I made topiary from walnuts, using halves of shells, dried rose buds and boxwood leaves, with this set of materials the topiary turns out in a natural style. But I found an option in a decorative, more festive style. It turned out to be a beautiful tree. I am sharing a master class.
And here you can see my stuff: tree of happiness, European tree, topiary, money tree, floristic tree, coffee tree - there are many names and trees, but the technology is the same.
Topiary in decorative style.
" Such a nice tree with a round crown is called a European tree or topiary. How to make topiary that will become the highlight of your interior? Easily! You just need a little patience, a little imagination, a small amount of suitable material and a great desire to create something unusual with your own hands. So - crafts made from nuts!
What do we need?
Walnuts. You can, of course, just use nuts, but for a more interesting result you will need fruits that have dried in a green skin. There are fruits on the tree that have begun to dry out. The withered skin tightly fits the fruit and wrinkles at the same time. The nuts turn out to be mummified and very embossed.
Paper. Any - newspapers, old notebooks. The base of the round topiary crown is made from paper.
Wand. It can be a dry branch or a Chinese stick. This will be the trunk of the tree.
Pot. You can use a jar of yogurt, dessert or sour cream, in general, any container of suitable size.
Tow. It is sold in hardware and construction stores. Just a little for decoration
Corrugated paper. For foliage.
Construction gypsum. For filling the pot and securing the trunk.
Bandage. For decorating a pot.
Gold paint and acrylic brown.
Dried flowers. For crown decoration.
Glue gun. Glue the nuts to the base.
First, let's create the base of the round topiary crown. To do this, make a ball from newspapers or any other paper. Crumple the paper into a tight ball, wrap it with new layers of paper to make a ball of the desired size. As you go, wrap the ball with threads, giving it the correct shape. When the size of the ball suits you, secure the thread with glue. Now make a hole in the crown where you insert the trunk of the future topiary. Fill with PVA glue. Let dry. After that. Once the glue dries, paint the ball green - the color of the foliage.
Wrap the trunk with an even layer of tow. If there is no tow, you can use wool or thick cotton thread. Make the turns tightly one to one. You can first lubricate the barrel with glue. and then start wrapping. this way the winding will hold more firmly.
Using a glue gun, glue the nuts evenly onto the ball base. Using a brush, paint the nuts dark brown with acrylic paint. Once the paint is dry but not completely dry, apply dry gold paint powder to the nuts. The paint will fall on the convex places and you will get the effect of old gilding. Apply dry paint with your finger; it washes off easily. The nuts will turn out golden.
Our tree will need to be strengthened in a pot. To do this, dilute plaster. Add water to the plaster and stir until you obtain a homogeneous mass as thick as sour cream. Dip the bandage into the resulting mixture and wrap it around the pot (yogurt jar) from the outside, straightening the folds evenly. Hide the ends of the bandage inside the pot. Pour the rest of the plaster into the pot (a little more than half) and place the tree inside. Before the plaster sets, the tree must be secured in a vertical position. The next day the plaster will completely harden and you can move on
to decorating our topiary. Sand the plaster pot with sandpaper. Paint it gold. Dilute gold powder in varnish and cover the pot outside and inside. Let dry. Apply a layer of dark brown acrylic paint and immediately wipe it off with a piece of bandage. If the plaster surface is uneven, the paint will not rub off and the pot will take on the appearance of an old vintage vessel. Glue a layer of tow inside the pot, spreading it around the trunk.
Proceed to filling the crown of the topiary. Cut out circles from corrugated paper and fold them four times, glue them into the gaps between the nuts. Use PVA or a glue gun. Add as many dried flowers to the crown and to the pot. The nut topiary is ready! "
This type of needlework, such as the creation of topiary, is gaining more and more fans. Often, napkins, candies, and fabric are used to make a “tree of happiness,” but you can go even further and make crafts from nuts—chestnuts, acorns, or others. Walnut topiary has many benefits. It is made from natural materials and looks very original.
Making topiary from chestnuts
If you decide to make topiary from chestnut nuts, you must first prepare them properly. After collection, they should be stored in a cool place for no more than 2 weeks. This will keep the nuts from breaking. It is recommended to choose chestnuts with flattened sides - this shape ensures even fixation to the base.
To make chestnut topiary you will need the following materials and tools:
- chestnuts for crown formation;
- dye;
- stick for the trunk;
- pot;
- heat gun;
- twine for decoration;
- newspapers;
- gypsum;
- glue and threads.
The instructions for making such a topiary are simple:
- First, a base is made in the form of a ball from newspaper or polystyrene foam. A newspaper ball is wrapped with thread.
- The tree trunk can be made from sushi sticks or wire. To attach it to the crown, a hole is made in it into which the trunk is inserted. The junction of the components is coated with glue.
