[Note: Comments and contest are closed.]
As I've mentioned before, the geek factor runs pretty high in our house. As part of my plan to find more happy, we're doing a Duct Tape-themed tree this year. Family heirloom ornaments are still being hung up, but not on the tree. This year, the tree is alllllllll duct tape. And candy. But mostly duct tape.
As I've mentioned before, the geek factor runs pretty high in our house. As part of my plan to find more happy, we're doing a Duct Tape-themed tree this year. Family heirloom ornaments are still being hung up, but not on the tree. This year, the tree is alllllllll duct tape. And candy. But mostly duct tape.
Well, actually, the tree itself is a real tree. This is no small thing in Texas. They probably had to truck this thing in from Oregon or something, making it a heinous environmental crime, but I just couldn't stomach buying a plastic one. Plus, those fake trees are wicked expensive.
So off I went, in a t-shirt and shorts, and picked out a cut tree. Most of the trees were already dried out and Charlie Brown-y, because 80 degree weather makes cut Douglas Firs shed needles like nobody's business. I should also mention that sweating should only be a part of getting your tree if you are cutting the thing down yourself. Otherwise it's just wrong.
The tree I chose is a nice classic seven-footer. Yeah, it's a mess, but when I vacuum up the needles (twice a day) it smells great.
It also showcases our duct tape ornaments quite nicely. The tree is a work in progress, with new ornaments being added daily. We did decide to use actual candy canes, because while duct tape candy canes are lovely, they simply don't taste as good.
The rest of the ornaments are constructed of duct tape. Some have tissue stuffing and some string loops for hanging. The star at the top has a cardboard interior for shaping.
If you don't have time to make a treeful of duct tape ornaments, don't worry, I've got you covered. In the spirit of geeking out your Festivus, we're giving away a full set of geektastic Merry Christmas Microbes! Tree Ornaments by GIANTmicrobes. It includes the common cold, E. coli, a brain cell, kissing disease, and limited-edition red amoeba. Because nothing says festive like E. coli with reindeer antlers.
To enter to win the Merry Christmas Microbes! Tree Ornaments, leave a comment! Winner will be chosen at random using random.org, and must be in the U.S. or Canada.
Oh my goodness, I must have these microbes! My boy sleeps cuddled up with "Fluey" the flu germ; these would rock his Christmas!
ReplyDeleteHoly Hannah, I don't think I've ever wanted something more in my life!
ReplyDeleteAwesome tree!! Love the microbes too!!
ReplyDeleteOMG... you guys are freakin' awesome. The tree decorating is epic!
ReplyDeleteCuuute microbes!
ReplyDeleteThe cutest microbes ever. I especially like the brain cell.
ReplyDeleteHubby and I are big geeks, too. I could totally see a duct tape themed tree.
Sweet Jesus, I've never wanted E.coli so badly in my whole life!!
ReplyDeleteThis is so cool. What gave you the idea?
ReplyDeleteAmazing microbes! I'd love to share them with my girls!
ReplyDeleteToo cute! Love the ornaments! :-)
ReplyDeleteLeft ya a comment on FB about Star Wars paper snowflake patterns.
your tree looks great!
ReplyDeletethese would be perfect for my husband, the hypochondriac!
ReplyDeleteI love microbes, love'em.
ReplyDeleteThis would be great since I never did get around to ordering hubby that brain cell... What!? Oh, he's a science teacher. ;)
ReplyDeleteThat tree is so much more crazy cool for the kids! No worrying about stimming around the tree and knocking off an ornament... Great! :)
ReplyDeleteMe Me pick me!!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea for the tree with the duct tape ornaments!!
I wish I had thought of the duct tape ornaments...it would have been cheaper than buying real ones (sigh) and the tree is so extremely bare cuz the dollar store has such a limited variety...these germ-y ornaments would definitely make the tree more purty...lol
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful holiday
LilO
How cute! I think it would be fantastic to put these on my tree!
ReplyDeleteHappy Festivus!
ReplyDeletelove the duct tape ornaments. very cool.
ReplyDeletei love the microbes even more. i used to work in a pathology research lab at a major hospital/research center in houston and those take me right back to my "lab rat" days! i want them!
Incredible. I NEED these.
ReplyDeletecool tree and cute microbes!
ReplyDeleteomg... awesome! love it!
ReplyDeleteToo much fun! I wish I had thought of duct tape ornaments - I lose a few of our glass balls every year to my beagle's tail. OK, and my son's 6 year old hands. :-D
ReplyDeleteI guess the microbes wouldn't break if knocked by a beagle tail! Love it.
Artificial Christmas trees are so much better than they used to be (ours has 3 or four different types of greenery for texture... it looks pretty good!).
