PLEATED CHRISTMAS TREE...

No card today, but here is a little mini tutorial for a pleated Christmas tree! I like quirky little decor items, and this little tree fit the bill!

You'll need:

- patterned paper (12x12)

- Styrofoam cone

- small pot

- a wooden dowel

- pins (the sewing kind)

- border punch

- crimper

- ornament or ribbon

- ruler

- marker

1 - Punch a border on 1 side of a 12" piece of patterned paper, then cut it into a 2 inch strip. You'll need 12 strips, 2 for each pattern.

2 - Take the cone and measure mark in one inch increments. Repeat measuring/marking around the cone a few more times, this will help you keep the paper straight!

3 - Crimp each of the strips.

4 - Pin the top of one of the strips right under the first mark you made at the bottom of the tree. Then pleat/pin the paper as you go. You'll be about an inch short of paper each time you go around, so just piece & pin some into place to complete each row. That's why I said 2 strips of each pattern. As you go up the cone, your pleats will get smaller each time.

To finish,make a little ring of paper to crown the top & stick on a Christmas ornament or a bow or whatever... I was feeling a little goofy, so I used an ornament. Stick a wooden dowel into the bottom of the cone & stake it into a little pot! Voilà!

This post is also over at the Pink Elephant today! We also have a great post on Christmas tags, so go check that out!

Have a Happy Monday!