How to make an ornamental tree. Do-it-yourself topiary: instructions for making modern decorations (115 photos)

No wonder they say: "Every man should raise a son, build a house and plant a tree." But whether he can, one can only guess. But the fair sex can. She can even make a tree of happiness herself, with her own hands!

Topiary- direction of landscape design. The history of art has been known since ancient times. Today, the topiary is known as a trimmed shrub, an elegantly decorated tree that will serve as a real decoration of the interior. Many are sure that the topiary attracts positive emotions and happiness, and if the tree is decorated with various banknotes or coins, then well-being in the house. This is where the name “tree of happiness” comes from.

As an element of decor, the topiary has gained worldwide popularity, and now every housewife dreams of seeing such a tree at home.

To create a topiary, you do not need to run around the shops in search of suitable materials, but use the materials at hand. Crowns can be decorated with paper flowers, ribbons or organza, multi-colored stones and pebbles, beads, sweets, etc., it all depends on your facts.

An interesting fact: Topiary, as an art, originated in antiquity. For the first time, bizarre and geometric shapes to trees began to be given in Daytime Egypt and Greece. A well-known example of that time that can still be observed is the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

feng shui talisman

Topiary is a kind of talisman that can attract love and happiness, health and good luck. Topiaries sold in stores mainly look like flowering trees with stones. According to Feng Shui, talismans have Qi energy. In addition, the Chinese are convinced that a precious and semi-precious stone is endowed with a certain charge, so the tree of happiness can also improve health, bring good luck or make a wish come true. However, the influence of the topiary on a person will be felt only if the tree is located in the correct part of the room.

Many are sure that a talisman made with their own hands has a huge advantage. So the tree of happiness, made by hand, carries energy.

"Tree of happiness" do-it-yourself, manufacturing steps

Topiary (tree of happiness) is decorative. And it will depend only on your imagination how and from what materials you will form it.

Topiary includes three components:

• Crown
• Trunk
• Stand or Pot

Crown

A common form of the crown is a ball, however, fantasizing, you can choose any: in the form of geometric shapes, hearts, stars, etc. Popular base materials:

• Mounting foam. Such a crown can be of any shape and size. Foam is poured into an ordinary bag. After a little time, after complete drying, get rid of the polyethylene and give the crown the shape necessary for the composition. It is very convenient to work with such a crown.

Tip: Be sure to wear gloves when working with foam.

• Newspaper. It will take a lot of newspapers. From the material it is necessary to make a semblance of a ball of the required diameter and density. You can fix the base with a sock, stocking or other fabric. Additionally, cling film, threads and PVA glue will help form the base.

• Styrofoam. The desired shape of the foam can be given with a clerical knife. Styrofoam, as well as the base of polyurethane foam, is very easy to work with.

• Papier mache. Thanks to this technique, you can create the perfect shape for the crown in the form of a ball. An inflated balloon is glued layer by layer with pieces of paper. After complete drying, burst the ball with a needle and pull it out of the base. The form is ready.

• Any material. To work on the manufacture of a tree crown, you can use any material you like: a ball, a ball, spherical toys, etc.

Tree trunk

To create a tree trunk, you can take branches, a pencil, a stick, wire, or another similar element. The workpiece can be decoratively decorated with colored threads and paper, paints and ribbons, or any other material. To emphasize the structure of the tree, it is desirable that the trunk be longer. For a larger trunk, it is attached to the pot and to the crown. You can beat the composition by painting the trunk with different colors.

Tip: To make the tree of happiness look more sprawling, it is better to take a real shrub as the basis for the trunk.

pot base

The main element of the decor of the whole composition is a pot. It is he who is able to give the topiary a finished look. As a pot for a tree, not only a flower pot can act, but also a self-made pot, decorated with your own hands.

For example, if the talisman is made in the form of a bonsai, it is better to choose a rectangular pot, and if the topiary is a tall, rounded pot. For the stability of the crown and base, the bottom of the pot must be weighted. This can be done with a solution of cement or gypsum, gravel, polyurethane foam and other materials. To prevent cracks in the pot when pouring the solution, pieces of foam rubber, neatly laid on the bottom, will help. To decorate the base of the tree, various pebbles, sand, glass, beads, moss are suitable.

Tip: When choosing a pot for a tree, remember that it should be larger than the crown of the tree.

The crown looks more interesting and profitable from several materials that are designed in the same style. But remember that the combination of elements must be in harmony with each other, otherwise the topiary will look complicated and sloppy.

How to assemble and how to decorate?

When collecting topiary, the first step is to fill the pot halfway with filler. Next - insert a decorated trunk with a crown into the middle of the pot, firmly fixing it in the base of the pot with glue. After that, you can do the decor of the tree itself. To decorate the topiary, it is best to use a special glue gun or PVA glue. The final stage - the pot is completely covered with filler and decorated with various elements.

decor ideas

The most elegant and fragrant decor are coffee beans. An interesting option using pebbles, shells, stars and other symbols of the marine theme. The original idea of ​​​​nut topiary: hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds and others. And the most popular decor today is coins and banknotes.

Tip: Dream up, turn on your imagination, and the topiary can become a real decoration for your home or an ideal souvenir!

Popular compositions

When starting to work on a topiary, consider your train of thought and the materials used. There are many ideas, as well as compositions. Here are some DIY ideas.

Corrugated Paper Tree of Happiness

The simplest decor. For registration you will need:

• Pot
• colored paper
• Spherical crown
• Barrel from any material
• colored beads
• Acrylic paint.

