How to Make a Holder for Necklaces

Even at day's end, keep necklaces on display with a hand-crafted necklace holder.

Help your jewelry make a statement even when you are not wearing it by creating a jewelry display that doubles as an artistic focal point in your home. A well-crafted necklace holder helps keep jewelry organized, avoiding the tangled mess that can sometimes occur. Using natural branches and spray paint, this project is easy to make and simple to customize to fit your personal style. The project’s simplicity also makes it a good project for a mother-daughter weekend project.

Things You'll Need

• Large branch
• Sponge
• Bucket
• Dish soap
• Spray paint (optional)
• Drop cloth or pieces of cardboard
• Vase
• Fish gravel, small pebbles or marbles

Instructions

1. Fill a bucket with warm water and 2 or 3 teaspoons of liquid dish soap. Remove any leaves, dirt, debris or loose bark from the branch. Dip a sponge into the cleaning solution and scrub to clean the branch. Sit it in the sun for two or three hours to dry.

2. Place a drop cloth or flat piece of cardboard on the lawn to create a work surface for painting. Place the dry, clean branch on the work surface. Spray paint the branch using thin, even coats. Allow the branch to dry overnight.

3. Check the branch for any missed spots. Apply a second coat of spray paint and complete any necessary touch ups. Allow the branch to dry completely.

4. Fill a vase about half full with fish gravel, marbles, pebbles or other similar product. Set the dry, painted branch into the vase. Set the completed hanger on a dresser, side table or other flat surface to display.

5. Hang necklaces artfully on the completed branch. Arrange necklaces together how you wear them. Arranging them this way allows you to easily grab the necklaces you most often pair together. Hang longer necklaces toward the top and shorter ones toward the bottom to prevent necklaces dragging on the table.

Tips & Warnings

• When making this project for a young girl, use a plastic vase to withstand wear and tear better than glass. Cut branches from backyard trees or purchase decorative branches from a home decorating store. Be sure branches are at least 1 ½ inches thick and healthy, as dry, brittle branches may crumble under the weight of jewelry. In addition to basic, colored spray paint, consider using metallic finish and glitter spray paints. When possible, paint outdoors on a warm, dry day. Painting outdoors helps improve ventilation.

• Do not paint on wet or excessively humid days, as excess moisture slows drying times and may cause paint to adhere unevenly.

References

• Sparkle Daily; Sparkle Cents: 5 Cheap & Creative Ways to Display Your Jewelry; June 2010
• Apartment Therapy; Roundup: Creative Jewelry Display Options; Beth Zeigler; November 2008
• Craft + Show Designs; Jewelry Display Tutorial; October 2009
• Hope Studios; Tutorial Tuesday: Fun Branch Jewelry Display; May 2009