This was a fun little craft! I made several of these at one time assembly line style for extended family Christmas gifts. I was inspired by a Pinterest pic that did not have a working link. So, I made up the procedure myself based on appearance.
Please note, I tried really hard to attribute each individual item used and provide links - but as you may know I have been scrapbooking for twenty years (Yes, I am both really almost that old and I really started collecting scrapbooking supplies young.) Sometimes items in my stash have been in the scrap-bin or in jars a long while. I really miss the hayday of scrapbooking and lament the loss of many wonderful artists and artisans in this industry. In fact I am not aware of a single surviving LSS (local scrapbook store) for at least several hundred miles and there were many thriving at one time! I also miss it ALL being made in the USA - But I digress.... (Perhaps this topic will become its own post at a later date)Oh and by the way Echo Park is still made entirely in the USA and they still come out with new lines often! It is extremely high quality - you know like the YSL of paper- Check them out. (No there is no deal here - wish there was but it just aint so! I am just an ardent fan!)
For this project I picked out some cheap and large walmart frames with a nice traditional look. If you click on the link notice the $4 mark on the frame itself? Yea that's right they were $4 each in the store and there was more to choose from then the one shown in the link. I bought six and removed the glass to be recycled later.I cut an extra rectangle of card board from old delivery post boxes just about the size of the frames opening and glued them to the back board of the frame itself. Then I added heavy cardstock on top of that with a little bit of glue to hold it in place. Then I closed the whole thing up well.
I got oober lucky while at JoAnns store (yes, my name is Pamela and I am kinda addicted to JoAnns store....and scrapbook paper.... and well you get the picture I am sure)! I found Christmas paper packs (DCWV Christmas Printed Paper Pack) in the dollar bins by the register and I bought three of them so I would have plenty of paper. They also had Christmas color solid textured cardstock packs in the same bin and I got three of those as well. (Solids pack also DCWV) I also shopped my studio stash and used a smattering of the following papers: "The paper studio (which apparently has been absorbed by Hobby Lobby) - Elegant Christmas Trees and Little Christmas Trees", "My Minds Eye, Lush Green large polka dot paper", "Echo Park, Merry Christmas line" (Echo Park and My Minds Eye happen to be a couple of my very fav brands of paper - just saying.)
Beginning at 3/4 of an inch wide, I cut six strips of paper in each graduated interval. The strips increasing by 1/8 of an inch each. After I had cut enough for the entire project I rolled them around a pencil using a thin line of Scrappy Glue to seal each tube of paper. When set I slid them off the pencil. I then put each tube aside in small piles. Once I had six of each size rolled and dried the ends of each were inked with "Close to cocoa" Clasic Stampin' Pad by Stampin' up! The all were left to dry for a while.
Once the ink was dry they were placed on top of each frame until I got the order I wanted. I chose not to have the order exact preferring instead to have them a little out of order in the way a real tree can be a bit wonky. I really like the effect that had! Each of the six trees came out unique and as they were all opened at a large family gathering it was fun to see the different recipients note the individuality of their tree.I happened to have metal snowflake embellishments in my stash from long ago. (Gartner Studios Dimensional Add-Ons) I decided to add one to the lower right corner of each project on a strip of patterned paper. A fancy brad from my stash adorned a 1 inch circle (EKsuccess 1 1/8 punch) at the apex of the trees. (I no longer know which brand the brads were - sorry! I think it was either Echo Park or My Minds eye, I just don't know which as I have several Christmas lines from each whose brads have been separated from their wrappers and stored in jars for a long time.)
I also saved the "Merry Christmas" tag on each sheet. It was then inked and added it to the upper left corner of each tree project. All paper was inked - its a technique I just love!
At each stage the glue or ink needs to dry before you proceed to the next phase of construction. I began these a few weeks prior to needing them so I would not feel rushed and could do a step at a time and stop on a whim when needed by my darling family.Give this a try I think you will really like the results. They are easily stored in a shirt box from season to season which is another plus. If you make this or some other thing inspired by this (my mind is already thinking of other seasons and shapes) I would LOVE to see a pic!
Happy Crafting my loves!