The pot is covered with paint, thick thread, better with twine, wrap the trunk around and fix it with glue in the center of the pot. And the last step is to attach the crown to the trunk.

Decor. For an oasis, plastic or cardboard is suitable. The size of the oasis depends on the diameter of the pot. To fix the stem in the pot, a small hole must be made in the oasis. To decorate the tree, corrugated flowers of various shapes and structures will appear. Each flower is glued to a spherical base with PVA glue or super glue. The top of the pot can be decorated with a border, and the oasis with beads.

Tip: Flowers can be glued with hot glue, or you can use skewers or wire.

Tree of happiness decorated with ribbons

An elegant version of the tree of happiness. For decor:

• Pencils
• Ribbons
• pot
• Invisibles

Rings are formed from the tape and glued to the base in turn, closing all the voids. After decorating, the crown is put on the trunk and attached to the bottom of the pot. The pot must first be weighted.

Tree of happiness from coffee beans

For decoration you will need:

• Coffee beans
• plastic glass
• tassel
• Ball
• 2 rubber bands
• Threads
• Rope
• Wand

The brush must be disassembled into individual hairs. Lubricate the stick for the barrel with glue and fasten the resulting hairs with rubber bands. We make a hole in the ball for the crown in order to put it on the trunk in the future. The base can be painted in coffee color, this will help hide minor defects in the composition. Using glue, glue the ball with coffee beans. It is better to alternate the grains with sinuous lines to give a more elegant look. Small flowers or cinnamon sticks look great with grains. The finished crown is covered with paint or varnish, but at the same time the grains lose their aroma.

For a pot, we use a glass, after weighing it with gravel, sand or other material. We glue the finished trunk with a crown to the bottom of the base of the glass. To decorate the cup, a prepared rope is suitable, which is tied around the entire diameter. You can complete the composition with a ladybug or a butterfly made of plastic, which can be fixed on the top of a tree.

An interesting fact: you can give the composition a spectacular look, nobility and relief due to the double coffee layer.

Tree of happiness from beads

Beaded topiary deserves special attention. It can take a lot of time and effort to decorate such a tree, but it's worth it. Any product made of beads is painstaking work. To decorate a topiary, you can immediately buy a ready-made set of beads, and a jar of coffee or cream is also suitable for a pot.

Now each of you has an idea of ​​​​what a topiary is and how to make it yourself. After all, it is much more pleasant to make a thing with your own hands, and if you try, you will definitely get a chic little thing for decor in the form of a fancy fantasy ball on a leg!

45 photos of happiness tree (topiary) ideas:

Decorative trees made of artificial materials are ideal for decorating your home or office. They will perfectly fit into the design of any interior, creating a cozy atmosphere in the room. Such hand-made crafts do not require special conditions of maintenance and careful care compared to living plants. From this article you will learn how to make artificial trees with your own hands in different ways.

artificial pistachio tree

You will need:

• Gypsum;
• Pot;
• Pistachio shell;
• Spray paint gold;
• Wire.

How to make a tree with your own hands from pistachio shells:

• Using a drill, make a small hole in each shell;
• We cut the wire into segments 15-20 cm long and fix one shell for each of the segments. Next, we twist the wires and get blanks;

• We connect several leaves together by twisting the wire. Thus, a branch is obtained;
• We make several branches and twist them together - we get the trunk of a tree;

• We wrap the branches and the stem part with FUM tape. Instead, you can take a thread or rope;
• Let's paint the craft;

• Let's prepare the base: we will prepare a pot suitable for crafts, which we will fill with plaster and insert our “golden” masterpiece into it;
• Let's wait until the plaster dries. We paint the pot with paint;

• Additionally, we make out the finished craft with coins.

Similar ideas for hand-made crafts can be found in the article.

Master class on making decorative poplar

Such a beautiful "poplar" is a great decoration for a house or street.

Required materials:

• Candle;
• Glue;
• Needle;
• Matches;
• Thin and thick wire;
• Pot;
• Gypsum or cement;
• Gray and green threads;
• Green plastic bottle;
• Scissors.

Step by step master class with photo:

• We separate with wire cutters from a thick wire 3 segments that are identical to each other, connect to each other by twisting. We wrap the ends of the blanks on one side;
• We dilute the fixing mixture, pour the solution into the pot, put the “poplar” trunk with curved ends there. We are waiting for the mass to solidify, and at this time we are making artificial branches;
• We cut squares of different sizes from the bottle, cut out the leaves from them. We heat a needle over the flame, make holes in the upper part;

• Insert a thin wire into them, fold in half, twist. We combine three branches into one and make several identical blanks;
• Next, for the manufacture of crafts for the home interior, we take several blanks, which consist of three branches, and connect them together;

• We close the wire part with the help of gray threads, fix the ends with glue. We leave the lower part of the branch free, which we attach to the trunk;
• Using the same method, we make the entire “poplar”, we wrap its stem part with a gray thread;
• To imitate grass, cut green threads of the same size, fold them in half. Lubricate the bending points with glue, fasten the blanks to a cement or gypsum base.

Thus, we get beautiful artificial trees in pots that can safely stand both at home and on the street - they are not afraid of rain and bright sunlight.

artificial home apple tree

It is advisable to place such decorative artificial trees only indoors, because their flowers are made of yarn.

You will need:

• Glue;
• wire cutters;
• Cardboard;
• Hook;
• Scotch;
• Wire;
• Pencil;
• cement or plaster;
• Scissors;
• Brown and green fabric;
• Pot;
• Red and brown threads.

