3D Cardboard Tree : 10 Steps

Remember the 3D cutouts we made as kids? I think we all made 3D trees and other shapes for fun out of paper way back when. Cardboard paper cutouts is a great way to recycle some of the boxes we accumulate during the holidays. Since I had a couple of large pieces of cardboard I found in some packing, I decided to make a contemporary tabletop tree.

Materials:

Corrugated cardboard - (2) 17" x 13"
pencil
ruler
xacto knife
2 1/2" circle
Snow-Tex
2 1/2" (3) unbreakable ornaments
Glitter (optional)

Step 1:

First find the center of the cardboard 13" width which is 6 1/2 inches and draw lines down to the ends at the bottom, left and right, forming a triangle. Do the same for the second piece.

Step 2:

Cutout using an xacto knife.

Step 3:

Draw a center line slot, one from the top down stopping half way on one tree, and draw one from the bottom up to the center on the other shape and cutout.

Step 4:

Draw three 2 1/2" circles on one form and cutout.

Step 5:

Use the cutout openings to draw on second tree form for an exact match and cutout. Slide the two pieces together to form a dimensional tree that stands on its' own.

Step 6:

Cover the cardboard, including edges, with Snow-Tex using a plastic knife to spread the paste on. Use the flat side to add texture by lifting the knife up and down and by swirling it around.