Coming upon a huge and majestic olde tree can be a breath-taking surprise.  How old is it? How many people has it sheltered through the ages?  Have children played in its boughs? under its shade?  And if your imagination is in high gear you may wonder if there are doors too small for the naked eye that welcome little enchanted folk.

Would you consider creating one yourself?  If you have worked with papier mache and have an eye for armature  design, it should only take patience to bring one into your living space.  Here are some steps I have used in making these olde spirits.

1. Find long stem, silk flower branches with greenery that appeals to you.  You will need approximately 12-18 to suffice as the bushy top.

2.  Find fabric that co-ordinates well with the silk flower fronds and drapes well.  If you want to make a tree that stands three+ feet tall, and about twenty-four+ inches wide at the base, you’ll want a good yard and a half of 45″  or 60″ fabric.

3. A package of plain, cotton upholstery piping will let you create vertical trunk rippling effects.

4. Gather sturdy cardboard shapes to assemble with masking tape, forming the rough armature shape,  about 24-30″ tall.  Leave the top open about 6 circular inches.   Attach the structure firmly to a sturdy wooden tray base.  Does it need branches?

5.  To round out the materials and tools list, find quick drying papier mache, wire cutters, glue that dries clear and decorative, dried moss  and any other whimsical additions such as an owl, birds, nest, etc.

6. Mix the papier mache according to directions and apply sparingly until you get a feel for how you want the tree to look.  Glue length-wise strips of piping in place on the trunk.   Let the structure dry thoroughly for 24-48 hours.

7.  Drape the fabric various ways, to determine the best and natural effects, before you cut it. Leave a lot of extra fabric at the top to use later.  Dilute the glue with water and apply sparingly in non-obvious places in case it seeps through the fabric.  Pinch long ripples of the fabric to simulate bark.

8.  Arrange the silk stems in different ways, bending each to create the most pleasing, overall effect.  You may not need to cut off many (or any) of the stems.

9.  Add any finishing touches (birds, moss…) to complete your olde spirit.