How to Make a Jewelry Hanger out of Tree Branches

Do it yourself. DIY. Make your own. What ever you want to call it: I’m about it.

This craft cost me all of $6 to make. Literally, six bucks. I got lucky. The wood is from a cedar branch from one of my best friend’s backyard. Her husband had cut off a ton of branches from their tree and it was going to be used as firewood. Naturally, I asked for a few freebies and they, very kindly, obliged.

String, gold hooks and the sandpaper where what cost the most. The fact that similar hanger items sell between the $30s to $50s on etsy, I feel like a winner. Not only that but my bedroom is getting a great vibe from it.

Here’s all you need to make this Boho Hanger:

Thin branches
Sandpaper
Thick twine
Pen
Measuring tape
1/2in hooks (I chose gold)
1 nail
1 hammer

To start, depending on who you are, you might want to wash down your branch. I am one of those people. I love nature. Not in my bedroom. The moment I started sanding I realized I needed to be over the sink, bathtub or covered plastic area. I also realized, I needed to clean my branch first. If you have a garden and a garden hose, consider yourself lucky. I live in the city and have to use the sink.After washing it down, I did let it sit for a bit before sanding it because I didn’t want to sand wet branch. I also did not wear gloves, which I would do in the future just because my hands we all dirty. For those of you sensitive to trees/have allergies, consider wearing gloves. Hives are no ones friend.

The sanding took the longest amount of time. Primarily because I am a perfectionist and wanted to maintain the look of the branch. I sanded down all of the stubs to be smooth, in case I moved it later and didn’t get pricked. I also smoothed the ends of the branch to rid sharp edges.

After came the fun part. Measuring where the hooks should go. This is where the pen and measuring tape came in handy. I did my best to make a line all the way across but I love how the branch is curves and imperfect. Which made some of the hook measurements imperfect. Some are placed a bit forward and others a bit back.

Once you’re marked where your hooks will be, push the tip of one of the hook screws into the pen dot. Working with cedar is great because the wood is surprisingly softer than expected. Mine all twisted in pretty easily. When they are all screwed in, make sure the hooks are all facing the exact same way so it’s easier to add your jewelry to.

When I got the rope, I thought it would be the perfect thickness to hold a branch. I wanted to make sure the look matched what was in my mind and it turned out to be right. Any thicker and it would have taken over the full look. Any thinner … and it would have looked like the branch was floating.

All you have to do is tie the rope to either side of your branch. I did use a loop knot to tie it together because I didn’t want the rope to slip off of the branch. I also didn’t want it to come untied in the middle of the night, fall, and scare the crap out of me.

To hang it up, take your trusty hammer and nail but first measure to see how far it’ll hang above your dresser. I wanted mine higher up in case I added a smaller one later for earrings and bracelets. Hammer that nail into the wall, center the rope on the nail, straighten and admire!