Sheet Music Paper Trees

Sheet Music Paper Trees

I have been making these trees for years.  As I remember it, the first time I made these was with 3rd and 4th grade Sunday School students and later with an elementary school student I mentored and later as gifts for school teachers and friends.  They are easy to make and require very few supplies and can be adapted and adorned as much or as little as you would like.  Below you are that materials and steps that I follow when making the trees, along with a few tips and tricks learned along the way.

Materials I Gathered Before Starting:

• Bamboo Skewer OR Stick & Wire:  The first couple of times I made these I used Bamboo Skewers which are easy to cut down and also easy for kids to work with.  The downside was that depending on the age--kids will poke themselves and I had to sand them down so the kids wouldn't get wooden slivers from the skewers.  Lately, I have been using sticks that are large enough to insert a hole for a wire (I use wire from utility flags that I collect on my walks around the neighborhood.)  
• Sheet Music:  I initially used the music for "O Christmas Tree" (link here for free sheet music) that I printed on card stock or thicker paper.  When I was teacher Sunday School we used the sheet music for the song the students sang in the Christmas program.  For a December wedding, you could use the sheet music from one of the songs in the wedding for table decorations.
• Decorative Scissors/Pinking Shears:  Use these to cut the sheet music into squares with ruffled edges.
• Cardboard--Cut small pieces of cardboard into squares to use as spacers
• Blocks of Wood/Wood Rounds--I used wood rounds from a cedar branch but in a pinch a block of wood would work just as well.  ***I have also used small terra cotta flower pots with scrap styrofoam to hold the stick and a little green moss or fabric to cover the foam.  
• Tree topper--I used used buttons, jute  or ribbon bows, cardboard stars, jingle bells and other seasonal decorations for a tree topper.  You can be as creative as you want here.
• Drill & bit--I used the drill to place a hole in the wood block/wood round for the stick/trunk of the tree.  (you wouldn't need this if you use the terra cotta pots.

Getting Started:

Step #1:  Print the sheet music for the song you want to use for your tree foliage.  I like light brown colored card stock or kraft paper colored paper.  Light green or gold parchment paper works well also and is available at Walmart or Walgreens.

Cut paper squares from 1 1/2" to 1/2"

Step #2:  Cut the printed sheet music into squares of varying sizes from 1 1/2" to 1/2"  using the decorative scissors with a scalloped or zigzag edging--you will need a lot of squares for a finished tree so cut up a healthy stack.

Step #3:  Cut cardboard into small (less than a half inch) squares using regular scissors. Again, you will need quite a few of these so cut up a bunch.  I use scrap cardboard from old boxes but try not to use cardboard with printing as it might show through.

Drill a hole in the base.

Step #4:  Prepare Your Tree Base:  Select a large bit (as large as the stick/dowel you are using) and drill a hole in the wood block/round and place stick/dowel in the wood block.  Use a small bit to drill a hole in the top of the stick and put a dab of glue in the hole and attach the wire.  If you are using a terra cotta pot--glue a bit of styrofoam into the pot and then put a little glue on the stick/skewer.

Add a touch of glue and insert the stick/skewer
into the drilled hole.

Step #4:  Starting with the largest size square (1 1/2")  that you have cut from the sheet music, push the square down on the bamboo skewer or wire that you are using for your tree.  Next add a cardboard square that you will use as a spacer between the squares of sheet music.  Continue adding squares of sheet music and cardboard putting the larger squares on first and moving to smaller sized squares as you move up the tree so that it begins looking like a Christmas tree.  (see image at right).

Step #5:  Work you way to the top of the tree and leave about 1/4 inch at the top for adding a tree topper.  With the bamboo skewer you can use your scissors to cut off the sharp tip and then add a little glue to the top for a bow, jingle bell, bead, etc. tree topper.  If you are using wire you will want to use pliers to bend the wire down so that the sharp edge is not a problem.  Put a little glue on top and then add your tree topper.

Alternate paper and cardboard on the
skewer or wire with large pieces on
the bottom and small pieces at the top. 

Options--I like to add green moss at the base of the tree if I am using wood rounds or wood blocks.  If using a terra cotta pot moss, material scraps, etc. can be used to cover the styrofoam.  Students can decorate the wood blocks/terra cotta etc. with buttons, markers, etc.

If I have spray glitter, it is a nice touch to spray the finished tree with a little gold glitter but you want to keep the coating very light.

These trees make great gifts for piano teachers, music teachers, band instructors, and parents.  I have successfully made these trees with 8-9 year olds.

TIPS & TRICKS:  If I have my drill out, I like to drill through my cardboard and paper creating starter holes--it is easier to push the cardboard down on the wire/skewer if the paper & cardboard are drilled.  Otherwise I use pointed scissors to make small holes in the paper and cardboard for the same reason.