DIY Christmas Tree Mold & Paint Craft

About this kit

A flexible mould shaped like a Christmas tree with the detail cut into it in relief: a star on top, layered branches, baubles, snowflakes, ribbon and wrapped parcels at the base. You pour in your own casting material, let it set, flex it out and paint it. The mould then goes back in the box for whoever wants to make the next one.

What is in the box

The mould, eight acrylic paints, a flat brush and a pointed one, a mixing palette, an instruction card and a colour reference card. The casting material is yours to supply: plaster, resin or whatever you prefer to work with. That is the one thing worth sorting out before anyone sits down at the table. Everything except the casting material is in the box, so a bag of plaster is the only extra purchase.

The four steps

Pour, wait for it to set, flex the mould and lift the tree out, then paint. Demoulding is the step people worry about and it is the easy one, because the mould bends away from the casting rather than needing to be prised off it. Work on a flat surface and the tree comes out standing straight. Setting time depends on what you pour and how thick the tree is, so the instruction card gives a range rather than a single figure.

Painting it

The relief does most of the work. Branch edges, baubles and ribbons are already raised, so the brush follows the shape instead of guessing where it goes. Traditional red and green, white and silver, or whatever the children pick. The reference card is there if you want it and easy to ignore if you do not.

Using the mould again

Wash it, dry it, and it is ready for the next tree. One mould, several people, several colourways, which is usually how this ends up on a table with three generations around it and a paint pot each. The finished tree is about eight inches tall and stands on its own without a base. The mould is the part that lasts; the paint pots will run out long before it does.

Specifications

Type	Cast and paint craft kit
Mould size	21 x 9 cm / 8.3 x 3.5 in
Included	Mould, 8 acrylic paints, 2 brushes, palette, instruction and colour cards
Not included	Casting material

How a session runs

1. On a covered table

   Paints and plaster together are inevitable, so put a cloth down.

2. Adults pour, children paint

   Demoulding needs a steady hand; the painting does not.

3. One tree each

   The mould can be used several times in an afternoon.

4. Allow for setting time

   Nobody can pick up a brush until the casting has gone off.

In the box

• 1 x reusable Christmas tree mould
• 8 x festive acrylic paints
• 2 x paintbrushes and 1 x mixing palette
• 1 x instruction card and 1 x colour reference card

Care

Rinse the mould in cool water as soon as you have demoulded, while the casting material is still a little soft. Dry it fully before it goes back in the box. Once painted, keep the finished tree out of hard frost unless you have sealed it with a clear coat.

Common questions