Stages of work:

• We cut off with wire cutters six wire blanks of 30 cm each, five - 25 cm each, and twenty-two - 4 cm each;
• We attach with tape to a large wire branch 3 small ones. Let's make some preparations. Branches can be wrapped with matter, for example, velvet or fleece;

• We cut strips 2 cm wide from brown fabric. We wrap them with blanks of branches (several pieces), leaving 3 cm free at the bottom. We fix the ends of the matter with glue;
• We collect the blanks into a single "apple tree". We cut off a strip of 3 cm from the fabric, wrap it around the canvas and the branches connected to each other. We also fix the fabric ends with glue;

• To make a decorative apple tree further, we install it in a container with a narrow neck. If such dishes could not be found, then in order to fix the “plant”, we pour cement or gypsum mortar into the container. We straighten the branches and begin to decorate our craft;
• Now we will cut leaves of different sizes from green matter, and singe their edges over the flame, not bringing them very close to it so that they do not spread;

• We glue the leaves on the branches and begin to create fruits that are made from. Cut out 2 circles from cardboard, 3 cm in diameter. We draw a smaller circle inside and cut it out, we get 2 cardboard rings;
• We connect them into a single part, we wind a red thread on it with a hook. The yarn should completely “hide” the workpiece. We cut it from the outer edge, lay a brown thread and use it to tighten the resulting pompom;

• Cut out leaves from green material, glue on a brown thread;
• We hang ready-made "fruits" on the branches. You can also decorate the pot as you wish.

Volumetric tree on the wall

This unique 3D decoration can be made by hand on the wall (and even on part of the ceiling) without any problems. To get a real masterpiece, it is not necessary to have the knowledge of a sculptor or artist.

Important: This decor requires a lot of space.

You will need:

• Master OK;
• Bucket;
• Marker and scissors;
• Acrylic paints and brushes;
• Scotch;
• A bag of dry gypsum;
• Large sheet of cellophane film.

Progress:

• Let's draw a contour mirror image on a cellophane film with a marker, and when we cut out the traced middle, we should get a stencil;
• We stick it on the wall with adhesive tape;
• Pour water into a bucket and dilute gypsum;
• Carefully fill in the empty stencil space with the help of a trowel;
• Remove the film after the mixture has dried;
• We apply a few more gypsum layers, the last one is rounded;
• When the solution dries well, paint the sculptural image with acrylic-based paints.

You can choose from a variety of palettes. In the living room, a “natural” image will look great, in a children's room on the wall - a fabulous tree, unusually painted.

decorative tree from branches

To decorate the interior of your home, you can make large artificial trees with flowers.

Necessary materials:

• Glue hot gun;
• Twigs;
• Sea pebbles;
• Square flowerpot;
• Decorative flowers (you can - paper);
• A piece of foam.

How to make a decorative tree yourself from ordinary branches:

• We fill the bottom of the flowerpot with sea pebbles and put foam plastic on them, and insert the prepared branch into it;
• We sprinkle it again with sea stones for good stability, insert moss on top;
• Now we decorate the branch. To do this, glue the decorative flowers randomly to the branch with a glue gun;
• After the end of this procedure, such a decorative craft will rightfully serve as a decoration for your house or apartment.

On the Internet, you can find many photos of trees made by yourself, choose the option that suits you and create your own masterpiece based on it. For another interesting idea for creating an artificial tree, see the video below.

Video: How to make a do-it-yourself LED tree

To create a unique atmosphere of celebration and comfort, there are many ways, among which not the last place is occupied by a decorative tree, which can be made from various materials with your own hands.

Photo example:

Skillfully crafted miracle tree will be a wonderful gift for any celebration.

The variety of materials for “trees of happiness”, as such crafts are also called, is limitless: scraps of fabric, corrugated paper, beads, lace, napkins, buttons, seeds and grains, shells, pebbles - everything that has been lying idle for years in forgotten boxes.

Recently, the popular name "tree of happiness" has been replaced by a fashionable European one - topiary. Since ancient times, this word has been called the art of creating sculptures from living plants: dense evergreen trees and shrubs in the process of curly haircuts turned into sculptural images or took on the most bizarre forms.

You can learn how to make topiary even at home - it's simple and exciting. It takes a lot of imagination and a little perseverance.

The main elements of decorative trees

All decorative tree crafts have three main elements:

• The basis. In the final version, the base is the crown of the tree. In most cases, the base is in the shape of a ball. But if the topiary is made for a special occasion, then you can give the crown the shape of a heart, numbers or letters.

For a spherical base, tightly crumpled newsprint or other unnecessary paper is often used, tied with threads and smeared with paste.

For a curly base, foam plastic, polyurethane foam, and a papier-mâché mold are used.

• Trunk. Any suitable material is used as a trunk for the “tree of happiness”: a knitting needle, hard wire, wooden skewers, elements of some structures that fit the shape.

You can also use natural sticks, tree branches. But they are preliminarily prepared: having freed from the bark, the branch must be washed, varnished or stained.

• Pot or stand. Topiaries look more spectacular, the crown diameter of which is larger than the diameter of the pot. It is difficult to choose a ready-made pot that fully meets the idea of ​​\u200b\u200ba decorative tree. It’s easier to take any inexpensive pot that is suitable in size and decorate it with the available materials: cover it with a cloth, paint it, glue it with decorative elements, tie it with a tourniquet. The crown, trunk and pot should form a single stylistic whole.

