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Fall Cone Trees

It feels a bit odd preparing for Fall while our temps have been in the triple digits, but I'm excited about all the natural elements and warm earthy décor that come with Fall decorating. 

This weekend I gathered the cone trees that I've made to display throughout our home and wanted to share with you a few options for making them.




From left to right above, the trees are made using tea stained book pages, soft yellow twine, drop cloth strips, and natural jute string.  I can't take credit for the large grapevine cone tree - it was purchased at Hobby Lobby.




To make the string and twine trees, use a cardboard cone and starting at the tip of each cone and, using a hot glue gun, wrap the string or twine around the cone, leaving no gaps between the rows.  When shopping for string and twine, check all store departments - other than the crafting and home improvement sections, they can also be found in gardening and sporting goods.  And, if you don't find them in a color you need, as with most elements, they can be spray painted, brush painted, and even stained.




For the drop cloth tree, cut 1" x 3-1/2" strips from the drop cloth, form them into loops and, starting at the bottom of the Styrofoam cone, pin them to the cone using straight pins.   I wrapped the tip of the cone with string and topped it with a wood finial.




To make the book page tree, cut 1" x 1-1/2" strips from book pages and attach them to the cardboard cone in rows using double-stick tape.  I used tea stained book pages for my strips and if you missed the tutorial on tea staining, you can find it HERE.  If you like, you can also curl the ends by rolling each book page strip on a pencil or pen, unrolling and attaching to the cone.




Another option is to cover a cone with burlap strips.  For this one, I attached burlap strips to a Styrofoam cone using a low temperature hot glue gun, then spray painted the burlap with gold spray paint.





If you don't have access to cardboard or Styrofoam cones, you can easily make them from posterboard or cardstock.   There are many templates online - just do a quick search for "cone shape template." 

The possibilities are also endless when it comes to decorating cones - you can use beads, beans, pine cone scales, design paper, fabric, glitter, ribbon, moss, raffia, etc. 

A good starting point is to set a color scheme and then search for items in those colors.   

Especially for Fall, leaves from a shrub or tree work really well and if they're not quite the color you're looking for, they can be spray painted.  Just drop them in a cardboard box, using one hand to apply the spray paint and the other to shake the box while spraying so the leaves are evenly coated. 

One last tip - when using Styrofoam cones and a glue gun, always use the low temperature setting - high temperature glue can melt the cone.  Don't ask me how I know this!   :)

Are you ready for Fall?  We're looking so forward to consistently cooler weather ... and much needed rain!




Thank you  to Craftaholics Anonymous, A Delightsome LifeWork it WednesdayImparting Grace, The Interior Frugalista and Cozy Little House for graciously featuring this post!


35 comments:

  1. As usual, you have some great ideas here! I love the burlap one. And you're right...anything can be spray painted if it's not the right color. :)

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    1. Hi, Lisa! The burlap one was a lot of fun to do - the gold glitter spray paint turned out much prettier than I imagined it. Love when that happens! :)

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  2. Such great ideas! I especially liked the fabric one.

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  3. These are beautiful trees. I love the book pages tree :) So cute!

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  4. Very lovely! I love the book page tree. - you could also use music! Have a great week :)

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    1. Great idea! Music pages would be so cute. Thanks so much for sharing!

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  5. Carolyn! These are fantastic. And timely. The materials used made them not yet Christmassy, but more Fall-like, ready for the next season!

    Thanks for sharing them with us at SHARE IT 25, on FineCraftGuild.com Love having party with us and looking at your contribution. Hope to seeing you next weekend again! ~ Rose

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    1. Appreciate your kind comments, Rose! Our home is mainly neutral in tone, and I keep several of the trees out practically year-round. So glad I found your party!

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  6. cute lil trees...........all of them!
    Nice job,
    Blessings, Nellie

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  7. Very creative! I love the book page tree. Thanks for sharing at My Flagstaff Home!

    Jennifer

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    1. Hi, Jennifer! That one was so quick and easy to make - after cutting the book pages, attaching them to the tree form took no time at all. Thanks!

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  8. These are awesome! Thanks for all the ideas and the instructions. And thanks for joining Grace at Home--I'm featuring you this week!

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    1. How nice of you, Richella! I appreciate it so much! Glad you enjoyed the fall trees. Have a great rest of the week!

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  9. Very nice! I love how these would add texture to a room. Beautiful job!

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    1. So true, Kathy - would like to use dried beans, spray painted - have seen those but have yet to give it a try. Thanks for popping in!

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  10. Very nice! I love how these would add texture to a room. Beautiful job!

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  11. So glad you like them, Kathy! Have a great day!

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  12. These are so clever and creative. I love all the different textures you used. They're perfect for fall and throughout the holiday season. Thanks so much for bringing them to the Vintage Inspiration Party.

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    1. Thanks, Betsy! And, I'm loving your latest post showing how to repurpose concrete tools! Unique and so interesting!

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  13. These are all great ideas for decorating and so unique. They seem to be easy enough to make too! Pinned

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  14. I love your fall trees! So pretty, I might just keep them all year long! Laura @ Over The Apple Tree

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    1. Thank you, Laura! The burlap ones (I actually made 3 of those) will be making a comeback for Christmas. :)

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  15. Love love love! I don't know that I can pick a favorite...they are all so darling. Thank you for the inspiration!

    Katie

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  16. Love this idea, never thought about using them for Fall. I have some I made with sheep fiber that I use at Christmas. Love this!

    Carole @ Garden Up Green

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  17. Oh my, these are gorgeous! I need to get my craft on so I can make those beauties. How creative!!

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  18. Carolyn, your Fall Cone Trees are so gorgeous I am featuring them this weekend at the DIY Sunday Showcase Party!
    Marie@The Interior Frugalista

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    1. Thank you for featuring these little trees, Marie! I can't wait to pop over and check out your party this weekend! I'm truly honored! Have an awesome day! :)

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  19. I love these, all of them! I wanted to make some, but wasn't sure what to use! Now I do! I love the burlap and the book page one. I really do love them all. I'm gonna go look for the tree forms! Thanks for sharing your ideas! So cool!

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  20. Such pretty fall trees, I love the book page one, what a creative idea!

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  21. These are so much fun, Carolyn! I love them all, but that burlap tree has my heart beating! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Talented Tuesdays!

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