My dowel tree

[VaxGirl]

My husband and I have a weird holiday tradition.  Being  a terrible procrastinator, I always wait until the very last minute to decide if I want a tree or not.  This has resulted in some amazing bargains over the years.  One year we paid $5.00, the next $1.00, and last year late Christmas Eve, I forget where, but the tree guy gave us one for free.  So I figure this year, in order to beat the record, someone has to pay us to take a tree; yeah good luck with that.  Of course one year there were no trees left and we debated picking one out of a puddle on the side of the road...

So anyway....  I saw all these really stylish artificial trees, upside down trees, skinny trees, fat trees, stick trees, so I thought "Hmmm, maybe a dowel tree".  I realize this isn't really hardware, but since I bought them at the orange labyrinth store, maybe it counts, LOL.

Get some dowels and a fat one for the trunk.  It can also be covered in foil and used for your Festivus Pole!


Drill some holes in the fat dowel the same size as the skinny dowels(we used 1/4") and cut the skinny ones into branches.  Since the husband is afraid to let me near the power tools, he did this part.  I don't know why he feels that way, it's not like I ever cut through the cord on the electric hedge trimmer like someone.

Stick the dowels into the holes.  Mine fit pretty snug, no need for glue.


We still need to make the base, so for now I propped it in the corner and decorated it.  I may paint it or wrap some green fun fur around the branches, or I may leave it as it is.  Since we didn't use glue, it can be taken apart and stored easily.

[SewingLori]

Oh. I am so pleased to meet a fellow tree maker. My husband and I are similar to you. We never know what we want. So, for the past 3 years we've made our own. Now on year 4, we were very tempted to go to the nearby Christmas Tree Lot and buy one - not for $150 I won't!!

Anyway, one year it was bamboo, the next was chicken wire and 5 strands of purple lights, last year we had a beautiful arrangement hanging from the ceiling. This year we made a very simple grapevine topiary with 3 balls, 4 strands of lights and LOTS of gluegun and red berries. I LOVE IT.

I think year 5 calls for a bunch of dowels. I love it!!

[irid3sc3nt]

Haha!  What a great idea!  We don't even have room for a dowel tree so I ended up hanging the ornaments from the ceiling.  It's pretty fun.

[princess_me]

so cool

[selkie]

Do you have a picture of the chicken wire tree - that sounds amazing!!
Selkie

[cookiemunstah]

LOL.  After Christmas you can use it as a clothes drying rack.

[Bigmouth]

LOL.  After Christmas you can use it as a clothes drying rack.

Ha!  Nothing like a festive bra tree to add some style to January!   

[noncatfiction]

My husband and I have a weird holiday tradition.  Being  a terrible procrastinator, I always wait until the very last minute to decide if I want a tree or not.  This has resulted in some amazing bargains over the years.  One year we paid $5.00, the next $1.00, and last year late Christmas Eve, I forget where, but the tree guy gave us one for free.  So I figure this year, in order to beat the record, someone has to pay us to take a tree; yeah good luck with that.  Of course one year there were no trees left and we debated picking one out of a puddle on the side of the road...

So anyway....  I saw all these really stylish artificial trees, upside down trees, skinny trees, fat trees, stick trees, so I thought "Hmmm, maybe a dowel tree".  I realize this isn't really hardware, but since I bought them at the orange labyrinth store, maybe it counts, LOL.

Get some dowels and a fat one for the trunk.  It can also be covered in foil and used for your Festivus Pole!

Drill some holes in the fat dowel the same size as the skinny dowels(we used 1/4") and cut the skinny ones into branches.  Since the husband is afraid to let me near the power tools, he did this part.  I don't know why he feels that way, it's not like I ever cut through the cord on the electric hedge trimmer like someone.

Stick the dowels into the holes.  Mine fit pretty snug, no need for glue.
We still need to make the base, so for now I propped it in the corner and decorated it.  I may paint it or wrap some green fun fur around the branches, or I may leave it as it is.  Since we didn't use glue, it can be taken apart and stored easily.

this is really great.

[excessy]

I read towel towel tree and that's actually not such a bad idea love yours!

[notyourmomsknitting]

I love this idea!  Much less messy than the real tree that has been dropping needles for the past two weeks.