Honeycomb Tree

R Barbara
Bronze Post Medal for All Time! 190 Posts

A few weeks ago my grandson came over for a visit with a long packing box in tow and an idea for a project. This is his interpretation of a bee hive on a tree. It is a partial recycled craft using a long narrow packing box and other crafting supplies we had around the house.

Approximate Time: 1 - 2 hours including drying time.

Supplies:

cardboard box
construction paper
pencil
crayons, markers, or colored pencils
honeycomb layered paper packing material
watercolor paints
brushes
tarp, newspaper, or in our case an old plastic shower curtain
scissors
white Elmer's school glue
packing tape
print out or drawings of bees, honeycomb, and hummingbird

Instructions:

To begin his project he first taped up the sides of his box, using packing tape for a stronger hold.

He left the bottom untaped to help it stand, and taped the top with the flaps open, for the tree crown.

Next he experimented with making a rubbing on newsprint of the honeycomb texture of the packing material he had salvaged.

Making a rubbing of the honeycomb packing material.

After spreading the shower curtain on the kitchen floor we began splotch painting the tree trunk with watercolor paints.

Let dry.

While waiting for the paint to dry, we drew leaf shapes on construction paper and cut them out.

We also made a sketch of the hive on the honeycomb paper and cut it out. (Photo is after attachment.)

Finished bee hive attached to tree trunk.

Print out clip art of honey bees and a hummingbird. He did original drawings based on computer images. (printer problems :)

Color the bees and hummingbird, or any wildlife that will inhabit your tree.

Now glue the hive, leaves, bees, and hummingbird where you like on the tree.

Finally, he punched some holes in the trunk for the future addition of internal lighting, maybe a florescent type tube light.

We have included one fuzzy photo, either grandpa or the camera person moved, but we're not saying who.