Last holiday season, I had so much fun experimenting with sprayable glitter (see: here, and here, here, & here), that this year, it nearly didn’t feel like Christmas unless I busted out the glitz again. But then, when a friend asked if I had any ideas to make some super easy, small woodland-style Christmas trees for a centerpiece, I knew exactly what to do.
So, here’s how to make a whole forrest of tabletop winter trees in less than five minutes each.
Tools and Materials
- Free tabletop tree template
- Illustration board or other thin cardboard
- Scissors and stapler
- Spray adhesive
1. Download the template, and print out one of the tree patterns. (There are two included.) Experiment with different sizes to make trees of varying scales, and be sure to print each side of either tree so you’ll have both the front and back.
2. Spray both sides of the board with spray adhesive, then sandwich it in between both sides of the template.
Note: Some printers may insert their own margins, offsetting the alignment. (Mine did.) So, place both sheets against a window or lamp, lining up the edges. Staple the sheets in a corner, then cut a fresh registration edge, and use that to adhere the template on either side of the illustration board, so they’ll be perfect mirror images of each other.
Then, use the scissors to cut out the tree shape. Don’t go for accuracy here; use general angles and leave some of the white for a playful, handmade look.
3. The plastic animals are some that I found in the bottom of one of my many boxes of supplies, left from some abandoned project. You can find them in lots of species here. I drilled a quick pilot hole hidden in their bellies, then stuck in a small nail in, so I’d have something to hold onto while spray painting. I shot them with some gold Krylon Glitterblast, and then a quick clearcoat to seal them.
4. Lastly, cut a mating notch in both of the trunks, then insert one into the other so the tree stands upright on its own.
And… you’re done! Whip ’em up by the copse. Happy holidays!
While you’ve got the animals and the glitter out, apply the same technique to some more animals to make some sweet glitter ornaments!
