How I Made My Handmade Mixed Media Sponge Painted Papier-Mâché Christmas Trees

For quite awhile now I've had two papier-mâché tree cones in my crafts supply stash.  I've been wanting to use them for a long time but just never seemed to have the time.  Well, with all the Christmas mixed media decorations I was making what's two more....lol

You know me I never do anything in moderation.

So I decided to create two identical mixed media Christmas trees.

I wanted to use them on my kitchen table to surround my new mixed media Santa and Mrs. Claus art dolls I was making.  Their post is here.

I thought they would be perfect for the center area of my kitchen table as it is long in length but only about 8" wide for the depth.  So I need long, skinny decorations here and my Santa and Mrs. Claus surrounded by these two trees would be perfect.

I also made some real pine tree log circles about 1 1/2" tall that my brother had cut from trees in his year several years ago.  Like everything else I've been holding on to these for a long time.

My brother had cut a lot of these for me to use and I had only used three so far for my trio of needle felted Santa's to sit on when I made them back in 2013.

I thought two more might be terrific for the base of these trees and was so pleased that they fit the bottom of the cones perfectly.

How-To Make A Mixed Media Sponge Painted Papier-Mâché Christmas Tree

Supplies needed:

10.6" Papier-Mâché Tree Cone - 1
12" by 12" Scrapbook Paper - 1 to 3 pieces depending on the size of the cone.
Metallic Green Paints - 3-4 colors
Acrylic Paint - Brown (If using unfinished wood for the base.)
Natural Sea Sponges
Low Temperature Hot Glue and Hot Glue Gun
1" Thick Natural Pine Tree Wood Circle (With Bark) or Unfinished Pine Wood Circle (Width to fit inside bottom of Papier-Mâché Tree Cone.)
Saw (To cut the wood.)
Miniature Tree Star - 1 Red Glitter
Miniature Beaded Garland
Metallic Gold Elastic
Miniature Tree Bulbs

1.  Measure the width of the bottom of the papier-mâché tree cone and cut a round piece of pine tree wood or pine wood 1" thick to fit inside the circumference of the papier-mâché tree cone.

2.  If using the unfinished pine wood circle for the base paint it with the brown acrylic paint. Do not paint the natural pine tree wood circle with bark.

3.  Cut a piece of the 12" by 12" scrapbook paper to fit around the papier-mâché tree cone so it is completely covered and will wrap around the bottom of the papier-mâché tree cone.  If necessary use more than one piece of paper.

4.  Glue the scrapbook paper to the outside and inside of the papier-mâché tree cone with the hot glue.

5.  Sponge paint the outside of the papier-mâché tree cone with the green metallic paints until it is completely covered and you are pleased with the effect.

6.  Insert the tree circles for the tree base into the bottom of the papier-mâché cone and glue them with hot glue where necessary to hold them in place.

7.  Add the red glitter star decoration to the top of the tree and glue if necessary with the hot glue.

8. Wrap the green beaded garland around the cone and glue it in place in several spots with the hot glue.

9. Wrap the gold metallic elastic ribbon around the cone and glue it in place in several spots with the hot glue.

10.  Tie the miniature tree bulb decorations to the garland.

Ta-da! You're done.

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