Ok a few years ago I found some wooden puzzle trees in Walmart at Christmas time and I just loved them. They were two pieces of wood that fit together like a puzzle to form a wooden tree. I have recently been creating a few items out of foam board and we have been creating the foam board to look like wood. The puzzle tree does not look complicated and I just know we can easily create one out of foam board.
The supplies I will be using are:
1. Two pieces of foam board (mine are 15 IN x 20 IN and 4.8mm thick)
2. A large piece of paper to cut out your pattern (you can print my tree pattern down below)
3. Box cutter
4. Scissors
5. Chalk
6. Ruler stick
7. Waverly ink chalk paint
8. DecoArt Asphaltum
9. Waverly Antique Wax
10. Cinnamon (optional)
11. Sanding sponge (optional)
The first step is to trace your pattern onto your two pieces of foam board. You can use any size foam board and create any size tree. I purchased my sheets of black foam board from Walmart.
Once you have your pattern traced onto the foam board sheets you will then cut them out with the box cutter.
Once they are cut out you will want to place a mark in the center of the trees. I folded my pattern in half and placed it into my tree. You can then use the chalk to draw a line at the fold line.
You will need to draw a line into each tree. The first tree you will draw your line at the center of the bottom of tree and come up about 10 to 10 1/2 inches.
The second tree you will draw your line from the top center of the tree and come down 10 or 10 1/2 inches. I drew my lines 10 1/2 inches long but I might do 10 inches next time.
You will now want to cut out the lines. The lines should be cut as the same thickness of your foam board. You need your cut out to be wide enough to slip the foam board through.
I want my puzzle tree to appear as a wooden tree. You can use the tip of the scissors to create lines to look like the grain of wood.
Once I had my lines on both sides of the foam board I then gave them a coat of the ink chalk paint.
Once the ink chalk paint was dry I then painted on the Asphaltum by DecoArt.
You will paint this onto both sides of the foam board. When the Asphaltum was dry I then painted on the Antique wax.
I painted on the Antique wax and used a rag to wipe some of the excess off.
You can sprinkle on cinnamon and use the sanding sponge to give it a more rustic look.
You then slip both pieces together like a puzzle.
This is so easy to make and you can make them in a variety of sizes. You can also create this puzzle tree using cardboard. I hope you will have fun , get creative and give this a try.
Tree pattern part 1 (top of tree)
Tree pattern part 2 (bottom of tree)
