It's been there all along! Yes, this natural woven tree has been tucked away in my garage for at least seven years. Oh my! I was drawn to it in a thrift store and couldn't resist the price of six dollars for a handmade woven grapevines and limbs to weave an intricate pattern into a cone tree over four feet tall! Amazing! But, as the Christmas seasons rolled around year after year, I would look at it and just wonder how could I possibly decorate it? It was so rustic! So, I would cover it up or push it aside and move on . . . until this year!
Now, I belong to a monthly Sustainable Pinterest Challenge Group hosted by Julie @Sum of Their Stories. The theme for December is Winter - which can include quite a bit of ideas! The purpose of this Pinterest Challenge is to motivate all of us to create a project that a) is inspired by a pin on one of our Pinterest boards and b) have some sort of a sustainable element to it. This could be an upcycling or recycling element, or something that reduces waste, uses leftovers, etc. The problem I had was most handmade grapevine trees on Pinterest were quite small with the grapevines wrapped around a wire frame in a circular pattern like this pin. But then this pin mimics natural elements in a whopping size of eight feet, and even mentions sustainability and organic charm, I guess because it was handmade out of iron.
And this pin came very close to actually handcrafting a naturally woven tree but the link went nowhere. Nevertheless, I was inspired to do something with my woven tree for the holidays based on the pins I found!
Julie | Sum of their Stories
Gail | Purple Hues and Me
Julie | Treasures Made From Yarn
T’onna | Sew Crafty Crochet
Niki | Life as a LEO Wife
Mel | Decor Craft Design
Allyson | Southern Sunflowers
So, I'm finally hauling this awesome handmade woven cone tree out of hiding, oh I mean, storage and sharing how I decorated it using natural elements I found in my backyard!
Continue folding the stem wire at four and a half inches to form five "V" shapes -
shaping the stem wire . . .
into a star - cutting off excess wire and gluing the ends together. Place a drop of glue underneath where the stem wires cross to seal together.
varying the direction . . .
until satisfied with the look.
Then attach star to the top of the woven tree . . .
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What a bargain that tree was! I can't believe you kept it so long without brining it out on display, it's really lovely. You've added just the right amount of decoration, but I love the fact you used natural materials that you have nearby. The star you made to top it is just a perfect addition too. I feel like the floodgate of ideas is open now and you could 'dress' this tree differently every year from now on!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Julie! I really tried every now and then to do something with it but I'm glad I finally did!
DeleteI love how you used the berries from your yard for the tree. I like the pretty star you made and it's perfect for the holidays Gail.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Julie! Hope you have a great holiday even though you are without Bosco! He's always there in spirit!
DeleteYour six dollar find looks absolutely beautiful, Gail. The lights and berries are the perfect amount of decoration for this tree and I love the star- thanks for the instructions on how to make it!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Ann! You are absolutely right about the decorations! I'm really enjoying it! And you are quite welcome on the star! Have a wonderful holiday!
DeleteYour tree is very pretty! Using the red berries was the perfect way to perk up your woven tree for Christmas, and the handmade star is the icing on the cake or should I say tree lol. Now that it's out of storage you'll be able to decorate it for other occasions, too.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Allison! I am trying to think of other ways to use it! Have a great Christmas!
DeleteWhat a great way to upcycle this grapevine tree! It looks great with the berries and lights. Having the brown wire makes them blend right in. Great job with the star too! Pinned!
ReplyDeleteNiki | Life as a LEO Wife
I love your tree, Gail! Adding those bright red berries was the perfect touch for this grapevine tree. And the star and lights add even more fabulousness. You did an amazing job creating that star! I love different ideas for tree decor, so I pinned this!
ReplyDeleteWell, I think you do know how to decorate it, Gail. It's so cool! I love the rustic star you've made, it goes perfectly with the tree. And it looks amazing when you light it up!
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ReplyDeleteYour tree turned out great!
ReplyDeleteWonderful post
ReplyDeleteThanks