How to Make a Recycled Magazine Tree (Christmas Tree)

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How to Make a Recycled Magazine Tree (Christmas Tree)

This is one my husband's mother used to make, but I got it from Tootoo4luv's YouTube video. Of course, you can find it on Martha Stewart's site as well.

Ellie Kneeland

8.2k Views

Step 1 of 11

Grab an unwanted magazine. The height of the magazine determines the height of your tree. I think this magazine was around 100 pages & took about an hour. Put on your favorite show & here we go!

Step 2 of 11

First, break in spine by flipping book open backwards. push hard all along here. Then carefully tear off front & back cover. If they're left on it causes a gap in back of tree. Leave spine intact.

Step 3 of 11

With first page, pull top right corner towards spine. This places top edge along spine as shown.

Step 4 of 11

Fold it down again in the same way. I think it's kinda how you make a traditional paper airplane.

Step 5 of 11

Turn the page. Now we have to get rid of this piece, so there's a nice straight edge along the bottom. We will do this by tucking it away...

Step 6 of 11

Just slip it under (under that guy actually), tucking it all the way inside...

Step 7 of 11

And crease. Done. Except you have an entire magazine full of pages to do 😜

Step 8 of 11

Half way there! At least it's super easy.

Step 9 of 11

Done. Now the fun part of choosing how to decorate it! Leave as is, add glue n glitter n topper for Christmas, spray paint in solid colors & make a few of varying heights n colors...what's your idea?

Step 10 of 11

Step 11 of 11

Click on my name to see the guide I made for the bow 😉

You're Done

Check out other guides by this author!

Ellie Kneeland

Corona, California

comfits.blogspot.com

ℓᎥƘƎ ᗩИ ⚙C̤̈✞⚙ƤυƧ ⚙И Я⚙ℓℓƎЯ ƧƘᗩ✞ƎƧ These are not my designs; I'm just trying to keep origami alive. Please enjoy & pass along what you learn. 💖ellie

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Whew! Ok. Cool 😜

Ellie Kneeland (author) 5 months ago

I tore of the cover with my stapled j-14 magazine and it was fine

Summer Abernathy 5 months ago

Nope. If u use stapled one, I wouldn't rip off covers.

Ellie Kneeland (author) 5 months ago

Does the magazine have to be the kind with staples in it?

Kat Dalzell 5 months ago

Yippee! Merry Christmas to u 🎄

Ellie Kneeland (author) 5 months ago

I've made one and liked it very much! I used the Yoga Magazine. The pictures there are colorful ☺Thanks a lot and Merry Christmas! 🔮🎆🎄🎅🎉

Irina Romanova 5 months ago

Yay! I hope she loves it ☺

Ellie Kneeland (author) 5 months ago

OMG! I used your guide to make this for my grandmother for christmas and it turned out adorably! Thank you for posting this!

Summer Abernathy 5 months ago

Woohoo 😊

Ellie Kneeland (author) 5 months ago

I used a game informer magazine. I came out perfectly

Andrena Smith 5 months ago

Always so happy to hear 😊

Ellie Kneeland (author) 5 months ago

I just finished folding my first tree. I haven't decorated it yet, but it's so cute on its own. Thanks for the great idea!

Kathleen Dunagan 5 months ago

Yay 😊

Ellie Kneeland (author) 6 months ago

I tried it a while ago and it goes well with my room thanks x

Jenna Sharpe 6 months ago

That would be wonderful!

Ellie Kneeland (author) 6 months ago

Oh Ellie, that is a wonderful idea. If I remember I will send you a pic. Merry Christmas

Annie Johnson 6 months ago

Glad to hear, Lottie 😊

Ellie Kneeland (author) 6 months ago

Annie...super cute idea! Maybe could make ur own? Cut magazine pages to tiny size u want, fold in 1/2, & sew down the center.

Ellie Kneeland (author) 6 months ago

Cosmo went Christmas tree! And goes very nicely with my catalogue paper chains!

Lottie Maddox 6 months ago

Ellie I am in search of tiny books at the thrift stores. What a wonderful trimming on a Christmas gift a tiny sparkles tree would be !

Annie Johnson 6 months ago

Very happy to hear 😊

Ellie Kneeland (author) 6 months ago

Making this was so relaxing :) Thanks for the instructions !!!!

Pamela White 6 months ago

😊Yay😊

Ellie Kneeland (author) 6 months ago

Love this! Going to make one today :)

Catherine St. John 6 months ago

So beautiful <3

Caroline Kristensen 6 months ago

😉

Ellie Kneeland (author) 6 months ago

Very neat

Heather Dewiliby 6 months ago

😊

Ellie Kneeland (author) 6 months ago

Cute

Valerie Brown 6 months ago

Thank you. I realized the half thing when I had to pack mine up. I just opened it & laid it down. Such a nifty idea.

Ellie Kneeland (author) 6 months ago

They are fun to make in different sizes and making a display against a wall with some half opened against the wall.

