Don Hammond of suburban Omaha has found he has a talent for creating colorful outdoor Christmas decorations by taking ornaments in various shapes and sizes and adhering them to a tomato cage. The results, which take approximately two to three days to assemble, have been popular the past two years among his neighbors and friends.

OUTDOOR CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT TREES

Supplies

Christmas balls and other ornaments with closed loop ends, various sizes. (You can buy a variety of colored ornaments or get a kit like those available at home improvement stores. The kits he used contained a variety of shapes and sizes.)

Tomato cage inverted to form tree shape, available in various heights

Roll of hardware cloth, ¼-inch mesh

Roll of 24-gauge wire

Garland

String of specialty Christmas lights

Directions

Cut hardware cloth mesh with tin snips so as to fit inside the inverted tomato cage. Ensure all areas are covered. Attach mesh to tomato cage supports with wire.

Run several lengths of wire from base to top of cage.

Cut a circular piece of foam board and zip strip it to the bottom of the cage. This will make it easier to rotate while adding balls and also serve as a table protector when displayed.

Begin by weaving balls on the wire and then through the mesh, pulling them tight.

You should use a variety of sizes during assembly, mixing small and large.

Add more wire lengths as needed.

Cap off the tree with a star.

Carefully add thin garland around and behind the ornaments to hide the mesh that may be visible.

Add a strand of specialty Christmas lights; tuck the wires behind the ornaments so only the bulbs show.

* The tree below is 4 feet tall and made with ornaments from Martha Stewart’s Winterberry collection found at Home Depot.

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