with Twine

The wooden flowers came with a long length of twine so I decided to use this to connect the flowers. This can be a little tricky but I’ll let you know how I approached it using one length of twine. I started by laying my three flowers down on a table and lined them up so they were spaced apart evenly.

First I found the halfway point in my length of twine and positioned it at the center top. Next, I attached the twine to the top flower tying knots in each of the holes while also leaving a length of twine at the top for hanging. After the twine was attached to the first flower, I brought both ends down and attached the twine in the holes for the middle flower, again tying knots. I repeated the process for the last flower. I used painter’s tape to hold the twine in place along the back of the flowers.

Secure the twine on the back of the flowers using strong outdoor glue. I also added a bit of glue to each knot.

Once the glue is dry the flowers are finished and ready to be hung!

Hanging the Poinsettia Art

The flower art is ready to be hung and enjoyed indoors or outdoors! This art will work best when hung against something like a wall, fence or tree. This will keep it from blowing in the wind outside and help it to last longer.

The outdoor paint should hold up well outside, I’ve had really good luck with DecoArt Patio Paint lasting a long time. Placing the flower art under a roof line, covering, or awning will extend it’s life even further! I’ve also found my garden art that is against our home or sheltered a bit from the elements lasts longer. My mandala garden art has been outside for several years now in a garden bed against our house under our roof and they still look great!