Annie Johnson 6 months ago

You're very welcome! Enjoy 😊

Ellie Kneeland (author) 6 months ago

I love this idea. Never seen it before, maybe not an English thing. Going to make some and see how it goes. Many thanks XxX

Ian Cox 6 months ago

It does it by itself. This is why you really need to break in spine & carefully remove the covers (keeping spine in tact). Good luck 😊

Ellie Kneeland (author) 6 months ago

This is way cool! I love the idea of a non traditional tree. But I do have one question...how do you keep it open? Does it do it by itself when it stands up? Or do you glue it open?

Shana K 6 months ago

WOW! This brought back pleasant memories. I made these years ago! I will be showing this one to my granddaughters. They love doing crafts. Thanks so much!

Carol Morcom 6 months ago

Okay thanks.

Josephine J 6 months ago

Depends on how many pages in your magazine. Mine was around 100 pages & took about an hour.

Ellie Kneeland (author) 6 months ago

How long did it take to make it?

Josephine J 6 months ago

I completely agree Ellie

Annie Johnson 6 months ago

Gotta keep these kinda things going to future generations 😊

Ellie Kneeland (author) 6 months ago

We use to make these in Girl Scouts back in the dawn of time. We would spray them lightly with green or white paint and sprinkle glitter on them.

Annie Johnson 6 months ago

It'd be perfect on the coffee table...w/ some magazines by it 😀

Ellie Kneeland (author) 6 months ago

I think I might try this for my coffee table!! Looks like a good conversation piece. 💁

Luv4hm V 6 months ago

Oh that's top secret....jk. Click on my name & check out the guide I made for it 😉

Ellie Kneeland (author) 6 months ago

How did you make the bow?

Keana Davis 6 months ago

Fun! I think I'm gonna run glow in the dark fabric paint down the edges & dump glitter on it. It'll glow & sparkle 😜

Ellie Kneeland (author) 6 months ago

Love it! Did these for teachers gifts a few years ago ... Sprayed them gold and sprinkled glitter on them! Thanks for the tip about ripping the covers off!!!

Taren Bell 6 months ago

That's a good idea...you could put a little styrofoam ball w/ sequins stuck in it for the topper.

Ellie Kneeland (author) 6 months ago

Brilliant Ellie - mines gonna have some 'Sequin's stuck on randomly for added bling!

Karen Webb 6 months ago

Haha! What a creative idea!

Ellie Kneeland (author) 6 months ago

I have used old earrings to decorate this type of tree ;)

Holly Love 6 months ago

They really are pretty neat. My mother-in-law said that she used Reader's Digest as well 😊

Ellie Kneeland (author) 6 months ago

We used to do this with readers digests. Perfect size

Patricia Reese-Zuck 6 months ago

Thats cool im going to do it tomorrow thanks

Missy Pokipoki 6 months ago

Well send some my way...I only had the one 😳

Ellie Kneeland (author) 6 months ago

LOVE this!! Have so many magazines, now I have something I can do with them!! Thank you!!

Aɳցⅈɛ ʗʊrraɳ 6 months ago

Sweet! Love this!

Heather W 6 months ago

I'm still debating on mine. I need a smaller magazine or two to go with!

Ellie Kneeland (author) 6 months ago

That's really nice! So many creative things can be done to it! Awesome!

S A 6 months ago

Be first to comment on Step 1.

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Oh! That's very smart. Thank u 😊

Ellie Kneeland (author) 6 months ago

It's best to start from the back of the magazine is you want a lot of color. Advertising is predominantly found on the right hand page as you read from front to back of a magazine. If you start from the front to make the tree, all of those colorful pages get folded inward.

Evonne Daniel 6 months ago

Haha. Yup...I used a gaming magazine!

Ellie Kneeland (author) 6 months ago

Assassins creed III rock :)

José Marín 6 months ago

No problem 😉

Ellie Kneeland (author) 6 months ago

You know you dog-ear the corner of a book to save your place? That's what you're doing, but taking all the down to seam (center of mag). Then you fold it down again for this step.

Ellie Kneeland (author) 6 months ago

You just fold it down again along the seam of magazine like you did in step 3.

Ellie Kneeland (author) 6 months ago

Be first to comment on Step 5.

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I'm making this right now!!!!!!!

Karen Hubert 6 months ago

Haha! It suits it perfectly 😀

Ellie Kneeland (author) 6 months ago

I know I should come up with someone hung more original, but that bow is just gorgeous!

Terry Henry 6 months ago

I'm making the origami bow that you have on your profile! It will look amazing on it!

Terry Henry 6 months ago

Glad to hear! How are you decorating yours?

Ellie Kneeland (author) 6 months ago

Mine turned out pretty good! Some of the pages aren't evenly around the side, but it looks really good! I am SO glad that you posted this tutorial! It's amazing! I'm fixing to decorate mine! Thanks again! I LOVE this!

Terry Henry 6 months ago

Very special to hear 😊

Ellie Kneeland (author) 5 months ago

I remember these. Grandma made them. Corny at the time but memories make them precious now. Thanks for the reminder and the 'how's to kicking them up a notch'. :-)

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