How to Make a Necklace Holder Out of a Tree Branch
- 1). Choose a tree branch for the body of your jewelry tree. Go into your backyard, a local public park, or the woods and look around. Find a branch two to three inches thick with a lot of sprawling twigs. The twigs should be spaced evenly and fairly far apart. Look at the ground as well as the trees; you may not have to cut anything if there is a suitable fallen branch.
- 2). Cut your branch, if necessary, from the tree. Cut a foot to 18 inches of branch. Saw straight through the branch, making sure the cut end is flat. Peel off as much bark as you can with your fingers, scraping away more bark with a knife, pushing the knife away from you. You don't need to remove all of the bark if you like the way it looks.
- 3). Set the branch aside for about 24 hours so it can dry out. Even a fallen branch may need to dry if it is wet from rain or snow. Once it is dry, sand the branch lightly with 80 and 120 grit sandpaper. This removes any rough patches and helps bring out the grain of the wood.
- 4). Varnish or stain the branch. If you like the natural wood color, use clear varnish. You can also use acrylic paint to make designs on your branch, but this it optional, and should be done before varnishing. Allow the branch to dry overnight.
- 5). Find a wooden base at a local craft store. There are flat circles that look like tree trunk slabs, as well as those with decorative edging. Find a heavy base, at least three inches thick, that you like. Varnish, paint, or stain the base to your taste and allow it to dry overnight.
- 6). Set the tree branch in the center of the base. Hold a screw about a fourth of an inch from the bottom of the branch and screw it in at a 45-degree angle. Use screws three inches long or more to make sure the screw reaches the base. Use three to five screws to secure the tree to the base. Dab paint over the screw heads to hide them.
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