Making an Outdoor Christmas Tree

<div align="center"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm3Rcbu6J6EX0tdUdZng-dGd0ByE1taFYCQXEwum2m5702c9kQuo_Nv2BAVN0ddVmEGZN2OjihmOROGTCa33-qyh2xcghSkxdHQpmMIoZq2V1A7DiBO9qlTKXiws4ifxehiTDjafAePcY/s1600/aug+2013+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="build a tree, make a christmas tree, build a christmas tree" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm3Rcbu6J6EX0tdUdZng-dGd0ByE1taFYCQXEwum2m5702c9kQuo_Nv2BAVN0ddVmEGZN2OjihmOROGTCa33-qyh2xcghSkxdHQpmMIoZq2V1A7DiBO9qlTKXiws4ifxehiTDjafAePcY/s320/aug+2013+013.JPG" title="" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div>Our front yard of full of trees. It's beautiful, but at Christmas time, there's one glaring omission - not one pine tree to wrap in lights. Last year we decided to try and wrap a couple of the maple tree trunks with lights. It looked kinda cool. But we wanted a more traditional look. <br /><br />(Planting a pine tree isn't an option because we like the look of the yard exactly as it is the rest of the year.)  <br /><br />So we had the <em>great idea</em> to build a tree. (Reeeeaaal traditional, I know!) Oh, we were well aware that this could be a total waste of time, but we like to live on the edge. <br /><br />Off to Home Depot. <br /><br />We didn't have a list or a plan. <em>We talked about ideas in the truck.</em> That was our plan. <br /><br />After walking around Home Depot aimlessly for a while, here's what we bought: <br /><br /><strong>4 x 1/2" x 10' of conduit pipe</strong> (these are super fun to carry around in Home Depot - I didn't look back to see the carnage left behind..)<br /><strong>1 x Conduit T</strong> or Junction Connector <br /><strong>3 x 1/2" x 2" Re-rods</strong> <br /><strong>Zip Ties</strong><br /><strong>A Twinkle Light Star</strong><br /><strong>Twinkling Icicle Lights</strong> - we got the kind with random twinkling so it looks like they're shimmering. Here's a link if you're interested! <br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004HLJ6QM/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B004HLJ6QM&linkCode=as2&tag=fymoho-20">Celebrations Lighting V84B4112 Shimmering Icicle Light 100</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=fymoho-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B004HLJ6QM" style="border: currentColor !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIAP0Ccj1Ho1vRc1H0oOMMcchR64t4n0_lbxBeSdLyBxiqSPiR8bRLXdo3cm2Eb5P9fqyIUlZapKS5irDi_QUl0tkBJVbH0bYi-Rp5D6Ltled6BLKgtswoHz9jsyxgIn7LB0dNUCr6N-g/s1600/conduit1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIAP0Ccj1Ho1vRc1H0oOMMcchR64t4n0_lbxBeSdLyBxiqSPiR8bRLXdo3cm2Eb5P9fqyIUlZapKS5irDi_QUl0tkBJVbH0bYi-Rp5D6Ltled6BLKgtswoHz9jsyxgIn7LB0dNUCr6N-g/s320/conduit1.jpg" width="232" /></a></div><br /><br />Looks like a tree already, huh? Can you see it yet? Me either. <br /><br />We needed the pipe bender. (We spent 45 minutes searching our basement for this thing! If you're looking for yours - look on the table in plain sight - that's were it will be.) <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm_ikNxVlKu18Si1gC5tEr1g9cwPA9gRVLRyST0mFvbc46Xe-RfKIG8f7L-JglIwBstk9snVQYv0XDBiyHtfqrLvhJsvt40KdEKJB4VfEwGBNf7RoW2114cuA9NGWXOYyIRbaLrkNn7D8/s1600/pipe+bender1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm_ikNxVlKu18Si1gC5tEr1g9cwPA9gRVLRyST0mFvbc46Xe-RfKIG8f7L-JglIwBstk9snVQYv0XDBiyHtfqrLvhJsvt40KdEKJB4VfEwGBNf7RoW2114cuA9NGWXOYyIRbaLrkNn7D8/s320/pipe+bender1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />It was sunny, but frigid outside, so we were working fast! The whole project (not including searching for the pipe bender) took about an hour. <br /><br />The first thing we did, was use the pipe bender to bend the conduit about 66 degrees, so that it would fit into the T and taper down to the ground. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMFL3rCpMsAtmFuUD5sYtH_7JKtqrJmLegAUdBFe2xZ9ZofKMEf4imSEiFqdLPVx2venkGmiil55AXmuUXon2MqHf1KlctT3WxBkOIF5R1SL6UMjmaNQeofl8hGnPy4u7pSB18Rd4a6o4/s1600/junction+connector.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMFL3rCpMsAtmFuUD5sYtH_7JKtqrJmLegAUdBFe2xZ9ZofKMEf4imSEiFqdLPVx2venkGmiil55AXmuUXon2MqHf1KlctT3WxBkOIF5R1SL6UMjmaNQeofl8hGnPy4u7pSB18Rd4a6o4/s320/junction+connector.