I tried to make a Jewelry Christmas Tree with a Styrofoam cone, costume jewelry, and vintage jewelry—brooches, bits and pieces of bracelets, necklaces, and sewing pins.
What a disaster!
I pinned one brooch and went to put another, but the pins popped out of the last one. I tried again, and the pins popped again, so I gave up and tried a better method.
How to Make a Jewelry Christmas Tree
It’s better to use a paper mache cone than a Styrofoam cone to craft a Jeweled Christmas tree. No pins to push in or pop out! YES 🙂
I purchased a twelve-inch paper mache cone from a craft store (Hobby Lobby). Bonus points: It was on sale at half-price, so I bought three.
I plan to make a gold and pearl tree, a silver and blue one, and a gold and pink jeweled Christmas tree.
I first chose gold and pearl, so I painted the cone with metallic gold acrylic paint (Folkart Acrylic Paint).
While the paint dried, I gathered my tools, jewelry, and glue.
Tools you need include;
- Wire Cutters
- Pliers
- Tweezers
- Paint Glue Spreader or Popsicle Stick
- Plastic or Glass Containers
- Disposable Gloves (recommended if using E600 Craft Adhesive)
Jewelry you can use include;
- Brooches
- Pins
- Earrings
- Necklaces
- Bracelets
- Craft Beads
- Craft Jewels
- Craft Gems
The glue you can use includes;
- E600 Craft Adhesive (my glue of choice)
- Hot Glue
Now, you need crafting space to work on your jewelry tree.
Make sure the space you choose is suitable to store your project for a few weeks or more without being disturbed by anyone.
It takes time to glue the jewelry onto the cone, wait for it to dry, and add more. It would be a shame if someone picked it up when the glue was wet or accidentally knocked it over and damaged it.
As you look for space, consider how you will lay the cone down to glue jewelry. Will you lay it on a table using blankets or something else to keep it in place?
I use a Woven Rattan Basket with blankets inside to secure the cone.
Now for the fun part: selecting jewelry to glue on the tree.
Do you want to use specific colors, random colors, large or small pieces of jewelry, or a mixture of the two?
You can be as creative as you wish.
Remember that it takes a lot of jewelry to cover the cone, so you want an ample supply to finish the project.
I selected several large brooches, iridescent jewels, craft gems, and bits and pieces of necklaces and bracelets.
The colors followed gold, pearl, amber, and iridescent schemes.
The best place to start is at the bottom of the tree.
I found a bracelet in my stash made with gold-colored triangles.
The etched design with a gem in the center was perfect around the bottom.
I placed an amber gem between every third one all the way around.
Notice how the jewelry hangs over the bottom edge slightly to enhance the appearance of the Christmas Tree.
The big pieces of jewelry are glued on second.
It’s best to place the most significant pieces around the base of the cone, leaving space between them for other gems.
Then, medium-size jewelry should be placed around the middle, and smaller pieces should be placed around the top of the cone.
If you have beads or pearls, you can glue them to fill in the empty spaces. This design creates a good balance for the finished project.
As you glue pieces onto the cone, wait for them to dry completely before turning the cone to add more.
I prefer to work on small sections at a time and let the glue dry for several hours.
I use large and small tubes of the E600 Craft Adhesive in tight spaces for the best results, as it is highly recommended for jewelry art.
While using E600 Craft Adhesive, work in a well-ventilated area. Wear disposable gloves to keep the glue off your hands.
Do not add too much glue, or the jewelry and beads will slip out of place. Keep an eye on them until they start to set and push back into place as needed.
Keep gluing until your Jewelry Christmas Tree is filled with beautiful gems and sparkling jewels. Once finished, you can add a tree topper and set it on a small stand, table, or whatever you decide.
I opted to paint a small wooden cupcake stand with Metallic Silver Acrylic paint and purchased a gold star tree topper. Here is the finished Jewelry Christmas Tree.
