As the saying goes, "Limitations are the source of true creativity." That sentiment rings especially true when it comes time for holiday decorations.
It's a great opportunity for us to get break out our crafting kits and build something truly memorable with whatever's lying around the house — like this amazing DIYer who turned her entire home into a delicious gingerbread wonderland.
So when I saw how this craftsman created an incredible Christmas tree out of his trash? I was totally impressed.
Fresh Christmas trees can be pretty expensive, not to mention having to drag your giant tree from the market all the way home. Even a fake tree has its own drawbacks — you have to find a place to store it all year, etc.
But Instructables user "ProfProblema" had his own unique solution this holiday season: build an upcycled Christmas tree out of thrown-away cardboard. And the cost? Almost nothing!
Scroll through to discover how you can create your own incredible Christmas tree with absolutely any household item.
Would you build this cardboard Christmas tree? Let us know in the comments!
The first stop was to get some solid, clean cardboard. Though he could have used any extra pieces he already had in his home, he opted to check out a local furniture store and pick up some more — for free.
Our DIYer then made a template for the proper shape and size of his Christmas tree. Ideally, he could use this pattern to create a bunch of shapes at once, streaming-lining the cutting process.
He cut all the boxes with an exacto knife, making sure he was left with only flat pieces of cardboard.
Our DIYer then taped all those cardboard pieces together, until they fit the tree template — creating 10 flats in total.
Once he'd cut out his 10 layers, he got rid of any excess cardboard with a jigsaw.
Afterwards, he drilled holes along the edges so that he could tie all the layers together with zip ties.
He took some more tape and created a diagonal line, then stacked each layer on top of the other to continue the cutting process.
Next it was time to cut the boards into a tree pattern, which our Intructables user created with a jigsaw. He then added the zip-ties to create an accordion effect with multiple layers.
After standing his tree up, ProfProblema spread out the layers — creating a gorgeous fold-out effect.
Next, it was time to paint! Our DIYer alternated green and silver spray-paint, giving the tree a nice shimmer.
He shares, "So I basically just misted the outer areas of each layer so it would sorta kinda look like an evergreen tree with some light snow on the tips."
Finally, he brought the tree inside and decorated it with the traditional Christmas lights and star.
But this isn't our DIYer's first rodeo! He's created amazing Christmas trees out of tons of salvaged day-to-day items, like this tree built entirely with rolled-up newspaper.
So what drove ProfProblema to start these upcycled projects in the first place?
"I moved into my house just a few days before Christmas years ago. I didn't have any furniture, let alone a tree for Christmas. So I wrapped all our moving boxes and stacked them up in a pyramid… and that was our tree that year"
One year he created a Christmas tree out of old carpets! The story behind it?
"Weeks before Christmas we had our horrible white carpet removed and tile installed. I took apart the pallet the tile came on and used it to make a frame. Then I cut the old white carpet into long triangles. I stapled the carpet in overlapping, flowing patterns down the frame."
This tree was created out of an old, broken-down fence.
"I just started stapling and brad-nailing planks in a cascading, overlapping pattern just like you would when shingling a roof. Then lights and a ribbon."
Or this hilarious tree created from rejected office supplies.
"We had massive water damage to the shipping supply closet at my office. I couldn't use the packing material for shipments, so I dried it all out and used it for the tree instead."
Lastly, a Christmas tree made entirely out of… balloons?
"Basically my kid had just learned to walk and I needed a tree he couldn't damage or be injured by. I also knew I'd never be able to keep him away from the tree at all times so it had to be kid friendly."
What household items would you use to build your very own Christmas tree? Let us know in the comments.
Please SHARE if you love crafting during the holiday season!
