I was in a furniture store the other day and happened to see some garland on one of the tables made from branch pieces that were painted. I loved the look and decided that I would make my own from birch branches. Birch is so pretty naturally so I wanted to keep the natural colors. My DIY birch branch garland is so much fun to string together.
This is a very simple project to do and you can use the garland on a table, fireplace mantel, over a window treatment or to decorate a tree.
By using branches in varying thicknesses, I was able to pick up all the different colors. The thicker branches have the nice white bark on them while the thinner branches are still dark.
DIY Branch Garland
Step One: Cut branches, with a pruning shears, into two to four inch sections. Vary the sizes for interest. Try to get some variation in color by using some of the thicker lighter colored branches mixed with the dark.
Step Two: With a small drill bit, drill through each branch section. The hole only needs to be large enough for a needle to pass through.
Step Three: Cut a piece of beading elastic the length you want your garland to be. Begin stringing your branch sections onto the elastic.
By varying the sizes and colors, you get an interesting strand of garland to decorate with.
For another look, you can use any type of branch and white wash paint over it. I like this for when you need a white accent. It’s a nice clean look. Another option would be to paint the branches in one or more colors for a very artsy look. Little pieces of drift wood would be great to work with as well. I could picture that in a sun room or a lake cottage. You can definitely have fun with a project like this.
