Magazine Christmas Tree

by Ashley Weeks Cart

Given that this DIY project has far and away been my most popular tutorial, I decided to update the post with a video of the magazine tree making process to help clear up a few questions that we’ve received from readers. To date, it’s one of my favorite DIYs. Fold away, friends!

My favorite DIY projects are always those that involve minimal expense and materials. The best of the best DIY projects require recycled (read: FREE) materials, and little else but some time and crafty gumption. Enter the DIY Magazine Christmas Tree. For a gal like me who has stacks of magazines piling up around the house (I am SO my mother’s daughter), this project inspired me to clear out my magazine rack and bring a little (more) Christmas cheer to our abode. This is a particularly wonderful craft to do with children, no sharp tools necessary. Merry merry folding!

Materials:
Magazine(s)
Seriously, that’s it.
No, really. All you need is a magazine, or magazines plural.
And two hands.
Ok, a paperclip could help.
And glitter or metallic spray paint if you want to get all fancy pants.

Directions:
1. Dive into a pile of old magazines and chose those which you don’t mind being turned into mini-trees. Then, pull the cover off the front and back of the magazine and break the spine.

2. Lay the magazine out, and you’ll fold each page in the following way:

3. Now settle in, and fold fold fold! Slowly, you’ll begin to see the tree take shape.

4. Depending on the girth of the magazine, you may need only 1 magazine to complete 1 tree (in which case, just use 1 paperclip to attach the front and back page). If you feel that the tree could use more density, then just fold up another magazine and attach the two back to back with paperclips. And if you want some glitz and glam, you can spray paint the tree and sprinkle on some glitter.

Photos: Courtesy of Ashley Weeks Cart