Money Tree Tutorial Starring Penguin With Hat
The holidays are right around the corner. Do you like to give money as a gift or have a polyanna you are participating in? A money tree is a fun way to give the gift of cash! This technique is something I learned about 15 years ago when I was working in an office. We were planning a wedding shower and had a big collection of cash. One of my co-workers taught me how to do this and I’ve used it for many different occasions since then. In all of the crafty websites I now browse I’ve never seen one done this way, so the technique may be new to some of you, too.
Supplies:
Cornish Heritage Farms Penguin With Hat stamp; Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black ink; Copics; Stardust Stickles; Cornish Heritage Farms Simply Smooth White cardstock; K&Co Christmas Cheer red glitter paper; Nestabilities Pinking Circles die; 3 7/8″ x 11 7/8″ styrofoam cone; decorative pot which will fit the base of the cone; bobby pins; toothpick; stack of cash (I used 30 $1 bills)
Instructions:
To make the money “leaves”, accordian fold each bill lengthwise.
Insert the folded bill through the bobby pin and fan open.
Stick the cone in the pot. No need to use adhesive, just stick it in until it feels snug. Now push the pointy ends of the bobby pin with one of your money leaves into the tree. Keep making money leaves and sticking them into the cone until you’ve covered the tree.
This part is tedious and time consuming. Enlist help of your husband and kids. Anyone can accordion fold the dollars! To fill this cone I needed 30 bills. They make shorter cones if you want to use less money. You can, of course, use $5’s or $10’s to give more money.
Now make the topper.
Stamp Penguin With Hat, color, and coat his hat with the Stickles for a little extra sparkle. Cut 2 pinking circles out of the glitter paper. Use strong adhesive, such as Zip Dry, to sandwich a toothpick between the 2 glitter circles. When dry, adhere the cut out Penguin to the front of the topper.
And here is the finished tree.
Doesn’t Penguin With Hat look cute dancing on top of all of this money?
We’ll be doing a random draw from the comments for someone to win their very own Penguin With Hat stamp, so please leave a comment on this thread to be entered. The winner will be announced on Friday, 11/20.
1Ellen
wrote on 16 November 2009 at 3:55
wonderful idea Laura, what a novel way to give money.
love the penguin on top
2Cheryl Sims
wrote on 16 November 2009 at 4:52
What a darling idea for a money tree. I always wondered how they were done. Wish I had seen this before I gave my grandson cash as this would have been such fun. Thank you for the time to share with us.
Cheryl Sims
3ChristyQ
wrote on 16 November 2009 at 5:49
How neat!! I will have to give this a try soon – hmm, now the challenge is to find someone to give it to! LOL
4Sandra
wrote on 16 November 2009 at 5:57
Yes ‘Penguin with Hat’ looks adorable dancing on the money tree!
very cute – fun idea!
Thanks for the inspiration!
Sandra
5Holly
wrote on 16 November 2009 at 6:45
How fun! I’ve never seen a money tree – fabulous idea!!!
6Mary H.
wrote on 16 November 2009 at 7:21
What a super idea! Kids would so love this as a gift! Thanks for the tutorial.
7Julie Campbell
wrote on 16 November 2009 at 7:21
Such a fun, clever idea! Great tutorial, too!
8Trudi
wrote on 16 November 2009 at 7:41
How nice! I can think of many people who would LUV a Money Tree!!!!! (I can use one with 100s and 50s!!!) Seriously, thanks for sharing, it’s adorable, and the penguin is precious!
9Lorie
wrote on 16 November 2009 at 8:03
This is a super fun idea! I’m thinking maybe I need to use it as an incentive for my boys this Christmas season. Hmmmm….
10Prairie Girl
wrote on 16 November 2009 at 10:15
Wait! Are you giving away the TREE *with* the adorable penguin topper?!?! *tee hee* Thank you for showing all the steps! This would also look great with patterned paper, of course! =)
11Tracey
wrote on 16 November 2009 at 10:28
What a fun gift! Great idea!!
12lacyquilter
wrote on 16 November 2009 at 10:35
Cute. Do we win the money, too?
13CoreyW
wrote on 16 November 2009 at 12:28
that is SO cute! just love the idea – maybe someone will make one for ME! lol
14kimmie
wrote on 16 November 2009 at 12:35
and i keep telling my son there is no such thing as a money tree….HA This is the cutest thing ever….i might have to make him one for his special christmas gift
15Becky E
wrote on 16 November 2009 at 13:36
Great idea and a great gift. Thanks!!
16Laural-Lee
wrote on 16 November 2009 at 13:54
This is a fantastic idea! And for us Canadians it will be a really colourful tree in blues and purples (5’s and 10′). I could mix it up with accordion folded green paper and use the bills as ‘ornaments’ and I could use Eskimo kisses paper to match. OOh I may just have to give it a go. Thanks so much for sharing this wonderful idea.
