All those cute little bottle brush trees I have are just begging for a topper. Sometimes I add a bead, sometimes a star, sometimes a pip. What’s a pip, you say? A pip is a floral embellishment, used in artificial flowers as the stamens. You can buy pip covered wreaths and garlands, or bundles of individual pips in many colors.
I decided to add pips to the tops of two small bottle brush trees to decorate this red and white Putz house.
I use Crafter’s Pick glue for a project like this. It holds very well and dries clear.
Pips come on wires or on a heavy cord. I like the kind on wire because I find them easier to handle. The first thing to do is cut the wire to about an inch long.
Apply glue to the wire. Crafter’s Pick is very thick, so it adheres well to the wire. I don’t use hot glue for this application because it leaves a clumpy residue on the bottle brush.
Insert the wire into the tree from the top, pushing it close to the wire inside the tree.
I use my thumb nail to push the pip wire into the tree as far as it will go. Adjust the pip berry up or down as needed. Don’t worry about crushing the tree branches. They will fluff out just fine.
From the front:
When the glue has dried and and you’ve checked that the pip is where you want it, add a drop of glue through the bottle brush branches all the way down to the wire. Crafter’s Pick will dry clear.
I used hot glue to glue the trees into position.
A dash of Aleene’s True Snow, thoroughly glittered, dressed up the little bottle brush trees and hid anything I didn’t like about how the embellished trees looked.
The trees from the back.
The finished Putz house…
And all lit up for Christmas…
If you are interested in crafting some Putz houses and bottle brush trees of your own, check out my Putz tutorials for more information. Putz House Tutorials
I am always happy to answer questions about the process. Please ask, if you are wondering about the details of putzing!
You can see my Putz houses and other Christmas ornaments in my Etsy shop.
All proceeds from my Etsy shop benefit Kenya Mercy Ministries. They work with the urban poor of Nairobi, Kenya, particularly the children and their families who live in Kibera, the largest slum in Africa. Thank you for your part in helping these children when you purchase items from my shop!
~~Rhonda