Depending on the idea of ​​\u200b\u200ba decorative tree and the method of its manufacture, you may need:

• glue (superglue, liquid nails, hot glue)
• cement (gypsum, sand, alabaster) to weight the base and securely fix the trunk in the pot
• decorative elements: ribbons, cones, shells of various nuts, dried flowers - everything you need to implement a specific idea.

A step-by-step master class for making topiary

To make a topiary with your own hands, first prepare the main elements:

• The trunk, if it is not a natural branch, is wrapped with satin or other ribbons, twine, covered with cloth, pasted over with materials selected for this composition. If the trunk consists of several elements, for example, several thin knitting needles or kebab skewers, you must first tighten them with electrical tape.
• You need to think about how to fix the tree in the pot, and prepare all the necessary materials. When using a flower pot with drainage holes, it is important to seal them up first. If the pot or bucket is heavy enough so that the crown does not outweigh the base, then foam plastic, pieces of foam plastic, or even polyurethane foam are enough to fix it.

The trunk in such a pot is set in the center, drowning to the base, bursting with prepared materials and poured with mounting foam or alabaster in the consistency of sour cream.

To weight the pot, a cement mortar with sand is used: after setting the trunk in the center and fixing it, cement is poured into the pot and left to harden. A tree on such a basis will stand securely.

• The finished base is put on a firmly fixed trunk or the trunk is fixed with the base already put on.

If the base for the crown of the tree is made in the form of a figure, for reliability it should be fixed with glue.

The "skeleton" of the tree is ready - you can decorate.

The near-stem space of the pot can be decorated with pebbles, shells, covered with a floral net or cloth.

The pot itself can be covered with a cloth, make a beautiful paper "wrapper".

You can attach the crown to the base with glue, pin the flowers with wire, and stick them on wooden skewers.

Popular Ornamental Tree Ideas

Having decided to master the technique of topiary, you can get rid of eternal thoughts about how to make an original gift for a holiday or family celebration.

A few traditional ideas and photos:

• A crown of paper flowers with a pinned butterfly and artificial grass or moss around the trunk in winter will remind you of summer.

• A tree of happiness with banknotes is an original gift for a wedding or housewarming.

• Topiary made of pink or blue ribbons will be a welcome souvenir for the birth of a child.

• New Year's version of the tree - coniferous twigs and cones, silvered with artificial snow.

• Short-lived, but original and practical fresh fruit topiary, decorating the dining room or kitchen.

Ornamental trees are considered worthy decoration of the house. They are appropriate in any interior, you just need to think in advance about the color scheme that fits into the finished design project. Ornamental trees do not require special conditions of maintenance and care. They do not need to be watered as they are artificial plants. These decor items are freely sold in stores, but it is better to make a topiary with your own hands. It will take some time to make it, but in the end you will get a unique decorative tree that fits perfectly into the existing interior of the room. And it is better to build a topiary on your own, because according to the Chinese ancient teachings of Feng Shui, this tree brings joy to the house. Making an ornamental tree, a person charges it. According to legend, the topiary can bring happiness only to its creator.

Topiary: the history of appearance and meaning in a modern interior

The word topiary or topiary comes from the term "topia" - an ornamental garden plot. The concept came from Ancient Rome and meant various figures carved from the crowns of trees or bushes. The ancient Roman civilization disappeared, but the Catholic Church picked up the ideas of beautifully decorating gardens. Then the topiary entered the secular life. Their heyday came in the 17th century: it was then that decorative trees appeared in the residences of the rulers of states, incl. and in the Russian Empire. Then they were forgotten about, but in the 20th century, topiaries became popular again. Now they no longer decorated the gardens and walls of palaces, but were planted in pots. Today, topiaries are no longer planted. They can be made from any material. Topiaries are made in the most bizarre shapes and colors, often quite controversially combining materials. In another way, they are called trees of happiness, believing that they bring joy to the house. They can be made from:

• coffee beans;
• walnuts;
• fir cones;
• straw;
• sweets;
• napkins;
• silk ribbons;
• plastic bags, etc.

Where to start assembling a tree

The assembly of the topiary must begin with planning the appearance of the future tree of happiness and finding the right details. The appearance of the topiary is determined by the style of the interior for which it is made. To begin with, there are materials necessary for constructing the base of the tree. In any case, you will need tapes, glue, colored paper, polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam, etc. The list of parts is limited only by the imagination of the creator. After collecting the necessary things, you can begin to create a topiary. First, the trunk is assembled, because. it is the basis of the topiary. Moreover, it must not only be strengthened, but also varnished or painted. Then one end of the trunk is attached to a pot, stone or shell, and a ball is hung on the other, which will later become the crown of a tree of happiness. To fasten all parts of the topiary, it is best to use glue.

The basis

To construct the basis of the tree of happiness, everything that is at hand at this moment will do. To make a base from newspapers, first you need to crumple them well, and only then form a sphere according to the given parameters. Newspapers are crumpled and tightly pressed, after which they are wrapped with tape. The base can also be made from newspaper clippings, but in this case they should be folded into a plastic bag. If you need to make a small base of synthetic winterizer, first you need to tamp it into a sock or stocking, then give it the necessary shape and wrap it tightly with sewing threads. It is even better to make this foam base using ordinary packaging from household appliances. But the foam crumbles, it is inconvenient to roll it into a ball, so this base is not very popular. In addition to the above, the following materials can become the basis of the topiary:

• mounting foam;
• Knitting thread;
• papier-mâché, etc.

