Well, for starters...this ol' tree is a cheap-o.
Yes, it is ~ straight from Wally World.
We wanted one fast and cheap to place on top
of the skirted table in the living room
and for 25 bucks, it was perfect!
We purchased it a few years ago and the bonus??
It was PRE-LIT!!!
How cool is that?
Truthfully?
NOT COOL.
The second year we used the thing the middle of the tree was dark.
So we bought a new string of lights to fudge and strung them
over the un-lit ones and it worked out fine really.
This year the only thing that lit up was the tip top.
So what's a cheapskate to do???
We ripped all the lights off. Even the top!
I'll buy a few 100 light strands and place them on myself.
Still there is the ugly factor.
I attempted to "dust" the tree with snow last year by
taking it out in the back yard and misting white spray paint from the top.
Well, the wind was blowing terribly for one and
the paint color was so white that it was a bluish white!
Anyway, I am trying to squeeze one more year out of this thing.
I've gotten antique white craft paint and I'm painting it on the tops of each limb.
Then I'm using a pretty clear glitter
and sprinkling it on the wet paint to add a little magic.
So, what do you think?
I just wanted to give the impression of a dusting of snow....
Now to finish the other 3/4 of the tree!!!
Hopefully it will be beautiful when I finish...
if not,
let's pretend this post never existed ;)
Wishing you a wonderful Wednesday dear friends,
hugs and love,
Dawn
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32 comments:
Sweet Dawn,
the tree is starting to look great!! Keep going and I am sure you will love it in the end! Can't wait to see it decorated too!
much love and hugs
Karen B. ~ Todolwen
Once you have the lights lit and the ornaments on the limbs you will rejoice in the beauty of the Christmas Tree. Joyous Jingles...
Dawn...I know you will work your magic on you tree and when you do, you can come up here to my house and do mine..hahaha Yeah I know, after your tree is done you are finished!! I have the "same problem", although my tree is twice as big as yours!! Lol
Put your Christmas music on, dim the lights, and all will be fine!!
love ya,
Susan
So far, so good! It looks great with the white paint. You know we bought an expensive prelit tree a few years ago and the same thing happened. I don't think it is anything to do with price with those pre-lit things. It is SOOO aggravating- xo Diana
It looks good so far. Love the addition of glitter.
Debbie
hehe I have had the same "ugly" "temporary" $25 tree for 4 years LOL.I so want a new one. But once its up..I am happy. :)
In France we call that "Faire du neuf avec du vieux", that's means to do new thing with old stuff.
Looks great now ! Painting is magical, I want all my Santas pink and white but hard to find, so brush, paint and glitter et voilà !
xoxo from PARIS
Joëlle
I think it's looking good, and once you get it decorated it will be fabulous - you just wait and see!
Dear Dawn
With your wonderful creativity you could make any old tree look magnificent!
This one's well on the way to becoming the centre of your Christmas decor!!
Love how you're coloring the snow to make it more real.
Shane ♥
Impressive!! Can't wait to see her all decked out for the Holidays!!
Hugs,
Debbie
I think it looks just like a dusting of snow, and I love it! Great idea and I think your $25 tree will look like a $225 tree when done and decorated.
Everything you touch turns to beauty and I am sure SO will this tree:) Can't wait to see it all decorated! Have a blessed day dear Dawn, HUGS!
Bestemt ikke nogen dårlig ide, det ser jo godt ud. knus morkaren.
LOL, Dawn! I'm sure it will look beautiful once you are done with it. Don't you love that Vintage White Folk Art paint? I just used some last night to paint the four peat pots I found in my craft room. I'm going to do my version of your peat pots {hopefully later today}. Your wings look great on the tree in my master! I'll be sharing those next week when I actually show some Christmas decorating posts.
Charlie Brown will be proud once you are done! Can't wait to see it!
karen....
You are a clever girl and I have no doubt that that tree will be amazingly beautiful once you've worked all your magic.
Dawn,
Thank you for your comment on my Momma's heart. I can not tell you how much it meant to me... Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I love the idea of painting and glittering the Christmas tree to give it new life.
Hugs,
Sheila
I had kind of the same delema this year. Except my cheap-o pre-lit tree was white year before last and last year the top lights went out, I pulled it out of the box this year and the top part of the tree was starting to yellow? I have no clue why but it was UG-LYYYYY. So I went to the thrift store and bought a really old ugly tree (no lights to go out, YEAH!) you know the kind you have to assemble each branch individually. But the up side it was only $10. So I thought I could make it work. I spent more on the lights than the tree. But you have given me new inspiration. I may try this. Thanks Girl. Happy Christmas.