ReplyDeleteKeep an eye out on the Michael's, Hobby Lobby, and Lowe's ads around Thanksgiving (and maybe after Christmas, too!). They go on sale, and you can often find a coupon in the weekend paper.
I love the duct tape!
We may have to put retrofit this year's tree with some duct tape ornaments. That's some serious fun right there.
ReplyDeleteLoving the light saber!!
ReplyDeleteTotally love this! My kids have duct tape in multiple colors and have made many wonderful things, ie wallets, folders, roses, swords, etc. We're so making ornaments this weekend.
ReplyDeleteThe microbes are awesome! Hubby is a physician and these would go perfectly with our array of geek. We even have tibia and fibula salad servers, jealous?!
Love the microbes!! Too Cute!
ReplyDeleteThose.are.awesome! I have never wanted to win something more!!
ReplyDeleteLove your duct tape idea. If I did something like that around here, the other suburban moms would shun me permanently. But I could get back at them by putting cute germs on my tree...
ReplyDeleteA real tree in Texas! Unheard of! Love the decor and your blog!
ReplyDeleteThose are awesome! I want microbes ornaments! It would be great considering by hubby and I are both in the medical field. Lol!
ReplyDelete-Heidi D.
Microbes, Microbes, MICROBES!! I don't think there's anything unusual about your tree at all. Now, Martha Stewart might take issue with it. But I am not Martha Stewart...
ReplyDeleteYay for duct tape!
ReplyDeleteand microbes!
Have you had any problems with ornaments sticking inopportunely to branches?
ReplyDeleteOne year I put up a huge piece of kraft paper on the wall and we painted our tree and the decorations. You get creative when you live in a small apartment. Love your ideas. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteLove it!
ReplyDeleteMy son would love a Microbe, he kinda has an obsession with germs and stuff so this would be perfect!! BTW your tree is great :D
ReplyDeleteLove the duct tape themed tree. Did you do a duct tape prom dress too?
ReplyDeleteMicrobe ornaments? Fantastic! Duct tape ornaments? Priceless!
ReplyDeleteO.M.G. I have a friend who works at the CDC - I might just have to give them to her if I win...So so cute!!!
ReplyDeleteThat is awesome!!!! Can't wait to introduce my kids to the wonders of duct tape when they are older.
ReplyDeletere. trees in Texas
ReplyDelete"Fake is OK here." from Tinsel by Hank Steuver
I would love to put microbes at the foot of all my loved ones stockings.
Sarah H
BEST! ORNAMENTS! EVAR! All of them! Oh you should make one out of the leopard print duct tape...
ReplyDeleteLove your tree - especially the light saber. And nothing says "I love you" more than microbes, the gift that keeps on giving after you pass them on! These are fantastic!!!
ReplyDeleteDuct tape can solve almost anything! Lovvvve the light saber!
ReplyDeleteLOVE it! lol and my family definitely needs more microbes on the OUTSIDE of our bodies. We have way too many inside at the moment.
ReplyDeleteI love the microbes. Everytime you post about them I want to buy them! Your tree is awesome :)
ReplyDeleteThese are awesome and adorable!! Would LOVE to be the winner!!
ReplyDeleteoh heavens how fun!
ReplyDeleteThe tree is awesome!!!
ReplyDeleteI especially love the added mistletoe, so you are guaranteed to catch something if you kiss them!
ReplyDeleteI love the duct tape ornaments, but the rhinovirus with the Santa hat would be the greatest thing ever to hit my tree.
ReplyDeleteLove the duct tape, very creative! I'm definately telling my husband about this, because duct tape is like gold in this house. If you want someone to smile buy them a roll of colored duct tape.
ReplyDeleteThats awesome! Love the light saber ornament. My son would love to make one. lol
ReplyDeleteI have to say I love the tree!!
ReplyDeleteAnd everyone needs a little disease decoration, though in my house it is fitting. The holiday season is all about being sick here.
Would LOVE to have these!! I am a major germophobe...
ReplyDeleteSitting here w/a kiddo with a a stomach bug, missing my other kiddo's very first holiday pagent. Whee.
ReplyDeleteawesome!
ReplyDeletelove the tree! and the little germs are too cute!!
ReplyDeleteOnce again your blog has made my day a happier place; something I desperately needed today after a ridiculous meeting with my son's teachers at school! (Side note: Why do they think that when they do the things I specifically said not to, he would perform better for them?) Thank you for reminding me of the humorous side of this! I wish I had thought of duct tape ornaments! My kids would have had a blast making them. I will file this away for next year. Also, the microbes are GREAT!
ReplyDeleteLove the germs! B/c its just not christmas till someone gets sick!
