This kit is for personal use ONLY. Please do not copy, distribute, or sell any part of this design or the instructions without my permission. Pre-Cut 3D Trees @2021 Jacqueline Smith
Before you start your new kit, think about how you will want to decorate it. You can paint the trees, paint the trees and glitter them, glitter just parts of the trees like the leaves, use the kit pieces as a guide to cut out decorative paper that you can glue onto the trees, or just leave the trees white for a modern look. If you leave any portion of the trees as unpainted cardboard, I suggest spraying with a matte acrylic sealer like Krylon or Modge Podge Sealer.
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Suggested Material List . . .
- Pre-cut kit has been cut from White, black or brown Kraft Board. This is equivalent to 120 lb cover cardstock or cardboard.
- Aleene’s Fast Grab Tacky Glue. I put it in a bottle with a thin metal tip. If you are new to making kits, you may want to use Aleene’s Original Tacky Glue as this allows more time for you to reposition your pieces if you make a mistake.
- Multi-surface satin finish acrylic paints in your color choices. I find that if I use the multi-surface paint I do not need to gesso the cardboard first. Two coats are usually required.
- To glitter the trees: Extra fine glitter or extra fine iridescent glitter and Spectra Glitter Sparkling Crystals (mixed 50/50) and Modge Podge. I like to apply the Modge Podge with a foam brush to one side of the tree at a time, glitter, then move on to the next side. You may like your tree glittered with only the extra fine glitter, but I liked adding a slightly chunkier glitter to it too.
- To make the snow: Woodland Flex Paste, Woodland Soft Flake Snow, and Hemway White Ultra Sparkle Glitter. Apply the flex paste and sprinkle a combination of the soft flake snow and Ultra sparkle glitter over it while it is wet. Use a little Modge Podge on a brush to add more of the snow mixture once the flex paste is dry.
Cutting Guide …
Lay your tree pieces out, matching the cutting lines on your pieces to the red cutting lines in the picture above. Your trees may look different than those in the picture. It is the cutting lines that are important.
Constructing the Tree
1. Slide piece B into the bottom of piece A until the bottom of the two trees align.
2. Slide the bottom of piece C onto the combined A & B from the top, making sure there are two pieces on each side. Many of my trees are not symmetrical, so you will either want to ensure that all matching sides are next to each other, OR, that you alternate each side. Each option will give a different look to your tree. Try it both ways and see which you prefer.
3. Slide the bottom of piece D onto the combined A, B and C from the top, making sure you slide it into the slot in Piece C.
4. Adjust the branches and the trunks so they are spaced evenly around the tree. If you want the ability to later fold your tree flat for storage, stop here. Otherwise, I find it helpful to glue the bottom pieces of the trunk together so that them maintain their star shape for added stability. As you make more trees, you may want to pause between each step to glue the trunks of the trees together. For some trees, you may also want to glue the top of the tree together.
Enjoy making your 3D trees!! I would love to see your finished designs with the trees. Please share a photo with me by emailing me at Jackie@acottageintheforest.com.
Examples for Inspiration
Left: painted, flocked with Buffalo Snow Flurries. Middle: holographic vinyl.
Right: green glitter applied with Modge Podge.
Left: green glitter vinyl. Middle-Left: glitter glued onto individual leaves.
Middle-Right: holographic vinyl. Right: patterned paper glued on with Modge Podge.
