Wednesday, November 30, 2011

A Christmas Tree or Three



 Have you been to Michael's lately......yikes.  I can't believe what they can charge for a styrofoam form.  The rebel in me decided that free cardboard was a way I could still keep my shirt while crafting!

 Duct tape secured the trees....(update- use hot glue)

I started to cover the largest form with dried oranges. 

I kept going until it was almost covered.
  A garbage bag of pinecones was brought in the house and my hands and feet quickly went to work stomping little buggies.  Pop your pinecones in an oven at 200 degrees and bake them out....blah
I added a few Christmas sprigs of red and green and that was  tree number one. 



I built my own star jig.  I cut out a star with cardboard and nailed ten finishing nails into a 2x6 at each point and corner.   I used finishing nails so that the wire would slide off easily.  Copper wire was wrapped around the nails alternating as I went.  I made two more so I had three in total.




   I pushed the wire through the top hole and filled in the top of the tree with glue and pine cones and embellishments.  This acts as a way to transport the tree too.


My next tree was covered completely with dried oranges.   I stuck in the star and put a few pieces of orange and Christmas sprigs around it with glue to anchor the star.  
For tree number three, I got some jute and started wrapping.  I loved it, just plain with the star, but when I put it up to the other two I felt it was naked.
  I grabbed some raffia and wrapped it around the tree like a garland.  I took some Christmas sprigs and pine cones and glued them around the raffia.








   I took these trees one step further.  Check out what I did   HERE!
   
Cheers.