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Looking for a dazzling, inexpensive centerpiece or table display? This marshmallow topiary tree is everything we love in a craft project: fast, fun, impressive, and cheap! It’s less expensive than a batch of cookies. It lasts. It’s beautiful. And you can have a lot of fun getting creative and making your topiary tree into your own unique masterpiece. It’s another perfect craft-night project you can enjoy with family and friends of all ages. Everyone will love making this mini-Christmas tree.
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Marshmallow Topiary Tree Supplies
- Styrofoam cone in 6”, 8”, 10″, 12”, 16″ to use as base for topiary tree
- Toothpicks
- Mini marshmallows for smaller size (and to add texture to larger size)
- Regular size marshmallows for medium size and larger.
- Jumbo size marshmallows for 16″ only.
- Cake stand, plate, candle holder, or small decorative bowl to hold and display your tree
- Hot glue gun (if non-edible version)
- Karo syrup (if edible version)
- Protective table covering
Shop 13.5″ cones:
Shop 7.25″ cones:
Variety of 2-6″ cones below:
Optional Topiary Tree Decorating Supply Ideas
- real or faux evergreen pieces
- real or faux leaves, any variety
- candies of all kinds
- cranberries
- small candy cinnamon red hots
- flowers
- fruits
- dried citrus slices
Shop festive red mixing/serving bowls and red ceramic ramekins below:
Before You Build Your Mini Topiary Tree
Step One: Decide if you want your topiary tree to be edible or not. This will determine what you use to secure some of the decorative pieces, either hot glue (which is easier) or Karo syrup.
Step Two: Choose the size you want to make.
Step Three: Gather all your supplies and set up your craft table to work.
Tip: Don’t forget to turn on your favorite Christmas music to put everyone in a festive mood.
Tips Before You Start
- If you’re creating a 6″ topiary tree, you’ll use mainly mini marshmallows.
- If you’re creating an 8″ or 10″ tree, you can use a combination of both regular and mini marshmallows.
- For a 12″ tree you can see here how I created mine with a base of regular marshmallows, adding mini in between.
- For a 16″ topiary tree you will want to use mega marshmallows.
- When using mega marshmallows, you might want to cut them in half. Otherwise, they stick out a bit too much.
Working with Kids to Create a Topiary Tree
- Getting children involved in craft projects is a wonderful way to bring families together during the holidays.
- Depending on the age of the children, parents might want to help.
- We recommend breaking the toothpicks in half and putting them in the cone for young ones.
- They can have fun adding the marshmallows and decorating their marshmallow topiary tree.
- Team up with children to make it easy and fun for all.
- Get super creative and provide all kinds of choices to add whimsical touches to their mini Christmas tree.
- Think gingerbread house: candy, colorful, and fun.
- Children love the chance to create.
Now Let’s Build Your Marshmallow Topiary Tree
1. Start from the bottom of your topiary tree and work up. Break toothpick in 1/2 for regular size marshmallows (or it will stick out). Push pick into cone with slight angle upward (so marshmallow won’t slide off).
2. Push regular size marshmallow onto toothpick. Don’t push too hard. You don’t want the toothpick to poke out the end.
3. Continue putting in marshmallows all the way around the cone until no space is left.
4. Before adding your next row of regular marshmallows, add a few mini marshmallows. Use full toothpicks and scatter a few in between the spaces so that the mini marshmallow takes up the space left between the regular marshmallows.
Tip: The goal is to create a slightly irregular pattern. You want your tree to look a bit organic, not 100% perfect, so scatter those mini marshmallows so they aren’t exactly even.
5. Add your next row of regular marshmallows, so the row lines up with the part where the marshmallows of the meet rather than directly above each marshmallow.
6. Repeat the next rows in the same way, adding a few mini marshmallows in between and then doing the same for the next row.
7. Go all the way to the top of your topiary tree until you have covered the entire foam cone with marshmallows.
8. Next, it’s time to get creative with your decorations. We recommend starting with adding your greens. Whatever you want to add for greens… leaves or evergreens.
9. Add decorative pieces for color. I used cranberries for mine, but feel free to use whatever you want.
Shop Versatile Display Stands:
Create Family Togetherness with this Topiary Tree Craft
What a fun craft project to get everyone in the festive holiday mood. This is a great project to bring families or any group together.
We love the idea of creating your topiary tree in teams of two as a fun option, especially if you have small children joining in. Team an adult and a child together, and everyone can enjoy creating.
There’s no limit to the creativity you can put into these trees, so get those creative juices flowing. If you’ve got a big group, you can give awards when you’re all done.
- Most Creative
- Most Colorful
- Craziest
- Most Festive
You get the idea. It’s all about bringing people together, creativity, and having FUN!
Happy Holidays from our homes to yours!
jodie & julie
Summary
Article Name
How to Build Festive Marshmallow Topiary Tree in a Few Easy Steps
Description
Wow friends and family with festive marshmallow topiary tree. So easy and fun to make. Decorate, Display, and enjoy!
Author
The Design Twins
Publisher Name
The Design Twins
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Super creative and fun idea!! I love it!
We sure appreciate the kind reply. So glad you enjoyed the post. Have a very Merry Christmas from our homes to yours, Julie & Jodie
That was really fun! I just finished making my first marshmallow tree and it was easy and looks great. Thanks for sharing this fun project.
Hi Carleene, We love to hear you created one too. Absolutely we agree. Not hard and oodles of fun 🙂 We hope you continue to enjoy our blog. Have a very Merry Christmas. Your friends, Julie & Jodie
I think I might wrap the foam cone shape, and do this with some fruit in a pattern. It would be so pretty with small balls of Mozzarella , olives, and cherry tomatoes. The cherry tomatoes will go with some fresh basil leaves to look like bunches of Holly!
Hi Deanna, We love these ideas! Thanks for sharing. We want to try that too 🙂 Merry Christmas, Julie & Jodie