Trunk

The trunk of the tree of happiness connects the base with the crown, so it must be strong and stable. In its role can be an ordinary wire, fixed with artistic tape, twine or plastic. For the realism of the product, this trunk can be made from a wooden branch or a piece of wood. But first, this branch must be cleaned of bark, varnished and stained. If a low topiary is made, then as a trunk, you can take a popsicle stick, sushi sticks or wooden skewers fastened together. The color and type of the trunk depends on the material of the base and crown. For topiary with coffee beans, white or brown is suitable. A curved trunk for a European tree can only be made of wire. You can also take any material that is approximately suitable for the topiary trunk, decorate it and fill it with plaster.

Crown

For the manufacture of a topiary crown, absolutely any materials that are currently at hand are suitable. To do this, you can take paper napkins, corrugated paper, folded origami, nylon ribbons, etc. Then the crown must be decorated. To do this, take spruce cones, real seashells, coffee beans, artificial flowers, etc. The crown is the main accent of the tree of happiness, so its design must be taken very seriously. The trunk and stand only emphasize the general theme of the topiary, so it is advisable to first decide on the material for the crown, and only then design the rest of the tree. But the topiary trunk may not withstand too large a crown, so it should not be overloaded. Some elements can only decorate the stand of the tree of happiness.

Stand

As a stand for a topiary, you can take an ordinary flower pot, a large flat stone or an iron bucket, decorate them beautifully and put them under the crown. The decor of the stand of the tree of happiness can be anything. It is decorated using the decoupage technique, decorated with lace or bright unusual shreds. You can stick stones, shells and artificial flowers on the stand. This element of the topiary is a semantic continuation of the crown, so its design must be based on the already existing elements of the decorative product. If the tree is decorated in a marine style, then shells and multi-colored pebbles will be appropriate, and for a romantic-style topiary, you will need lace and hearts made of colored paper. In size, the crown of the tree should be larger than its stand, so that the composition looks harmonious.

Wood making workshops

Making a topiary with your own hands is easy. To do this, you do not need to have an artistic taste or education as a designer. The ideal tree of happiness is decorated intuitively from the available materials. There are many tutorials on the Internet on this topic, some of them are presented below, but you should not follow these instructions step by step. According to feng shui, topiary quickly and effectively activates any sector of an apartment or house, instantly filling it with the necessary energy. But for proper operation, it must be decorated with the necessary elements. To normalize family relations, jasper or amazonite should be glued to the topiary stand. A tree with a tiger's eye, charoite or turquoise will help you climb the career ladder. And to improve the general financial situation, you need to decorate the topiary with a jet or a hawk's eye.

From coffee beans

For this topiary, you need to take high-quality large coffee beans and stick them on the base for the crown, laying them out with the central strip down. The ball is covered completely. For this, it is better to take a glue gun, although you can do without it, using ordinary glue from a tube. When the ball is completely sealed, a plastic tube is taken, which is sealed along the entire length with double-sided tape, departing from both edges 2-3 cm. A satin ribbon, fabric or corrugated paper of the desired color is glued onto the tape. Then you need to dilute the alabaster and pour the resulting mixture into a pot or an iron bucket. Then a barrel is inserted into this mixture and they wait for the alabaster to harden. After the mixture has hardened, its surface is spread with coffee beans in 2-3 layers. A finished crown is glued on top of the trunk itself.

The resulting topiary can be decorated with an elegant bow or jewelry.

From cones

Do-it-yourself topiary from cones is made according to a similar scheme. Small half-opened pine cones are glued to the foam ball with small gaps from each other. If the gaps are too large, they can be filled with acorns or chestnuts. For additional fixation of the elements, you can use golden or brown threads. To make the barrel, you need to put together several (up to 10) bamboo skewers, wrap them with a thick white or brown thread, leaving open areas along the edges of the sticks. Then you need to dilute the alabaster with water or take the finished cement mixture, pour it into a flower pot and insert the tree trunk into the base. When the mixture hardens, it is decorated with needles or sisal, a fully decorated crown of a tree of happiness is attached to the trunk, and the pot is decorated with a satin or lace ribbon.

From satin ribbons and other fabrics

As a basis for a satin ribbon topiary, you can take a foam sphere or a ball of crumpled newspapers, fixed with thick threads dipped in PVA glue. Then you need to take satin ribbons of any color, twist them into small rolls, after bending the ribbons at a right angle. You need to bend the satin ribbon several times until its length is over. As a result of these actions, you should get a rosebud. At the end of manufacturing, it is necessary to flash all the petals with a thin silk thread at the base. The number of such roses is determined by the size of the base. Usually 20-30 flowers are required. Then they decorate the crown of the topiary. As a trunk for such a tree, you can take an ordinary twig, and use a clay flower pot for a stand. The stand and tree trunk should be decorated with elegant green leaves made of satin ribbons or silk.

Corrugated paper

First you need to take a round foam ball. Then you need to make roses from corrugated paper. If they are very large, then there will be a lot of free space between the flowers, which will need to be closed with something, so it is better to make these roses medium. One small topiary will need 35-45 roses. To do this, it is better to take paper of different colors in order to alternate the shades of roses on the topiary in the future. The trunk for a tree of happiness can be made from traditional sushi sticks, and ordinary foam can be used as a primer. Alabaster is hard to make, but Styrofoam is easy to find. Only the barrel must be inserted into the foam base the first time. At the same time, it is necessary to decorate the crown by gluing roses in a chaotic manner. Then the crown is attached to the trunk and the topiary is considered ready. If desired, the soil in the pot is laid out with artificial grass, and the trunk of the tree is decorated with a bright bow.

