Hybrid Christmas Tree – 20 Days of Christmas
Today I’d like to show you an adorable paper Christmas Tree.
You can make these trees as an ornament, a gift topper, or a standing decoration for a mantel, shelf, or teacher’s desk! Also I know things are really hectic in December so I’ve tried to help you out a little by providing a free template to get you started with today’s project!
For this project you will need the following:
- Digital Scrapbook Paper Kit and software
- Color Printer, regular weight paper
- Bone Folder (or ruler)
- Scissors
- Bamboo Skewers (found in the cooking aisle)
- Tape
- Ribbon (optional)
- Stamp pad (optional, for distressing)
I am using Robyn Meierotto’s Vintage Holiday Digital Paper Kit
and a free layered template (.psd file) I created for this project which you can download here for letter size or here for 12″ wide printers. (patterns not included, template has solid colors so you can choose your own papers.)
Clip patterned papers to the circles in the template and print onto regular printer paper. NOTE: Be sure to check the “Scale to Fit Media” box before printing so that it will resize automatically to fit your printer. I did try this first with printed cardstock but it was too hard to fold, so just use regular weight paper. Cut out the printed circles. If you like the distressed look, distress the edges of the circles now.
Fold each circle in half, and half again with the printed side facing out. Fold it in half two more times until you have a cone shape. Use the bone folder or ruler to get really nice creases in your folds. Do this for all the circles.
While you still have the paper folded, snip off the very tip. This makes a hole in the very center of the circle that allows us to slide it onto our skewers.
Unfold the circles. Some of the folds will have to be folded back the opposite way to make the accordion shape we want to end up with. So just use your fingers to make sure you have the folds alternating all the way around. These are now your “branches.”
Slide your largest circle down onto the skewer, holding the skewer upright so you can see about where you want your bottom branch to sit. Wrap tape around the skewer at that point, underneath your branch. This keeps the bottom branch from sliding off.
You can tape the other spots on the skewer as well, or you can just let them sit on top of the bottom branch. After you’ve added all the layers, you can tie a bow at the top of the tree, or you can add a bead or some other cute decoration. Use your scissors to start a cut all around the skewer and then just break it at that spot to get rid of the excess, or raid your husband’s toolbox and find something sharp to cut the skewer with.
Your tree is finished! 
Either add an ornament hanger to your bow, or find something to use as a base for the trunk of the tree. I found a small candle that I had with a metal lid, and I used an awl to poke a hole in the lid. You could also use a wooden spool or block from the craft store.
I hope you liked today’s project. Merry Christmas to all of you!
