Before you start
The leaf stickers have self-adhesive backing, so glue is not needed for attaching them. If adding writing, test your pen on a small inconspicuous leaf area and let it dry before committing to a message. You can also keep the leaves plain and share gratitude aloud.
At the craft table
Follow the kit’s age and supervision guidance. Keep small sticker pieces and backing papers away from young children and pets. Strings are for hanging the craft, not wearing around the neck.
Make it step by step
Orient the tree on the table
Lay a foam trunk flat with its branches pointing upward. Decide which side will face out in your display and leave the top hanging area accessible. Sort a few leaf shapes and colors beside it with their backings still attached.
Choose short gratitude messages
Write a few ideas on scrap paper before working on the leaves. Use short words or phrases such as a person’s name, a place, or a favorite shared moment. Choose fewer messages if you want the shapes and colors to remain the main feature.
Write only after a pen test
On a leaf that will be used discreetly, test whether your pen marks the foam without smearing. If it works, write on the visible leaf faces while their backings remain on and wait for the ink to dry. If it does not work, leave the leaves unmarked.
Arrange the canopy before sticking
Lay the backed leaves over the branches and check the balance of colors. Point some tips upward and some outward to suggest a canopy. Leave portions of the brown branches visible and keep written messages from overlapping.
Peel and attach one leaf at a time
Start near the center of the canopy. Remove a leaf’s backing and press its center onto the trunk or branch area, then smooth the contact edges gently. Continue outward, keeping enough contact with the tree to support each leaf.
Check messages and sticker edges
Step back from the table to see whether the words and color arrangement read clearly. Press any lifting contact edges onto the foam. Keep leaves out of the hanging area and clear away loose backing papers before lifting the tree.
Attach the string and share the tree
Use the supplied string and the attachment method provided with the kit. Do not pull a string through undecorated foam unless the kit directs you to. Lift the tree over the table to check the connection, then hang it and invite each maker to share one gratitude message.
Make it your own
Use short messages so the leaf shape remains visible.
Plan the whole canopy with backings on to avoid tearing foam during repositioning.
For a group activity, each person can choose a leaf before the tree is assembled.
Common fixes
Ink smears on a foam leaf.
Stop writing with that pen. Use plain leaves and speak the gratitude messages, or try a pen expressly suitable for the material on a discreet test area.
A leaf hangs loose at its tip.
Check that its center and part of its body adhere to the trunk or branch, rather than attaching it by the tip alone.
Finish & enjoy
Hang the tree indoors where the leaves will not rub against a moving door. Press the contact areas once more before displaying, and store the tree flat between smooth sheets of paper without folding its branches.
