How to Make a Snowman Tree

My Snowman Tree

How to Make a Snowman Tree - Sliger style!  

On Pinterest [such a fun site] I saw a white tree, with a snowman head - a 'Snowman Tree.'  It was so cute - I fell in love with the idea and was determined to make one myself for the Gracemoor Trees of Christmas auction. The problem was, no directions.

What had they made the heads with? Maybe chicken wire with paper mache'? A balloon covered in wrapped wire, then covered with fabric?? How???  And where can I find a top hat?

The rest of it, I thought I could figure out. Ornaments for the buttons. Surely I can find dark grey or black large ornaments. And the arms, easy - I'll cut some sticks off of a tree - that will work great. Or I can go to the Hobby store and find something in the floral department. Boots . . . pretty sure Noah had a pair he has outgrown. Now just finding the time to start.

First I took a straw cowboy hat and removed the string band.

     I taped together a couple of the very thin plastic cutting mats (sold in packs) to give the crown its shape.

  [I had to cut them down, at first they were too tall]

 With black felt, I cut around the brim of the hat, then cut slits and glued the felt all around the brim.

I then wrapped the crown with more black felt. With the remaining pieces of plastic, I curved them on the inside of the crown to add some stablity. Then cut a paper plate, wrapped it with black felt and eased it into the top of the crown.

 With a serrated knife, I trimmed a styrofoam cone into a carrot shape, painted it orange. Painted a leftover Halloween plastic pumpkin white, glued the nose on with epoxy and let it set well. I then covered the head with fabric snow, cutting a slit in to ease the nose through.  I cut two slits and glued the metal circles for eyes. I cut a piece of ribbon into a mouth shape, glued it into place.

For the final touches, Noah's outgrown boots on a snow treeskirt. Cinnamon brooms for arms. A bright red scarf and red earmuffs. (We want him to be warm and cozy)

I painted three paper mache' star ornaments with dark grey, then glitter paint for the buttons.

Ta, da.