How to Create a Money Tree or Other Creative Money Gifts

Don't just sit around waiting for money to grow on trees, make your own money tree instead.

Giving money as a gift doesn't have to preclude using your creativity. Build a money tree using a few simple materials. It takes a little time, but the result is an attention getter. The size and fullness of your money tree, of course, depend on the amount of your gift.

Things You'll Need

• Paper money
• Cone-shaped florist's foam, green
• Bobby pins

Instructions

1. Hold the first bill in front of you horizontally. Fold the bottom edge of the bill up 1/8 of an inch. Fold the folded edge back 1/8 of an inch. Continue folding forward and then backward until the entire bill has been pleated. Slide a bobby pin over the center of this pleated bill to hold the folds together. Fan open both ends of the bill. The result will be a ruffled circle with the bobby pin pinching the center of the bill closed.

2. Insert the legs of the bobby pin into the foam circle so that the bill circle lays flat against the foam.

3. Repeat with a second bill and bobby pin. Insert the second bobby pin so that the bill slightly overlaps one edge of the first bill. How close you put the bills depends on how many you want to use to decorate your money tree. Repeat until the foam cone is covered with money leaves.

References

• Cornish Heritage Farms: Money Tree Tutorial
• Plays with Needles: The Money Tree