How To: Hurricane Hangers

After Hurricane Irene we had quite a few tree branches that fell down in the neighborhood, so the craft wheels started to turn. :-) So I chose to make hangers for a friend that was coming to visit. Lets get started!

Supplies:
- Power drill and small drill bit
- Branches (About 12 inches longer than the length of a standard coat hanger and about 1in thick)
- Wire (A heavy bailing wire that comes in a coil at home improvement stores)
- Needle nose pliers, two pairs
- Wire cutters (These should be built into the pliers tho)
- Hand saw
- String, ribbon or any other decoration you prefer

Let's get started!
Step 1: Pick out your branches.

Step 2: Clean up the branches. Cut off any tiny branches, leaves or pine cones.

Step 3: Use your hand saw to cut off the ends of the branches. The length should be about 12 to 14 in.

Step 4: Find the center of the branch, along the width, and drill a small hole all the way through the branch.

Step 5: Cut a piece of wire between 1 and 2 feet long. The length of the wire depends on how much experience you have with wire bending. If this is your first time crafting with wire you'll want a longer piece. Remember: You can always cut off the extra.

Step 6: Thread the wire through the hole in the branch and bend as desired. I used a refill for a caulking gun to get the round shape of the top of the hanger and made a small swirl shape to secure it on the bottom.

For one of the hangers I personalized this gift with initials but you can leave them blank or make a heart or star. I also used a piece of yarn to tie a bow around the wire. This made the hangers more feminine and I thought they were a nice touch for a friend who loves to crochet.

Good luck with your crafting and send me some pictures of your artwork for this digital fridge of mine. K.

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