Christmas Trees From Salvaged Materials

Backstory: 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.

That sorta started a tradition. Each year since I've built our tree out of recycled or upcycled materials that I either salvage or already have on hand. I love the idea of giving stuff destined for the landfill some new life before sending them on their way.

I already published an Instructable for this year's (2015) salvaged cardboard tree. You can view it here:

www.instructables.com/id/Salvaged-Cardboard-Christ...

This is more of a gallery of some of my past trees. I didn't take process photos of the the previous trees, so it's really just for viewing.

Enjoy

Wish I could say this was an original idea... but I stole it 100%

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TT3rcGA4_yU/TReOdCjKcoI/...

Just rolled up newspaper in cone shapes. Stapled to an old post I placed in an actual tree holder. Spray painted the cones gold, silver, and green and lit them up.

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.

Some lights and a bow completed the 1980's Miami Vice reject look.

Our fence was 20+ years old and had to come out. I saved all the wood, which was unvarnished and unpainted, for firewood. I got the idea to use the planks in various lengths to build the tree.

There's no frame on this one. 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.

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.

Kraft paper was stapled to an upright post in a billowing pattern. Then I hot glued a bunch of manila ship tags with the strings hanging down. I finished it off with my usual lights and a bow.

Ok... I know... this one isn't really so much salvaged.

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.

I took several long PVC pipes and just taped them together at one end. Then I stood them up like a cone. From there I inflated balloons with my air compressor. I did silver and green balloons that I had left over from an office party. I tied 2 balloons together first, then I just wound them around the shaft of the PVC pipe rib.

I used a handful of red balloons that I underinflated to look like ornaments and a bow at the top.

I used cool LED lights so that heat would not pop the balloons.

Thanks for viewing!