I love me some cone trees. You know the type…they aren’t anything crazy…just a cone shaped christmas tree. Sometimes they have a foam core…sometimes a cardboard….sometimes they are just made from glass…but the consistent thing is the shape….CONES.
I have a couple mercury glass ones.
I have a couple regular gray tinted glass ones.
I have a birch version from Crate & Barrel.
I even have a trio of them that are a little bit rustic (they were made from pinecone pieces) with a little glitter on top.
So obviously I love them. What’s not obvious is my habit to remake and recreate to add to my stash of things. What’s also not obvious is my obsession with collections. Collections of weird things like cone trees. What’s REALLY not obvious is the hours I spend brainstorming how to craft my next cone tree….no….that would be obviously crazy. Which I am not. Obviously.
But let’s not talk about how I am obviously not crazy. (insert goofy face and Elaine dance here). This christmas I wanted to add to my collection of cone trees and had three in mind. Here is the first one I made.
It’s the itty bitty hemp tree (pictured right next to the birch version).
It was super easy. Actually probably the easiest of the three cone trees I made this christmas season.
I started with a piece of cardstock paper. I just trimmed off one of the corners making it round then I just twisted the paper until it was a cone. Nothing fancy.
Then I used a piece of tape to secure it. You know…cause I am complicated like that. I have super crafty things around my home….like tape.
Then since my cone wasn’t super tight – it had a hole in the top. Taking a bit of hemp (I used this stuff ages ago to make cheap piping for pillows) I stuck the end in the hole.
After that it was just a matter of wrapping the hemp around the cone tightly. I did use my hot glue gun (man that thing is getting a workout this Christmas) to secure it a little. Just a dab here and there did the trick.
After it got to a certain point, it was easier to hot glue and wrap by holding the cone tree like an ice cream cone. Obviously there was a high likelihood of me craving ice cream at this point. Obviously I did something about said craving.
When it got to the end, I used a lot more hotglue…the entire last couple wrap arounds were fully glued. And then when it came to trimming off the string, I just used regular scissors and did it at an angle.
Not too shabby, eh?
Plus it’s got loads of natural texture that really work with the birch tree.
And it took me like five minutes….which is a huge plus this time of year.
Plus…it was FREE. Have you noticed a theme here with my christmas projects? Yeah…zero dollars are a major thing around here lately…what with the potential house moving and all. We are in the full-alert-no-spending zone. It makes for a little bit of brainstorming…but challenging myself to make cheap and free crafts has actually been really fun! It means that I have to be a little more creative with the stuff I already have on hand….like cardstock, hemp and hot glue. Have you been free-crafting lately? Anyone else making cone trees this holiday season? I am loving the yarn and seashell and glitter options out there.
Stay tuned – there are two more parts to the TRIO of TREES! And the next one will really stick with ya….yes…that’s a clue 🙂
cute!! where did you find the mercury glass trees? Love it
They were from Target Colleen. Actually I bought a group of three of them…but alas. Apparently you should not lean a picture frame against a wall with the three glass trees in front of them…because gravity happens.
xo – kb
Love this, KB! I may have to make one to go with the mercury glass tree I got at HomeGoods this year (you can see it on ourmantle here: http://hernandohouse.wordpress.com/2010/12/13/decking-the-halls-a-little-at-a-time )
Oh no! Dang gravity!
thanks for the info!! I think that when your budget is tight it brings the most creative ideas to surface!! Thank you for sharing all of your creative ideas it truly is a gift:0)
oh my gosh, that’s so simple! Thank you for posting this!!
i am loving your 12 days…..just curious about that red under cabinet light…..how do you like it? does it take batteries or plug in (i’m in the market for some)
Collecting things – totally not weird. My sisters and I (there are 3 of us) take turns buying cone trees for each other each Christmas (mostly Target, TJ Maxx, and Marshalls) so each of us has a matching set. So even if we can’t spend the holidays together our tree decorations remind us of each other. We are already at 7 trees! I love the new hemp one!
I’ve found that had to re- glue the birch back onto my crate and barrel trees. The glues appears to have dried up. Did you have this problem?
you are so clever and creative!
After I made my yarn wreath (who hasn’t made one this season!), I used the leftover yarn to make a cone tree, too. Instead of paper I cut up a cereal box and used that for a bit more sturdiness. And I started from the bottom (which I’m not going to lie, was a mistake). Then I stuck a fleece wrapped flower on it and sneak-gifted it onto my co-workers desk (she loves pink). A little picture here : http://bit.ly/hAUv86
I love your little tree! I actually made a ribbon tree myself this year. I used little pieces of white and gold ribbon and hot glued them to a cardboard cone. It may be my favorite Christmas decoration this year! Here’s a post about how I made it: http://reisfeltadventure.blogspot.com/2010/11/blingy-white-christmas-tree.html
What a great tree craft. Very simple so even I could probably manage this one… Thanks for sharing!
I’ve had a couple little straglers that came off but I just stick em back in whereever there is a gap. I’ve had not more than two or three though…sorry to hear about your glue Trish!
xo – kb
Hi Jordan,
Actually that is one of those led lights that came free with a pack of lightbulbs. We never use it to be honest. But it’s nice to know that if the power ever goes out, I can make my way around the kitchen 🙂
xo – kb
Luv it! Cannot wait to make some for myself!! OOOOhh what if you were to paint them too? like red? oh thank you :)!
Gorgeous! I think I may have to start my cone tree collection next year.
OK so I have to admit I love hemp/twine/whatever. It looks good on everything. Very natural, textural, homemade… LOVE it. I am feeling very inspired to make some kind of cone tree now…
Ha ha – when I was looking at all of your cone trees and then you said you were brainstorming how to make more, the first thing that came to my mind was all of the twine/hemp wreaths I’ve been seeing and how cute it would be on a cone tree… We’re GENIOUS’S! 🙂
I’m all about some cone trees too! A girlfriend and I had a craft day making cone trees with the cardboard (really cheap cones) and yarn.
Check it out…
http://eatdrinkanddecorate.blogspot.com/2010/12/decking-halls.html
I have them on the shelf over our kitchen sink.
Loving your crafty Christmas ideas!!! xoxo
– HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS & MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
oooh cute idea Ann. If you do it please send me a photo!
xo – kb
I’m loving cone tree’s this year for Christmas decor! So much in fact that I went out and bought some stuff(not free but it was all on sale thanks to JoAnn Fabric’s 40% off coupons) to make some myself out of foam cones and small feather boas. You can read about it on my blog 🙂
I bought 4 foam cone thingys in various sizes because I too love cone trees, but I only had time to make one. And it’s a coffee filter tree that may just happen to get lost for next Christmas. It’s a little chubby for my taste.
But anywho, had I seen how quick, easy, rustic and sleek this was before it was December 22nd, I totally would have tackled this!!! Can’t wait to see the third installation!
It is much more fun making your own Christmas decorations than buying the mass produced ones available. Looks great, thanks.