Need some quick help with some ideas.

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RWK

RWK

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Jun 3, 2007
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Got a small difficulty. At the store, we are getting ready for the Christmas season. Already started decorating trees.

One tree is titled 'Snowbirds' - the content being natural items, cardinals, ice and snow.

The tree itself is about 7 feet and slim. The decorations they have provided are Huge - the smallest cardinal is over 5 inches in length, the average size orb is 4 inches, the largest is 6 inches.

I need some ideas in how to work these oversized ornaments on an undersized tree.
 
To add more info - the largest cardinal decoration is over a foot long......there are translucent lucite cardinals, mushroom types, feather types, glittered types, snowflakes, and these icy/frosty orbs.

I am perplexed as how to fit these oversized things on such a small tree.
 
Hi Ricky-Don't know if this will work, or if I can even describe what I'm thinking, but what if you clustered them tightly together (almost like pave style), hanging them wrapped around the tree like a garland, leaving lots of green between. Maybe you can make it look like the birds are flying around the tree hanging the garland.
 
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Not sure if this will help, but Ubloom had a tree hanger that had a retractable/adjustable arm to hang larger ornaments on a tree. It attached to the tree trunk and so could adjust out beyond the tree if you wanted, I have the name of it somewhere if you were interested.

Trish
 
I asked about the 'Branchies" - but was told they were not available for us to use as corporate did not get any in.
 
I think this is a new trend happening in xmas trees... am seeing it a lot in magazines...huge ornaments on smaller trees, it looks very clumpy to me...but people like this overdone look...Just get your clump on in an artistic manner of corse..I like the pave idea, very close and clumpy...but in a more designed way..I have no doubt you will figure it out...
 
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It can be done. Rely on your designer's eye, Ricky!

I have often decorated trees so that you almost don't even know the tree is underneath all the decorations anymore!

I would have the large ornaments sticking out yet secured, and as you add them, make sure there is visual as well as real balance.

Use items to "extend" the branches if you can.

I would "tuck" a number of the bigger orbs deep into the tree to give it depth. Cluster some of them in different sizes at the top of the tree, but make sure there is visual balance with the bottom.

Keep some of the branches separated so that there are big spaces to place the larger cardinals inbetween.

Use ribbon looping far out from the tree to give it more visual size.

I personally love the look of oversized on trees! My guess is that you are mostly interested in selling the items ON the tree, not the tree itself. Just think of it as a diplay shelf that you are using to merchandise your product.

Good luck and show pics if you can!

Sandy
 
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my one thought - Ugh - Christmas !!
 
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I just remembered after seeing Lori's post that the Sullivan Christmas catalogue had some of their trees like that, they looked pretty cool how they were done. Do you have access to their catalogue Rick?

Too bad about the branchies, one good thing about being a small, locally owned store I guess, although I like the organized way larger companies have to be to some extent.

Trish
 
I love doing displays like that when you have lots to play with! Can you tie in other material to the tree - like barn fence and crates leaning in to a different tree thats more woodsy. So it's not just a christmas tree but a whole vignette. It would be a cool window display with all that white and red birds to pop it.
 
Ok, I will post pics once I get them downloaded from the camera to the pc. In the meantime, I can tell you how I ended up doing the tree.

One of the managers pointed out that some mixed branches had been unpacked. they had flocked pine, cedar, red berries, and other types of pine. I took those and interspered those in the tree to give it some 'beef', then I took 4 inch and 6 inch clay pots and wired those into the tree. I placed green spanish moss into the pots. I then took and worked in the snowballs. Then I began placing the cardinals. I nested some in the pots as though they had made a home there, then I curled pheasant feather sprays and inserted those. I found some bird's nest decoration from last years product and worked those in......I then topped it all off with a red glitter spray that was just enough to give all the matte finish the needed sparkle.

 
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You're doing Christmas trees NOW?? Oh my goodness, I don't want to look! :hammer::hammer::hammer:
 
Pictures of the trees

Here are the pretty pictures. I will say that what made this tree hard is that ALL the supplied decorations from corporate earmarked for this theme were very large. The smaller items to balance out were from other areas of the store.

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CP-17 shows the permanent branch I used to 'beef' up the tree
CP-18 shows the branches, snowball orbs, and clay pots nestled in the tree
CP-20 is a closeup of the tree before additions of birds, pheasant feather spray, and glitter spray
CP-23 is the tree now fully decorated
CP-25 is a closeup of the birds nestled in the pots as though they had made a home there.
 

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Maybe just use snow, ice crystals and the smallest birds for the actual tree and suspend the larger birds from the ceiling with fishing line at different levels.
Whoops, how did I miss all those posts above. I see you've done it. They look great!!
 
RWK said:
Here are the pretty pictures. I will say that what made this tree hard is that ALL the supplied decorations from corporate earmarked for this theme were very large. The smaller items to balance out were from other areas of the store.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

CP-17 shows the permanent branch I used to 'beef' up the tree
CP-18 shows the branches, snowball orbs, and clay pots nestled in the tree
CP-20 is a closeup of the tree before additions of birds, pheasant feather spray, and glitter spray
CP-23 is the tree now fully decorated
CP-25 is a closeup of the birds nestled in the pots as though they had made a home there.
Click to expand...

Awesome, Ricky! It looks fab-u-lous! Actually kind of getting me in the mood......for Christmas!
 
avflorist said:
Awesome, those orbs and birds look so oversized for the tree, but the overall effect of your hard work is gorgeous! Thanks for sharing and making us think about christmas soon.
Click to expand...

That was my problem. Everything that had been 'earmarked' as belonging to that theme was oversized. I did not have anything small to balance out the large.

Now, the next tree theme I am doing is titled Whimsy - It has colors of Lime Green, Electric Blue, Hot Pink, Violet. I have a huge variety of items to incorporate in all sizes.

I am starting out by taking a pre-lit lime green tinsel garland from last years stock ( I am told it did not sell well ), interlacing that with all the ribbon colors, Then will add some of the decorations, and place that on the tree to spiral around and then fill in from there.
 
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