Christmas Topiary: master classes + doing the Christmas tree with his hands

On the eve of New Year holidays, many are beginning to pick up festive decorations. Some are limited to the Christmas tree with balls and a wreath on the door. For others it is an excellent opportunity to realize his bold ideas and imagination to create jewelry with their own hands. Products that fall into the category of handmade, can be made only "for himself" and are suitable for the role of a present to friends and relatives. In recent years, the classic Christmas tree (even artificial) is gradually fading. They are replaced by all sorts of creative counterparts, one of which became New Topiary. We take a closer look with this unusual element of decoration and consider the number of turn-based workshops for the production of unusual jewelry.

Topiary: a gift and a bright decor

Topiary called figured cropped trees. These spaces become true works of art, hitting the perfect shape of the crown. Trees and bushes sheared in ancient times. In those days, the beauty of gardens crowned heads and wealthy families valued especially highly. Garden design is divided into two major areas.

• floristry;
• Plant architecture.

The second trend has gained widespread popularity in the late XVI century. In Russia, this kind of garden art appeared with a delay of a couple of centuries. Skillful hands of gardeners turned bushes and treetops in whimsical figures of animals, birds and people. The most elegant and luxurious in terms of design are considered gardens and living mazes France. In England, the art of shearing of trees and shrubs, too, developed at a high level, but there is more value conciseness and restraint. Even today, the garden architecture is widespread in many countries. Initially, the word "topiary" meant with perfectly straight tree trunk and a crown-shaped ball. Is shaped stubborn twig is very difficult, so the haircut was considered riding skill garden designer. Although the meaning of the word, and has not changed, it is now increasingly used to refer to handicrafts - artificially an imitation of living vegetation that adorn numerous trinkets, ribbons, ribbons, beads. Topiary at the same time can be replaced with houseplants and flower bouquets. In comparison with "live" analogue hack has several advantages:

• Suitable for those who are allergic to the pollen of flowers.
• Topiary for easy-care. It does not require watering, transplanting, pruning.
• Topiary become not only stylish and creative decoration of the home, but also suitable as an original present for a holiday, which is not ashamed to give.

The only drawback of topiary can be considered the complexity of the work on its creation. Crafts can be divided into the following components:

• The basis. It is commonly used for the light material (polystyrene) having a spherical shape.
• Trunk. It is made of wire, which is subsequently decorate.
• Crown. It is generated from all sorts of materials at hand: coffee grains, coins, thread, Christmas balls, artificial flowers, acorns, cones, dry twigs.
• Pot. Typically, it is filled with plaster, in which prior to solidification of the barrel is placed. Sprinkle it on top of decorative materials: stones, pine cones, shredded bark. Pot provides stability to the entire structure.
• Additional decor. Selected at the discretion of the master.

In the manufacture of Christmas Topiary often depart from the classic standards and crafts give the traditional form of Christmas trees.

Skilled craftsmen handmade crafts are advised not to put in the window, as some materials may eventually burn in the sun. Topiary faded color back hard, so you have to make a new one.

Shape Topiary

Although considered the classic form of topiary ball, hack can simulate a real Christmas tree. For the New Year, this configuration will be symbolic and will eliminate the need to further decorate the artificial or natural green beauty to maintain the "holiday spirit." Masters of their craft at times made very complex figures: numbers, hearts, stars, rings, houses, fruits, animals. Creating Topiary with the crown in the shape of an animal can be timed to the symbol of the coming year on the eastern calendar.

Round

As a basis for a round crown, you can use the following materials:

• Styrofoam. If no sheet of desired thickness, the residues from the package home appliances are bonded to each other. Ready foundation office knife cut to the desired shape. The complexity of the work lies in the fact that the foam is strongly crumbles. Use only need a special adhesive as normal can corrode the surface of the material.
• Polyurethane foam. It is poured into a container of spherical shape. After hardening, the finished composition basis undercut stationery knife to remove unnecessary layers as necessary.
• Papier mache. To work need a balloon, PVA glue and old newspaper or toilet paper. Sheets torn into small pieces. Then they pour glue and give a good soak. Thereafter, the resulting mass is applied to the layers of the ball. When the base has cured, the ball need to puncture with a needle. On a similar principle can work with threads. They are pre-moistened in a good glue and wrap around the ball. By itself, such a framework already provides a stylish decoration.