A sea tree of happiness can be made from materials brought from the sea: pebbles, shells, dried crabs and pearls. They should paste over the base for the topiary crown. If there are few shells and pebbles, the space between them can be decorated with sisal, artificial starfish and marine-themed salt dough crafts. When making a topiary trunk, it is better to take sushi sticks decorated with white, blue or sand-colored satin ribbons. As a stand for a tree of happiness, you should take a white flower pot, which can be decorated with artificial pearls, lace and small figures from salt dough. Inside this pot, you need to fill it with alabaster and insert the trunk of the topiary into this alabaster mixture. Sisal fibers, sea pebbles and shells can be placed on top of the frozen fill.

Money topiary from coins and banknotes

This topiary is usually made from counterfeit banknotes, but for entourage, you can attach real coins to a tree crown or stand. Of course, it is better to use not ordinary, but rare, old or foreign coins. To begin with, each bill needs to be folded in half, slightly moving the edges, and then folded into an envelope from it, securing the uneven edges with double-sided tape. The number of banknotes depends on the size of the base ball, but usually about 20-25 banknotes are required. The trunk of a money tree can be made from twigs or sushi sticks, and a planter can be used as a stand. The cache-pot on the outside can be decorated with special self-adhesive paper with the image of money or lace. Alabaster is poured into the pot itself, a trunk is placed in it and they are waiting for it to dry. After that, the topiary soil is laid out with coins, sawdust or decorative stones.

From dried flowers and fresh flowers

A tree made from dried flowers is quite simple. You can decorate the base for the topiary crown with dried flowers and yellowed leaves, but the flowers and leaves taken for these purposes must be strong and dense, otherwise they will simply fall apart during work. Dried flowers are fixed directly on the foam ball. A curved branch from the street is taken as a trunk, and an ordinary clay pot turns into a stand. The pot is poured inside with alabaster, after fixing the trunk of the topiary. This trunk is inserted into the finished crown of the tree, and the dried alabaster is decorated with dry leaves and flowers. Fresh flower topiaries are usually created by professional florists, but you can try making your own at home. To do this, you need to take rosebuds, chamomile flowers, lilies or chrysanthemums, cut their stems correctly and carefully and attach them to the crown base. Otherwise, the technique for producing a tree of happiness and decorating a topiary pot is similar to its manufacture from dried flowers.

Topiary (English) Topiary handmade) is a decorative tree of happiness, a symbol of wealth and prosperity in the house. Used in interior design, common in Europe. Topiary construction - pot, stem and ball: no restrictions on techniques or materials! However, we recommend that you follow the general rules for composition, color combinations and proportions. Further details on how to make a tree of happiness and what materials can be used.

Collection of master classes topiary

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New Year's topiary

Berries in the snow

New Year's topiary "Berries in the Snow" is suitable for both beginner needlewomen and experienced craftswomen who will draw new ideas and inspiration! The tree of happiness on a foam ball d = 12 cm, the base is halves of walnuts. The main decor is small foam apples and sisal balls.

Also, the crown is decorated with plastic snowflakes, sugar and smooth foam berries, bunches of stamens. The finished topiary is treated with artificial snow in a can. The master class is available in video format and in a step-by-step article with photos.

First snow

Christmas tree of happiness from dried chestnuts, acorns with hats, walnuts, as well as sisal and rattan balls, star anise, cinnamon sticks, plastic snowflakes, a garland of beads and foam berries.

Crown - on a foam ball with a cloth winding. The topiary is planted in a restored old pot, filled with gypsum and rubble. Master class from Alena Tikhonova in video format, as well as in the form of step-by-step instructions with photos.

coffee topiary

Garden of Eden

A tree of happiness on a bronze-painted foam ball, a crown of coffee beans glued in even rows with the core up.

The main composition runs diagonally and consists of layers of white petals, sprigs of alder cones, foamiran and paper roses, stamens and bonsai grass. Also, 2 doves made a nest of sisal on the crown. A master class on coffee and rose topiary in video format, as well as in an article with step-by-step photos.

Spices of the East

For the decor of the topiary, only natural materials were used (except for the felt for the leaves and the satin ribbon for the bow). Coffee tree of happiness on a foam ball with a diameter of 8 cm in a brown ceramic cup. The trunk is a curved corylus branch painted in bronze.

Crown of coffee beans, central composition - dried citrus slices, bay leaf, felt leaves, salt dough "button". Small decor: peppercorns, cloves, cardamom, corn, dried peas, pasta bows and stars.

dew drops

Topiary from coffee beans with bronzing crown and trunk. An ornamental tree in a dark brown cup made of unbaked clay, with a polished corylus branch as a trunk.

The crown of coffee beans is decorated with a composition of fabric and foamiran flowers with satin ribbons. The image is complemented by a colorful butterfly on the reverse side. Throughout the coffee tree of happiness - a luxurious scattering of pearls.

coffee dreams

The small coffee bean topiary is a typical example of simple and quick production. The uncomplicated design and improvised materials do not require preparatory work. Thanks to this, the craft will take 1.5-2 hours, taking into account the drying of the glue. At the same time, almost all elements are interchangeable and easily accessible. We offer a master class on how to make a topiary - in video format and in an article with step-by-step photos.

Topiary with artificial flowers

Heavenly Harmony

Topiary "Heavenly Harmony" is made on a sintepon ball, planted on plaster in a plastic flower pot, the trunk is a curved wooden branch. The tree of happiness is decorated with homemade flowers made from viscose napkins, sisal balls, berries and fabric roses.

