12 Days of Christmas 2014 - Day Five

Okay, it's day five and it's time for a Christmas tree. I love Christmas trees and I know I have too many of them, but I still make aonther one just about every year! Sometimes I give them away, but not always.  lol  Anyway, this tree is made from paper medallions, which I have discovered you can use for lots of pretty things!

First you need to choose your papers. You need 9 or 10 different papers that compliment each other. For the bottom 3 layers, you need 2 sheets of each paper. You can get the next three layers from one sheet apiece, and scraps will do for the top 3 layers.  Starting from the top, you will cut the following strips:

           #1 - 1 strip 1" x 12"

           #2 - 2 strips 1 1/2" x 12"

           #3 - 2 strips 2" x 12"

           #4 - 3 strips 2 1/2" x 12"

           #5 - 3 strips 3" x 12"

           #6 - 3 strips 3 1/2" x 12"

           #7 - 4 strips 4" x 12"

           #8 - 4 strips 4 1/2" x 12"

           #9 - 4 strips 5" x 12"

If you put a 10th layer, it will be 6" x 12" and you will need 4 strips for it, which is 2 sheets of paper. My tree had that 10th layer, but one of them got messed up, so I wound up with only 9 layers. (You'll notice in the photo below that my 7th layer is made of two different papers. That's because of the mess up, NOT because I chose to make it that way. I didn't have any more of the papers I was using to make it over, so I adlibbed!) I also used an edge punch to give the edges a lacy look, but this isn't necessary if you don't have an edge punch.

Paper medallions are all over the internet and Pinterest, so you may already know how to make them but if you need instructions, here is the link to a post from last year's 12 Days of Christmas:

http://www.bygeorgeyouvegotit.blogspot.com/search/label/paper%20medallion%20Noel%20swag

Now that you have your paper strips folded and glued, you're going to make them into medallions, with one difference. You need 2 - 2" circles for each layer and you need to punch a hole in the middle of each circle. Then when you glue the accordions to the circles, make sure the hole is in the middle of the medallion. This is where your dowel will go.

Now you need your stand and dowel. I used a piece of a small log that we had after taking a dead tree out, but a piece of 2x4 or 4x4 would be good, too. Your dowel needs to be about 3/8" and you need to drill a hole in the base at least an inch deep to make sure the tree in stable. Don't cut the dowel off yet, but glue the dowel in the hole. Next, you need to take a pencil and put it in the hole of the biggest medallion and move it around in a circle to make the circle bigger. Just be careful not to make it too big. You want it to be a little snug on the dowel. Push it down on the dowel and do the same for all the other medallions, except the very top one. You still make the hole bigger, but leave it off the dowel. Mark your dowel 3/4"" above the 2nd layer and then remove all the medallions from the dowel and cut it off at the mark.

The reason you do this is so that when you put the top layer on, the dowel will not show.

Now you need 2 more 2" circles and a bamboo skewer. I cut my circles with a 2" flower punch, but you can cut them any way you like.  Measure from the pointed end of the skewer down 2" and mark it. You can cut this with a pair of wire cutters or kitchen scissors. Glue this in between the 2 circles, with 1" sticking out. (My skewer is shorter than an inch and my topper won't stay in, so I having you make yours longer.) I also cut 2 smaller flower shapes and glued in the middle of the larger ones, and then a tiny, little snowflake in the middle of that. I just used what I had on hand and you can, too. A larger snowflake without the smaller flower, a pretty poinsettia, a star, etc. Just use what you have or what you like.

Drill a hole the size of the skewer in the top of the dowel. Making it a little snug will help the topper to stay in. Now, stack all you medallions back on the dowel, put your topper on and there you have it!

A beautiful paper medallion tree!

I hope you like it, and I hope you will try one. They take a little time, what with all that folding, but they aren't hard and they are worth it! I donated one last year to the the Festival of Trees and it was a big hit! It was in turquoises and pinks and there were quite a few people who wanted it. It went for a nice price, which was good, because the money raised at this event goes toward the funding of an historical building.

That's another day done, and I'm on my way to bed.See you tomorrow!

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