It’s almost time for The World-Herald’s annual Handmade Holidays series.

During the month of November, we will feature a craft each day for 25 days that can be made as a gift or holiday decor.

We want to share our readers’ creations. Send your craft idea to laura.king-homan@owh.com; please put “Crafts” in the subject line and be sure to send a photo of your craft and your phone number. Or mail a photo to Omaha World-Herald, Attn. Laura King-Homan, 1314 Douglas St., Suite 700, Omaha, NE 68102.

Be sure to include your name and phone number.

* * *

(Here’s how to create the holiday trees photographed above.)

Ruth Spencer of Papillion was intrigued by holiday trees similar to these that she saw in a variety store.

When she looked closely, she noticed they were fashioned on a Styrofoam base and decided she could make something like them.

Weeks later, when her trees were on her fireplace mantle, she returned to the store and decided her trees were better. She had so many ornaments on her trees that you couldn’t see the Styrofoam base.

Spencer created visual interest for the trees by purchasing holiday ornaments in boxed assortments. Each box typically had four plain, four frosted and four glitter-covered ornaments of the same color.

HOLIDAY TREE

Supplies:

18- to 24-inch tall Styrofoam cone

Gold glitter spray paint

Holiday tree ornaments in two sizes and in two coordinating colors

Gold star

Gold leaves

8-inch (approxima* tely) terra-cotta plate (drip-catcher) for a planter

Elmer’s glue

Equipment:

Glue gun

Directions:

Spray the Styrofoam cone with gold glitter paint, covering well.

Use a glue gun to attach most of the large holiday ornaments to the lower portion of the tree. Apply hot glue to the top of the ornament, pause briefly so the glue can cool slightly and then press the tip of the ornament gently into the Styrofoam until the glue sets. Avoid melting the Styrofoam with hot glue and alternate colors to create an attractive arrangement.

For the middle third of the tree, intersperse some of the small ornaments with the large ornaments, attaching as before.

Finish the upper portion of the tree by attaching the small ornaments.

Put a gold star at the top. Insert gold leaves between the ornaments on the tree.

Turn the terra-cotta plate upside down and spray with gold glitter paint. Allow to dry.
Glue the tree to the terra-cotta base with Elmer’s glue.

Note: Holiday ornaments on the trees in the photograph are about 1½-inch diameter and 1-inch diameter.

Difficulty: * *

* * *