I wanted to try something simple, and I got the added bonus of it being versatile!
Today I'll show you how to make these simple Christmas tree placecards. The versatile part comes into play when your dinner guests go home and you pull off the names and you're left with a colorful forest of trees!
For supplies, you will need the following:
- several colors of Christmas paper or card stock (optionally can be done monotone)
- an item to use for the base, such as the star pictured above
- a straight twig or dowel rod
- a short piece of gold string or the equivalent
- ribbon and other embellishments to your liking
For tools, you will need a glue stick, scissors, a small hole punch and hot glue
Begin by cutting the shape for the tree. Using a corner of a piece of paper, cut an arc from one side to the other. You should end up with 1/4 of a circle. I used scrap-booking scissors to add a scalloped edge. If you're using multiple colors, cut different sizes, with the longest one being the desired height of the finished tree. For mine, I used 3-1/4, 4-1/2, and 5-3/4 lengths.
Draw a line of glue along one straight edge.
Gently roll the paper to form a cone, slightly overlaying the glued edge over the other.
Firmly press the glued edge in place.
Repeat with another color.
Stack the shorter cone onto the top of the medium-sized cone, lining up the seams, and glue in place.
Repeat with the longest cone.
Put a generous spot of hot glue on the tip of the twig or dowel rod. Insert the twig into the cone to the point. Let cool, making sure the twig is aligned and centered at the bottom of the tree.
Glue the other end of the twig to the base, making sure the tree stands vertically.
Begin decorating your tree with your choice of embellishments. I went with a simple piece of ribbon garland.
Next, make a name tag. I used some matching paper and overlayed a piece of white. I punched two small holes in the top corners and tied the gold string through it.
Hang the sign over the top of the Christmas tree and your placecard is ready!
When your dinner is over, just slip the name off the tree and either use it again for another dinner, or use them without names as decoration elsewhere. You can also replace the name with a festive Christmas message, such as "Noel" or "Merry Christmas."
Let me know what you think! I'd love to hear if you give this a try!
BTW, I promised with my last post that I would be putting together a lightbox because I was so frustrated with my photo quality. Well I did and a love it! What do you think, are the pics better? I also spent a little time in the user manual for my camera and learned some helpful hints there, too.
And be sure to check out the endless list of inspirational ideas at my home page childmade.com.
I'll be linking to some of the fabulous link parties listed on the right sidebar ... but really, that's a LOT of parties! I probably won't get to them all, but you should stop in and visit a few yourself.
While you're at it, stop by my home page and add a few links there too!
Today I'll show you how to make these simple Christmas tree placecards. The versatile part comes into play when your dinner guests go home and you pull off the names and you're left with a colorful forest of trees!
For supplies, you will need the following:- several colors of Christmas paper or card stock (optionally can be done monotone)
- an item to use for the base, such as the star pictured above
- a straight twig or dowel rod
- a short piece of gold string or the equivalent
- ribbon and other embellishments to your liking
For tools, you will need a glue stick, scissors, a small hole punch and hot glue
Begin by cutting the shape for the tree. Using a corner of a piece of paper, cut an arc from one side to the other. You should end up with 1/4 of a circle. I used scrap-booking scissors to add a scalloped edge. If you're using multiple colors, cut different sizes, with the longest one being the desired height of the finished tree. For mine, I used 3-1/4, 4-1/2, and 5-3/4 lengths.
Draw a line of glue along one straight edge.
Gently roll the paper to form a cone, slightly overlaying the glued edge over the other.
Firmly press the glued edge in place.
Repeat with another color.
Stack the shorter cone onto the top of the medium-sized cone, lining up the seams, and glue in place.
Repeat with the longest cone.
Put a generous spot of hot glue on the tip of the twig or dowel rod. Insert the twig into the cone to the point. Let cool, making sure the twig is aligned and centered at the bottom of the tree.
Glue the other end of the twig to the base, making sure the tree stands vertically.
Begin decorating your tree with your choice of embellishments. I went with a simple piece of ribbon garland.
Next, make a name tag. I used some matching paper and overlayed a piece of white. I punched two small holes in the top corners and tied the gold string through it.
Hang the sign over the top of the Christmas tree and your placecard is ready!
When your dinner is over, just slip the name off the tree and either use it again for another dinner, or use them without names as decoration elsewhere. You can also replace the name with a festive Christmas message, such as "Noel" or "Merry Christmas."Let me know what you think! I'd love to hear if you give this a try!BTW, I promised with my last post that I would be putting together a lightbox because I was so frustrated with my photo quality. Well I did and a love it! What do you think, are the pics better? I also spent a little time in the user manual for my camera and learned some helpful hints there, too.
And be sure to check out the endless list of inspirational ideas at my home page childmade.com.
I'll be linking to some of the fabulous link parties listed on the right sidebar ... but really, that's a LOT of parties! I probably won't get to them all, but you should stop in and visit a few yourself.
While you're at it, stop by my home page and add a few links there too!
