Easy DIY Tree & Wreath Flocking Redux

Two years ago I did a tutorial on DIY tree flocking, which was so ridiculously easy (and has proven to be so incredibly durable) that I've decided to revisit it - this time with a little mini-tree I wanted to spruce up.

I know flocking an entire tree can be a little intimidating, so maybe a smaller project like this will help more of you get your feet wet. Or snowy. Or... spackle-y.

So. Here's my $5 mini tree:

... plus a glimpse into how I do all my crafts: with those big blue eyes... just... STARING.
(She's watching me. Aaaaalwaaaays waaatching.)

The only materials you'll need for the flocking (in addition to the thing you're going to flock) are:

- Lightweight spackling (available at any hardware store or even Wal-Mart, I believe)
- a chip brush or stiff paint/artist's brush

Dump a scoop of spackling into an old bowl (it'll wash out later with water, no worries), and then add a little water. Mix it up until you get a thin icing consistency:

It even looks like icing, right? Makes me want to start piping some out on cardboard gingerbread houses... hmm.... and then add some puff paint borders...

Oh. Right. Better finish this project first, huh?

Ok, now just dip your chip brush into the spackle snow mixture, and start pouncing it on to your branches, like so:

 I find it helps to hang on to the tip of the branch, to keep it from bouncing all over the place.

If you only want a light dusting of "snow," then brush instead of pounce - that will leave smaller clingy bits, like on this top branch here:

I prefer larger clumps, though, like on the lower branch. That looks more like packed sections of wetter snow to me. To get that look, just keep pouncing on larger amounts of spackle. It will clump & melt together to give it that nice wet look:

If your "snow" starts looking too clumpy or crumbly, just add a little more water to your mixture.

Oh, and while it's wet you can sprinkle on some clear glitter for added sparkle. I didn't do that this time because it makes one heckuva mess, but it was a fun touch for my big streampunk tree.

Rest assured your flocking will dry rock hard and last for years without crumbling or cracking. (The only thing you'll want to avoid is soaking it with water, which might make it dissolve.)

Here's the finished tree:

 I find the flocking makes it look like a much more expensive tree - and the same goes for wreaths!

And here it is all decorated on our bedroom dresser:

(Target sells those tree toppers for $1. SCORE.)

Since I still haven't found the right plant for our dresser, I think this will do nicely 'til January. :)

This really is the cheapest & easiest Christmas DIY I've ever found, so I hope you guys will give it a try! Odds are most of you already have some lightweight spackle in the garage, and if so, it's FREE. Can't beat that! Plus you'll find a little spackling goes a long way; I still had this much left over with mine:

Happy flocking, guys!

And for my fellow pinners:

*****

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