All about coffee topiary

Topiary in the style of a coffee tree can become an unusual gift, an interesting decoration of the festive table and a stylish addition to the interior... Such decor is distinguished by exceptional ease of manufacture, environmental safety, non-standard appearance and deep pleasant aroma. Those people who prefer handmade and love non-trivial souvenirs will probably be interested to know how to create a topiary tree from coffee beans at home with their own hands. It takes quite a bit of dedication and artistic inspiration to create this craft.

Topiary represent handcrafted decorative trees that are made from natural materials or any available means... It is believed that this technique has its roots in the era of Ancient Rome, when trees were cut in a special way in the gardens of noble patricians. In those days, crowns were given an unconventional shape to resemble statues or some other decorative object. Later, small copies of topiary began to be made from improvised means; masters in monasteries, as well as Dutch and English specialists, worked on their creation. Nowadays, a dwarf decorative tree has become one of the most popular gift options.

Topiary can be made from paper, dried flowers and fruits, but the coffee tree is considered the simplest yet most stylish craft. It attracts due to its unusual appearance, as well as subtle aroma - even after processing, coffee beans emit a strong smell, fill the home with an atmosphere of comfort, tranquility and home warmth.

The trunk is wrapped with jute rope or satin ribbon, and the planter for planting such a small tree is trimmed with cord, leather, beads or decorative braid. Decorating the surface of the pot made of sea pebbles or sisal is very popular; lovers of natural materials prefer dried moss.

Usually such trees decorate the premises. country style, provence, vintage, shabby chic, the craft is popular with amateurs eco-directions in design.

As we already mentioned, initially the art of creating topiary appeared in landscape design and assumed a curly haircut of crowns. The ancient Romans even had special slaves who kept the decorative site in good condition. They were called masters of topos or, in other words, topiary, and this is how the name of this direction of creativity appeared.

In the landscape, the process of creating unusual crowns is a long and rather technologically complex process that requires unremitting attention to living plants and their care. Therefore, over time, people began to look for alternatives - and so they began to create topiary from improvised means. They represent a small composition in the form of a small tree with an unusual crown of a certain geometric shape.

Interest in topiary made from coffee beans arose after an unusual monument in the form of a Bronze Coffee Tree was erected in the Brazilian city of São Paulo on the Central Square, symbolizing the wealth of the country. Since then, handicraft workshops began to create reduced copies of it 15-20 cm high, they were actively bought up by tourists. Over time, the fashion for such floristic compositions penetrated into Western countries, Europeans are sure that such a "tree of happiness" gives its owner financial well-being, attracts good luck and brings warmth and tranquility to life.

If you plan to make a coffee topiary with your own hands, do not be afraid of bold experiments and let your imagination run wild. There are many interesting varieties of topiary, here are the most popular ideas.

So, the following types of coffee trees are distinguished.

• Classical. The crown of such a topiary usually has a rounded shape, most often such a craft is performed in restrained colors using coffee beans and other natural materials. There are no intricate decorations, the option is characterized by simplicity and exceptional elegance - a similar craft can be used to decorate the interior in a variety of stylistic directions.

• Valentine - this topiary is made in the form of a heart, it can be presented to your loved one on Valentine's Day or on any other day. The basis for this composition can always be purchased at any shop that offers materials for needlework. However, you can always do it with your own hands - the easiest way to do this is to use foam, and if it is not there, then you can crumple a newspaper sheet and braid it with threads in such a way as to give the shape of a heart.

• Flying cup. At first glance, such a craft may seem incredibly difficult, however, they are not at all difficult to do on your own. All that is needed for this is just a piece of thick wire, as well as a thermal gun. And, of course, the grains themselves.

• A coffee tree with flowers. Such a topiary will be an unusual present for a birthday or March 8, it can be placed in the living room and in the bedroom, such decorations are widely demanded in wedding decor.

• With butterflies and birds... This craft looks really stylish, butterflies, miniature birds and adorable dragonflies fly out of it. Such a product looks truly spring and, regardless of the season and weather outside the window, reminds its owner of warm and sunny days.

• Fruit tree. For example, coffee beans topiary is additionally decorated with dried fruit slices, most often citrus fruits are used. At the end, very stylish decorative elements for the summer kitchen are obtained, however, with some kind of tree they often complement the New Year's setting of the festive table.

• Money Tree. It can be an excellent gift option for the stronger sex. They are made in the same technique as the most ordinary topiary - the whole difference comes down to the fact that the ball in the upper part is pasted over with small coins, then the zippers are folded up and coffee beans are glued at the very end.

• New Year and Christmas tree topiary will be a good decoration for the table during special events, in addition, it creates a festive atmosphere. The blank can be purchased at handicraft shops or made by yourself - for this you just need to roll up a thick sheet of cardboard in the shape of a cone and remove all unnecessary pieces.

