Create a small-scale Christmas tree with style. The secret? Start with a tomato cage as a frame, and add embellishments to create one of the themed trees below. Tomato cage trees are prefect for anyone who wants a holiday tree for a small space. They look great clustered in a group of 3 by a front door or single on a table top. The trees can be made in a variety of fashions, natural, folk, feather and spacey tinsel.
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Happy Holidays!
Cathie and Steve
Feather Tree
Materials:
Wire tomato cage
4 – 6 feather boas
3 Zip ties
Sheer ribbon- 1/4″ wide and matching the color of the boas
35-Bulb length of white twinkle lights
Wire cutters
Steps:
1. Gather together the three vertical wires of the cage and secure them tightly together with a zip tie (figure A). Crisscross a second zip tie over the first zip tie, so that a 1-2″ loop extends down into the cavity of the cage. Secure the second zip tie.
2. Use wire cutters to trim away any excess wire (figure B).
3. Thread the third zip tie through a strand of twinkle lights approximately 2/3 of the way from the plug end of the strand (figure C).
4. Loop the third zip tie through the loop formed by the second zip tie so the strand hangs in the center of the cage (figure D).
5. Tie the end of one of the boas to the top point of the tree, using a small piece of ribbon. The ribbon ties will be camouflaged by the fluffiness of the boas. Wrap the boas around the outside cone of the tomato cage, securing with small ribbon ties as necessary. When you reach the end of one boa, tie another one on and continue until the entire tree is covered.
I love this idea! Hmmm, now I know what I’m trashpicking next October 😉
I saw this on the show and didn’t have room for them. This year we are in a new house and I am so excited. I have my tomato cage by the front door waiting to be put to use. My Mother-in-law wanted a tree for the top of her TV and this immediately cage to mind…. one ORANGE tree for her is in the works! Thanks for all your creative and fun ideas!
Absolutely beautiful!!!!!! I saw this on one of your epsisodes and fell in love with it!!!
I absolutely LOVE this!!!! I saw this on one of your episodes and fell in love with it!
THANK YOU! I considered this idea several years ago but abandoned it when I was unable to find anything that was exactly right for wrapping the framework. In fact, I still have the tomato cage in the basement making me feel guilty every time I see it. I stacked & tied 2 cages together but offset them so there are 6 vertical wires. I’m not much for feathers but your use of the boas has inspired me to try it with gathered strips of nylon netting or tulle.
Thank you for posting this again. I don’t know how it is possible I never saw it before because I’m a huge Cathie Filian fan.
Thanks so much! Happy Holidays! Cathie