It’s recently come to my attention that I have too much jewelry and not enough places to put it. A real problem right? I thought about getting a Jewelry Box but that seemed dull and overdone. I wanted something different. While browsing Pinterest I noticed a few wire-wrapped trees. People were using them for decoration or as earring holders. It didn’t look too difficult. I figured I could easily make a Jewelry Tree of my own design and I wasn’t disappointed, turns out the Dollar Tree had everything I needed.

I will admit, at first, my ‘tree’ wasn’t very impressive. It was gangly and kind of ugly. I started to have second thoughts about this project but I wanted to finish it anyways. I am really glad I did! The tree took on a life of its own as I kept working on it. Sometimes you can’t appreciate the beauty of an art project until the entire piece comes together.

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DIY Dollar Store Jewelry Tree

Supplies

From the House

• Needlenose Pliers
• Strong Scissors

From the Dollar Tree

• Sturdy Floral Wire – I used 8 rolls, 5 purple, 3 gold
• Display Easel – I considered using a photo frame. By removing the glass and wrapping the wire around the frame I think you could make a really pretty jewelry tree that could be hung on the wall.
• Small White Rocks – Regular natural rocks could also work if you wanted a less fantasy themed look.

Total Cost at the Dollar Tree – $10

Directions

Starting Out

Start with the main color you want your tree to be. After a bit of testing, I found it easiest to attach the white rocks to the end of the wire before attaching it to the photo holder. I started by using the needle nose pliers to wrap the wire tightly around the stones. I have never wire wrapped a stone before and it does take a bit of practice. It seemed best to choose long stones with some variation in their width. The width variation helped keep them from falling out. Stones with notches and chips in them where I could nestle the wire were even better. Sometimes I had to pinch the wire tighter around the rock when I was finished.

I tried doing this by hand but it was much easier with the pliers.

Build your Frame

Once you have a rock attached to your wire it’s time to start building the frame of your tree. At this point, your tree won’t look very much like a tree. It will actually look pretty awful – you will soon see why I was dubious about this project!

It’s okay! Keep going!

Wrap your stone tipped wire securely around the base of the photo holder. Bend the wire so that it resembles a tree branch. Don’t worry if your curves aren’t perfect and your wire isn’t straight. I have yet to see a tree that follows perfect lines! Just think about the overall shape of a tree and keep adding wires until you are satisfied with the basic shape.

Remember to make some of your branches reach towards the back of the photo holder. If you don’t do this your tree will end up front heavy and be prone to tipping over.

Add Thickness and Detail

Once you’re satisfied with the basic shape of your tree its time to start fleshing it out. You don’t need to add any more rocks. Continue to use the colored wire you picked as your main to add thickness to your tree. Make your trunk thicker, branch out your roots. Use smaller portions of the wire to create tapered branches that are thicker towards the truck and thinner towards the rock ‘leaves’.

Use your pliers to create tight spirals of wire and attach them to the tree in various places. This recreates places where a branch might have been cut or broken off in a real tree. Add Smaller branches off your main ones. Really let your imagination go crazy and you will soon see a real tree in your creation.

Finishing Touches

Now you get to use your secondary color! Here you want to really make your tree shine! Use your pliers to create whorls and attach them to your tree. Add small sections to your branches to create definition and character. Create the illusion of bark and twisted knots. Add detail until you’re happy with the way your tree looks!

Remember a tree doesn’t have to be perfect. That’s the beauty of nature. Display your beautiful tree as a modern piece of sculpture or drape it in your jewelry. It will be great either way!

Some things to Keep in mind!

• Strong Scissors are a must. I used some heavy duty kitchen scissors and they worked pretty well. Honestly, wire cutters might have been better.
• Don’t buy thinner wire unless you want to spend more time reinforcing your design or never want to hang anything on your tree. The thicker floral wire is essential for strength.
• Make sure your design is balanced. Either bend your tree trunk so that the weight is displaced farther back or have enough branches reaching backward to act as a counterbalance. I ended up having to bend my trunk slightly back to keep my tree from tipping over!
• If you don’t want the hassle of wire wrapping stones I expect hot gluing some beads or small florals to the wire when you were finished would be quite pretty!
• If you have a lot of long necklaces and intend to use your tree as a Jewelry holder then keep your tree’s height in mind when you are designing it. Otherwise, your jewelry will have to be draped or it will drag on the ground. I probably should have made my tree taller!

Other Dollar Tree Projects

If you enjoyed this project you might also enjoy

• DIY Spring planter from the Dollar Tree
• DIY Dollar Tree Candle Holders
• Spring Wreath – A DIY Dollar Store Project
• DIY Dollar Tree Easter Vase

 

Let me know if you give this a try or have any questions in the comments below!