At the base are sisal balls, a pot of lace, satin ribbons and flowers. The composition is completed by a double satin bow tied under the crown on the trunk.

Spring awakening

The Flower Tree of Happiness "Spring Awakening" is a motley and luxuriantly flowering meadow, personifying sunny May days and warmth. Homemade flowers from napkins and felt, ready-made foamiran and fabric roses, sisal balls, stamens, leaves and small inflorescences were used. A decorative butterfly settled on the crown, and at the base of the topiary - a cute foam bird. The tree is fixed on plaster in a high flower pot with a perforated border.

The master class is presented in photo and video format with subtitles, tips and tricks from the author.

Charm

A purple-white flower topiary is made quite quickly, but laboriously - buds from cardboard egg trays are formed in several stages: cutting blanks, painting and assembling, gluing felt or organza leaves.

We offer step-by-step master classes in video (FullHD 1080p) and text format with photos.

The scent of spring

A wedding tree of happiness in white tones with green splashes in the form of artificial leaves, which are in harmony with light green sisal and a large green apple at the base, refresh and saturate the composition. Topiary on a ball of newspapers, a crown of apricot pits, the main decor is prefabricated flowers from cardboard egg trays.

An elegant thin trunk of a curved shape is a corylus branch. The decorative tree is planted on plaster in a low ceramic cup. The main elements are painted in rich white - in the style of Provence. The master class is available in photo and video format with detailed step-by-step instructions.

orange mix

Orange topiary from orange peels is made quickly, but requires preparatory work: drying orange peel and citrus slices takes 3-7 days. In addition to orange flowers, foam tangerines, berries, satin ribbons and pasta bows were used for decoration.

We offer a detailed master class in video, photo and text format with step-by-step instructions for making your own topiary.

money tree topiary

abundance

Money Topiary "Abundance" is made on a home-made ball with roses from paper bills. On the crown are symbols of abundance and prosperity. A frog settled on the ball, a bunch of grapes and placers of coins were placed. The pot is made by hand from plaster, painted in 3 layers with the effect of antiquity, stylized as a wallet with a metal zipper. The trunk - a curved branch of salex - is fixed in a pot with a plaster cast.

spring luxury

Money topiary on a ready-made foam ball with a curved trunk in a plastic pot. Gypsum casting was used to fix the trunk. Crown decor - do-it-yourself paper money roses, 99 flowers! Also used are sugar berries and stamens, plastic leaves and yellow paper roses.

The tree of happiness "Spring Luxury" is sustained in fresh and bright yellow-green colors. Topiary is perfect for a gift or decorate the kitchen interior. We have prepared for you a step-by-step master class with photo and video instructions, as well as a detailed presentation of the finished product.

Sea shell topiary

lavender sea

Decorative tree of shells and roses "Lavender Sea" - a beautiful and unusual topiary on 2 trunks in a neat painted pot filled with plaster. The crown is decorated with shells (painted with mother-of-pearl acrylic), delicate roses made of ceramic clay and purple sisal balls. In addition, the tree of happiness is decorated with buttons wrapped in satin ribbon, smooth berries and sisal balls.

Blue Lagoon

Marine Topiary "Blue Lagoon" combines the beauty of nature with artificial decor. Snail shells, which form the basis of the crown, are painted with ultramarine acrylic paint. The compositional center is a half of a large rapana. The pot is a tin can decorated with ice cream sticks, shells and waste material. At the base of the tree, on a scattering of small shells and sisal, a blue decorative bird is planted.

coral reef

The sea topiary is made from a variety of shells with homemade ceramic plasticine roses and sisal balls. Shells are painted in coral, mother-of-pearl and pale blue.

The composition of the tree of happiness is complemented by bright plastic inhabitants of the seas and oceans: crabs, an octopus, an asterisk. The ball is wrapped with twine and sisal, the barrel is polished, gypsum filling is used, and the pot is wrapped with linen rope.

Topiary in the shape of a heart

sapphire heart

Topiary from coffee "Sapphire Heart" with a foam base 15 cm wide, a curved salex trunk is planted in a lilac plastic pot on plaster. The heart is thickly pasted over with coffee beans, dyed in 2 layers: bronze and white. The crown is decorated with foamiran roses, two types of artificial flowers, green leaves, alder and larch cones, as well as small cones. The trunk is painted white.

On the wings of Love

The heart-shaped topiary combines a textured coffee surface with a delicate floral decor. Roses made of keramplastiline in various shades of pink are in harmony with a butterfly and a scattering of pearls with stamens. The tree of happiness is planted in a white ceramic cup, the trunk is made of a curved branch of corilus (salex). Delicate wings made of natural feathers complete the composition.

autumn topiary

Walk in the garden

Topiary "Walk in the garden" is made of artificial fruits and vegetables, flowers and small inflorescences. The trunk is painted with chocolate acrylic, for color support the crown is also decorated with dried chestnuts. On top is a nest with quail eggs, and on the other side is a straw hat with a rapeseed ribbon. At the base of the fruit tree, a decorative bird settled down. The topiary is planted in a metal bucket, the trunk is reinforced with a plaster cast.

magic meadow

The autumn tree of happiness turned out to be unusual: a successful combination of natural material and artificial decor. Chestnuts, acorns with hats, walnut shells, apricot pits, sisal are harmoniously combined with berries, foam fruits and vegetables, artificial flowers and grape leaves.

The composition is complemented by a decorative dragonfly and snail shell. A dense meadow with well-arranged gifts of autumn, a tree of happiness in orange-brown tones.