Also suitable for the base, foam balls, game balls (tennis, volleyball), tangles with yarn. Some use even wood.

In the form of Christmas trees

The basis of a simplified form of Christmas trees are made of the same materials as for the spherical crown. This configuration is more difficult to make, since the original tree consists of several truncated cone and one full on top of which hoisted on each other. Find any object or container that matches the shape is almost impossible. For beginners it is better to resort to succinct ideas minimalism and use a single cone, which will symbolize the Christmas tree. The shape is easy to make out of ordinary cardboard, which is then wrapped with layers of paper soaked in the adhesive composition. Also suitable for such crafts festive caps, which are usually worn on the heads of guests birthday.

Materials and tools

An exhaustive list of tools and materials for making New Year's Topiary is difficult. The challenge lies in the diversity of techniques and original ideas, which can use the wizard in the process of creating a composition. Here is a list of tools and materials, which can be considered "general" for all types of work.

Crown

For the manufacture of crowns will need the following materials and tools:

• The basis. Depending on the manufacturing method can be applied thereto glue, paper, balloons, cardboard samples stationery knife or blade.
• Outdoor decor.

Important in topiary - its appearance. Decor is fixed on the basis of three ways:

• Using a needle and thread. This is a complex, time-consuming process.
• With the use of glue. The method is suitable for the fine decor, which is impossible to pierce and spread on a thread or wire. For example, an adhesive secured coffee beans, acorns, coins.
• Use the wire on which are strung jewelry. It pierced the foundation. Option is more suitable for balls of foam or foam. Since the materials are sufficiently dense and easily pierced, they are able to firmly hold the wire, if it is "drive" deep enough.

As for the decor, its list is too extensive. For New Year's Topiary more suitable tree balls, flowers made of polymer clay, small sprigs of spruce or pine, cone, tinsel, bells, candy.

Trunk

To manufacture the wire barrel can be used, subsequently wrapped thread, tinsel, strips of cloth, tapes. For it need special pruning shears. If you want to bring your topiary to a natural tree, the suit even a real thick knot. Wood also circulate a pleasant specific smell, which can be supplemented to the classic New Year's tangerine scent.

Base

For the manufacture of the base will need:

• Pot. You can use a disposable container for flowers or seedlings, glass, old teapot, baby bucket.
• Gypsum. While filling the pot can be any material that lies tightly enough and provides stability Topiary, we will consider it in plaster. He is the most reliable and only afraid of moisture.
• Decor. Pot can be dyed, to cover glitterom wrap bright fabric, jute or pasted Christmas tinsel.

A set of tools to work can vary greatly depending on what kind of decorations to use wizard. The standard list includes:

• Scissors;
• Brush glue;
• Paints;
• Needles and thread.

The most "lazy" Wizard's tinsel wrapped pot to cover its surface is not festive.

Ideas for the production of Christmas trees

Ornamental trees on New Year's Eve can be made of any materials at hand. The course will trim fabric, pieces of paper, old tinsel, candy, real fruit, Christmas decorations, acorns, pine cones, crepe paper, satin ribbons, flowers of polymer clay or foamirana. The list of materials is endless. Consider some of the most popular workshops.

Topiary of Christmas balls

Root should work from the production base. We will use a foam ball. Since Christmas decorations may have different forms and to drive them to each other tightly does not work, it is necessary to drape the ground. For this purpose, tinsel, rain, or trim foil, shiny tissue paper diy. Attach material by using an adhesive. To fit the normal rain tape. The excess material is cut to the foundation looked neat. From a variety of Christmas decorations is best to choose the cheapest plastic. First, the glass beads are heavy and extra load to the trunk Topiary undesirable. Second, you need to prune decorations to toys of various sizes not stand out from the crowd. To cut plastic, only need a pair of scissors. In small balls enough to remove only the "tail", which is attached to the cap with a ribbon for hanging. After decorations are prepared, they are fixed on the base with an adhesive.