ReplyDeleteI love the microbes!
ReplyDeleteI am totally jealous of your tree! Also, would love to win those microbes.
ReplyDeleteThis is a super cute idea! My son decided he wanted to choose which ornaments he wanted to put on the tree this year, which was fine with me. It was intresting to see what he chose. ALL of his ornaments, a couple of my sister's...and one of mine...just one. All of the ornaments are on the front side of the tree, with one on the side facing the window. It is of the nativity and he felt that was the most important one to see. And we *had* to have blinky lights. I had to search the whole box for the blinky lights! Natrually they were the last ones at the bottom...
ReplyDeleteI am impressed that he wanted blinky lights, those usaully bother him. But he is going with it this year, so I am happy!
Those microbes are super cute! My son would totally love them. He is taking a really intrest in science as of lately!
I love giant microbes! I find it hysterical to be in toy stores and listen to parents explain syphilis to their children.
ReplyDeleteummmm.... Yes! Please! I have a germaphobe sister who's already getting black death- that would be a perfect addition to her gift *chuckles evily*
ReplyDeleteSO cool!
ReplyDeleteI love the microbes! And your duct tape ornaments look great - where do you get colored duct tape?!
ReplyDeleteI told my husband that if he got me duct tape in every color it came in, I'd be the happiest woman in the world on Christmas morning. Seriously. It comes in like TWENTY colors.
ReplyDeletehappy crafty festivus! love the light saber.
ReplyDeleteWay to rock the duct tape ornaments! I agree with your post, the e coli with antlers is so festive! Love it.
ReplyDeleteOMG... these ornaments are freaking awesome! I may have to order some if I dont win ; )
ReplyDeleteI love your crafty tree!! And the giant microbes My son certainly needs some of these. LOL. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThose are great! (The microbes AND the duct tape ornaments!)
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun idea! I'm sure the kids are having a blast making ornaments for the tree!
ReplyDeleteAugh!
ReplyDeleteMust! Have! MICROBES!!!
I was going to get them for my mom (works in a hospital lab) for christmas, because she has the E. coli ones at work, but have been completely broke..
And the duct tape tree is fabulous... :)
*hugs*
Jamie
Awesome!
ReplyDeleteYay!
ReplyDeleteMuch like our family, the tree seems normal at first... Priceless! I love it! I'm from Oregon so I met your tree a few years ago before it headed to Texas.
ReplyDeleteI am totally inspired to wack-out our Festivus. Mazel tov!
My 19yo geektastic daughter who reads microbiology textbooks for fun (no. really.) would LOVE these!
ReplyDeleteAfter this year's twin toddler treemageddon, duct tape ornaments are looking really good right now! And the microbes would fit in perfectly with the real ones who've taken up residence for the holidays around here... :P
ReplyDeleteOH please pick the winner soon! If it's free it's me but I will buy them if I don't win.
ReplyDeleteNothing says Christmas like a cold!
ReplyDeleteLove them! And I NEED the brain cell - it might end up being the only one in my house by Christmastime. :P
ReplyDeleteI love the Duct tape tree. You ought to forward your tree pic to the Duct tape headquarters and see if they give you some free duct tape;)
ReplyDeleteWait... stop everything.... push pause a second. You FOUND YOUR VACUUM CLEANER? That's just buckets of awesome. And I LOVE the smell when vacuuming up the needles. Unfortunately,Scrooge lives here and demands and fake tree. SUCH a let down.
ReplyDeleteLoving the giant microbes, and if I win, they will be MINE, all MINE!.. Okay, Okay. I'll share. Sometimes.
Holy snot bubbles those are adorable!!!
ReplyDeleteOMG--I *so* want those! I have a collection (and have for about 7 years now). I love showing of my petri dish of black death. ;-)
ReplyDeleteLove the duct tape ornaments! My hubby would totally get into those, although he claims if it isn't the original silver, it ain't really duct tape. ;-)
Those are SO SO cool!!! I would love to have them as ornaments, but guess that they'd be yanked off at first opportunity to be played with, like all those Disney ornaments I paid a small fortune for. Love your duct tape ornaments too..I am so stealing that idea!!!
ReplyDeleteI love those microbe ornaments!!
ReplyDeleteYay microbes!
ReplyDeleteMy husband the science geek would appreciate the microbe ornaments. Your duct tape tree is very geeky Martha Stewart. Great job.
ReplyDelete-Bridget
LOVE the duct tape tree! My kids were all 'OH! Can we do that!' now I have some crafts for them this weekend!
ReplyDeleteDuct tape really CAN be used for anything! I love the microbes :)
ReplyDeleteYou know, I would really love these. Really.
ReplyDeletePerhaps I'll make some duct tape ornaments for my in-laws this year...
