20 cents a Tree

DOLLAR TREE POSTER BOARD CONE TREES

It’s hard to believe but Dollar Tree poster board comes 5 pieces for $1.00!  Years ago I would pay around $6.00 a piece for paper mache cones.  Since I figured how to use Dollar Tree poster board my cost per tree base is 20 cents.

Cone trees are a nice for making Christmas vignettes on a mantle or table.  They are really fun to decorate and I make at least 6 trees every year for Sunrose Gallery here in Seaside.

Have you ever made a “dunce hat”?

I tuck in a cone shaped piece of  Styrofoam while I roll the poster board into the “dunce hat” shape.  Have cut tape sections close at hand and tape down the edges.

I cut the poster board bottom in a rough cut the first time so I can “see where I am going”.  After removing the excess poster board cut close to the bottom of the Styrofoam.

When I am decorating the poster board cone I leave the Styrofoam in the cone but remove it after decorating.  All the hot glue I have used adds stability and the cone feels sturdy and stable.

Decorate them with shells

I had fun applying hot glue and gold and copper foil when the glue was dry.  Mardi Gras beads and buttons are good low cost decorations.  The middle tree has a paper clay border.  I “smooshed” on wet paper clay and used my metal alphabet stamps to say “Spending Christmas by the Sea” I let it dry 2 days before I applying some turquoise paint stain to make the words POP.

I needed to use up these red felt reindeer so I glittered the tree and stacked them up!

 

I have painted them with black chalk paint and decorated them with white paint pens.

COVERED IN SHEET MUSIC WITH A ORGANDY & WIRE GARLAND

The cones are very easy to cover with sheet music.  Easy, fun and inexpensive.  The Dollar Tree Poster Board cone tree is definitely my kind of bargain!