On Tips and Tea on Tuesdays, I will cover a topic and hopefully provide you with some tips that will be helpful! And just as an afterthought, tea may occasionally be a cup of Joe! 

Tea today is a cup of Tazo Joy, which is a blend of black and oolong green teas. There is a pleasant little hint of peach, so I decided to accompany my morning repose with a few of the thumbprint cookies I made (with apricot jelly centers). The aroma is just wonderful, and the cookie(s), well are divine! Pictured here is my Angel and Hearts tree. My mom called me her Christmas Angel, probably because I was born on the 21st of this month. Each year she gave me an angel for my collection, and here are just a few.

Speaking of trees, I wanted to share a few unconventional trees, that I have made from recycled objects. These are pretty simple to make, and the supplies are easy to find.

Tips: Recycled Trees

Note: Always practice safety when using a glue gun. Keep a glass of water on hand to dip your finger into just in case you burn yourself.

Wooden Ruler Tree

1. Gather a collection of 12″ rulers.
2. Choose one for the stem.
3. Cut the remaining rulers into varying lengths from long to short.
4. Glue these to the stem with wood glue.
5. Glue a pop top hook to the wrong side of the stem with a low temp glue gun.

Cork Tree

1. Gather a collection of wine corks.
2. Arrange the corks in rows.
3. Use a low temp glue gun to glue the rows in place, then the rows together.

Vintage Kitchen Tree

1. Gather old sieves, and other kitchen equipment that will stack nicely.
2. Use a wooden chopstick, or knitting needle for the center pole.
3. Hold the center pole in the center of a pie tin.
4. Thread the utensils onto the center pole, from the large to small.
5. Arrange aluminum cookie cutter molds around the bottom of the tree.

Happy tea drinking and stitching to you! ~Christen

PS: If you have any questions or thoughts, just leave a comment! See Tips, Tricks, the Basics, for more helpful ideas.