Say hello to the newest addition to my Halloween yard decor… the Creepy Tree.
Isn’t he freaky!?!? I’m so stoked about how he turned out. I often take on big projects that don’t turn out the way I expect them to and I’m bummed, but this one really makes me smile.
Check out my materials list and instructions if you want to build one of your own. Read through all the instructions, because I learned a few things along the way that I’d do differently a second time.
Materials:
Steel Wire Fencing
Chicken Wire
Newspaper or Brown Paper Bags
Scrap Wood
PVC Piping (I used 1/2″)
3 PVC Elbows (I used 1/2″)
Wooden Dowels (to fit inside PVC)
Twigs/Sticks (10)
Black Paint
Brown Paint
White/Cream Paint
Paint Brush
Black Fabric
Instructions:
First thing I did was build out the body of the tree. I used some steel garden fencing I had leftover from another project. I think I originally got it at Lowes.
I essentially shaped the wire into a tube and used my floral wire to “sew” the seams together.
Suggestion: You could also use heavy duty cardboard concrete tubes to make the base. That’s what I was originally planning, but I couldn’t find any. I settled for whatever I already had.
For the roots, I used some brown paper grocery bags I got from my very helpful neighbors. I crumpled the paper to give it some dimension and twisted and shaped it to look like roots (thick at the top and tapering out to a point).
I wrapped my roots in floral wire and used the wire to attach them to my tree body. If you end up using the concrete tubes, you can always duct tape the roots to the body.
I decided I needed a flat base. I found a wooden circle I had in my scrap wood pile from another project. I drilled itty bitty holes in it to put the floral wire through and secure it to my base.
Suggestion: I used a very thin piece of wood. If I could do this again, I’d use something much thicker and heavier. My tree is top heavy and I can’t put it anywhere but on a completely flat surface.
I ran out of my steel fencing at some point, so I borrowed some chicken wire from another helpful neighbor and used that to complete the rest of the body. I don’t suggest using the chicken wire if you can help it, but it was all I had at the time.
Once I secured the chicken wire, I built out the arms. I used PVC pipes I already had. I connected two longer pipes together with an elbow piece and threaded them through the chicken wire so they were pointing up and out. I used my floral wire to secure the elbow to the inner back part of the tree’s body. Then I put two more elbows at the end of each pipe to act as… well, elbows. I connected two shorter pipes to the elbows.
I went into my back yard and picked out a bunch of sticks.
I snapped a few to get them the lengths I wanted. Then I wired two sets of five together to create creepy hands.
Then I secured a dowel rod to the end of each hand. I forgot a picture of this specific step, but some of my future steps will show you what I mean. The dowel rod hung off the end of the hand so it could slide easily inside the PVC for the arms. I did this to make storage and transport of the tree easier. I didn’t want the twig hands catching on everything, getting in the way, or snapping and looking silly.
Next, I used my wire cutters to cut out a face from the chicken wire. I used my floral wire to reinforce the chicken wire and give the eyes and mouth a definitive shape.
Next, I added a wooden crown to the top of the body. This part is optional. I just wanted something that made it look even more creature-like, while still clearly being a tree. I pulled some triangles out of my scrap wood pile and drilled little holes in them with my Dremel and used the floral wire to attach them.
Next, I started applying the foam spray to the whole piece. I started by using it to secure the roots to the base of the tree. The foam expands as it dries, so it’s great for filling in cracks and empty space.
I sprayed the foam in long strands all the way up the tree.
It worked great for the steel fencing. It attached well to it. However, the spaces between the chicken wire were too big and the spray wouldn’t attach. This is why I suggested not using the chicken wire. I ended up wrapping the chicken wire in plastic wrap.
That honestly wasn’t the best option either. The foam was peeling right off it when it dried.
Suggestion: Just use the steel fencing for the entire body or use the cardboard concrete tubes I mentioned. If chicken wire is all you have, then wrap the chicken wire in newspaper or brown paper bags before adding the foam spray.
I used more foam spray than I originally anticipated. Since I was using steel fencing, the foam was adhering well, but it was also seeping through the gaps, causing me to need more. I should have covered the entire body in newspaper before spraying. I think I would’ve needed much less. The paint covers any gaps anyway.
I rolled up and taped paper over the PVC pipes to make the arms thicker.
I spray every surface with foam spray, even the arms and wooden crown. Again, I probably could’ve used a lot less if the base had been more solid. See how the paper arms didn’t need to be fully covered in foam? They had paper underneath that provided it’s own layer of texture.
Once the foam dried, I used a coping saw to remove some of the larger foam bubbles. It also served to rough up the surface a bit and make it more rustic and tree-like.
Next step was painting. I started by trying to spray paint a layer of black. However, I was going through paint too quickly and I wasn’t happy with the coverage.
So, I busted out a pint of black paint and a cheap brush and just got to work covering the entire thing. It took much longer than spraying, but it was totally worth it and much more environmentally friendly.
I let the black paint fully dry. I made sure to paint my creepy hands as well (see dowel rods I mentioned in an earlier step).
Once the paint was dry, I mixed up some brown paint. I didn’t have brown on hand, so I mixed some red and green together until I got the shade I wanted.
I poured the brown paint into a tray and used a foam roller to start rolling it over the roots. I didn’t want the tree fully covered like the black paint. Just enough to give it dimension and bring out the roots.
I did a heavy-handed roll over the entire tree, arms and hands included.
I let the entire thing fully dry again. Then I busted out a foam brush and some white/cream paint (a sample I had on hand).
I dipped the brush in the white paint and wiped as much of it off as I could. Then I lightly scraped the brush up and down the tree, grazing the bark. Just enough not to cover up the black or brown.
Then I cut out a piece of black fabric and taped it to the inside of the tree where the eyes and mouth are.
This creepy tree is freaking awesome! His crown kind of makes him look like the Night King in Game of Thrones. And the roots that curled up a bit when the foam dried in the heat make him look a bit like Ursula from the Little Mermaid. Those are two terrifying creatures, so I think maybe I did something right.
Happy (almost) Halloween!
Check out my creepy tree I made out of gingerbread, too!
Other Halloween Posts:
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