The magical tree attempt...

I've ordered a few ornaments from Pottery Barn this year when they put them on sale and offered free shipping.  Who could refuse that?  Not me!  I love the German glittered letters, the Give Hope globe, the dove with a peace sign, and the mirror ball peace sign.  So pretty!  But a friend of mine wanted the "Magical Tree" - a bottle brush miniature tree under a glass cloche with glass beads.  Umm...the same ornament that sold out.  And the same one that Hubby's boss gave everyone this year:

It's so fragile-looking that I can't bear to put it on the tree, so it sits on a shelf.  I really thought I could replicate something similar.  I checked out Pinterest and armed myself with craft supplies.  I had the best of intentions.  But this is what I ended up with:

Not really magical.

I started out with an empty jar, the LAST bottle brush tree in Michael's at 70% off, a berry pick, some glitter, and my fake epsom salt snow.

Since it was the last tree, it had clearly seen hard times.  I figured I could fluff it's stiff little branches, re-spray some silver paint on it, and re-glitter it, as it was making a mess and losing most of it's own.

To re-glitter it, I watered down some craft glue and brushed it on with a small paintbrush, then dusted the glitter all over it, while it was sitting in a bowl.  That happened to work great.

I picked a "pick" that I thought had pretty colors to go with her decor.  If she wants to call it a winter decoration she could leave it out after Christmas. 

(evidence of silver paint on thumbnail!)

I snapped the berries off leaving a small stem to hot glue and push into the tree.  Look at all the glitter fall-out - I'm surprised the little tree had any on it to begin with.

I placed one at the top and added a few of the leaves.  So far, so good. 

Maybe a teensy bit magical, even.

But here is where it went South for the Winter - my jar is not big enough.  The lid fits, yes, but you can't see the top of the tree. 
 Fail. 
I went with it anyway - I don't have another jar.  I put a puddle of hot glue on the jar bottom to hold the little tree in place, then add a little glitter to the epsom salt and poured it in.  I tied a ribbon around the top of the tree with a couple of jingle bells, and called it finished.

Not what I envisioned.  But I am out of time to work on it as I have got to give it to her tomorrow and finish up Christmas shopping for my peeps. Next year I will have a better plan for homemade gifts...

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