The balls must be properly combined in the composition, so that no large gaps between them. That's what toys of different sizes. To Topiary did not look monotonous, it is further decorated with twigs covered with glitter. This "green" can be purchased at specialty stores. Alternatively, these branches of spruce and arborvitae dipped in glue and sprinkle with glitter. After the crown Topiary formed, the adhesive should be given time to "grab". Parallel to start to work on the trunk. For its production will require two pieces of thick wire. First they were wrapped satin ribbons of different colors (the tips of the fixed glue). Thereafter, trimming the wire is wrapped around each other to get beautiful weave as in the DNA molecule. Extra ends are not cut and folded and as such "planted" in the pot with plaster. Crown pushed onto the wire barrel and topiary of Christmas tree decorations ready.

Topiary of natural materials

Topiary of natural materials - the perfect complement to the interior, decorated according to the principles of eco-style. To operate using cones, acorns, coffee beans and pumpkin seeds, small twigs, dry leaves, Physalis boxes, hazelnuts, walnuts, chestnuts, bits of moss, tangerine skins and shells from pistachios. The most interesting application of the last two elements of the decor. Fresh peel of tangerines or oranges cut into strips that are twisted spiral and secured in such a way that they are not unfolded. Topiary part must dry. As is known, peel after two or three days to solidify and "spiral" will perfectly keep the shape. On the one hand it prick on the wire and then fixed on the foam base. The shell of the pistachio is used to create the original "blossoming buds." The halves are bonded together at the base so as to obtain an imitation-cups petals.

Topiary of natural materials is further decorated with burlap, jute and "tangles" of yarn, which manufactured by the same technology as the base for the composition of the thread (using air ball).

tangerine tree

needed for the crafts:

• Small Mandarin.
• ball of yarn (preferably gray in color).
• Spruce twigs.
• Dry curved tree branch as a trunk.
• Salt or sugar as an artificial snow.
• Glitter to decorate the pot.
• Old pot from under the flower.
• Motoc thin wire or skewers.
• Piaflor. Special Floral Foam.

As a basis you can use foam, but mandarins are quite heavy, so not every bead bear such a load, and the Floral Foam cope with this task. First of piaflora cut the ball or cone, depending on the shape of the future tree. Then, each tangerine wrap gray yarn. This is necessary in order to disguise the wire on which items will stay Topiary. Wire segments also wrapped around mandarin scheme crosswise. Tails are twisted in one thick tip, which subsequently is passed to a base of piaflora. Gaps between mandarins decorated with branches. They are dipped in stationery glue and sprinkle with large grains of salt or sugar to create a simulation of snow. The pot was placed piaflora second piece, fitted shape. It is inserted into a dry twig, which will perform the role of the barrel.

Sam pot smeared with glue and sprinkle silver glitter. Piaflor under the barrel, you can sprinkle the spirals of tangerine peel, the manufacture of which have already been mentioned above. To the base of trees did not look too bare, it "put" a couple of pine twigs. If floral sponge to moisten, they stand for a long time.

Topiary of sweets

Topiary is better to choose for sweets round or cone-shaped. In the composition they will look organically. of sweets crown complement the fresh fruit (apples, tangerines, lemons), if you want to focus on naturalness. In a more gentle, romantic decorate candy compositions so that they become cores of flower buds. For the manufacture of the petals using crepe paper, foil, fabric. Fix sweets, usually on skewers. To make better use of the basis of the composition of the foam.

Topiary of the coffee beans

For topiary of coffee beans taken foam base perfect circular shape. The decor on it is fixed with an adhesive. The simplest composition made of natural grain brown. For more complex embodiments grains previously sorted and each piece dyed or coated with several shades of glitter in different colors. Such elements can be assembled abstract crown or to spend more time and put the original pattern.