Notes of autumn

Original topiary of chestnuts, acorns with cupules, halves of walnuts and sisal. In addition to natural material, decor was used to decorate the crown: artificial dog rose, smooth and sugar berries, foam stamens.

At the base of the autumn tree is a composition on decorative moss. The clay pot is decorated with wooden sticks and coffee beans, and the edge is painted with yellow acrylic to connect with the napkin roses on the crown.

Autumn mood

Fragrant topiary "Autumn Mood" with the use of natural materials: flowers made from orange peel, dried citrus slices, peeled apricot and peach pits, cinnamon, acorns, dried flowers. The trunk is a twisted branch, a clay pot filled with gypsum (for a strong fixation of a heavy tree of happiness).

We offer a step-by-step master class on a natural tree of happiness: a text version, a photo and a full-fledged MK video in FullHD quality with subtitles. Choose the format that's right for you!

Seasons

The Tree of Happiness is an unusual format: a series of workshops in the same style, but with a different set of materials. Autumn theme - from acorns, cones and orange flowers. Christmas theme - with larch cones, red stamens and artificial grass. Spring theme - with pink foamiran roses, cones and bonsai branches.

Each topiary is planted on a plaster cast in a metal bucket, the trunk is 2 curved branches of the corilus (salex). A foam Christmas tree toy with a diameter of 4 cm was used as a ball.

Birdsong

A topiary made of chestnuts, acorns and nuts with decorative doves and a ladder is planted in a small clay pot on plaster. The crown is decorated with acorns with pearls and prefabricated decor: satin bows with white sugar berries. The curved trunk and the ladder are painted with bronze, at the base on the widths of sisal, doves settled in a twisted nest. The pot is decorated with a satin ribbon and lace.

Topiary design elements

Crown

The basis of the tree of happiness in 9 out of 10 cases is a ball: a spherical shape is ideal for crown formation. Other original forms are also used to make a topiary: a heart, a horseshoe, a dollar, a three-dimensional wreath, a star or an egg. In needlework stores, you can buy foam blanks, however, it is very easy to make a ball yourself: from pressed newspapers, padding polyester, cardboard or fabric scraps, polyurethane foam. In addition, any spherical shape can be used, such as a skein of knitting thread or a baby ball.
We offer a detailed overview, which describes the techniques, as well as showing a variety of ready-made solutions.

In some cases, for example, for coffee beans and crepe paper flowers, as well as for the quick production of decorative wood, it is much more convenient to use a ready-made foam ball.

Trunk

Wooden branches, Chinese chopsticks, long barbecue skewers, a pencil, wire, a thin tube - any strong object of a straight or curved shape, suitable in length and diameter for a particular design, is used as a trunk for a tree of happiness.

The choice of trunk for the topiary is not limited, but the weight of the crown should be taken into account so that the branch does not break.

Pot and methods of attaching the trunk

The stability of the base, the ability to strengthen the trunk, the shape suitable for the design of the crown are the main criteria when choosing a container in which to A the tree of happiness grows. In addition, the shape must match the chosen crown design, the pot is decorated depending on the design of a particular product.
For fixing the trunk, pouring with plaster or fixing with crushed stone with glue processing is used. The filling of the pot is hidden under the decorative composition at the base of the trunk.
We offer a detailed review, with or without plaster: pouring secrets, recommendations, photo and video master classes.

Materials for making a tree of happiness

Finished decor

To make a topiary, you will need a wide variety of ready-made materials for needlework:

• Satin ribbons, bows.
• Organza, felt, mesh.
• Flowers from foamiran.
• Sisal and.
• Beads, glue half beads.
• Corrugated paper.
• Finished decorative elements: artificial flowers, fruits, berries.

From natural and improvised materials for a tree of happiness, the following are popular:

• Coffee beans.
• Pasta of various shapes.
• Cinnamon sticks, peppercorns, bay leaf.
• Dried orange, lemon, mandarin - peels, slices.
• Decorative stones, pebbles, glass.

Homemade decor

The basis of the composition of almost any tree of happiness (with the exception of express topiary, on which mostly ready-made elements are glued) is a prefabricated decor made of various materials. Most often, these are pre-collected flowers.

How to make a do-it-yourself topiary - step by step instructions

1. Preparation of prefabricated decorative elements.
2. Making a ball or using a foam blank.
3. Crown decoration in the chosen technique with pre-prepared elements.
4. Making the pot and fixing the trunk - pouring with plaster or fixing with crushed stone.
5. Assembling the tree of happiness.
6. Final decoration of the topiary.

The proposed step-by-step instructions on how to make a topiary are indicative: for convenience, some steps can be swapped or combined.

The symbolic meaning of the tree

The tree symbolizes development, dynamic growth, seasonal wilting and restoration, wealth and prosperity. Branches mean versatility, a variety of choices, and a common trunk is a symbol of unity. In mythology, a tree is a magical, powerful image, the abode of gods and spirits. In the practice of Feng Shui, the tree of happiness in the house is a symbol of prosperity, abundance and wealth. In addition, a self-made topiary is an original gift, a sign of respect and love, a real surprise for connoisseurs of handmade crafts.

Excursion into history
The etymology of the word "Topiary" comes from the ancient art of curly cutting garden trees and shrubs - "Topiar" (Topiar material from Wikipedia). From Latin topiaria- horticultural art, actively developing in Europe since the time of the Roman Empire. Shrub sculpture was done by specially trained slaves - topiaries.