Magazine Tree

Magazine Tree

Ages: 3 and up
Parental supervision suggested
Difficulty Level: *****

Time: 45 minutes

Make your own unique tree in celebration of spring’s arrival.  This craft applies mosaic techniques using recyclable materials.

Materials Needed (located at your favorite craft store):

• White paper
• Brown paint (I used tempera)
• Paint brush
• Drinking straw
• Discarded magazines, junk mail, or newspaper inserts
• Glue

How-to Steps:

1. Using the brush, drip a little brown paint near the center of the paper.
2. Immediately, blow through the straw, spreading the paint into random lines.
3. Continue dripping and blowing paint, turning the paper as needed, until you are satisfied with the shape of your tree.
4. Use the brush to thicken the trunk if needed. (The tree trunk could also be drawn and colored or covered with torn brown paper, rather than painted.  One technique is to trace your hand and arm.) 
5. While the paint is drying, find 3 or 4 green pictures in your discarded papers.  Tear the pictures into small pieces. 
6. Apply glue to a small area of your tree and immediately place torn green paper “leaves” on the glue.  Repeat until you are satisfied with your tree’s shape.
7. You could also add a torn-paper sky or a picture of a tree-loving animal (bird, squirrel, frog, snake, bat, etc.).