I’ve been steampunk mad all year, so creating this DIY Steampunk Christmas Tree: Upcycled Recycled Mixed Media Holiday Decor was inevitable. A reader’s comment on one of my previous projects—“I hope you make a steampunk Christmas tree!”—sparked the challenge, and I couldn’t resist. In true upcycling fashion, I built the entire structure from recycled cardboard, timber offcuts and found trinkets before giving it a mixed-media, industrial-chic makeover that’s sure to spark conversation this festive season.

Our next International Blogger Club (IBC) challenge is here, and fittingly, this month’s theme is Christmas! Keep reading to the end of this post to learn more about the IBC and how you can join in the festive fun.

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DIY Steampunk Christmas Tree: Upcycled, Recycled Mixed Media Holiday Decor

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Materials Needed

• Cardboard sheets or a cardboard box
• Homemade compass or a large round object (up to 25 cm in diameter)
• Craft knife and cutting mat
• Texture paste and various stencils
• Fine sand or modelling sand
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks
• Turbo Tacky glue (or similar craft glue)
• Black gesso
• Metallic copper wax paste or homemade wax paste
• Threaded metal pole (length to suit your space)
• Scrap timber block for base
• Metal plate or flange to fit the pole
• Bolts and nuts (to secure the plate to the timber)
• Plastic pipe section (to cover pole)
• Clear acrylic spray (2 coats)
• Protective gloves and dust masks

Making the Steampunk gears

To make the gears, I used a regular cardboard box and my homemade compass to draw circles of various sizes. The largest measured 25 cm in diameter, and each successive circle was reduced by 5 cm.

Using a craft knife, you can cut out all the circles.

Next, choose simple gear images for your tree and print each at the exact size you need. Glue your prints onto the cardboard, then use a craft knife and the printed shapes as templates to carefully cut out each gear.

Adding Texture

To disguise the plain cardboard, apply texture paste through stencils. For more tips and tricks on items you can use to add texture to your assemblage projects, this post has it all.

Lay a stencil over a gear, spread paste with a spatula, then lift straight away and rinse off the residue. Vary stencils on each gear for a layered effect.

I accidentally cut away the centre of one gear, so it wouldn’t slide onto the pole. To fix it, I glued a small base plate over the gap. Then I spread texture paste across the gear’s surface and pressed fine sand into it while it was still wet to build that gritty finish.

Adding the embellishments

Most of these materials are easy to source at home, and your local second‑hand shop is perfect for bargain beads and jewellery finds. You’ll also need a hot glue gun for attaching heavier embellishments and a strong craft adhesive for the rest—my go‑tos are Turbo Tacky Glue and The Ultimate by Crafter’s Pick.

Randomly layer your embellishments across the gear surfaces, placing steampunk‑themed bits—cogs, watch parts and small hardware—wherever they fit. Aim to cover most of each gear; any exposed areas will still reveal the textured base underneath.

I’ve included close‑up photos so you can see my selections. There are far too many items to list—most were thrifted or salvaged from junk—but if you spot something you can’t identify, leave a comment and I’ll gladly tell you what it is.

If you’re new to mixed media, simply pile on your embellishments across the gears without fretting over perfect placement. The black gesso and metallic wax will blend everything—any rough edges or gaps become part of the texture and highlight.

Painting and Waxing

Coat every gear in black gesso, working the brush under embellishments to seal all surfaces.

Once dry, dip your fingertip into metallic copper wax paste and rub over raised areas. Keep some black exposed for contrast. If you don’t have copper wax paste, you likely already have the ingredients to make some at home. This post shows you how.

These close‑up photos highlight how the stencilled texture adds incredible depth and dimension—no image truly does it justice.

After you’ve highlighted all the raised areas, it’s time to gently tint the black base with a whisper of colour. I use a soft makeup brush—lightly dip just the tip into the wax, then feather it across the flat surfaces so that you still see plenty of black beneath.

You can see how all the messy hot glue around the studs adds more character to the gears.

It’s only after you add the wax that you truly appreciate the benefit of layering all those textures.

Assembling the Stand

Select a sturdy timber block for the base and attach a metal plate or flange that fits your threaded pole.

Drill pilot holes, countersink nuts so the base sits flat, then bolt the plate securely.

Slip the textured and painted gears onto the pole in your chosen order, locking them in place with nuts above and below each gear.

Cover any plain metal with a painted plastic pipe sleeve.

Sealing and Finishing

Allow the wax paste at least 12 hours to cure, then spray two light coats of clear acrylic. This seals the wax and protects against fading.

Making the steampunk baubles

If you like, add a few tiny steampunk baubles or gear‑shaped ornaments for extra festive flair. I reused old baubles from my Christmas tree and transformed them with the same process—coating them in black gesso, applying texture paste, then highlighting the raised details with metallic wax, just like the gears on the tree. You can see more of my steampunk creations here.

Completed Steampunk Christmas Tree

More unique Christmas tree ideas

Here’s another take on the steampunk Christmas tree, crafted from reclaimed wood and upcycled broken jewellery for a rustic yet industrial holiday statement.

This rustic wooden Christmas‑tree shelf doubles as a festive display stand during the holidays and then transforms into a stylish everyday shelf once the tinsel comes down—perfect for showcasing seasonal décor now and your favourite treasures year‑round.

About IBC (International Bloggers Club)

If you follow my blog, you will know that I am part of the IBC (International Bloggers Club), a group of talented bloggers from around the world. We have members from Spain, South Africa, Australia, the United States, and Canada. Each month, we come together and create a project on a common theme.

If you missed last month’s “Halloween ” theme, here is the link to my Halloween Flower arrangement. The contributions from my fellow bloggers for this month’s challenge are listed below. Please feel free to jump over and give them some love.

Projects

1. Me Unique Creations By Anita
2. A Crafty Mix| Bottle light swappable art insert
3. Birdz of a feather|Christmas sleigh decor
4. Interior Frugalista|Scandinavian village scrap wood houses
5. Raggedy bits |Easy wooden farmhouse Christmas ornaments
6. Meegan Makes| Vintage style Christmas wreath

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