17Linda
wrote on 16 November 2009 at 16:16
What a clever & creative project & fabulous gift idea! The penguin makes the perfect topper!
18Nicole Maki
wrote on 16 November 2009 at 16:26
What a wonderful idea. Using the same technique you could make a money wreath or topiary. What a fun gift. My kids would go nuts over this.
Thank you for wonderful inspiration.
19Tracy Lovasz
wrote on 16 November 2009 at 20:44
I love this idea! I have seen where you tie these to the mini artificial Christmas trees but never like this. Thanks for sharing!
20Eleanor
wrote on 17 November 2009 at 3:34
Great idea for money gifts especially teenagers! I bet they could “take down” the tres fast.
21Jennifer Scull
wrote on 17 November 2009 at 5:38
what a cute idea! and that is one happy penguin sitting at the top!
22Lisa Somerville
wrote on 17 November 2009 at 6:15
Such a cute idea – thanks for sharing!
23lenoria
wrote on 17 November 2009 at 6:50
This is a wonderful idea – and I would be as happy as your dancing penguin if someone gave me a tree like this. I am going to try one and give to my granddaughter because I am always telling her that money doesn’t grow on trees!
24Phyllis M.
wrote on 17 November 2009 at 7:03
Wonderful idea and just love the tree and the little cute penguin too. Thanks for the tut on how to do the tree sure works out great. Thank you for sharing.
25Kim O
wrote on 17 November 2009 at 7:22
I love this idea! It would even be cute to use specialty paper for the accordion pinwheels to make a nice centerpiece or entryway decoration.
26Mary A
wrote on 17 November 2009 at 8:03
This is a CUTE idea! Fun for showers as well — a little extra effort worthy of lots of wow’s!
27Leah C.
wrote on 17 November 2009 at 8:40
Such a cute idea! I love it:) It would be great for a wedding gift too….
28Linda Woerth
wrote on 17 November 2009 at 9:01
What a clever way to make a money tree. Wish I’d known about it for my sisters 25th ann. The penguin is so cute on top. Just love the whole tree. Thanks for sharing.
29Jessica Rosario
wrote on 17 November 2009 at 10:22
This is clever!!! I love the idea. Oh and that penguin is way too cute!! TFS
30Rene
wrote on 17 November 2009 at 14:06
What a great idea I just love it. I have seen something like this done with other things such as lollies but never with money…..cool
Rene xo
Rene
31Janet Sisk
wrote on 17 November 2009 at 17:19
Wow, I love this money tree! I have so many people that I give money to for Christmas and this is a great way to do it. It would also be easy to adapt for a birthday or other special occasion. Thanks for the chance to win the cute penguin stamp, too.
32SherylH
wrote on 17 November 2009 at 20:20
Great idea for giving cash — and the dancing penguin is so cute.
33Cassi
wrote on 18 November 2009 at 8:47
what a brilliant idea! i’ve made candy trees before. i’ve seen button trees and paper strip trees, but never money. i will absolutely be caseing this one!
34Pam
wrote on 23 November 2009 at 22:13
Oh,Oh,OH! What a fun idea! Have several events coming up where this would be a great gift. Thanks for giving us such great ideas.
35Barbara Murphy
wrote on 24 November 2009 at 6:51
What a wonderful idea…and one that’s actually easy (with your instructions) to replicate! This just became my niece’s & nephew’s Christmas present. Thank you for sharing…the penguin is just adorable.
36Heidi
wrote on 24 November 2009 at 6:51
This is just so darn cute! The penguin is great. Thanks for a wonderful gift idea this holiday season.
37Lorraine
wrote on 24 November 2009 at 16:55
Well, well, well. What an awesome idea. I’m thinking that it would fill up quite quickly if you use 5’s and 10’s. I usually give my nephews $100 each for christmas, so guess what I’ll be doing this year. Thanks so much for the tutorial. I cant wait to try this. Terrific….
38Debbie Dow
wrote on 24 November 2009 at 18:30
Oh my gosh how cute is this, I’ve gotta make it.
39Debbie Dow
wrote on 24 November 2009 at 18:30
So cute, I’ve got to make one.Love the happy Penguin
40Karen
wrote on 18 December 2009 at 17:01
wowsers….this is really cute….I must make some of these….and would I ever love receiving one….made with $100 bills of course ….LOL….
41Traci
wrote on 22 December 2009 at 19:28
I have never seen such a beautiful money tree! We always took a real thin branch and taped singles all over it!
I love the look of the fanned money. It easily brings it to a new level, you can even decorate the tree if using it for a centerpiece and then use it as a door prize somewhere, or a charity donation.
Thank you for sharing this with us!
Happy Holidays!
Traci S.