Ribbon Christmas Tree - Kelley Style

I found this lovely Ribbon Christmas Tree on Beyond the Picket Fence.  As so many things do, it got my creative juices flowing, and I created my own version, and yes, it looks different, because, naturally, I had to do mine just a little differently.

Okay, you might be asking yourself where is the ribbon?  It is coming, just hold your horses.

A number one I had this hunk of 2x10 cut to 14 3/4in. for another project (which I obviously didn't do) a few months ago.  It has literally been hanging around my family room getting beaten up by my kids and moved here and there, and when I saw Becky's post, I just knew what I was going to do with it.  I also thought that this would be a quick (relative) result project that my son would enjoy helping me with.  He always wants to 'work' with me, but sanding and gluing, and having nothing to show for it within a 20 minute period doesn't really float his boat.

Materials

• Block or scrap pieces of wood - size it how you want
• Pencil or calk to draw your tree
• Some kind of drill to pre-drill your screw holes (unless you really like a challenge)
• Sand paper
• Some kind of finish - stain, paint, or clear coat or a combo thereof - whatever
• Screws - 2 different sizes if you desire, 1 for garland and 1 for tree
• Ribbon - 3 different colors, brown, green, red or whatever makes you think of Christmas

I spent a little time drawing on my hunk of wood and deciding where the screws would go.  I found my speed square very handy as it allowed me to draw quick horizontal lines that were straight with the bottom cut.  (Now, my speed square, which I bought at Lowes, cost about half as much as the one I just linked to on their site and is neon orange.)

My son helped me drill the holes with my power drill.  After about half, he got tired, and he let me know I could finish it up.  Since I planned on using 2 different screw sizes, I used 2 different drill bits depending on what size screw I wanted to use in that particular position.

Since I wanted a white wash type stain, I needed to try to sand off my pencil marks.  I didn't want any of my lines showing through the stain.

 Then I stained my project with Rustoleum's Driftwood, and...

it was rather too blue/green for what I had in mind.  Um...what to do?  I needed to do something to cover it up.  Luckily, I had a creamy white oops paint.

After the paint dried, I gave it a few light swipes with my sanding block.  A few extra strokes around the knots in the wood added a bit more character.

Not bad.

Then it was screw time.  I used 2 different sizes and color tones of screws.  Normal old wood screws at 1 1/4in. and #4 silver 3/4in. screws.  I wanted to use the smaller screws to 'decorate' the tree if they were visible, and to drape the garland ribbon.

Here is my screw tree.  Oh, it looks so naked.

Next, I added the ribbon.

Now, when I showed my husband the finished product, his first comment was, "Shouldn't the green be darker?"   

(I am still giving him a hard time about it, and I keep threatening to buy some green ribbon at the fabric store, which will likely result in more fabric, and it will be all his fault.) 

While this made me question my choice, I have decided not to change it.  I like it.  Besides, if I want to change it next year, I will.  That is also something cool about this piece.  You can change up the ribbon every year and get a new look. 

Once I get around to decorating, I will place it on my mantel like so.

I envy those bloggers who find the time or are just neat enough to stage the smorgasbord out of their projects, but me...sigh, well, my mantel has wires running across it with a mountain of dust.  I did remove the iron from its lofty position though, and when I add the Christmas garland to the mantel, which I will dust before then, I will take another picture.

This piece was fun, easy, and kid-friendly for as long as it can hold their interest.

Did anyone notice that Christmas music has started earlier this year?  Or is it just on my radio station.

Kelley