I know I can, I know I can, I have said this to myself over and over...Here is a story fit for grinch....Once long ago, My career life, I was getting ready to set Christmas store wide,a 100,000 sq.ft store and tree's,wreaths and garland...so we had stored the wreaths and garlands in some wall dead space, all good but of course had to restring some of the lights...got these up, now to the trees 58 to be exact from 4ft to 8ft...Top of cosmetic case lines ect....We had stored the trees so ready for next season, in a vacant mall location....Grinch had his way with us, Some mice had been playing and they had .......you know on the trees, and chewed the light cords....every tree trucked to the back dock area, and then all the cords cut off, then sprayed with a treatment and washed off...now Charlie Brown would know this look....So buy tons of lights and restring all the trees, then tons of balls,wired in groups of three,,,,still sad, Paint so I dusted with spray paint...You know once done and up on the high ledges in their grouping of three. With all the gift boxes(that too had to be redone) it looked great. No one the wiser....But I felt like a grinch for few days....LOL
What a work,-- now I can see it is a big tree, and you have "painted" it all way around now. It looks great my dear Dawn, lovely with the white and very wintery.
In Denmark almost everyone have only real trees for christmas, and me ,too. But that also means that I can not have it inside my home untill christmas, because else it will loose all the needels :-) in the warmed up houses.
I can`ty wait to see how you decorate it this year,-it was so stunning last year, my dear friend.
Hugs and love,Dorthe
I'm pretty sure that once you get the paint and glitter on the branches (brilliant idea) and your ornaments and lights, the tree will be absolutely beautiful.
Wow, Dawn... what a labor of love! It looks amazing so far! xoxo
I love your wally world tree.. LOVE LOVE all you do !!!!!!!!! That is so funny you posted on a tree today . I found a thrifty today and I had to fill it with stuff for gaps and you name it . THe dining tree I posted I glittered some stuff and its making it I guess.. YOURS is looking fabulous !!!!!!!!!!! Love all you do .. As always so inspired with your work and blog
Hi Dearest Dawn,
What a brilliant idea to add sparkle to your darling tree. One you tree has received a had a touch of your magic this tree will be amazing, I 'm sure. It must seem like a long job but just think, this time next year, now much easier it will be, just having the baubles and beads to add to it. As always Dawn you make magic with all your wonderful creations.
You are such a talented lady.
I hope we can catch up for a chat soon dear friend.Warmest best wishes
Su
-x-
I love how you have painted it! Quite creative. Making do.. I have a similar tree, poor thing, but once the decorations are on the tree, it is magic.
Hi Dawn - This morning I happened to come across a giveaway that you conducted two years ago so, thought I would pop over. I was so surprised to see/read about your snowy tree project as I am pondering my own snowy tree dilemma this morning. I just bought a new flocked tree that was half price at Hobby Lobby two days ago, which was very pretty in the store. After putting it up yesterday however, I just can't decide if I like the frosty fir. Now, I'm battling the idea of taking it apart (pretty easy set up), packing it back up and returning. Even at half price, buying a new (artificial) tree is somewhat of an investment.
The myth of the pre-lit tree! Great the first year, or two if one is lucky. Love the time it saves and stringing lights is my LEAST favorite part of tree trimming.
I think you are incredibly clever to paint snow on your tree. I tend to believe that paint can cure anything that ails me. Your tree looks great and I can appreciate the amount of time it takes to make it match your vision. Hang in there...with hugs...Fay
Dawn, I am sure what you do will look great. I have not put up a big tree. In a few days my little ones will come out. Have a great day!
Hugs,
Faye
That looks like a wonderful effect and when it's finished, the whole tree will look gorgeous!
For the money you paid, all the frustration with the lights and all your patience, acrylic paint and glitter...it will probably end up being your most favorite tree! I think it is turning out lovely!!
That's just what our 47 year old Christmas tree needs! I'm getting out the antique white paint right away! Thanks for the inspiration!
Oh sweet Dawn... You make me laugh out loud... I have a VERY similar... (maybe the same) tree.. :-) And, I'm a tightwad. Yep, there I said it. It's true. I actually camouflage that bad boy with feather boa.... it's my garland, looks like snow, fills in all the yukky spots, and once that thing is all decked out I must say it looks pretty darn good. Will be posting pix of it soon.... I FINALLY made my little birds from your tutorial. They are FAB.U.LOUS! A LOT of work, I must say, but the tutorial was so clear and easy to follow. I love those little guys. I made a dozen and my daughter's trying to snag a couple already. We'll have to see about that.
Huggies dear girl...
Spencer
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