DIY: Vintage Costume Jewelry Tree

A Jewelry Tree is the perfect addition to your Christmas decor and a fun family "heirloom."  It is a beautiful way to display your old jewelry and children as well as adults will be delighted to see it.  You can make it with or without lights as large or small as you want.  The one I will show you how to make is lighted and large.  I am working on some smaller non-lighted ones.  I will post those later.

To make a Jewelry Tree you first need jewelry.  You can use your own, ask your family for old or broken pieces they don't want and of course you can shop for it!  Don't worry about pieces that are missing a stone or two, no one will notice!  Oh and the more sparkles the better. 

Once you have accumulated enough for the size of tree you want to make comes the assembly part.  Here's what you'll need:

Fabric
A large picture frame and a piece of wood cut to fit inside the frame or if it is sturdy the back of the frame will do or something re-purposed like an old cabinet door (that's what this one is on)
Adhesive or Super Glue
Duct Tape
Spray Paint (optional)
Ribbon trim (optional)
Christmas Lights (optional) splurge for the LED.  They don't get hot!
Picture Brackets (if you don't use a picture frame) (optional if you don't want to hang it)

Use a pencil to outline your tree onto the wood.  Drill holes where you want the lights to be.  Make sure to put a light through to test the fit.  Cut your fabric to the size of the inside of the frame.  Lay the fabric right side down and put the wood piece with holes on top so that you can mark where to cut holes for the lights in the fabric.  Spray paint your frame or re-purposed wood the desired color and then glue your fabric down after its dry.  Make sure to test your glue and fabric together first in case it doesn't work well with it or makes it stiff.  Put your lights through the holes and use duct tape to secure the light wire to the back.  No one will see the back except for you and if for some reason you need to pull a bulb out this makes it rather easy.  After that just glue your pieces down in a tree pattern.

If you don't want to do the lighted version just follow the instructions omitting the light steps.  It is easier to do an unlighted version, but the lights are beautiful and really make the jewelry sparkle.  You can also make other designs like a star, angel, present, dove or candle. 
 
This is one of my most cherished memories of my Grandmother.  She made hers with help from my Grandfather.  She put it up every year until my Grandpa died.  It was something they had worked on together and she couldn't bear to hang it after he passed away.  My Grandpa built a box for theirs and on a piece of paper he had written down the years they hung it up or if they didn't (like the year my mom had cancer) why they didn't hang it.  My Grandmother and her neighbor would collect jewelry at garage and estate sales.  When they had their kitchen cabinets refaced they "upcycled" the old cabinet doors and used them as their Jewelry Tree bases and frames.  We just found the one pictured below in the house of her next door neighbor and best friend.  We aren't sure which one of them made it.  My Grandmothers tree had passed to my aunt and this one was given to me.  The lights didn't work and since I had been collecting jewelry to make my own tree I decided to re-do this one in her honor.  I plan on displaying it every year and passing it on to my children, along with a little book about where we hung it and what was going on that year. 
 
My oldest daughter helped me with the jewelry and where to place it.  I see the same delight in her that I had as a child.  I hope it will be as magical for all my children as it was (and still is) for me.  Practically speaking it is perfect for small places or the year you decide to not have a traditional tree (kitten, one year old!).  If you make one please send me a picture I would love to see it!

Muffin pans made it easy to sort and see all of the jewelry.  I also cleaned all of the jewelry before attaching it. 

I placed it on the mantel.  If you look closely to the left is my Angel, I've had her since I was a little girl.