- As a stand for topiary, you can take a flower pot, an old mug, a box or other container. It is important that the tree does not tilt, so the vessel is filled with plaster, sand or gravel. The option using gypsum is the most reliable; the building material dries in 30 minutes.
- Now it’s time to glue the chestnuts to the ball base using a heat gun. If there are gaps left, you can get rid of them very simply - the empty spaces are coated with glue and filled with dry tea. You can paint the top of the nuts and tea with bronze-colored paint.
- The master class on making topiary from chestnuts ends with decorating the product. The pot is decorated with twine, sparkles and beads. The junction of the trunk and plaster is decorated.
If you think that a crown of chestnuts alone looks too boring, dilute them with cones. But in this case, it is important to initially leave large gaps between the chestnuts.
How to make topiary from chestnuts (video)
Topiary of chestnuts and acorns
For this topiary you will need:
- gouache;
- newspaper;
- heat gun;
- thick wire;
- gypsum;
- iron can or pot;
- acorns and chestnuts;
- beads, ribbons or other decor;
- colorless varnish.
Topiary manufacturing technology:
- First, a base ball is made from newspaper tied with threads. To prevent gaps between the nuts from being visible, it is recommended to paint the ball with brown paint.
- The barrel is made of thick twisted wire. Its ends are bent at an angle of 90° and attached to the stand with glue. To make the trunk look more attractive, it is wrapped with twine or twine.
- Chestnuts are glued to the crown using a heat gun. To make the product neat, you need to take nuts of equal size. The space between the chestnuts is filled with acorn caps.
- An iron jar or pot can serve as a stand for topiary. The container is decorated with twine attached to glue. To secure the trunk, plaster is poured into a jar, then the trunk is inserted and wait until the plaster hardens. After this, you can paint it to match the color of the crown and decorate it with acorns and chestnuts.
- The final stage is decorating the crown with beads, ribbons, and bows. Then it is recommended to go over the surface of the crown with colorless varnish - this step will make caring for the finished product much easier.
Walnut Topiary
A beautiful one comes from walnuts. Halves of a nut, whole fruits and their contents are used - it all depends on the idea.
To make a walnut tree you will need the following materials:
- crepe paper for creating foliage;
- gypsum;
- bandage – decorative element;
- gold paint;
- dried flowers;
- newspaper for the base ball;
- pot or other container;
- tow;
- walnuts;
- glue.
Once all the components are prepared, you can assemble the topiary.
- First, a base ball is made from newspaper to form the crown. For strength, it is wrapped with threads.
- Then a hole is made in the ball corresponding to the diameter of the barrel. The junction of the crown and trunk is glued.
- Next, you need to paint the ball base green and decorate the trunk with tow, which is placed on glue.
- Then they start gluing the nuts onto the crown. You can use both whole fruits and their parts, the main thing is that there are no gaps left on the ball base.
- The resulting crown is painted brown and sprinkled with glitter. In this way, the effect of artificial aging of the product is achieved.
- All that remains is to install the tree in the container. To do this, gypsum, diluted to the required consistency, is poured into the pot, and then the topiary trunk is placed in it.
Crown decor options
You can decorate topiary with any materials - it all depends on your taste and imagination. Trees decorated with paper foliage, dried flowers, paper flowers, and beads look beautiful. A good option for decorating a walnut tree is burlap. Using this material, you can decorate the space between the container and the trunk, as well as the crown, using the “trimming” method.
The container and crown, decorated with decorative mesh and organza bows, look good. These elements are fixed with glue. To add lightness to the composition, you can lightly brush the walnuts with white paint. You can do this by painting the nuts and tree trunk completely white, and decorating the space between the trunk and the container with sea stones, shells and corals.
How to make a tree of happiness with your own hands (video)
Anyone can make topiary from nuts with their own hands. The main thing is to properly prepare the material and glue the nuts so that there are no gaps in the base.
I made topiary from walnuts, using halves of shells, dried rose buds and boxwood leaves, with this set of materials the topiary turns out in a natural style. But I found an option in a decorative, more festive style. It turned out to be a beautiful tree. I am sharing a master class.
And here you can see my tree in a pot: tree of happiness, European tree, topiary, money tree, floristic tree, coffee tree - there are many names and trees, but the technology is the same.
Topiary in decorative style.
« Such a nice tree with a round crown is called a European tree or topiary. How to make topiary that will become the highlight of your interior? Easily! You just need a little patience, a little imagination, a small amount of suitable material and a great desire to create something unusual with your own hands. So - crafts made from nuts!
What do we need?
Walnuts. You can, of course, just use nuts, but for a more interesting result you will need fruits that have dried in a green skin. There are fruits on the tree that have begun to dry out. The withered skin tightly fits the fruit and wrinkles at the same time. The nuts turn out to be mummified and very embossed.
