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11.13.2020

creative Christmas tree skirts

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i'm going to confess that i have never used a store-bought tree skirt
on any of my own Christmas trees. NEVER.

it's not that my trees go bare-legged, it's just that i use different things under them than most people:
vintage petticoats, silky satin formal skirts, my wedding dress!, rugs,
old wood crates, and more tablecloths than i can count. Oh, and a fuzzy blanket!.
i've even used.... wait for it... pine branches. simple, right?

this year's happy colorful theme called for some FUN under the tree,
and i've come up with two different ways to do that by repurposing other items.
one involves some crafting, and will work on any size tree.
the other is for a small tree,
and was so easy i could hardly believe i hadn't thought of it before.

i hope they both make you take a look at whatever tree skirt you've been using
and think twice... about maybe trying something different this year.
now, let's get creative!

continue reading for the easy diy tutorials...

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first up, a colorful paint chip tree skirt!
made from posterboard and paint chips, it's an easy project
that will work on any size tree...

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the easy how-to:
* cut a large circle from posterboard (duct-tape several sheets together for a larger skirt)
* cut a hole out of the center to fit around the trunk of your tree
* cut a line from the outer edge to the circle to allow you to wrap it around your tree
* wrap the circle into a cone, and hold the ends in place with binder clips.

decide how you want the tree skirt shaped - high and conical, or more flat and low.
my small tree has a pretty bare lower trunk, so i chose a higher, more conical shape to hide it.

after you decide, get under the tree and wrap the posterboard around the trunk,
using the clips to hold it into place in the shape you chose.
use a pencil to mark a line down the posterboard where the seam is.

remove the clips and take the cone off of the tree.
now it's time to decorate that posterboard!

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now that you have a mark where the seam of the cone is,
you know what part of the posterboard circle won't be seen - so you don't have to decorate it.

in the left side photo above, the paint chips are laid out to cover the area that will be seen.
i arranged them in ROYGBIV (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet) order
using two to three chips for each color so they blend into one another.
after i figured out the arrangement, and before attaching the paint chips,
i put the posterboard cone back ON the tree so it would be the correct shape.

TIP: tie the lowest tree branches up to higher ones, to hold them out of your way.

working from back to front and back around again,
i glued the strips to the TOP edge of the posterboard cone, 
leaving the bottom edge free - you'll see why in a moment.

in the center photo, i have pulled the posterboard into a cone shape,
which brings the chips into an full circular arrangement
(because the unseen part of the posterboard is tucked under them)

in the right side photo, paint chips of various white paint hues were inserted UNDER the colors.
that's why i left those unglued before.
 some of them were trimmed a bit shorter to fit.
I glued them into place at the top & bottom of each strip,
then glued the bottoms of the color strips to secure them.
this covered the entire surface of the posterboard.
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the tree skirt is not attached to the tree, so it moves.
if i decide i want to look at different hues, i can spin it around and change things up.
beneath it, the plastic 'feet' of the tree are taped to the surface it sits on. just to be safe.

paint chips not your thing? no problem!
what else could be used to cover the posterboard:
vintage book pages. sheet music. vintage gift wrapping paper. new gift wrap paper.
playing cards. game cards. comic book pages. or how about a TWISTER tarp?!
old Christmas cards you can't part with. wallpaper. calendar photos. coloring book pages.

i'm sharing this idea to inspire your creativity - so make it yours!

i tried out another colorful idea for a skirt on this small tree,
using something colorful that i already had in my studio...

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you might remember the 'paint palette' lampshade shown here from a previous post...
inspired by an artist's painted palette swatches, i painted on a boring white shade.

since it was already here in my studio, it caught my eye -
so i popped it onto the bottom of the tree, just to see how it looked.
(i was considering painting the posterboard cone with this pattern,
before i chose to cover it with paint chips).
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it was a simple maneuver to remove the plastic 'feet' from the tree base,
slip the lampshade up the trunk, then replace the 'feet' and stand it up.
(even though one foot kinda' sticks out behind the tree, it really doesn't show.)

just think about the possibilities:
a beautiful lacy vintage lampshade would work under a more elegant tree,
a brightly-colored mid century modern shade under a contemporary tree,
and a burlap-covered lampshade would be perfect under a rustic woodland or farmhouse tree!
granted, lampshades come in limited sizes so they won't work on every tree...

have you ever used something unusual as a tree skirt?
i'd love to hear your great ideas - share them in a comment!


shared online:

funky junk interiors | diy salvaged junk projects #554


links to previous related posts:


the best Christmas tree lighting tip EVER

scrap wood faux fireplace

colorful office makeover

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2 comments:

  1. Deb, I always love your creative ideas and rainbow is my favorite color! I'd LOVE for you to share your creations with us weekly on Wednesdays over at the Creative Crafts Linky Party https://creativelybeth.com/creative-crafts-linky-party-16/ Have a great weekend!
    Creatively, Beth

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    Replies
    1. thank you so much for the kind invitation, Beth! i did join in, and am looking forward to visiting some of the links shared! <3

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