Coffee beans are often complementary coins, leaves of burlap, satin ribbons and bows made of jute. Original variation money tree would be Topiary, in which part of the crown is covered with coffee beans, and the other half - coins, looking out "disclosed" pocket. It is easy to manufacture from old lightning from the jacket or trousers, gluing it to the base.

Topiary fabric

Creating a topiary of dense tissue that keeps excellent shape (felt) or a thin, air matter (organza, veil). Separately, it is worth noting sisal - plant fiber, which is produced from the agave plant. To the tissue it can not be classified, but the thick, dense strands are often used in such artefacts. Usually they are wound into neat balls of different sizes, which decorate the Topiary. To make the design of a festive, sisal covered with sequins. The crown can be decorated with fabric or buds decorate napkins or scraps of organza. The material is cut into small squares, after which each of them is dropped to the base of the foam using a sewing pin. The edges of the trim fabric stretched like that they pained from the grip lush. Complement this delicate decor large beads and bows of satin ribbons.

Christmas Topiary of different materials

Christmas topiary can be made of any materials that are somehow involved in the holiday preparations. In the course can go all the elements of fine decor, which usually decorate the room and accent the fireplace area, near the Christmas tree on the door. Crown decorated with tiny gifts wrapped in colorful foil, the colors of the rain and fluffy tinsel, animal figures, with bells gold and silver plated, bright red buds, which are so organically contrast with sequins, beads and threads of satin bows. Organic materials can be combined with each other. For example, it will look great topiary made of natural parts (cones, acorns, nuts) and artificial Christmas tree decoration (balls, bells, floral foliage). They can be divided notional strip drawn exactly in the middle of the crown, or intricately stir receiving unusual potpourri. To emphasize the solemnity of the composition, it is advisable to stick to the base of the ball or in a pot near the trunk of a pair of real fir branches. To learn how to cover them with artificial snow, mentioned above. While you can buy ready-made structure, which is sold in cans and sprayed on the surface.

Topiary - herringbone of tinsel and Christmas toys

Topiary of Christmas tinsel and toys in the form of Christmas trees made according to the same technology as the composition of a similar material with a circular crown shape. The difference is only in the base configuration. To create the necessary piece of foam herringbone cylindrical shape. It can be used inside the hollow base of cardboard or papier-mache. The beads attached thereto by adhesive. The basis of the necessary cover with foil or tinsel before decorating to toys not peeped between intervals. Alternatively, the surface can be painted or covered glitterom.

Herringbone of woolen thread

To create a Christmas tree out of the yarn will need the following tools and materials:

• Threads (green for the classic Christmas tree);
• cardboard for the base sheet;
• Scissors, glue;
• pins;
• pot;
• Decor.

First it is necessary to make the foundation of the cone-shaped cardboard sheet. Then it begin to heavily greased with white glue and glue yarn in neat rows, starting from the top of Christmas trees. Thread tight-fit to each other, to leave no gaps. Treat need consistently on one site. You can use a combination of different colors of yarn. When the adhesive sets and thread lock in the basis, begin to decorate the tree. To do this, use tiny tangles of yarns of different colors, large beads, bright ribbons, buttons, miniature ceramic angels, tinsel, pompons and figurines made of felt. From the same material is easy to cut the tip of a small star. You can make a creative Christmas tree and after gluing yarn to separate it from the base. Turn translucent tree that is illuminated from the inside with a garland.

conclusion

Topiary is perfect for cramped apartments, where there is no room even for a small real or artificial Christmas trees. Beautiful composition will look in a pot on a window in the center of the holiday table or on the mantel. The same option is ideal for New Year's design office. You can make a small tree-sized cactus and put on the desktop. Just one bar will give a sense of anticipation of the holiday and everyday life will seem not so gray and monotonous as usual. Topiary of sweets or Mandarin - a wonderful gift for the New Year, especially for the sweet tooth. If the base used in the ring form, the celebratory wreath on the door can be made of the same technology. This western tradition of decorating the entrance is spreading in our country. The materials used are the same: tinsel, cones, fir branches, red satin bows, strings with golden beads.