( 
)Hi! This guide is to give you a few ideas for crafts or easy decorative projects using CYPRESS DRIFTWOOD! For beautiful cypress driftwood that you can use for these projects, visit my store, The Back Porch Shoppe.
1. Cypress Driftwood Trellis
2. Religious Cross on Cypress Driftwood Base
3. Driftwood Wind Chimes
4. Hanging Cypress Driftwood with Bromeliads or Air Plants (Tillandsia)
1. Cypress Driftwood Trellis
2. Religious Cross on Cypress Driftwood Base
3. Driftwood Wind Chimes
4. Hanging Cypress Driftwood with Bromeliads or Air Plants (Tillandsia)
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Supplies needed for project #1 (Cypress Driftwood Trellis): 6 assorted cypress branches, raffia, potted ivy plant.
Choose 6 cypress driftwood branches. I used 3 fairly straight branches for the 3 center supports. Push them into the dirt and then choose 2 branches that you can use for the "X" formation in the center. Tie the 4 ends of the "X" to the sides with raffia. I like the way raffia looks the best, but you can use anything else you prefer such as jute, twine, or even wire. Tie the 6th branch across the top. I've been having my driftwood trellis in the dirt for about 2 years now and it's just as strong as when I first made it! The driftwood trellis is a natural addition to your potted plant that creates instant natural beauty!
Choose a nice piece of cypress driftwood for the base, making sure that it sits level. Cut 2 pieces of barbed wire for the cross, the size you like. I used barbed wire because it represents the crown of thorns that Jesus wore. Hold the 2 pieces of barbed wire together in the cross form and wrap the intersection with the copper wire. Drill a hole in the driftwood (just big enough to fit the barbed wire) where you'd like the cross to stand. Mix your epoxy until warm and put a dab into the drilled hole. Insert the cross into the hole. Put a small dab on the wrapped copper wire on the cross also. This will keep the middle section tight. You may attach (with copper wire) a small charm on the either side of the cross. I like to use little charms that read "believe", "trust", or "love". A crystal or a medal would be nice as well. Finally, you can hot glue an air plant at the base of the cross if you like, and for a finishing touch wrap a little moss around the base of the cross/plant. I bought the air plants right here on eBay! Nice gift, easy to take care of!
Supplies needed for project #3 (Driftwood Wind Chimes ): Cypress driftwood, fishing line, pieces used for "chimes" such as stained glass, shells, crystals, agates, keys, old baby silver, buttons....be creative!
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Supplies needed for project #2 (Cross on Cypress Driftwood Base): Driftwood for base, barbed wire, air plant(s), epoxy, #26 gauge copper wire, small charm, medal, or crystal.
Choose a nice piece of cypress driftwood for the base, making sure that it sits level. Cut 2 pieces of barbed wire for the cross, the size you like. I used barbed wire because it represents the crown of thorns that Jesus wore. Hold the 2 pieces of barbed wire together in the cross form and wrap the intersection with the copper wire. Drill a hole in the driftwood (just big enough to fit the barbed wire) where you'd like the cross to stand. Mix your epoxy until warm and put a dab into the drilled hole. Insert the cross into the hole. Put a small dab on the wrapped copper wire on the cross also. This will keep the middle section tight. You may attach (with copper wire) a small charm on the either side of the cross. I like to use little charms that read "believe", "trust", or "love". A crystal or a medal would be nice as well. Finally, you can hot glue an air plant at the base of the cross if you like, and for a finishing touch wrap a little moss around the base of the cross/plant. I bought the air plants right here on eBay! Nice gift, easy to take care of!
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Supplies needed for project #3 (Driftwood Wind Chimes ): Cypress driftwood, fishing line, pieces used for "chimes" such as stained glass, shells, crystals, agates, keys, old baby silver, buttons....be creative!
Decide how many lines you'd like hanging down from the driftwood and drill that many small holes at the bottom edge of the driftwood. String your "ornaments" together in the number of strings you chose, and then tie them to the driftwood. Drill 2 small holes in the top of the driftwood and cut a piece of fishing line about 2' long. Fold it in half and tie a small loop for hanging purposes, then thread the 2 free ends through the 2 holes you had drilled in the top of the driftwood. Adjust the line to the length you like and tie securely. You can double your line if you think it needs to stronger depending on the weight of the "chimes". The beautiful wind chimes shown in the sample picture above has a piece of copper wire attached to the driftwood with small eye screws. I bought this from the eBay store called Wooden Wunders . This friendly eBay seller has more of these beautiful chimes in her store, along with some beautiful crosses made of driftwood! :)
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Supplies needed for project #4 (Hanging Driftwood with Bromeliads or Air Plants ): Cypress driftwood, wire hangars, fishing line, Spanish Moss, wet spaghum moss, staple gun, screws.
Choose a nice piece of cypress driftwood, size preferred. Bend the ends of the wire hangar into little loops or small circle. Place them on the driftwood in what would be a suitable hanging position. Staple or screw in place. If you are using a bromeliad, remove it from the pot and wrap the root ball with wet spaghum moss, and then wrap the moss-covered ball with fishing line to hold everything in place. I like to use a small bromeliad that is blooming. Now you can staple the root ball to the driftwood, making sure that you catch some of the fishing line under the staples, or you can tie the root balls/plants to the driftwood with fishing line if you prefer. A plant on each side is absolutely beautiful! You may also simply hot glue some air plants on your driftwood if you wish. For a finishing touch, drape some spanish moss over the root ball so that the moss is hanging about 6".
*I will add pictures of project # 4 soon! Thanks for reading & have fun! ~Darline
Guide created: 06/19/07 (updated 01/30/09)
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