How to Create a Tree of Adornment

You don’t have to wait for a tree to bloom or even get its leaves back after winter to make it your yard’s centerpiece. It’s fun and easy to create a tree of adornment, one that is glorious to gaze at all year round. All you need is some imagination, miscellaneous items to hang and these few simple steps.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Tree
• String, wire or cord
• Coral, rocks or other debris
• Miscellaneous things that look good dangling
• Wind chimes and bells
• Other broken, weird or ugly stuff you were going to throw away or that you found on the street
• Paint to decorate the broken, weird or ugly stuff (optional)

1. Pick a tree. Opt for one of the ugliest, scraggliest and most barren ones in your yard, not unlike the Charlie Brown Christmas tree. Find one that could really use a face lift.
2. Start with wind chimes and bells. For the kickoff, secure a few jingle bells on string, cheap wind chimes and even a cow bell on the tree’s branches.
3. Continue to drape the branches with coral, rocks, broken glass and mirror pieces and other debris you string up on single strands of twine.
4. Keep adding things to the tree as you find them. Not all art has to be beautiful, nor does it have to swing in the breeze.

Tips & Warnings

• The more the merrier. Just make sure the stuff is not heavy enough to snap any branches.
• Make sure the tree is not dead before you begin or you’ll just have to start over when it falls over.
• Secure heavy stuff to thicker branches. Make sure the tree can support the weight of whatever it is you want to adorn it with.
• Don’t hang stuff where curious critters can chew or pull it.
• Don’t use items you really care about. Things may get stolen.
• Pick a tree in the back, or behind a fence, where no one can steal things off it.