Two years ago I bought a tiny decorated live tree at Walgreens for $4.99. It had several tiny ornaments, and the pot was wrapped in colorful Christmas foil. I put it on a shelf with a few ornaments around it and enjoyed my tiny tree. After Christmas I re-potted him in a larger white planter and put him on the porch. (Yes the little tree is a he.) The Florida sun burned a few places until he adjusted. Last Christmas I wrapped a burlap and lace ribbon around the planter and made the tree a part of a vignette on a shelf.
2016 Tree
Again last January, I repotted him in a larger container. I know if I planted him in the ground, he would be much larger. I don’t have space in the yard for a huge tree. When I bought him, I planned to use him in my home for as many Christmas celebrations as possible. This is my 3rd Christmas using my little tree. No need to cut a tree each year when I have a live one no matter the size.
This year he is terribly root-bound but looking healthy. I want him to be my tree – a small tree it’s true, but alive and healthy.
I bought a new little plant holder at Walmart for $4.99 last month. I put a piece of plastic in the bottom of the holder to protect the burlap against water spills. White metal with a burlap liner, this beauty can be used for any season. It’s a little short for the tree, but I knew I could make it work.
First I cleaned the planter. Then I taped brown paper from a grocery store bag around the planter top section.
I cut the edges of a used page of labels from the printer. I cut a slight curve on the border and the blank spot of a label. This gave me a little piece of backing to use to pull off the backing. Now I used the sticky side to attach to the top of the brown paper on the planter. With the top of the planter decorated with a curvy white detail, it fits the farmhouse look of the holder perfectly. From a distance you don’t even notice, and I only used a paper bag and a scrap from the label page.
I’m going really simple this year. My little recycled Christmas tree and a few old ornaments from the past decades. Some of these have been in a drawer for a few years. It’s like a little memory tree in some ways. A few ornaments I made back in the 1980’s when my mother came to stay with me for Christmas.
A few Peanuts ornaments my nephews made and gave me over 30 years ago.
A few ornaments made by friends.
I added a couple of angels and flowers I already had and my tree is finished.
I’m very happy with my little recycled Christmas tree – it’s pretty, and it’s eco-friendly. There is nothing new on the tree. The plant holder I got last month is the only new item used. The pine cones I’ve had several years since I got them at the thrift store. Faux flowers can be used for multiple years. I have a wreath holder that is large enough for my wreath and lots of faux Christmas flowers. I like knowing I have lots of choices and don’t need to buy flowers.
This January I will repot the tree into a larger pot. If he grows the way I expect, he will be too heavy for me to bring inside next year. I’m thinking in 2018 a decorated Christmas tree will be outside by the porch.
Merry Christmas!
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What a handsome tree HE is! I think it’s great to be able to keep your tree alive and enjoy it all through the year as well as decorating him so beautifully for the festive season. I did that one year and planted the tree in my garden. It is now over 12 foot high and we wrap Christmas lights around it. It has bird feeders on it and is very popular!
Merry Christmas to you and yours in case I don’t visit again before Christmas 😀
You’re lucky to have the room in your yard. I have a postage stamp yard and have been told this little beauty could grow to 100 ft. Too much LOL. Thanks for visiting and enjoy your Christmas. I look forward to talking to you in 2018.
That is so cool. Love it.
Sure works well for you and that’s what counts. Although we have 1/2 acre we don’t have many trees except what God blew into our flower beds, elms. Several of our neighbors have them so guess their trees decided to share with our naked yard. It has always tickled me how the trees took root in our front flower beds.
Always wanted to buy tree like you have altho they’re bit more expensive here like everything else.Thought the branches were pretty with the glitter. Had no idea they could get so big.
Alot of plants don’t survive here as we have so much alkali in our soil and it’s very dry here. (western CO,we live about 15 miles or so west of Grand Junction)
I think your tree is so pretty with all your ornaments on it. I can remember one year we were so broke we bought a charley brown tree for $5 at Kmart in Escondido, CA. Our kids (4) were pretty young yet,youngest was about 2. The kids didn’t care as by time we got that tree decorated it was pretty to us.Now with just mr. and I we have small faux tree on a table. I do what I can to decorate our living room and tree,make alot of our decorations.
