Sweet Trees

Sweet Trees are basically edible topiary!

Sweet trees make great gifts and decorations.  They will provide a little something extra to sweet tables at weddings and parties and they also make great gifts. 

I wanted to get two of my old tutors gifts for helping me with my university applications and interview's and just generally being good to me.  I decided to go with something edible but I wanted something with a bit more personally and with more wow factor than a box or chocolates or a bottle of wine. 

So I decided to make them sweet trees.  One was female and one was male but I wanted to thank them both equally so this was a great gift idea as I could make one more masculine than the other, but they would both be getting the same gift in the end. 

These can be quite time consuming but they really are worth it!

You Will Need
(for one)

1 Polystyrene Ball (whatever size you like)
Approx. 1ft of Wooden Dowling
1 pack Tissue Paper about 3/4 sheets
Glue, I used Mod Podge with glitter, but you could use PVA or any glue that drys clear
Paint
A Mug or Plant Pot
Cocktail Sticks
Polystyrene or Oasis
Sweets, here I used Ferrero Rochers, amount will depend on the size I used about 50
Wired Ribbon
Pins

First steps, cut your dowling to your preferred length, remember this will be sitting inside the mug/ pot and the ball.  I chose to have it a foot long.  Then paint your dowling, I used gold paint which compliments the Ferrero Rochers and adds extra sparkle. 

The next step is to cut a hole in the ball to fit your dowling rod.  After you have done this use the tissue paper and glue to cover the ball.  You can use whatever colour you like, I choose a brown/ gold for the male and a hot pink for the female.  You may need a few layers to get a good coverage.  Let dry thoroughly. 

Now make your roses, I used these for my female tree.  Pull some of the wire out from on side of the ribbon, so it gathers the fabric.  Then start to wrap the gathered ribbon around on itself until you have a flower shape.  Keep going until you have reached a size you like, then tuck the end of the ribbon under and glue or sew to secure.  You can make them as big or small as you like and you can make however many you like also.  Once you have made them either pin or glue them onto your ball in the way you think looks best. 

For the other style of tree I gathered up the ribbon using the same technique as with the roses and then I began to wrap it all over the polystyrene ball, pinning it in place as I worked. 

Insert your dowling into your ball. 

Take a cocktail stick and make a hole in your ball, take it out and then stick one end into your sweet or ferrero rocher and then put the other end back into the hole in the ball you just made.  I found doing it this way was the easiest and most flaw free way of putting the ferrero rochers onto the ball.  Do this until your ball is covered. 

Cut your polystyrene or oasis to fit in your pot/ mug and also cut a hole in the middle for the dowling.  Then assemble.  Use a sheet or however many you need of tissue paper over the top to make it look nice and hide the polystyrene / oasis. 

Finally Tie a bow using your ribbon around the 'stem' of your 'tree'! 

All done and I bet it looks amazing and whoever is lucky enough to be receiving it will LOVE it!

You can use whatever sweets you like, I really want to do a marshmallow one and a lollipop one which I think would look wicked!