Uplifting Christmas Tree for Small Spaces
By Irene Fucci
During the holidays, everyone loves looking for the perfect tree and decorating it with the whole family. Whether you’re choosing a traditional style or something unique, Christmas isn’t Christmas without a lovely pine. But let’s face it: not everybody has a living room large enough for a giant forest tree. If you’re looking for decor more fit for your small apartment, dorm or cubicle give this hanging pine a try!
Materials:
– plastic planter
– four 3-ft paracord ropes
– acrylic paint in the color of your choice
Tools:
– drill
– paint brush
– Sharpie
– tailor’s measuring tape
– washi tape
1. Measure the circumference of the planter and mark four spots around it that are equally spaced — these will end up being the holes for you rope to hang through.
2. Drill holes through the markings. Don’t worry about being too precise — the rope will cover any imperfections.
3. Add a pop of color to the planter with with your acrylic paint: mask the planter with tape and press down firmly along the edges of the tape so that paint will not seep past. Then paint on a few coats on the bottom side of the tape and let it dry completely.
4. Once the planter is dry, carefully peel off the tape.
5. Take your four paracord ropes and tie a knot at the top of the bunch to create a loop that tethers the ropes together.
6. String the loose ends of the paracord through the inside of each planter and secure with a knot on the outside. Repeat with every rope and hold up your planter to make sure it hangs evenly. Adjust the knots if necessary.
7. Tie off the bottom of your ropes to create a hammock for your planter. Let the ends of the knot hang loose like a tassel, or use your washi tape to secure the ends.
8. Add a mini pine to the planter to finish.
9. Hang from a hook on the wall or from the ceiling to display.
First we’re marking the spots where we’ll drill holes for the rope to hang through. Measure and mark four equally spaced spots around the rim of the planter. Then bust out that power tool and drill on through. Don’t worry about the holes being perfect — the rope will cover it up.
Now add a pop of color to your planter, ’cause even the decorations need to be decorated during the holidays! We’re adding a simple “dip” to the planter by taping off a section and painting the bottom half a chic silver. You can choose another festive color like red or gold, or a color that doesn’t have a Christmas vibe at all! Switch up the design too if you like — add stripes, stars or even spell out “Ho, Ho, Ho!” with stick-on letters. Once the paint has completely dried, tear it off the tape.
Now’s where we actually turn this into a hanging planter. Grab your four paracord ropes and knot them together in a loop at the top end of the strings. Then, pull each loose rope through the inside of the planter and knot it in place on the outside — this may take some adjusting to get the planter hanging straight. Then knot the roped under the bottom of the planter. You can let the ends hang like a tassel or tape them together with washi tape to add an extra detail.
Once your pine is planted, hang up your tree! It’s the perfect sized decoration for small spaces: hang it over your desk or even above a side table in your home’s entry. We’re not gonna lie, we’d make this for our place even if we already had a real sized tree! It’s just too cute.
Imagine how great this hanging pine would look with LED lights and mini ornaments. Ohhh, how cool would that be? We know what’s next on our “To make” list now!