Paper. Anything - newspapers, old notebooks. The base of the round topiary crown is made from paper.
Wand. It can be a dry branch or a Chinese stick. This will be the trunk of the tree.
Pot. You can use a jar of yogurt, dessert or sour cream, in general, any container of suitable size.
Tow. It is sold in hardware and construction stores. Just a little bit for decoration
Corrugated paper. For foliage.
Construction gypsum. For filling the pot and securing the trunk.
Bandage. For decorating a pot.
Gold paint and acrylic brown.
Dried flowers. For crown decoration.
Glue gun. Glue the nuts to the base.
First, let's create the base of the round topiary crown. To do this, make a ball from newspapers or any other paper. Crumple the paper into a tight ball, wrap it with new layers of paper to make a ball of the desired size. As you go, wrap the ball with threads, giving it the correct shape. When you are satisfied with the size of the ball, secure the thread with glue. Now make a hole in the crown where you insert the trunk of the future topiary. Fill with PVA glue. Let dry. After that. Once the glue dries, paint the ball green - the color of the foliage.
Wrap the trunk with an even layer of tow. If there is no tow, you can use wool or thick cotton thread. Make the turns tightly one to one. You can first lubricate the barrel with glue. and then start wrapping. this way the winding will hold more firmly.
Using a glue gun, glue the nuts evenly onto the ball base. Using a brush, paint the nuts dark brown with acrylic paint. Once the paint is dry but not completely dry, apply dry gold paint powder to the nuts. The paint will lie on the convex places and it will look like an old gilding effect. Apply dry paint with your finger; it washes off easily. The nuts will turn out golden.
Our tree will need to be strengthened in a pot. To do this, dilute the plaster. Add water to the plaster and stir until you obtain a homogeneous mass as thick as sour cream. Dip the bandage into the resulting mixture and wrap it around the pot (yogurt jar) from the outside, straightening the folds evenly. Hide the ends of the bandage inside the pot. Pour the rest of the plaster into the pot (a little more than half) and place the tree inside. Before the plaster sets, the tree must be secured in a vertical position. The next day the plaster will completely harden and you can move on
to decorating our topiary. Sand the plaster pot with sandpaper. Paint it gold. Dilute gold powder in varnish and cover the pot outside and inside. Let dry. Apply a layer of dark brown acrylic paint and immediately wipe it off with a piece of bandage. If the plaster surface is uneven, the paint will not rub off and the pot will take on the appearance of an old vintage vessel. Glue a layer of tow inside the pot, spreading it around the trunk.
Proceed to filling the crown of the topiary. Cut out circles from corrugated paper and fold them four times, glue them into the gaps between the nuts. Use PVA or a glue gun. Add as many dried flowers to the crown and to the pot. The nut topiary is ready! «
Topiary made from pine cones, acorns and/or chestnuts is an eco-decor that is especially good for autumn or winter interior decoration or a dining table. We have prepared 2 step-by-step master classes on making decorative trees with your own hands, as well as a selection of photo ideas and video tutorials.
A reminder of basic materials for beginners
Topiary consists of: crown, trunk and base in a pot. Everything is clear with the crown - we will make it from cones, acorns and/or chestnuts. What can be used as its basis? Most often, foam balls (sold in art or office supply stores) or floral foam balls (sold in flower shops) are used for this purpose.
You can use any stick as a trunk: a strong branch (previously dried), a simple pencil, a knitting needle or a wooden stick. If you don’t like the original look of the trunk, then you can wrap it with ribbons, twine, or simply paint or tint it. Finding a cute pot won't be difficult. In fact, an ordinary clay pot is best suited for a topiary of chestnuts, pine cones and acorns. If desired, it can be painted or artificially aged.
As for the base that will hold the tree trunk, here you can choose any mounting mixture (cement-sand mortar, putty, plaster or alabaster) or the same floral foam/foam. If you prefer the first option, we recommend using alabaster. It is available, easy to spread and does not crack. And here are the instructions for its use:
- To fill 1 pot with alabaster you will need about 1 kg of mixture and about 3 cups of water. Stir the solution for a couple of minutes. Once the mixture has thickened to the consistency of thick sour cream, pour it into the pot, set the barrel and hold it level for 2-3 minutes. Leave the mixture to dry for 12-24 hours.
Master class 1. Round topiary from pine cones and more
Since topiary is made approximately according to the same principle, you can use our instructions to create topiary not only from pine cones, but also from chestnuts and acorns.
What you will need:
- Flower pot;
- Base ball;
- Some kind of mounting mixture or polystyrene foam/flower foam for attaching the trunk to the pot;
- Pins with tips;
- Cones, chestnuts and/or acorns;
- Hot glue gun;
- Dry moss (can be replaced with sisal fiber);
- Wooden stick (can be replaced with a pencil);
- Ribbon (optional).
