Monday, December 5, 2011

Building Boxwood Trees: a tradition

Read first "Comment" below the blog.  This is a repeat offering. :*)




Click to see Chrissy's tree shape
   Each year Nancy has the Beadsprouts to her home to make boxwood trees for the season. I didn't realize I would blog on this so I don't have a full set of pictures, but I have enough information for you to "take off!"

Note Debbie's joy and Nancy's gold container, oasis, tape and position of boxwood twigs
Nita is making a smaller one for her mother's table, and Linda B. a fuller one




  To build a boxwood tree, soak an oasis in the sink until the green "brick" is filled with water. Place the oasis in a container that can hold water, where the tree can be carved and all secured like wrapping a present w string only with floral tape. The edges of the block are sliced to shape somewhat like a bloated tree, easily done with a carving knife. After taping the oasis securely to the base, the collected boxwood limbs are cut with pruning shears to various lengths and are inserted in the oasis. The lower branches angle down, the midway branches go more horizontally and the upper branches shape up to a point at the top of the tree.


Enlarge all photos by clicking on them
   Then the fun continues as you see that everyone's tree already has a different personality. You will add bows and ornaments, even flowers, such as those on the my Costco purchase. I was baby sitting and would not get to make one this year. The ladies saw to it that four-year-old Erika did make a miniature tree in 30 minutes and decorate it before we had to leave to pick up Hannah at school.

     Get some friends to join you in the making and be sure to water your tree daily.  P.S. There are little floral spikes with wire that are handy for adding ornaments and bows....



7 comments:

  1. Dear Blog,
    I have missed posting on you. I forgot to take photos this year of our building the boxwood trees again, so I am repeating this blog for you and for me. I need to get busy to decorate the tree I created this year at LinLin1's house. It is ready to go, as soon as I finish wrapping presents for the Beadsprouts. Sorry I have been away so long. I did a lot of Sashiko over Thanksgiving, reread Ellen Katz's blog on the subject at File under Fiber: textile adventures.Sashiko is so meditative, I rested too much to blog or decorate! Hope it won't happen again!!

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  2. Happy to hear that you have been relaxing! My show is this coming weekend so I have been going crazy making leather wrap bracelets! DJD

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  3. These are so lovely! Your directions, pictures, etc. are so clear, I feel as if I could sit right down and make one! I have no access to boxwood now, though, so I wouldn't be able to make them this year, even if I could carve out the time to do so. But they are beautiful, truly. Maybe next year! IF I can find someone who'll let me "borrow" some boxwood branches!

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  4. Linda B picked up bundles of boxwood at Wilson Farms for $3.98. Chrissy brought some from her yard. My bushes might not be big enough to prune.

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  5. I have a boxwood bush in our back yard --- so I'm on GO. The problem is that since we are leaving town ( and flying ) for Christmas, my incentive for making these is on hold. I love reading/seeing the blog, though. Isn't Hannah a doll ! ss

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  6. We planted a boxwood lat spring and the end of summer drought nearly killed it. Hope I can make a tree next year. Loved the picture of Hannah.

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  7. Beautiful trees to delight both the maker and the viewers/visitors. What a nice tradition! I'll have to give that a try.

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