We have reached the deadline of our second crafty challenge and for those who did see the post or who have forgotten here are our rules. This one was a lot more difficult than I expected it to be and I didn’t think that it would be easy to begin with.

$5 really does not go far in any store. I was a little lucky in that I have a wonderful hometown hardware store called Kleindorfer’s Hardware and Variety Store. Kleindorfer’s has been here for a long time and I don’t know that they update their prices often. All that said, they have the best customer service of any store in the Bloomington area. They are polite, know their stock and how to help even the most confused customer.

My search for a project consisted of me wandering in the store for anything under $2. I wrote in a notebook anything that might be interesting, trying to come up with an idea of what to create. After some trial and error I realized that the hardest part would be how to connect my project together (do you have any idea what glue costs?). Mine is actually held together with friction. and pressure, fancy words for “I stuffed it in there.”

I managed to keep my total purchase to $4.87. I found a small brass tube at the hardware store, held it in a vise and drilled numerous small holes to fit the Scotch Brite branches. The first holes I drilled were way too small, so I went back through and drilled them much bigger which sped up the process incredibly.

I am happy with how the tree turned out. It is amazing how you can come to depend on those regular crafting staples of wire and glue. Having to step away from these made this a very entertaining and imaginative Crafty Challenge.