Cute Crafts for Baby's First Christmas

Wrote by Better Homes

Make this easy tree using scrapbook paper and a few embellishments for your baby's first Christmas.

What You Need

• Three 12-x-12-inch squares of coordinating scrapbook paper in four colors or patterns
• Paper glaze such as Aleene's Paper Glaze
• 4-x-9-inch plastic foam cone such as Styrofoam
• 5-x-1-inch round plastic foam disc
• Empty cardboard ribbon spool
• Double-sided tape
• Tacky glue
• Pencil
• Masking tape
• Scissors
• Paintbrush
• Access to computer/printer or letter stickers
• Rectangular ribbon charms
• 4 yards of colorful ribbon to fit ribbon charms
• 5-inch length of armature wire

How to Make It

1. Brush two coats of paper glaze onto scrapbook paper, allowing drying time between coats.

Photo A

2. To make the tree base, cut several pieces of scrapbook paper into 1-x-3-inch strips. Apply double stick tape to the back of the paper strips and adhere the strips (overlapping) to the plastic foam disc. Cut two circles of paper for the top and bottom of disc. Apply with double-sided tape. * If you can't locate a 5-x-1 inch plastic foam disc you can modify a larger one. Using a compass on a sheet of paper, draw a 5-inch circle. Cut the circle out and pin it to the plastic foam disc using straight pins. Cut the 5-inch circle out of foam using a serrated knife. Use medium-grade sandpaper to even the edges of the disc if needed.
3. To make the tree trunk, cut the edges of the cardboard spool off and apply a strip of scrapbook paper using double-sided tape.
4. To make the tree, choose one scrapbook paper and tightly wrap it around the Styrofoam cone. Using a pencil, lightly mark the inside of the paper where the excess is around the bottom of the cone (Photo A).

Photo B

5. Cut off excess. Secure the paper to the inner portion of the cone using masking tape and tacky glue (Photo B). Secure the paper to the outer portion of the cone using double-sided tape. Tip: The outside of the cone will look best if you trim the excess paper so the seam in the back of the tree is a vertical, straight line.
6. Attach tree base to tree trunk using double-sided tape. Attach tree trunk to tree using tacky glue. Let dry.

Photo C

7. Using a word processor, print desired words on scrapbook paper. Practice on printer paper first to adjust font size and type. Thread ribbon charms on ribbon (Photo C). Wrap ribbon around tree and adhere with double-sided tape. Use tape on the back of the entire ribbon and ribbon charm. (This keeps the ribbon and charm in place.) If the tape is narrower than the ribbon you are using, apply the tape to the top edge of the ribbon. (This helps to keep the ribbon from pulling away at the top.) Apply the paper words to the ribbon charms using tape.

8. Using a word processor, print the desired message for the tree base on scrapbook paper. Cut out and apply to base with tape.

9. Coil the 5-inch piece of armature wire into a spiral on one end. Insert the straight end through the top of the tree into the cone. Glue in place using tacky glue. Let dry. Using excess ribbon, tie a bow to the spiral.