Trees to DYE for: Bleached, Dyed, and Glittered

Hello my friends!  We've all heard that saying that if at first you don't succeed try, try again.
 
Well, am I ever glad I did!  With a little (a lot) of help from my friend, Joanne I can now spell S U C C E S S!

When it comes to dying bottle brush trees.

 
 
I  hope this tutorial will help you to do the same.
 
 
Last year I swooned over bleached bottle brush trees.  So off to Joanne's I went to buy trees and have a whole lot of fun.
Only to find. . .
that my trees did not come out pretty and it was a big failure!  Turns out some trees just don't cooperate.  :)
So this year after visiting my friends home and swooning (again) over her gorgeous trees she invited me to come have fun with her.


 
I swear these trees are so luscious that I could almost
 gobble them up!
 
You may already know all of the how to's, but if not; I'm happy to share.
 
The trees that I used are a very soft bristle.
 
Step 1:
Place bleach in a bowl and soak your trees.  Doesn't take long to have a pretty white tree.
 

2:
Mix a small amount of dye in a bowl with hot water till dissolved. 
I found that the powdered worked a lot faster than the liquid, but either will work. 
 
 
3: 
Rinse the bleach off and place in prepared dye.
 
At first we took off wooden bases and glued them on afterwards, but found that to not be necessary.
 
 
We used a variety of colors at her home, but I dyed more at mine and used yellow and aqua. Why? Because that's what I had.
 
 
4:
When desired color is obtained rinse again and insert into
 vinegar to set color.
We left some longer for various shades.  Red dye will give you various shades of light red and pink.  We also obtained a peach color by placing in red for a few minutes and then into yellow. 

 
5:
Rinse off vinegar and place on paper towel to dry.
Okay, here I broke the rule.  I found that the liquid dye would wash almost completely out whenever I rinsed them so I just took them straight out of the dye and placed on paper towel.  Found later that if I added a lot more dye I could rinse.
 
 
6: 
 Let dry (if in a hurry you can speed this up by blowing gently with a blow dryer.)
 
Now for the fun!!
 
My sil demonstrated for me while I snapped photos.
Brush them with Modge Podge.
 
Don't worry about it being perfect!
 
 
 
Then sprinkle or roll in glitter.  Honestly either works.  We used clear and they sparkle beautifully!
 
I already had this Martha Stewart glitter, but ran out and bought a cheaper brand and it worked just the same.
 

 

 

Gently shake loose glitter off and let dry.  No blow dryer here.  :)
 
 
Then have fun placing them all over your home.
 
(looking down into my glass garden house)






 


I had fun fancying some up a bit.
 




 
(the cameo was my mothers.  Love it!)


Do you think I love these trees or what?  lol!
 
Merry Christmas,
Jann
 
I will be sharing with these lovely parties:
 
 
 

32 comments

Mary Ann Potter said...

Oh,what wonderfully creative fun! I love the colors you chose. those little trees are so cute. I used three of them in a little woodsy shadowbox. I kept them in their "natural state", but I surely like what you did with them here!

Stacey said...

I would love to make these! Thank you for such great instructions. Now I have to run to Hobby Lobby and get some trees before they are all gone. It will be a spring or summer project to make them. :)

Susie said...

Jann, They are so pretty. Thank you for showing all of us how to make them too. Blessings, xoxo,Susie

Unknown said...

beautiful! love the little trees and you know i love dying things! Totally cool glass house to put them in. :)

cynthia lee designs said...

Love your little trees!! Thanks for sharing how you did them.
hugs,
Cindy

Salmagundi said...

Your trees turned out great -- I'm glad you had success this time. I bleached some about 5 years ago, but didn't dye them -- left them white and added the glitter. I enjoy them every year when I pull them out of the bins (even with all of the glitter droppings!!!). Thanks for sharing your method. Sally

Julie's Lifestyle said...

I like all the different shades of your trees. Thanks for this helpful tutorial.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas Jann.

Unknown said...

They look wonderful Jann! It looks like an easy project too, thanks so much for sharing.

Linda W. said...

Oh, those trees are so CUTE!

Joy Junktion said...

Oh I love these Jann. So many wonderful uses and ways to display them too! I'm sure you are enjoying the fruit of your labor! They are so cute. Merry Christmas, Cindy

Pam~ Virginia Retro said...

Your trees turned out fabulous Jann! Hoping I can find some to give it a try myself. Love your display, so festive.

Cyndee said...

Jann, those are really neat. I love how you display them after you recolor them. Great idea!!

Cindy The Victorian Journey said...

Thank you for sharing how to dye these so fabulous tree's. I never seen it completed so enjoyed every step with you. They turned out wonderful.. Merry Christmas to you and your family..

Nina Lewis said...

I've never seen this before! How clever. And those trees turned out beautiful. I'm putting this on my gotta-try-this list.

Rita C at Panoply said...

I can see why you'd want to gobble those little trees up - they look like little macaroon cookies! So pretty, Jann, and your tutorial was great!

Curtains in My Tree said...


I love your trees and love my little trees I dressed up also with glitter etc
I am so glad you finally got it down to a fine art

They are gorgeous

Merry Christmas' Janice

MyDIY said...

Looks great, Jann!
I wish you a merry Christmas!
many greetings
Uwe

sweet violets said...

They turned out great!!! I use the dye pills that come with Easter Egg coloring kits, buy them on sale after Easter.....I hoard the pills.....you get a lot of colors for cheap!! Use in the same way.....also, I leave on the wood stand for the trees. On the bleached trees I use different colored glitter. Nice for a change!!!

Rose L said...

Definitely are so cute! Job well done.

AnnMarie aka Vintage Junkie aka NaNa said...

I love your trees and your directions! Makes lots of sense to do it your way. I tried once and had no success and thought that was it forever. Your colors are just gorgeous and they look so good in your glass house!

Anne's Attic - Design said...

Jann your trees are beautiful! I will have to give them a try. Merry Christmas!
xx Jo

Pat said...

Jann,
Adorable!!!
Thanks for sharing the "how to's"!!!
Fondly,
Pat

Dayle ~ A Collection of Days said...

They are so charming. I love the different colors.

Aida said...


Wow that was very easy. I love your little winter wonderland terrarium. The trees look perfect in there.

Hope you ave a good Christmas.

Blessings,
Aida

Junkchiccottage said...

Jann,
These are so cute and so clever. Adorable little trees. Have a wonderful week leading up to the big day. Enjoy.
Merry Christmas Jann to you and your family.
Kris

Unknown said...

omgosh, I am in love with this, your displays are beautiful....I love the inside of the vintage lunch box, I so remember this, brings back memories....and the vintage red shaker, CUTE, and the glass house, LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it !!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANKS for sharing !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Vickie @ Ranger 911 said...

LOVE your bleached trees, Jann!!! Every year I say I'm going to do this, but haven't had the time.....yet. They add sparkle no matter how you use them. Thanks for sharing!

Pamela Gordon said...

These pretty trees are just too cute!! Love the idea of dying them.

Trina said...

These are simply cnady to the eyes. I know what my next years project will be.

Debbie-Dabble Blog and A Debbie-Dabble Christmas said...

Jann!! Fantastic tutorial!! Thanks so much for sharing it! looking forward to trying this!
Thanks again for always taking the time to stop by!!
Happy New Year!!

Hugs,
Deb

Brooke Gray said...

I love reading through a post that will make people think. Also, thanks for allowing me to comment!
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