Master Class:
Step 1. First we need to prepare natural materials for work.
- Freshly picked buds should be rinsed in water and then dried in the oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
- Acorns and chestnuts simply need to be rinsed and dried naturally. The main thing is to conduct a thorough inspection of them for the presence of cracks, which are dangerous because insects can live in them. Small bugs and worms can eventually move into other fruits.
Step 2. Cut the wooden stick to approximately 45 cm (the height of the trunk may be different depending on the height of the pot, the diameter of the ball and your wishes for the height of the product). If necessary, paint the barrel.
Step 3. Insert the barrel into the ball and secure the attachment point with glue. If you are working with foam plastic, then you need to first cut a hole in it using a knife and scissors.
Step 4. Paint the ball dark brown so that the gaps in the crown of the finished product are hardly noticeable.
Step 5. Dilute your mounting mixture according to the manufacturer’s instructions or dilute alabaster according to our instructions (see). Fill the pot with the mixture, not reaching 2-2.5 cm from the top edge of the pot. In this project, diced floral foam was used instead of a mixture.
Step 6. Insert the stem into the center of the pot. If you are using any kind of mounting mixture, then the barrel must be inserted immediately after mixing it and held until the mass in the pot hardens.
Step 7. Heat up your glue gun and glue the pine cones/acorns/chestnuts onto the tips of the pins as shown in the photo below. Before you start decorating the tree crown, it is advisable to divide your materials into three groups - large, medium and small.
In fact, it is not necessary to use pins to attach the pine cones/chestnuts/acorns to the base, because you can simply glue them. However, it is with the help of pins that it is easiest to create a neat round crown.
- By the way, fresh and soft acorns and chestnuts can be attached to toothpicks. If your fruits have already hardened, try soaking them in water for a while.
Step 8. Now it’s time for the most interesting part – decorating the tree crown. Our task is to insert pins into the base ball so that the cones/acorns/chestnuts are located as close to each other as possible and at the same time evenly, so that the crown turns out to be round. If the cones have different sizes, then first you need to glue the large cones onto the ball, then the medium ones and only then the small ones. If the material is approximately the same size, then they can be glued in rows according to the honeycomb principle.
Step 9: Cover the "soil" in the pot with dry moss (see photo below) or whatever material you have available and use hot glue to hold it in place.
Step 10: You can accessorize the topiary with decorations, such as a ribbon tied around the trunk.
In the next selection of photos we present other ideas for designing autumn and winter topiaries made from natural materials.
Topiary with a crown of fir cones on a candlestick
This topiary does not have a trunk, and its crown is formed only by halves of cones, namely the tops. Take note of this idea if you want the crown of your tree to have no gaps at all.
New Year's topiary made of cones, ribbons and artificial leaves and holly berries
Topiary made of pine cones and leaves
And here are the trees with a crown of chestnuts. The peculiarity of working with them is that it is necessary to glue additional decor between the fruits to close the gaps. For example, it could be rowan berries, sisal or small cones. Also keep in mind that due to the heaviness of chestnuts, it is advisable to both glue them and pin them.
By the way, chestnuts can be used not only for crown decoration. Below are photo examples of living topiary with chestnuts in a pot.
Now we invite you to watch a video on how to make topiary from cones, chestnuts and acorns with your own hands.
Master class 2. Christmas tree made of cones
In addition to the traditional round topiary from cones, chestnuts and acorns, you can make a Christmas tree topiary. You can place such a New Year's decoration on the holiday table, on the mantelpiece or at the entrance to the house.
Here's what you need:
- Pine cones come in different sizes, from large to small.
- The base is in the shape of a cone made of polystyrene foam or floral foam. If you don’t have a ready-made base, then you can make it yourself from paper, lumps of newspaper and cardboard.
- Hot glue gun.
- PVA glue.
- Dark brown acrylic paint or brown paper.
- Glitter (optional).
- Brush.
Master Class:
Step 1. Skip this step if you have a ready-made tree base. If there is no base, then we suggest making it yourself. Roll a piece of paper (eg A3 size) into a cone of the desired size. Secure the cone with tape and cut off the excess paper at the base and at the top (that's where the cone will sit). Now “stuff” the workpiece tightly with balls of crumpled sheets of newspaper.
Next, cut out a circle from cardboard, the diameter of which is 2-3 cm larger than the diameter of the base of the resulting cone. Glue the cone onto the circle using tape as shown in the following photo. Woo-ala! The basis for winter topiary is ready.
Step 2. To disguise the original color of the base, you can paint it with dark brown paint or simply wrap it in brown paper, such as kraft paper.
Step 3. Once the paint on the cone is dry or it is completely wrapped in paper, start gluing the cones. First glue the first row of the largest pine cones to the bottom of the base.
