I thought these were just the most amazing little trees and had to share! Be sure to visit http://www.Curbly.com for other great ideas!
Materials and Tools
- Papier-mache cones, available in the doll making section of the craft store
- Electric drill and assorted drill bits
- Fine-grit sandpaper
- Optional: Rotary tool and grinding bit
- Matte white spray paint – I used Krylon Flat White Indoor/Outdoor
1. Begin by chucking two-three small bits into your drill, and start making holes in a random pattern. I chose to make mine a little more dense and the bottom, and let them thin out towards the top. As you see in the photo, drilling into paper doesn’t always leave a smooth hole, but it can be smoothed out with sandpaper.
2. If you happen to have a rotary tool like a Dremel or Roto-zip, you can use a small grinding bit to smooth out the holes while maintaining the circular shape. If not, use a pencil or small dowel rod with the sandpaper to make everything smooth.
3. Take your trees outside or into a well-ventilated area, and give it a coat of flat white paint. Using flat white transforms these guys into looking like spray-painted cardboard to actual ceramic. Cool, right?
4. Spray painting sanded cardboard will likely make the texture a little…fuzzy. So, sand once more until smooth, and give it a final coat of spray paint.
That’s it. You can make a whole whimsical forest of these guys in not much more time, and for around a dollar a piece. For an extra punch, use a few LED tea lights to make ‘em glow with holiday cheer!
Gorgeous!