Creating Hope: Hand Painted Christmas Decorations for Stripey Stork Baby Bank

There's something wonderfully therapeutic about settling in with paintbrushes, wooden slices, and a palette of beautiful colours. This year, I've been creating 150 hand painted Christmas decorations for Stripey Stork—and it's been an absolute joy from start to finish.

Five Years of Festive Creativity

I'm thrilled to say this marks the fifth year I've created hand painted Christmas decorations for Stripey Stork, a brilliant baby bank charity supporting families throughout Surrey and South London. Each December, these cheerful pieces are gifted to the charity's amazing volunteers at their annual lunch event—a celebration of the incredible people who give so generously throughout the year.

Initial Sketch of the Decoration

This year's design is particularly special. Each wooden slice features the word "family" on one side, with a vibrant poinsettia-inspired flower on the reverse in Stripey Stork's gorgeous brand colours: light blue, teal, orange and gold. The poinsettia is such a perfect symbol—representing love, hope and goodwill, which is exactly what this wonderful charity brings to families who need it most.

The Joy of Hand Painting

Working with natural wooden slices is endlessly fascinating! Every single piece has its own personality—some are larger, some smaller, and each one interacts with the paint differently. Rather than seeing this as a challenge, I love how it keeps the process dynamic and engaging. You're constantly adapting, working with each piece's unique character.

Materials I Used

For this project, I worked with:

• Wooden slices - Natural pieces with beautiful organic edges and varied sizes

• Acrylic paints - I use a range of brands from Amsterdam to Daler Rowney, depending on the colours I need. For these decorations, I worked with light blue, teal, orange and gold

• Paintbrushes - My go-to setup is a size 8 brush for base coats and a size 2 for all the detailed work. I'm a big fan of Daler Rowney Graduate brushes—they're lovely to work with, not too expensive, and wonderfully forgiving when you're working on repetitive projects

• Posca pen (3M) - Perfect for the lettering. Clean, crisp lines without the worry of paint bleeding

The colour combination is absolutely gorgeous to work with. Those warm teals and oranges alongside the light blue and gold create such an uplifting, festive feel. Perfect for Christmas decorations that celebrate both the season and the incredible volunteer community.

Embracing Beautiful Imperfection

One of the biggest lessons in creating 150 individual pieces? Letting go of perfectionism and that cookie-cutter appeal—and what a liberating feeling that is! Each decoration is hand painted, which means each one has its own delightful character. Those little inconsistencies aren't flaws—they're what makes each piece special and genuinely handmade. It's about celebrating those unique touches rather than trying to achieve identical results.

My Painting Process

For this project, I discovered a brilliant new approach! Because I mixed several of the paint colours myself to achieve exactly the right shades, I painted all 150 base coats first, then worked through each colour layer across all the pieces. In previous years, I've worked in batches of 30 at a time, but doing it colour by colour this year was a game-changer—far more efficient and so much less wasteful when working with custom-mixed paints.

There's something wonderfully meditative about the repetition—painting the same element 150 times means you really get into a beautiful rhythm. Your hand learns the motion, and each piece flows more naturally and confidently than the last. It's quite magical watching the progression!

Creating 150 individual pieces takes time and space, but there's something deeply satisfying about working with real materials. Each brushstroke feels purposeful and joyful, and watching the stack of completed decorations grow is genuinely rewarding.

Why I Love Supporting Stripey Stork

As a mum to a young child, I feel incredibly fortunate to have everything we need. Stripey Stork does amazing work supporting local families who are facing difficult times, providing everything from cots and car seats to nappies and clothing.

What makes this charity truly special is that it's entirely volunteer-run. Every single person involved gives their time because they care deeply about helping families in our community. That kind of dedication deserves recognition and celebration!

For me, combining my creative skills with supporting such a worthy cause feels like the perfect fit. I get to do what I love while contributing something meaningful to acknowledge these wonderful volunteers.

Hand Painted Decorations That Tell a Story

Each decoration is individually hand painted, making every single one unique. I love knowing that 150 volunteers will each receive something crafted specifically for them—something made with time, thought and genuine appreciation.

The natural wood brings such lovely warmth and texture to each piece. They'll brighten Christmas trees throughout Surrey and South London, serving as cheerful reminders of community spirit, kindness, and the beautiful things that happen when people come together to support families.

Creative Giving in Action

If you've been thinking about ways to use your creative talents to support your local community, I can't recommend it enough! Whether it's hand painted decorations, handmade cards, knitted items, or any craft that brings you joy, there are always wonderful opportunities to make a real difference.

This Christmas, I'm so excited knowing these bright, colourful decorations will bring smiles to the volunteers who make Stripey Stork's mission possible. They're more than just ornaments—they're little celebrations of love, hope and goodwill in action.

The Possibilities of Hand Painted Wooden Slices

Wooden slices are such a versatile canvas! While I've focused on Christmas decorations for this project, there are endless creative possibilities:

• Seasonal decorations - Easter eggs, autumn leaves, spring flowers, or spooky Halloween designs

• Personalized keepsakes - Wedding favours, baby name announcements, milestone markers, or family tree ornaments

• Home décor - Coasters, wall hangings, door signs, or table centrepieces

• Gift tags and place settings - Beautifully painted reusable alternatives to paper tags

• Garden markers - Charming herb or vegetable labels for outdoor spaces

• Celebration pieces - Birthday bunting, anniversary gifts, or special occasion mementos

  
  

The natural texture of wood combined with vibrant acrylics creates such a lovely contrast, and because each slice is unique, every piece you create has its own special character. Whether you're crafting for charity, creating gifts for loved ones, or developing products for your business, hand painted wooden slices offer wonderful creative freedom!

To learn more about Stripey Stork and the fantastic work they do for families in Surrey and South London, visit their website.

Interested in commissioning hand painted decorations or creative pieces for your charity, event or organisation? I'd love to hear from you—let's create something special together!