| A Christmas tree is a fun focal point for your holiday | | | | upward or downward, whichever you prefer. Now |
| scrapbooking layouts. Here's what you need to get | | | | you're ready to glue the tree to your page. |
| started: | | | | After the tree is firmly affixed to the patterned |
| Patterned paper for background | | | | background paper, glue some buttons on the tree as |
| Solid colored paper for tree, picture frames, and title | | | | ornaments or holiday lights. |
| Buttons | | | | You're now ready to work with the photographs. I |
| Glue | | | | decided I only had room for four photographs on this |
| Gold or other embroidery floss | | | | page, two on each side. I cut out two tall ones, one |
| Needle | | | | rectangular one, and one square one to resemble |
| Decorative scissors | | | | Christmas packages. I then cut out pieces of solid |
| Paper cutter or scissors | | | | colored cardstock just a little bigger for the frames, out |
| First decide on the size of your tree. This will determine | | | | of the same paper as the tree. Glue the photographs |
| how much room will be left on the page for pictures. | | | | to the frames, and then the frames to the page, |
| My tree was tall and skinny--it took up almost the | | | | wherever you think they look best. |
| entire length of the page from top to bottom, with | | | | Next cut several short lengths of the embroidery |
| plenty of room left on the sides for photographs. You | | | | thread to tie into bows for the packages. Tie the bows |
| can cut out a pattern for the tree first, if you want, but | | | | tightly and glue them onto the packages, holding them |
| I just cut one out freehand. Trim around all the edges | | | | down until the glue starts to set. |
| of the tree with your decorative scissors. | | | | For the page title, cut out a rectangle of the solid |
| Before you glue the tree on the page, use the | | | | colored cardstock, and a smaller rectangle out of |
| embroidery thread to sew the branches on the tree | | | | white paper to glue in the center. Write your caption on |
| (see photo). I used a metallic gold embroidery floss. | | | | the white piece of paper. Embellish the title with a |
| You can freehand this step also. Just start at the top | | | | couple more buttons. |
| of the tree and use your needle and thread to create | | | | That's it! |
| branches randomly down the tree. Branches can point | | | | |