Love love LOVE- festive contagions! (I think a mobile might be made from those, and appreciated more than once a year..)
ReplyDeleteJust when you thought microbes couldn't get any cuter, they don Christmas apparel. Awesome!
ReplyDeleteLOL, I love the Christmas microbes! And the duct tape light saber is perfect.
ReplyDeleteThese are awesome because they are indestructible! Love the duct tape ornament idea! Amanda
ReplyDeletePlease let me be the winner!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThose are adorable. (Also, Anna's comment just made me choke on my tea with helpless laughter.)
ReplyDeleteOk, I'll be honest. I want those microbes. I think they're awesome. And the duct tape tree i wonderful. I think I'll give my husband that idea and set him free. :)
ReplyDeleteOh my word, those are beyond adorable!!!
ReplyDeleteOMG!!! your duct tape ornaments and the Christmas microbes are amazing :)
ReplyDeletei'm a jew, which means i so have to win them.
ReplyDeletecute germs!
ReplyDeleteI love the "cleverness" of your family!
ReplyDeletethat is sooo cool!!
ReplyDeleteI saw a Lego Death Star ornament that I'm trying convince my eldest he can make. Why not? We live the SW thing here (my 4yr old & 18mth were having a light saber fight the other day!!) so why not have that theme on the tree too?!
Argh! I can't find the link for you, and kids have gone out to put themselves in the car - I guess it's time to go!
We had our winter wood delivered even tho it's summer here, and it's sitting in our drive smelling wonderful everytime I walk back in the gate. That's my happy at the moment.
Not so much the thought of having to stack it all! :O)
OMG those microbes are so cute! I would be honored and THRILLED to be the proud recipient of such natural antlered wonders!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHoly crap, that thing is AWESOME! BTW, I do not recommend cutting your own tree as we did this one year. The thing is, the trees look TINY in the middle of the field. However, when we got ours home, we realized it was GINORMOUS. We had to trim the hell out of it to fit it through the door and then it was so squatty looking that we called it the Christmas bush. Also, it as so wobbly on the stand that I had to 'secure it' to the wall with fishing line. I shit you not. Merry freakin Christmas.
ReplyDeleteOooh, I love the microbe ornaments!!! I want them! The duct tape tree is awesome! ~KRiffe
ReplyDeleteYou can let Giant Microbes know their give-away worked! I just ordered my daughters plush neurons and platelets for Christmas. Knowing my girls, they will *love* them. We're pretty geeky too. :)
ReplyDeleteI am a biology teacher and I have Giant Microbes for 'ear infection' and 'bad breath.' I would LOVE the holiday ones. I use the other two as "fidget items" for my ADD/ADHD students to keep their hands busy instead of tapping their hands or pencils on their desks, etc.
ReplyDeleteThese are fantastic. Love the Microbes. Duct tape ornaments are also muy fabuloso.
ReplyDeleteThe microbes are too cute. Should go well with our stuffed dust mite!
ReplyDelete*squee* Festivus for the rest of us! We were *that* close to getting a Festivus pole to put up next to the tree, but I couldn't figure out how to hang our collection of light up Star Wars ornaments on it.
ReplyDeleteLove the duct tape tree! I'm impressed that you were able to get a real one :-)
ReplyDeleteDude, our library did TONS of craft programs on duct tape, but I'm shocked to say they never did Christmas ornaments! I'll have to tell our teen director. lol
ReplyDeleteAnd I LOVE the microbes! OMG! Those are too hilarious. You rock!
The duct tape tree is great, very original and ornaments should last. I didn't realize that microbes made ornaments. These are wicked neat!
ReplyDeleteOhhhhhh man! My dad is in the middle of his first round of chemo, so we've been killing these suckers left and right while his immune system is suppressed. I'm sure this would totally crack him up!
ReplyDeleteLove the duct tape tree. Very original. The microbes are so cute. My DH runs the wastewater treatment facility nearby and I bought him an ecoli for Christmas two years ago. This set is perfect for us to put on the tree. (although, randomizer never picks high numbers, sigh).
ReplyDelete~physicsmom
Edited - WV = mazloe as "in mazloe's hierarchy of needs, the Christmas microbes are clearly at the top."
Love those funny little guys.
ReplyDeleteThose are so cute. I've wanted to get some for my kids forever but can never decide which ones to get. LOL
ReplyDeleteI used to love getting a real tree, then I realized it was making us all sick every year :( major allergies. Anywho, we picked up a 7ft. fake one at WalMart last year for around $70 and it's beautiful! And no one's gotten sick, so yay!
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, the microbes are cute too.
oh my goodness, those are adorable!!!
ReplyDelete