Create a Decorative Jewelry Stand using a Tabletop Christmas Tree

Christmas Tree Bling
Holiday Jewelry Display

If you get tired of looking for that holiday pin you know you have, then you want to read the tips below to find these items quickly by displaying them during the holiday rather than hiding them in jewelry boxes or cabinet drawers.  Included are ideas to enhance the holiday project and better display the jewelry.  Also watch this blog or YouTube for a demonstration video on this technique later.

Steps to create the jewelry tree include:

   1.      Remove artificial tree from box and assemble.

   2.      Optional:  Add garland if desired.

   3.      Hang collected pins/brooches on tree.

   4.      Put rings, bracelets, and earrings on tree.

   5.      Drape necklaces on tree.

   6.      Optional:  Fill in gaps on tree with bows.

   7.      Optional:  Use holiday scarves around bottom tree if desired.

Tips for decorating the tree:

I use a traditional 2-foot green table-top tree with bendable branches.  However, it is ok to select a color tree that matches the décor of the room where it will be displayed. If you do not have much jewelry or the jewelry is light, you can use the metal ornamental trees often found in home goods or house wares section at department stores.  You do not want lights on the tree if you have jewelry with wood, plastic, or fabric parts as the heat from bulbs may damage fashion jewelry.  Be sure to keep the original box to store the tree in for next year.

If the tree came with garland and you want to use that, go ahead.  Otherwise if you want garland, you can buy the smallest size you can find at the drugstore.  Or use what you have by unclasping a long strand of faux pearls and draping that around the tree from top to bottom.  Another alternative is to use Madi Gras beads that you still have.  You can cut these apart for single strands or knot together to keep the double strand look.  If you cut up your beads, store them in the tree box to re-use each year. 

There are different ways to hang the pins on your tree.  I like to put heavy pins on the top branch to create a strong line of pins to represent tree topper.  For the other pins, you can pin them on branches or place the clasp over the bent end of a branch.  Of if the brooches are delicate or heirloom, you may want to hang them using small ornament hooks or make ribbon loops from the clasp.  Put the pins on first so you can hang other jewelry items around them.

Stretch or bangle bracelets can be hung on branches.  Bracelets with clasp can be hung like icicles/tensile or opened and draped in mini-garland sections.  If you want to add your earrings to the tree as well, you can hang pairs of clips, hoops, or shepherd-style hooks over branches mixing them in among the other pieces.  For stud-type earrings, take a needle or safety pin to poke holes in a gift tag so you can add the posts and backs.  Put a ribbon or ornament hook through top if the gift tag and hang it on the back of the tree

Finishing with jewelry, drape any holiday necklaces on tree to get a ribbon effect.  Gently hang the cord or chain over the top branch with all the heavy pins and then holding the pendant portion drape it down the tree where it is not behind or over another piece of jewelry.  You do this so that the necklaces and other jewelry items to not get knocked off when the necklace is removed.  Remove the necklace in the opposite way by grasping the clasp and lifting upward until pendant is above the top of tree, then you can remove the cord/chain that is over top branch.

Some optional ideas to fill out the tree include adding bows to fill gaps or empty spaces and draping one or more holiday scarf around the bottom as a tree skirt.  You can choose a contrasting ribbon color to match your décor.  For instance if you choose a light pink tree for a bedroom where it will be displayed that has colors of cream, light pink and mauve, then you may want mauve or wine colored bows.  You can buy ribbon from a craft store to tie your own bows onto branches.  Or you can buy the twist-tie bows from drug or dollar stores Christmas displays in different velvety colors or get them in metallic versions.  If you have just one holiday scarf, let it be a tree skirt when you are not wearing it.  If you have lots of holiday scarves, place the tree in a small round tub before you begin decorating it.  Then just fill the tub with the scarves so you can see them all.