Thanks so much for offering free printables.
Hope you have wonderful week.
We all adapt to our surroundings – sounds to me like you’re doing great! This little faux tree is wonderful – I had one for several years. My problem with faux trees is storing them. No matter how much plastic I put around them, after 2 years they’re dusty and I have an asthma attack. I have a little lighted ceramic tree I use each Christmas -I can dust that! Just trying the little live one has been fun
What a delightful little story! Keep enjoying your little recycled Christmas tree. I hope he continues to grow and thrive 🙂
Thanks – have a wonderful week!
This tree is so cute, Carol! Can imagine that it is much more meaningful since you had the same tree last year:) Wonderful idea for the planter/stand. Many Thanks for sharing your tree with All Seasons … and you are way ahead of me:):) Enjoy your December week.
Have a wonderful week!
Gorgeous! Lovely tree! Happy HOlidays!
Thanks – have a great week!
I LOVE this!! This year, I bought a miniature Christmas tree – so small it is sitting on my kitchen window sill. I’m trying to be more environmentally friendly this year and I just hope that I can keep it alive for several years as you have done. Thanks so much for sharing x
#MMBC
What a sweet little tree, I saw a few smaller versions of those at a local store. I almost bought some but they would only survive here indoors. I will have to live vicariously through yours! It looks adorable.
Thanks!
A lovely idea.
Thanks for sharing at https://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2017/12/the-explorer.html
Your tree is gorgeous. I like the way you decorated it. One of these years I’ll come across a small living tree for less than $10. I may get several then. I’m not ruling out that I’ll fall in love with a potted tree that’s outrageously out of my budget. 🙂
What a great idea and such a handsome guy!
That is an adorable tree! I think it’s great that you’ve been able to replant it over and over so you could enjoy it for more than just one year.
Gorgeous little tree. A rooted tree is so hard to keep going year after year and yours looks like it’s really thriving. Impressed. #GoingGreen
He’s root bound but healthy; we’ll see how he does next year in a larger pot.
What a lovely tree you’ve created with all those vintage ornaments. I love that he survives and thrives each year. #GoingGreen
He is such a handsome little tree! I’m amazed that he tolerates his visits inside and then cheerfully grows bigger once outside. Next year he may need a baby brother or sister to take his place inside!
Great minds think alike. I’ve just been thinking I need to look for another tiny tree.
Whoa! Your Norfolk Pine tree looks so healthy! Obviously Florida weather must agree with it. Good job. 🙂 Liz
what a lovely idea and such a lovely pretty tree #pocolo
What a sweet tree! How nice that you’ve been able to keep it going for multiple years – thanks for sharing with Awesome Life Friday!
Your little tree is so cute! That’s great you can use it from year to year. Thanks for sharing at Party in Your Pjs!
Thanks for sharing at Home Sweet Home! Merry Christmas!
It looks great – and if he grows a porch tree will also look fab – thanks for sharing with #PoCoLo
This is absolutely perfect. So many people buy a tree every year along with new decorations just to look pretty where-as you have a tree that keeps on giving and decorations that all mean something to you, gathered over the years. Thank you so much for adding your beautiful eco-friendly Christmas tree to #GoingGreen and I will link this post to my “Ultimate Green Christmas Ideas” post.
How great, it’s lovely that you re-use the same tree!
Thanks for sharing with #pocolo
It looks nice and it’s awesome that you’ve been able to keep it alive for this long. It would not survive at my house. Thanks so much for linking up at #AThemedLinkup 7 for Christmas Trees and Ornaments. Shared.
Congrats! Your post is FEATURED at #AThemedLinkup 8 for Soup Recipes from my previous linkup for Christmas Trees and Ornaments!
thanks so much for the feature! I’ll come by and visit the link up.