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| Green and Blue Wire Tree Sculpture -- see the little Four Leaf Clover?? |
I used to make these with my wonderful Special Ed Students in California, whom I miss very, very much, and they loved making them, too. I had a lesson plan, all very fancy, for the Tree Sculptures, but I couldn't find it in my files... will have to look through my other computer to see if I can find it for all the teachers out there in 'Netland (the internet! lol!), in case you'd like to try this with your own students. Children can easily make these trees with a little bit of adult help. I love the idea of children getting comfortable using real tools. In the States, you can easily find the wire at Home Depot... I used to find it at Home Depot, back by the bathrooms, in giant rolls, about $20 a roll... was a great price! Will swing by Home Depot next time I'm in the States, to pick up a serious supply of wire! lol!
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| My Purple Jewelry Tree |
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| Ah, well, I've slightly over-loaded this little Tree !! I'm very, very fond of shiny jewelry! |
You will need:
15 - 10" wire pieces
15 - 15" wire pieces
15 - 20" wire pieces
1 - 24" piece of wire
You can add really long pieces of wire if you want a very tall tree... : )
Any Base you like... small mirrors (get them at the Dollar Store :), small tiles from the hardware store, driftwood, if you happen to live where you could find some (!), a larger rock, or beautiful larger gem stone (I have large pieces of Amethyst and Quartz... would look gorgeous... be creative, and you just need school glue, or a hot glue gun (I use school glue, because I am a teacher! lol!)
Gems or Beads
Silk Plants, Greenery, anything that looks pretty hanging on a Tree Sculpture! : )
Needlenose Pliers (they have a sharp bit at the base for cutting the wire, and use the pliers to shape the wire, especially for doing the small loop at the end of the wires if you're gluing the gems on them... :)
You know what I just remembered? When I was making these Tree Sculptures with my students, we used to push the tree 'roots' into flower pots filled with gravel, then put pretty tumbled rocks (we got them at Michael's), and we used to decorate the flower pots... lightly cover the whole flower pot with glue, then sprinkle with glitter... the tiny, really fine glitter, was the prettiest. We also put the trees in vases in different colors, then would match the vase color to the beads and silk plants we would add to them... really, the Tree Sculptures evolved into masterpieces, and amazed everybody... man, do I miss my lovely students!
This is a great exercise to teach measurement, and the kids love this... and so do their parents if you happen to be making this for gifts or to sell with your class, if they are learning how to start a small business (a great thing that every student should learn before they leave high school, so they'll always have something to fall back on, right??).
Carefully cut the wire pieces. Set aside 3 groups of 15 pieces. For smaller Tree Sculptures, use 10 pieces in each pile.
Arrange in a 'clump', like you are putting together a flower arrangement. Tap the bottom of the wire bunch on the table to make them even.
Cut one piece of wire about 24". Very carefully, wind the 24" wire around the base of the wire bunch, about 4" up from the bottom. Wrap this 24" piece of wire as tightly as you can, keeping it tight against the wires. You can squish the end bits of the wire with your pliers, to make it safe. (This is definitely an adult job... too hard for little fingers :)
If you want to put the loose 'gems' on the tree, it's easier if you turn a small loop at the top of each wire with your pliers before you put the tree into a bundle. (I had to learn that the hard way! lol!)
If you are putting beads on the end of each wire, you can easily bundle the wire, first, then glue them on, later, unless you are using very tiny beads in a pattern, then you can do it either way. Whatever works for you : )
Carefully pull each of the base of the wires out to form the 'roots'. I like to bend each one into 'waves... looks more like Tree Roots!
Then you're going to take your time, and wave each of the wires -- the wire will bend easily to your will... sorry, couldn't resist that last line... it might be the only thing that easily bends to your will! hahahaha! Not sure why that makes me laugh so much! lol!. If you are lucky enough to find the giant roll of wire at Home Depot (or any other construction store!), the wire may be cut very smoothly, so it will look like a perfect curve. If you work really carefully, you can maintain the curve, and this looks amazing, too :)
Just be as creative as you want to be -- these are gorgeous, and you'll be thrilled with your new creation!
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| You can add Silk Flowers and hang little ornaments from each wire. |
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| Is this one easier to see? Hope so! |
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See the little lucky 4 leaf Clover in the middle of the tree? Man, I love 4 leaf clovers, and have an odd knack for finding them.. no matter where I am, I look down, and there's a 4 leaf clover! Must be because I love them soo much! lol! But I just cut a small circle out of the plastic packaging the wire came in... in Canada, I have only found my favorite 20 gage wire in very small rolls, 50 feet, maybe, and they come in a small package, I think in the Tools Aisle, at Home Depot, of course! lol! I love Home Depot!! But I just cut the small circle, and glued the 4 green leaf-shaped gems onto that, and when that had dried, I glued it to the wire ... you just make a little loop at the end of the wire with your needlenose pliers, then put the glue on the back of the plastic or 'gem'. You can make this a very, very fancy tree by using actual gems... order them through China, you'll get a better deal (!). I like DHGate, since they are so reliable :) Have fun with your tree!!
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