• Double or triple... These crafts take a little more time, however, the result is truly stylish and creative topiary. Here, several trunks grow from a common rod at once, they can have different shapes, thicknesses and heights.

• Ball... This form can in no way be called a classic topiary in the full sense of the word, however, it is made in a similar way. The peculiarity of this technique is reduced to the absence of a trunk, and the ball itself does not in any way resemble a tree. Usually, in this composition, coffee beans are combined with legumes and sunflower seeds - if you put several of these balls in one saucer at once, you get a very stylish decor for decorating your kitchen.

To design a stylish topiary, first of all, you need coffee beans. If possible, try to purchase the highest quality coffee, preference should be given to products in which the beans are evenly roasted and have the same size. It is very important that they dry carefully. Before starting work, you need to sort the grains, of course, this activity is optional, but if you want to get a truly beautiful topiary, then it is advisable to do this.

To begin with, you should remove any damaged grains, and the rest should be divided into 4 groups. The first will include the most beautiful beans of the same size, they will be located at the top of your future coffee tree. The second group includes rounded grains - they are usually used to decorate pots. The third includes whole grains, but not beautiful enough, they go to decorate the lower part of the crown. The fourth group includes the smallest grains - they are used to finish the gaps between the rest of the grains.

You will need the following.

• The foundation, usually use a ball or heart - you can buy it in the store ready-made, or you can make it yourself from paper or foam. Threads - will be required in almost all options for creating topiary.
• Varnishes and paints - are needed for application to the base.
• Wire / tube / skewer or tree branch - is necessary for your topiary to have a trunk.
• Glue - it is better to give preference to a hot glue gun.
• Gypsum / alabaster - cook them together with a stirring pot.
• Sharp scissors.
• Cache-pot. These options are very different, ranging from flowerpots and pots, ending with ordinary jars or unnecessary mugs.
• Scotch - to create a topiary you will need a double-sided one.
• Additional decor - the finished craft is decorated with bows, flowers and beads. Cinnamon sticks are also used, as well as cloves and dried fruit slices.

On the Internet, you can find many workshops on how to create a coffee topiary with your own hands. We invite you to get acquainted with the step-by-step instructions, which include several popular techniques at once and, at the same time, are characterized by exceptional ease of implementation.

Step one - working with the blank... To create a round topiary, you need to take a base prepared in advance in the shape of a ball or heart. The workpiece is pasted over with paper and wrapped with knitting thread, preferably in dark shades.

It is necessary to cut out figures of equal shape from cardboard and place a tube between them, it will act as a trunk. Both blanks are glued to each other, then pieces of cotton wool or discs are attached to the base obtained in this way, giving the desired volume. After you prepare the base and paint it, you can begin to paste over it with coffee beans, it is advisable to do this not in one, but in two rows - while the first layer is put with a flat surface inward, and the second layer is vice versa.

Step two - make out the trunk... The wire or stick that you plan to use as the barrel is neatly covered with strips of tissue paper. If not, you can use satin ribbons or jute thread, and then fasten to the crown. When working with wire, you can bend it slightly.

Step three - put in a pots... First you need to knead a certain amount of gypsum-based solution and pour it into the prepared container. After it begins to seize a little, place the topiary in the center and hold it until the mass hardens completely. When the gypsum dies, the so-called soil can be covered with a thin layer of ground coffee, wood shavings, sisal or dried moss.

Step four. We decorate the topiary. If we talk about the decor of the coffee tree, then the imagination is not limited by anything. You can stick traditional ribbons, curls, beads and bows from foamiran, or you can show your imagination and combine coffee with figures of insects, animals, star anise stars, coarse fabric and other decorative elements.

Some needlewomen prefer to coat their coffee trees with a mixture of coffee and PVA - this is optional, but this treatment will make the craft more shiny. Usually, the glue is mixed with water in equal proportions and instant coffee is poured in until the desired color is obtained. You can add a little cinnamon and cocoa to this mixture - in this case, the topiary will turn out to be even more fragrant and fill the house with an atmosphere of family warmth and comfort.

Such processing allows you to close the gaps well, as well as mask all traces of glue. A coat of varnish can be applied if desired. Of course, this will remove the pleasant coffee aroma, but it will protect the product from dust accumulation.

The topiary tree made of coffee beans can look very advantageous in the interior, regardless of the style in which it is decorated. Such decor items go well with both a fashionable loft and timeless classics or modern minimalism. It looks especially impressive against the background of turquoise tones and other shades of green.

Such crafts become not only a design addition, they also symbolize prosperity, financial well-being and personal happiness. The coffee tree personifies life energy, strength, so it can be safely presented as a memorable present for men and women.

In order to find the best way to decorate a coffee tree for yourself, we recommend that you take inspiration from examples of finished works. We offer you to get acquainted with a small photo selection of the most beautiful crafts with interesting and unusual options for a topiary tree in pots.

See below for a master class on making topiary.