Scrappy Paper Tree!

This scrap paper tree was one of the first things I ever pinned, over a year ago. So it's been in my want-to-make hopper for awhile. I picked up a couple small packs of scrapbook paper on sale a few months ago that had nice colors and patterns. As I'll be putting away Easter decorations soon and have nothing to go on the table in the foyer, it seemed like a good time to finally make it.



I had the paper, wire, and a yard full of branches, but didn't have a vase. Happily, one fell right into my lap ... Dora participated in an Edible Arrangement workshop and her finished product came home in this perfectly sized, lovely colored vase. Project - ON!



The original poster traced and cut the leaves by hand, which would probably be easy enough to do. I was hoping to find a leaf punch, but the closest I found was an oval.



I started with a bunch of oval cutouts and used a paper template to taper the ends. (No tracing, just held up the template on top of each oval. I ended up doing the little leaves by hand - put two pieces of paper back to back and trimmed. It's a forgiving enough shape to eyeball.



Then came the fun part - matching up fronts and backs and assembling. I used a glue stick to sandwich a short piece of wire in between the two leaves. I found that this is not super secure ... would recommend keeping the wire in place with a little bit of clear tape before gluing.



I found it easiest to hold the leaf in place at the base, and then wrap the wire around each branch, from leaf to end.



It's been awhile since I've worked on a good ol' fashioned craft project, and this was a fun one.



It's actually a little addicting ... I love the instant gratification! I may be adding more leaves.



Yay! So pretty!