Our Burning Man-Inspired Winter Tree!

[frecks]

One of the most memorable things for us at our first year out at Burning Man was a double decker art bus covered entirely with white fun fur over color changing LEDs. While we saw a lot of things following this concept, the bus stood out as the most ethereal. This idea came to me on the exhausting flight back home.


 I've always been a bit leery of cutting down an entire tree to just prop up in my home for a few weeks, so this is another effort in the long line of unconventional holiday tree-ish ideas. It's pretty simple. Two yards of faux fur sewn into a cone with struts made out of concentric rings of cardboard. The rings are actually supported by the tension caused by the cone being suspended from the ceiling and the lights are safety pinned to the inside of the fabric. There is a hula hoop sewn into the bottom to create shape and weight. The snowflakes centered over some of the lights were just stuck on like velcro due to their glitteriness! I love how they disappear in the light and then are backlit when in the dark.

 The struts are a bit wonky, but my husband says that it reminds him of branches slumping underneath the weight of snow I can be  bit of a Grinch at this time of year (what with the twenty hours of darkness a day before the equinox hits) so it was fun to find a way to join in with hubby's usual holiday enthusiasm! Bonus: the kitties seem to not want to destroy it; it's a Christmas miracle!
 

[pazuzuspetals]

That is awesome!!! I love it!
A few years ago I had a tomato cage I strung lights/ornaments on and I gave it to a friend of mine.
Yours is a better design (and kitteh proof...so far.. )
It has a Dr. Seuss feel to it. Love it...

[EarthybyNature]

Groovy idea! I like what you did here- and it's always hard to get burning man ideas outta your head.

[alteredmommy]

I think this looks fabulous!  White trees are my favourite (living in the land of snow, where everything is white this time of year ) and I could see doing this with clear lights too...

[frecks]

Thanks so much, guys! This project turned out to be so much fun that it's been helping to boot me out of my crafting block!