This Tree of Life was inspired by the paper cutouts made by the Flandreau Santee Sioux tribe of South Dakota. The Native Americans of New England and the upper Midwest were making cutout silhouettes from birch bark before the first European settlers made contact with them. Cutouts served as patterns for beadwork, quillwork, and other ornaments to be applied to clothing, canoes, tools and toys. Through trade with Europeans, these tribes obtained scissors, and their cutouts became more complex. Birch bark gave way to paper and cutouts began to be viewed not just as patterns, but as art.

This Tree of Life comes packed flat and is made of unpainted plywood. Enjoy it as is, or paint your very own (painted set shown here is for inspiration only). You will also need paint, markers, or crayons of your choosing. Finished tree is 15.5 x 10.5 inches

Why we love this: The simple shapes of the design leave room for loads of inspiration and creative freedom! What will you create?