I know, I know, it's not even Thanksgiving yet...
but everyone is looking for Holiday Decorating ideas,
so I need to start popping them in here from time to time!
Years ago, in the course of my retail visual merchandising career,
I created a Christmas Ornament Display Tree using a wire tomato cage.
It was a last-minute solution on a budget - and it worked.
Many years after that, I was asked by a well-known winery to create something
simple . easy. contemporary . and CHEAP
for their Holiday retail displays in their wine shop.
And I created the wire trees all over again:
so I need to start popping them in here from time to time!
Years ago, in the course of my retail visual merchandising career,
I created a Christmas Ornament Display Tree using a wire tomato cage.
It was a last-minute solution on a budget - and it worked.
Many years after that, I was asked by a well-known winery to create something
simple . easy. contemporary . and CHEAP
for their Holiday retail displays in their wine shop.
And I created the wire trees all over again:
In these photos, you can see that there are several ways to make these trees.
Variety is good - especially when all of the trees can be seen at once, as in this winery.
The first thing you'll notice
is that the tomato cages are used 'upside down' from how they normally appear
when they are holding your tomato plants upright in the garden!
The pointed tops of these trees are the long legs / upright rods of the contraption,
held together with a zip-tie.
Variety is good - especially when all of the trees can be seen at once, as in this winery.
The first thing you'll notice
is that the tomato cages are used 'upside down' from how they normally appear
when they are holding your tomato plants upright in the garden!
The pointed tops of these trees are the long legs / upright rods of the contraption,
held together with a zip-tie.
The GOLD TREES are very simple to make:
gold metallic tinsel garland is wrapped around all of the wire surfaces (rods & rings) of each cage.
I used very tiny clear zip-ties to secure the tinsel in several places as I wrapped.
The WHITE TREES are made in two ways:
One is simply wrapped, just like the gold trees.
The other was made by wrapping the white iridescent tinsel
all the way around the outside of the cage, encasing all of the rods.
Before I started wrapping, I cut the top two rings off - leaving only the lowest ring at the base.
Then I zip-tied the top of the upright rods together,
to create the cone shape.
These are very angular and modern in shape, because of the three upright rods/legs.
Combining two modified cages after removing the rings,
and stacking them so that the rods are placed between each other
will result in a more rounded cone shape to wrap it with tinsel.
gold metallic tinsel garland is wrapped around all of the wire surfaces (rods & rings) of each cage.
I used very tiny clear zip-ties to secure the tinsel in several places as I wrapped.
The WHITE TREES are made in two ways:
One is simply wrapped, just like the gold trees.
The other was made by wrapping the white iridescent tinsel
all the way around the outside of the cage, encasing all of the rods.
Before I started wrapping, I cut the top two rings off - leaving only the lowest ring at the base.
Then I zip-tied the top of the upright rods together,
to create the cone shape.
These are very angular and modern in shape, because of the three upright rods/legs.
Combining two modified cages after removing the rings,
and stacking them so that the rods are placed between each other
will result in a more rounded cone shape to wrap it with tinsel.
The RED & WHITE STRIPED TREES
are made exactly like the white cone tree above.
The FAUX PINE TREE
is made using a garland of greenery, instead of the tinsel like the others:
Start with a thick faux pine garland.
Wrap the lowest ring with the garland, attaching it with wire or zip-ties as you go.
Cut the garland once it has wrapped the base ring.
Move on to the next highest ring on the frame, and repeat.
Move to the top ring on the frame, and repeat.
Use a zip-tie to pull the ends of the upright wire rods together at the very tip of the wire cage.
Take a small section of the garland and wrap it around the zip-tie,
and twist the ends of the greenery together to secure it to the top of the tree.
OPTION:
You can use three faux pine wreaths - one large and two medium sized -
in place of the garland. Then just use an 8" piece of garland for the top of the tree.
Saves a LOT of time!
When done, you can hang lightweight ornaments from the greenery.
If you plan to have lights on your trees, put the light strands on FIRST - before the garlands.
They will hide the wires!
These work perfectly to display outdoors, as well as indoors.
There are generally two sizes of wire tomato cages available at garden centers,
so you can get some variety in your displays.
shared online:
OPC/TBH . The Humble Brag
are made exactly like the white cone tree above.
The FAUX PINE TREE
is made using a garland of greenery, instead of the tinsel like the others:
Start with a thick faux pine garland.
Wrap the lowest ring with the garland, attaching it with wire or zip-ties as you go.
Cut the garland once it has wrapped the base ring.
Move on to the next highest ring on the frame, and repeat.
Move to the top ring on the frame, and repeat.
Use a zip-tie to pull the ends of the upright wire rods together at the very tip of the wire cage.
Take a small section of the garland and wrap it around the zip-tie,
and twist the ends of the greenery together to secure it to the top of the tree.
OPTION:
You can use three faux pine wreaths - one large and two medium sized -
in place of the garland. Then just use an 8" piece of garland for the top of the tree.
Saves a LOT of time!
When done, you can hang lightweight ornaments from the greenery.
If you plan to have lights on your trees, put the light strands on FIRST - before the garlands.
They will hide the wires!
These work perfectly to display outdoors, as well as indoors.
There are generally two sizes of wire tomato cages available at garden centers,
so you can get some variety in your displays.
shared online:
OPC/TBH . The Humble Brag
