Christmas tree from recycled material

It seems that I am posting either my crafts or recipes, but it's what we all here for, correct. I had a chance to do some crafts using recycled material and if I can say myself, I did a pretty darn good considering. I never wanted to use this phrase...but in all purposes what it is, toilet paper rolls. That right, I made Christmas trees out of strips of toilet paper or paper towel rolls. After I flattened the rolls, I marked 1/2 inch increments with the pencil to the end of the roll, then cut the strips. Then I sprayed all the strips with green paint (do this part outside) and let them dry. I went row by row and attached each strip to a cardboard cone that I made myself. Each row took about 8 strips and took 10 rows from bottom to the top... so there were 80. Depending on the size of the dimension of the tree. Then I went around with plain (Elmer's) glue and sprinkled faux snow randomly and then put white glitter on some branches. I made a circular base from cardboard and hot glued to the bottom and sprinkled more faux snow to it.

PUMPKIN AND APPLE GARLAND

Pumpkin and Apple Garland

This was so easy to do and fun also and if you like recycyling like me you save alot of household items.  These craft only took a few items but the end result was so too cute.

Ruler
Scissors
Paint  (orange for pumpkins, red for apples)
Twine 
Glue gun
Empty toilet paper and paper towel rolls
Paint brush

1.  First, flatten the rolls and mark 1/2 inch increments from one end to the other.  

2.  Cut the strips.  You will have more strips from the paper towel roll than the toilet  roll.  The pumpkin will need 6 strips...one will be cut in half for the top and bottom adjoining the three middle loops.

4.  For the apple, you will have 5 strips...the fiftth will be cut in half to be the top and bottom adjoining the middle loops.   Naturally, you have  scraps leftover, make little 1" x 1/2 cm loops for the stems for all the pumpkins, apples and paint them brown.

5.  Start painting the strips, use orange  for the pumpkins, and red for the apples.  Make sure you sort all the strips beforehand so that dont get painted the wrong color.

6. When they are dry, start hot gluing them, at the middle of the loops till they are together.

7.  Then put a dot of glue at the bottom of each loop at the bottom and attach the strip that will adjoin them in the bottom.   Do the likewise for the top strip.

8.  With twine (or any kind of string)  weave the pumpkin or apple, whatever is going to be first.  Go through front to back and then go to the next one and give enough string  in between each one so you can adjust it accordingling.  Hang it wherever you desire in your home.  I have mine next to my computer hanging from my candle sconce.