Paper Trees


Try these two projects for making Paper Trees.

The first project is to make 3D trees to decorate your home at Christmas and the second project is to make folded trees to embellish your cards and scrapbook layouts.
paper trees

3D Christmas Trees

Supplies

  • Craft paper - try different thicknesses
  • Wood skewers
  • Stands for your trees - I used small door knobs - you could use cotton reels or model a stand from quick drying clay. Ideally your base will have a hole to glue your skewer into.
  • Embellishments eg. beads, for the top of the tree.
  • Glue - I used a glue gun - silicone craft glue will also work well.


Method

Cut circles from your craft paper in different sizes. I cut circles with a 5", 4" and 3" diameter. Cut the number of circles for the height of tree you want to make.


Take a circle fold it in half and crease it. Repeat this 8 times, folding evenly round the circle.

You will have 16 folds in total.
paper trees


Fold the circle accordion style. This can be tricky at first but it gets easier when you have folded a few circles.

Snip off the folded tip which is the center of the circle.
paper trees


Take your skewer and put a blob of glue on it, approximately 1 1/2" from one end of the skewer.

Slide your largest (base) circle down the skewer until it rests on top of the blob of glue.
paper trees


Continue this process with the other circles. Stick them onto the skewer largest at the bottom to smallest at the top.

I spaced the circles approximately 1/2'' apart.
paper trees

Your base will ideally have a hole in it, into which you can apply your glue and push your skewer into.

If you make a base with quick drying clay insert a skewer to make a hole when the clay is still soft.

Stick the skewer into the base and add an embellishment to the top of your trees.




Folded Paper Tree Embellishment

Supplies

  • Craft paper - paper with patterns on both sides is the most effective.
  • Adhesive - a glue stick or double sided tape.
paper trees

Method

Cut out circles from your craft paper. Vary the sizes from 3" to 5" diameter. Cut the circles in half.


On a semi-circle mark the half-way point on the straight edge. 
paper trees


Take the edge of the semi-circle and fold it to the half-way point.
paper trees


Take the corner (next to the half-way point) and fold it back to the straight edge.
paper trees


Turn the semi-circle over so the folded side is face down.
paper trees


Take the bottom right corner (as in the photo) and take it to the top edge and make the fold.
paper trees

Stick the flaps down. If you want to you can decorate your tree with glitter, foil shapes, beads etc.

Your paper trees are now ready to use to embellish your cards or scrapbook layouts.