Galentines DIY: Driftwood Heart Wall Hang

Step 1: Clean the Driftwood || Lightly scrub the driftwood with warm water to remove dirt and debris to create a smoother texture of wood. Let the driftwood dry completely before resuming with the DIY project.

Step 2: Outline the Heart || On a large piece of cardboard, use a pencil to sketch out a large heart (or another shape of your choice. Of course, for Galentines we thought a heart was fitting). Once you are satisfied with the heart shape, trace over the penciled heart with a permanent marker for a more visible heart template.

Step 3: Lay Driftwood Over the Template || Begin by laying the driftwood branches vertically to align with the height of the heart shape. We found it helpful to start with the thickest branch in the middle first and then move outwards. If your driftwood pieces do not align perfectly with the heart shape you drew originally, don’t worry!

All you need to do is lay the driftwood in the location wished, mark where your desired length is, then use pliers to break the branch at the exact location marked. We choose to use pliers, rather than a saw, to preserve the organic beach-worn look of the driftwood.

Step 4: Apply Paint for an Ombre Effect || First things first, we marked where we wanted the lightest paint color to end on the heart (about halfway up the middle branches). With the lightest paint color, we created a dotted horizontal line all the way across the branches as a helpful gage to see how much space we had for each color.

Then, with the darkest shade of pink we created another dotted line one to two inches up from the bottom of the middle branches of the heart (by creating dotted lines for each colors, it allowed us to keep our lines straight & allocate the appropriate space for each shade of paint). Fill in the space between the darkest pink dotted line to the end of the driftwood pieces with paint, and make sure to paint all the way around the branches.

Paint the second darkest color a couple of inches above the darkest color. Lightly overlap the two colors so that they blend together, creating an ombre effect.

Repeat this process for the second lightest color and the lightest color.

Step 5: Wrap String around Driftwood Pieces || Wrap the string around the top of each individual driftwood piece several times. Once you have wrapped the thread around the driftwood about 10 times, tie a knot and allow two feet of excess string (which will be used to connect and secure from the driftwood pieces to the branch). Repeat this process for all of the driftwood pieces.

At this time, it is also smart to wrap the string around each side (multiple times to ensure it holds) of the driftwood branch. Leave as much give in the string as you wish, this will dictate how long the string hangs from the branch to the nail in the wall.

Step 6: Tie the String to Driftwood Branch || Next is to connect the string attached to each individual driftwood piece to the driftwood branch to finalize the wall hang. We found it easiest to start with the driftwood piece in the middle of the heart and then move outward. Make sure the large horizontal branch is level to the heart and the vertical branches stay in their locations within the template every time you tie a knot.

Hold each driftwood piece individually, follow and run a tight line with the string until it meets the branch, wrap it around the branch and knot the string. Firmly place your finger right where the thread will need to be wrapped around the vertical branch to ensure it stays tight throughout the process. It is also crucial to keep each paint color on the branches straightly aligned as you attach each individual driftwood piece. Once complete, trim any excess thread you see.

Step 7: Adjust the String Spacing || Hang the large horizontal driftwood branch on the wall by placing the middle of the string connecting the two edges of the branch over the nail so it is centered. Gently slide the strings along the branch until the individual driftwood pieces are hanging spaced apart to the distance desired.