DIY Network

Whimsical Tabletop Trees Whimsical Tabletop Trees From "DIY's Holiday Workshop" episode DHOL-104

Retro Tree

Supplies:
Disposable plastic storage container with lid
Plaster, sand, gravel (anything heavy that will easily mold around plastic foam trunk)
Tissue paper or newspaper
3/4 yard silver lame fabric
Twenty stems 18 gauge silver wire, each 18" long
Wire cutters
1" x 1" x 18" piece of plastic foam
Hot glue gun
Approximately 35' of silver tinsel garland
Scissors

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D

Steps:

1. Create your base by using sand, gravel, or mixing quick set plaster in a disposable plastic storage container. Cut an X in the center of the lid of the container. Gently push the foam trunk through the X in the lid (figure A). Secure the lid to the top of the container and adjust the trunk until it stands straight. (Allow plaster to set if necessary.)

2. Crinkle tissue paper or newspaper and wrap around the base. Wrap the base with the silver lame fabric and secure by twisting a small piece of wire around the fabric. Pull the top corners of the fabric until the fabric is evenly tight around the base (figure B).

3. Glue one end of silver tinsel garland to the very top of the trunk (figure C). Wrap the garland around and down the trunk to cover completely, gluing periodically to secure. Cut the garland and tuck the loose end into the fabric wrapped base.

4. Cut the remaining stems of wire in half.

5. Hold a piece of wire by one end and apply a small amount of hot glue about 1/2" from the end. Press an end of garland to the glue and hold until secure. Cut the garland to the length of the wire. Glue the remainder of the piece of garland to the wire, folding the tinsel into the glue. It will flatten the tinsel slightly but once the glue is cool you will be able to fluff the tinsel back out.

6. Repeat step 5 for all remaining pieces of wire.

7. Apply a small amount of hot glue to the bare end of the wire. Beginning at the top of the trunk, insert the wire into the foam. Continue to build the tree by inserting the stems into the trunk (figure D), angling the branches more horizontally as you move down the trunk. The bottommost level of branches should be almost completely horizontal, while the top-most level of branches will be almost vertical.

   Note: Be careful to move the tree gently. If the trunk should break, simply hot-glue it back together.

	Figure E
	Figure F

RESOURCES :

Country Christmas
Websites: www.countrychristmasonline.com and www.longdisplay.com