Shabby Christmas Tree Tutorial

Has anyone else noticed all the beach-themed Christmas crafts around lately? I've also noticed some beautiful drift-wood Christmas trees. Too much work for me, but it sparked an idea.

Ingredients:

• Branches of your choosing
• Pruning shears
• Scissors
• Spray Paint in your colour choice
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks
• Twine or string
• Cardboard
• Floral foam
• Pot or container of your choice
• Artificial moss or some other ground cover (I used wool)
• Artificial birds and mushrooms or whatever you wish.

Directions:
1. First, start by finding the perfect branches and pruning them to your desired length to create a Christmas tree effect. Secure your "branches" to your main "trunk" with hot glue, and then twine or string.

2. Paint your chosen container whatever colour you wish, or leave as is. Allow to dry.

3. Take your floral foam and cut to size of your container and secure into it with some hot glue. Push your Christmas tree into the foam and secure again with hot glue.

 4. Cut your cardboard to fit around your tree and whatever pot you've chosen, and secure it down with hot glue. Now spray paint your cardboard the same colour as your container, or green. Wait until dry, then cut any over-lap.

5. Now attach your artificial moss or other chosen "base." I chose wool and wrapped it in a spiral effect, securing with more hot glue.

6. Add your decorations! I put two toadstools at the base of my tree, along with a fungus owl I found in an op shop and some birdies I picked up at a cheap shop. You can always add a star on the top if you wish.

I adore my finished tree, and it looks good simply standing on it's own!