Each November, our family has a tradition - we make a huge list of everything we're thankful for. In previous years, we've put them on strips of paper in a jar to read the next fall. But this fall, I wanted to make it into a decoration. And not just any decoration - one that I can change to use throughout the year! AKA lazy man's decorating: make one craft and then reuse it all year long. That's my style :)
Here's what I did:
DIY GRATITUDE TREE
MATERIALS:
1 mason jar
2 branches (I couldn't find any good ones outside so I bought mine from the floral section of Hobby Lobby for $4 each)
two pieces scrapbook paper in fall colors (I added a third to decorate the base of the jar)
circle hole punch (I got mine a few years ago and use it all the time (most recently, for my calendar here and paint chip mobile here). If you have an automated cutting machine you can use that. Or, If you're really ambitious you can skip the hole punch and cut out leaf shapes by hand!
regular hole punch
fall-colored ribbon
wire cutter
DIRECTIONS:
- Trim the base of the branch down using wire cutters. This is the hardest part of the entire project, and my husband did it in about three minutes.
- Place the branches in the mason jar.
- Tie ribbon around the rim of the mason jar.
- Punch circles out of the scrapbook paper (or cut leaf shapes, or whatever you decide)
- Punch a regular hole punch in each circle (you'll use this hole to hang your paper on the tree)
- Write one thing you're grateful for on each paper and hang it on the tree!
Easy as that!
And now for a bonus - here are some ideas for turning the tree into a decoration for all seasons. You can always cut different themed scrapbook paper out (for Christmas you could do a service tree, for summer you could do a summer activities bucket list, etc.). Or, if you get sick of paper on the tree, here are some cheap alternatives.
WINTER:
Although I love the service tree idea, I decided to decorate my tree with cheap dollar store ornaments. You could also add a homemade popcorn garland for a non-evergreen Christmas tree!
SPRING:
This tree would be a perfect Easter decoration, with the spring colors and fun feel. I used scrapbook paper, dollar store party favors, and pink tulle to spring-ify my tree.
SUMMER:
I love the summer bucket list idea. But if you don't want to do that, you can use buttons to decorate for the 4th of July! These buttons had a large enough hole that I could just stick it straight on the branch, but if it was smaller I would have had to use some thread to tie them on.
What would you use to decorate the tree?
Leave me a comment or tweet me your suggestions and I'll be sure to add them!
This is a really cute idea!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea for teaching children gratitude. I would love to do this with my daughter when she's a little older.
ReplyDeleteI totally love this (so much so I bookmarked it and shared it with my Twitter followers!)! Thank you for the inspiration. I will definitely make this with my family.
ReplyDeleteLove this! In the spring I am going to get the kids to help me gather branches so we can make one!
ReplyDeleteThis is such a cute idea, and I love how it can get transformed through the seasons! :]
ReplyDeleteoh i love this! very pretty and so meaningful!
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome, and it looks easy: double win!
ReplyDeleteThis is so cute! I love how simple it seems.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE this...we've done strips of paper but a decoration that can be use in different ways, I'm all over that! :)
ReplyDeleteThis is so great! I've been wanting to make one of these, but I also LOVE how you transformed it for every season! GREAT idea! :)
ReplyDeleteThat is such a cute idea! This might actually be something I could do!
ReplyDeleteThis is really pretty and would look great in our apartment! Thanks for sharing!!
ReplyDeleteVery nice, love how pretty it is how easily you can transfer it into every season and it still keeps its charm.
ReplyDeleteaww i love this idea.. i have a gratitude jar.. but how awesome to have a tree! though.. i don't know if i want all my gratitudes to be seen by everyone entering my house. :P
ReplyDeleteAw so cute! I definitely love the winter one!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea! I would love to try this! And maybe one with white birch branches - that might be a neat variation!
ReplyDeleteThis is lovely! And would be so great/easy to do with kids, as well. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteLove this idea! So great to get my littles involved as well!
ReplyDeleteWe're going to make a Thankful Tree this year and this is a great way of extending the project throughout the year.
ReplyDeleteMy hubs will LOVE this. He always wants to keep the Christmas tree up all year because it makes him feel cozy! <3
ReplyDeleteThis is such a cool thought!
ReplyDeleteLove that this is so thoughtful and meaningful. I am definitely interested in copying this.
ReplyDeleteThrifting Diva
www.thriftingdiva.com
What a great idea! I think all of us should do something like this, it makes the grafuness even more visible.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great idea. I love it and how you can change it for every season.
ReplyDeleteI love this! So creative and perfect transformations :)
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love this, and how versatile it is for all seasons! :) What a great idea!
ReplyDeleteI love this. What a great idea. I just so happen to have a mason jar from an event. I NEVER have a mason jar. I'll have to give this a try.
ReplyDeleteWe did a Thankful jar, but I love that the tree can be changed for each season or holiday.
ReplyDeleteSo cute! We did a similar thing, but tied paper leaves to our tree with twine (http://plainandsimplejoy.blogspot.com/2014/11/thankful.html). I was going to decorate it for winter with snowflakes and red paper cranes, but then I got overwhelmed with the idea of making 50+ snowflakes with my little ones and threw it in the garbage today. But I love the ornaments on it and the simplicity of it! I might have to go fish it out of the garbage...my 5-year-old would be so happy to see its return! :)
ReplyDelete