Faux Metal Heart Tree

One look at this Faux Galvanized Metal Heart Tree and you will be shocked that it’s made of recycled cardboard! This copycat decor was created to look like just like the Hobby Lobby piece, but for a fraction of the cost. I know this faux metal tree is in anyones budget! Grab those Amazon boxes, and let’s get to crafting!

Faux Galvanized Metal Heart Tree decor made on a budget with cardboard as a copycat of Hobby Lobby decor. Corrugated cardboard painted silver with faux rust edges to look like metal.

Welcome to our very first episode of “Copycat or Floppycat”, where you send me photos of decor and items that you see in stores or online, and I try to make it on a budget!

This is our very first one and it was sent to me by Amy Hughes and it was $39.99 from Hobby Lobby. Guess how much I made it for? FREE!

The original metal heart tree on the shelf of hobby lobby.

Yup! I made this bad boy with cardboard and other things I had at home! If you had NOTHING already to make this, it would still cost you under $5 to make.

After I remake the item that was sent to me live over on my Facebook page, you all vote whether it was a Success (Copycat), or if it was a flop (Floppycat). Hence the name of the series…Copycat or Floppycat!

This was so much fun, and it was definitely a challenge. I take these things very seriously and get really into making it look as much like the original as possible. So what do you think? I’ll tell you one thing, it looks uh-maz-ing on my Sunflower Gallery Wall!

Copycat OR Floppycat!? Read on to see how I did it.

This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience (which means if you make a purchase after clicking a link I will earn a small commission but it won’t cost you a cent more!)

Supplies Needed to Make a Faux Metal Heart Tree

Corrugated cardboard sitting on a table next to a photo of the copycat decor on the hobby lobby shelf.

Cardboard
Antique Wax or Stain
Paint: Brown, Black, White, Metallic Silver
Sticks from outside
Rust effect Paste (you can use cinnamon and Mod Podge)
Popsicle sticks
Tree Trunk Template (I made this and posted it on FB)
Hot glue gun

How to Make a Faux Metal Heart Tree

I made these beautiful Heart Tree decor on video, so you can WATCH it or click on the picture right below.

Amanda holding the completed project on a facebook live thumbnail.

Watch the video here

Start by tracing out the shape of the tree trunk on a large piece of cardboard, and cutting it out.

I free handed this by looking at the photo, but I traced it and made a template for you all and you can get that from the Facebook post here. All you do is print the photos out full size, cut them out, tape them together and voila. Template!

Then, cut 17 hearts out of corrugated cardboard (you can get a template on Google), some bigger and some a tad smaller, but all pretty similar in size. A tip to separate the corrugated part from the rest is to spray the top of the cardboard with water, and then let is sit and soak in for about 3 minutes. The top part should peel right off and leave you with the clean corrugated part.

Painting the hearts to look like metal seems hard but its really very easy! First paint them all silver. Then take a stiff brush or spouncer and sporadically dab white all over it. Do the same thing even more lightly with black. Keep layering it by dabbing more white, then black as you go until you get the look you like.

Always start by going super lightly with the white and black since it’s much easier to add more than it is to take it off, but if you do use too much thats ok! Just go back over it with some silver/grey.

Next, use the rust effect paste and dab it around the outer edge of each heart, starting with the brown and going over it very lightly with the orange. If you don’t have the paste, you can achieve a similar faux rust look using brown paint, cinnamon, and Mod Podge.

Closeup of the corrugated cardboard hearts made to look like galvanized metal with rust around the edges,

Now for our tree trunk! Paint the entire thing all brown first. The horizontally dry brush some white, and then some black until it begins to look like wood.

Again, start lightly with the dry brushing and add to it from there.

Closeup of the trees trunk made of cardboard that is painted to look like real wood.

Time to put it all together! Start gluing the hearts on one by one. I looked at the photo and copied the placement of each one the best that I could. Use sticks outside to connect that hearts that go outwards on the branches.

You can see below how I used a stick to connect 3 of them.

Closeup showing that real sticks from outside are used to hold together some of the heart "branches".

Here is what it looks like from the back, to give you a better idea of how to attach the hearts.

The back of the project showing the tree trunk and branches cut from cardboard and being reinforced by popsicle sticks.

Then, glue a couple of popsicle sticks to reinforce the cardboard, just in case so that it doesn’t bend.

Faux metal heart tree made with cardboard made to look like hobby lobby copycat decor.

What do think!? Is it a………….

Side by side photo of the decor that amanda made on the left that says "copycat" and the decor from Hobby Lobby on the right that says "floppycat".

I’d love to hear what you think, leave me a comment below and let me know if it’s a Copycat or a Floppycat! I think I already know what you’re gonna say though!

How stunning does it look with the Sunflower Leopard Home Decor on the Riser that we made in The CRafterparty? *Update: I added the Galvanized Metal Heart Tree to my Sunflower Gallery Wall and it is absolute crafty Perfection!

A white riser with leopard bow with sunflower and leopard house decor on top. The completed cardboard faux metal tree on the right with e faux wood backdrop.

Are you going to make a Faux Galvanized Metal Heart Tree? Are you going to make ANY copycat decor of things you saw in stores? If you do, I’d love to see it! Pop on over to our free Craftspiration Facebook group, and join in on the fun by posting a pic of your Tiered Trays, DIY’s and crafts. I just love to see all your creative and crafty creations.

If you’ve got a million projects on your crafting ‘to-do’ list like I do, than you need my FREE Craft Project Planner so you can plan to make *all the things*! When you sign up for the craft planner, I’ll also send you lot’s of fun, easy, and budget friendly ideas for you to fill it up with!