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Monday, December 13, 2010

Pottery Barn- Inspired Potted Pines

Once I saw the potted pines in this Pottery Barn picture,


I knew I would have to make some. So I did.




I made them before Thanksgiving and since then have seen a few tutorials for making pine tree topiaries that are much more complicated. Mine are disposable but super-easy and practically free! In Oregon there are ten million pine trees per neighborhood block (approximately) and therefore I certainly couldn't see actually buying pine (or fake-pine) from a store. Besides, haven't you noticed how the tips of pine tree branches are shaped just like the tops? There's a mini-tree waiting to be cut from the edge of every branch!

Step one: snip off some tree-branch tips. Step two: Make sure to keep them high above the realm of grabby reach-y chubby one-year-old hands.





I bought tiny terra cotta pots for less than a dollar, and to keep them natural-looking but a bit more interesting I lightly dusted them with white spray paint. If you hold the paint nozzle down gently, slightly bigger blobs of paint come out than the regular fine mist.




I hot-glued some dollar-store twine just under the lip and affixed a twine bow. Then I stuffed some floral foam inside (Four chunks for a dollar from The Dollar Tree).




I stripped off the shoots and needles from the bottom part of the branch,




and stuffed it in the foam!




With a little dollar-store Spanish moss to hide the foam, it was complete. So cheap. So easy. Just the kind of project I like. :)

29 comments:

  1. it looks super easy, my kinda craft!!

    hollyostler@live.com
    http://holly-closetomyheart.blogspot.com/

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  2. Oh, I love this! So easy, cheap, and cute:) Merry Christmas!

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  3. I like it, very cute and not that complicated! Thanks!

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  4. cute...you are inspired me! THanks!

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  5. perfectly lovely touch to your pretty home! That nice touch of spray paint gives the clay pots an interesting lookl Great idea!

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  6. Cute! I think I'm going to have to make a few of these myself :)

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  7. So Cute! I love PB but it is WAY too expensive! I like your way much better :)

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  8. What a great idea. We have plenty of pines down here in the south too.

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  9. Very cute. I have about 1000 of those laying around in my backyard from the wind we had here yesterday. Maybe I will make one myself. :-)

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  10. And you just had to put it by that frame that I tried to make but messed up. Thanks. ;)

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  11. Easy AND they would smell so nice!

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  12. I am loving all of these holiday crafts! I just have to follow you now!

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  13. Super cute! Love it! And, sounds like we have similar dollar stores because I always find the best stuff there!

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  14. Hmmm.... There just so happens to be about that many pine trees in my part of Virginia and there also just so happens to be a couple of empty clay pots sitting in my stepdad's shop. Looks like I know what I'm doing tomorrow!

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  15. I love these! And I bet I could keep these alive unline every other plant I've owned!

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  16. These are great. I love that they are made from things that you might already have laying around.

    Did you know that http://crafterhours.blogspot.com is having a PB Knock Off week? You should totally e-mail them about your project. They'd love it.

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  17. Simple and elegent!
    Here is another version
    http://cornersofmylife.blogspot.com/2009/12/miniature-tree.html

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  18. I'm allergic to pine trees go figure, but I was curious if the needles fall off or how do you keep it alive? This would be a cute & free project to spruce up my building's hallway & yeah pun intended lol Thanks

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  19. So sweet! Love it! Excellent job!
    Thanks for linking up to Making It With Allie! I can't wait to see what you have for next week!
    AllieMakes.Blogspot.com

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  20. Ohhhhhhh, I love your style!!! Natural and simple! Perfect!

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  21. Love that it is so simple, yet so beautiful! Thanks for linking up to Thrilling Thursday @ Paisley Passions :) Hope you stop by again soon.

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  22. Oooh, I like it, too! Great ideas---I love the $1 store!

    I hope you can join my vintage tag giveaway going on now! Merry Christmas!
    alittleknickknack.blogspot.com

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  23. congrats! keep up the good work/this is a great presentation.
    potted plants

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  24. So cute, and you can attach teeny tiny foil-covered boxes or tiny balls just like a real Christmas tree. Have to make one for next ear!!

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