I decorated this tree as a gift for a friend. It's just a traditional tree with assorted ornaments "collected over the years." Other than the icicles which were cut from a garland, I made everything. Now that you've all seen 3 trees all decorated differently I can't wait to see what some of you do!
I also made this wreath for my friend.
Continue to work your way up the tree. As you near the top, make the branches smaller. These smaller branches will not need cross branches.
The finished tree. Once it dries you can position the branches the way you wish and decorate your tree. This is not an original idea. This is just the way I make them now based on some instructions I found years ago. I do not know who to credit with the original tutorial. I think this makes a very realistic scale tree. Please let me see photos if you make one, too. :-)
Spread glue on the trunk about 1/2 inch up from the bottom. Curl the ends of the branches and glue onto the trunk. Space the 5 branches evenly around the tree.
Cut 4 branches from the straight pipe cleaner. Cut 3 sizes of cross branches for each of the 4 branches.
Twist the cross branches onto the main branches.
Curl the ends of the branches and glue them onto the trunk spacing them evenly around the tree.
Continue to work your way up the tree, making the branches shorter as you go. Alternate straight pipe cleaner rows with bumpy rows. When you are only putting 4 branches in a row, you can use a longer section of the pipe cleaner and make a branch at each end. Bend the piece in half, glue into place on the tree and twist to hold into position.
Supplies needed: length of dowel (diameter isn't really important as it will be covered anyway); small container to "plant" the tree in; pipe cleaners/chenille stems in green - both regular and bumpy; scissors, tacky glue (I used Fast Grab); stain pen or paint in brown for the trunk
Paint the dowel. It doesn't have to be perfect as most of it will be covered.
Glue the dowel into the planter.
Trim a section of the bumpy chenille for the tree top and glue into place. Cut 5 bumps and cross branches of straight chenille in 3 lengths for each of the branches.
Twist the cross branches on to the main branches.