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once the pipe was bent, we put it into the T and tightened the screws. This is what the top of the "tree" looked like: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP-ZaLT-MWjifUggr6Uc8hpJcPdCfo7HRO0sIXuutkr1k9KfE7xTVwo32I_LmZt2GQSfAB4rTex6bOxjL4z4fOSWg5RR3_QSYxP5D7d2N0j62368qmvQdiLPTwmIxHPHD7SZVv2joGvHU/s1600/top+of+tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP-ZaLT-MWjifUggr6Uc8hpJcPdCfo7HRO0sIXuutkr1k9KfE7xTVwo32I_LmZt2GQSfAB4rTex6bOxjL4z4fOSWg5RR3_QSYxP5D7d2N0j62368qmvQdiLPTwmIxHPHD7SZVv2joGvHU/s320/top+of+tree.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">It's about 8" across at the top, but don't worry, it's 10 feet tall so it looks pretty pointed once it's lit.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">To keep the frame secure we used 3 re-rods which Big A sledge hammered into the dirt. This is where the blood came in. Poor Big A sledged hammered his finger! We then fit the conduit pipe onto the re-rods. </div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_KBAS-rvJvoFjZw0Eed2C5vt5hgC3hYV9mpEpAk4_CF0LLkvxGVXzkT6B-UAEaLS__rRLusPIU_SwoMsgIHO7OEwppAmTJxyjvDHvF6a4ehz1bdiSBZAnr1aVVkSp0xJMbHxC5Rz_a0o/s1600/tree+frame2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_KBAS-rvJvoFjZw0Eed2C5vt5hgC3hYV9mpEpAk4_CF0LLkvxGVXzkT6B-UAEaLS__rRLusPIU_SwoMsgIHO7OEwppAmTJxyjvDHvF6a4ehz1bdiSBZAnr1aVVkSp0xJMbHxC5Rz_a0o/s320/tree+frame2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">We wrapped the icicle lights around the tree frame at 6" intervals. We secured the lights with about a million zip ties. This took FOREVER. (Maybe it was only half an hour, but at this point our feet and fingers were frozen.) </div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXOYcgC9N_Its9T6kF3W_0nlXBCW5OqN1SBQC5i48rd3jbfO1FonCcm5FjVhO3H_yelDNPGZkN4rhckpaVO0Go3IGhtg2Q-XZHfVAu7mGjs0iiJgG7q6UakkmV1jNKMXdRU76Lq3n3Ak8/s1600/lit+tree1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXOYcgC9N_Its9T6kF3W_0nlXBCW5OqN1SBQC5i48rd3jbfO1FonCcm5FjVhO3H_yelDNPGZkN4rhckpaVO0Go3IGhtg2Q-XZHfVAu7mGjs0iiJgG7q6UakkmV1jNKMXdRU76Lq3n3Ak8/s320/lit+tree1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP-ZaLT-MWjifUggr6Uc8hpJcPdCfo7HRO0sIXuutkr1k9KfE7xTVwo32I_LmZt2GQSfAB4rTex6bOxjL4z4fOSWg5RR3_QSYxP5D7d2N0j62368qmvQdiLPTwmIxHPHD7SZVv2joGvHU/s1600/top+of+tree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>Once the lights were on, we put the star on top. This proved a little tricky. We drilled a hole in the top of the T and put a tine of the star in the hole, but it was too wobbly. Solution - silver duct tape the "you know what" out of it! <br /><br />Done. <br /><br />The actual frame cost about $20. (The lights, star and extension cords are worth about $100 extra). <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_KBAS-rvJvoFjZw0Eed2C5vt5hgC3hYV9mpEpAk4_CF0LLkvxGVXzkT6B-UAEaLS__rRLusPIU_SwoMsgIHO7OEwppAmTJxyjvDHvF6a4ehz1bdiSBZAnr1aVVkSp0xJMbHxC5Rz_a0o/s1600/tree+frame2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZwHXkGliZY_2UF1MpBCcsokH2bvaxTMQY9-8OMpUx6jV3VCuq9ZrkulLBBCQfwulPUwx9Y4HfX-AGwB7_YdFWILhKuNORsUNwEkXqey5RDNI0bXChs65QlKw0dXx5svh_pALNpZsP5hg/s1600/xmastree1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZwHXkGliZY_2UF1MpBCcsokH2bvaxTMQY9-8OMpUx6jV3VCuq9ZrkulLBBCQfwulPUwx9Y4HfX-AGwB7_YdFWILhKuNORsUNwEkXqey5RDNI0bXChs65QlKw0dXx5svh_pALNpZsP5hg/s320/xmastree1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />It looks tiny in this photo, but it's actually 10 feet tall and 5 feet wide at the base. All in all we were pretty pleased with ourselves. We might have high-fived. In fact, we might build a couple of smaller trees to keep it company. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzy7CkGc6EJhnuRsiS2JfOfxoAKVa1PzKKnPptfGv_vvvtCkEcqQWSDBBF2OS-ChjeQw9IhLapLpBGkxiQfl88a4Ewf-PPRqa_0P0Udr4tqWbicoMNBTGzNDBMGmXUDr5HgxZ0c1NxsZA/s1600/christmastree6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzy7CkGc6EJhnuRsiS2JfOfxoAKVa1PzKKnPptfGv_vvvtCkEcqQWSDBBF2OS-ChjeQw9IhLapLpBGkxiQfl88a4Ewf-PPRqa_0P0Udr4tqWbicoMNBTGzNDBMGmXUDr5HgxZ0c1NxsZA/s320/christmastree6.jpg" width="182" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm3Rcbu6J6EX0tdUdZng-dGd0ByE1taFYCQXEwum2m5702c9kQuo_Nv2BAVN0ddVmEGZN2OjihmOROGTCa33-qyh2xcghSkxdHQpmMIoZq2V1A7DiBO9qlTKXiws4ifxehiTDjafAePcY/s1600/aug+2013+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div><br /><br /><br />

Making an Outdoor Christmas Tree

   Our front yard of full of trees. It's beautiful, but at Christmas time, there's one glaring omission - not one pine tree to wrap...

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