DIY Starburst Tree Topper

Our tree has been without a topper since we put it up.  I really didn't mind it that way, but it felt kind of bare to me.  So I came up with this really easy and inexpensive way to dress it up a bit.  It's inspired by my love for gold and starburst designs.  

Here's what you need: 2 bags of wooden skewers, 1 5" styrofoam ball, 1 piece of PVC pipe about 3 inches long, and gold spraypaint or whatever color you like.

I took a picture of the label for the pipe I used in case you want to use the same one.  Ignore that connector piece in the picture I think someone just randomly put it there.  It is 5 ft long so you'll have to cut it.  I'm not sure what I'll do with the rest of it, but I'm sure I'll find something to use it for eventually.  You may be able to find a smaller piece I just couldn't find anything smaller than this one.

Then, I got going and forgot to take some progress pictures.  Basically just stick your piece of pipe into the styrofoam ball.  You want it to go in about a 1/2" or so to make sure it stays.  I also added a little bit of hot glue just to help it stay put.  It will look like a styrofoam lollipop.  Then start sticking your skewers in all over.  There was really no method to the madness once I got going.  I started at the bottom and worked my way up.  Then, when I got to the halfway point I started at the top and worked my way back down.    

When I was done it looked something like this.

The spray paint really made it all come together.  I used my favorite gold metallic spray paint seen below.  You could use another color if you wanted to.  I will say that I tried another gold spraypaint first and it didn't adhere well to the green styrofoam.  Once I switched back to my old faithful it worked great and covered really easily.

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We have a fake tree so I just slipped it right on top of one of the top branches.  

It was seriously so easy to make and cost me less than $10!