Helping Hands Rigid Arm Station ($25.99 on Amazon, if your craft store has a rigid-arm version, it would be with the modeling kits. You want those big chonky arms, the thinner ones are useable, but frustrating)
Clear Epoxy Resin (NOT UV RESIN) PLEASE BE AWARE THAT WHEN WORKING WITH EPOXY RESIN, YOU MAY ALSO NEED A FILTRATION MASK FOR SAFETY!
Wire
There are a couple of options to choose from for wire, I keep both in stock. You'll notice they have the exact same specs, but the AliExpress wire is much thinner.
0.3mm (28 gauge) wire ($15.49 on Amazon, enough wire to make 7-8 trees) || Suitable for 3-bead branches or metal bead branches.
FAIR WARNING: If you use the Amazon wire, prepare to bleed a bit. It is wicked sharp at the ends and will scratch or poke through skin easily.
0.3mm (28 gauge) wire from AliExpress ($0.99 - $3.00 per roll, enough wire to make ~5 trees per roll) || Suitable for 5-bead branches using seed beads with occasional inclusions.
If you're new to tree making, honestly I'd recommend ordering the AliExpress wire. The Amazon wire is brutal on the fingertips at first, the AliExpress wire is more like thread.
The wire in the image below is the AliExpress wire. It doesn't come with the nifty holder, I made that myself.
Beads
You can really go nuts with the beads, there are very few guidelines:
If you're doing a 5 bead branch, you'll want 4mm (6/0) seed beads.
Chip beads are great for 3 bead branches.
You want a bead with some flat side, pure spheres are kind of a pain in the ass to twist on the wire. Absolutely do-able, but annoying.
I'll also get novelty bead shapes (flowers, ribbons, butterflies, etc.) and mix those into 5-bead trees as fun little inclusions (you can see examples further down)
--- Step by Step below the cut ---
Step 0: Mix up 20 mL of epoxy resin and pour it into the bottom of the mold you're using.
Resin can take 24 hours to set, so you'll want this done before you get to Step 10.
You don't need a lot, just a thin thin layer right at the bottom, colored or not.
In the image below, you can see that there is 2-3mm of just clear resin as the base. You can add inclusions (like glitter) or whatever you want, you're just making a protective base for the mold for later.
Step 1: Cut a length of wire just a bit longer than your keyboard.
It's a bit more than you probably need, but you'll get a feel for the right length.
Step 2: Wrap your beads, either 3 or 5 per wire. If you're using the AliExpress wire, be a bit careful, that wire can break if you twist too hard.
Again, if you're using the Amazon wire, do not attempt the 5-bead branch. More often than not, it will snap.
FAIR WARNING x2: If you use the Amazon wire, prepare to bleed a bit. It is wicked sharp at the ends and will scratch or poke through skin easily.
In my experience, the AliExpress wire is too thin to manage that easily.
Step 3: Trim both ends of the wire so they're the same length, then make a little loop to connect them.
Step 4: Put that loop into the Pin Vice (the little pen-like tool) and tighten it as much as you can. In my experience, the Pin Vice was really stiff at first, and it can really chafe your fingers getting it to tighten or release. It's a clunky tool, but worth it.
**You will have to twist it down harder for the AliExpress wire, that has a tendency to pop out. The loop you made is to give the clamp more to grab on to.
If you ordered the Pin Vices linked, be aware that each of the 2 “Pens” has 4 clamps within it (each end unscrews, you can pull out the middle, and flip it.
You need the second smallest option. It took some time for me to find the right one...
Step 5: Twist for Eternity.
This is the part where you have to be a little weary of your wrist, it's a lot of repetitive motion. You can lay the pen tool flat on a desk and push it with your hand to spin it that way and spare your fingertips, but it doesn't really save you anything overall.
You only use the Pin Vice for this step, do not use it for any later step that twists wires!
If you're using the Amazon wire, you won't get as fine of a twist as you see in the photo, the wire will break first.
When you take the wire out of the vice, the clamp might stick in place when you loosen it. Pinch your wire right at the base where it goes into the vice and shove that metal back in. It will pop and you can easily pull the wire out.
Step 6: Repeat Steps 1-5. A Lot.
I make 36 branches per tree.
If you're using 3 beads, that's 108 beads.
If you're using 5 beads, that's 180 beads.
What I usually do is bead sets of 9 branches, then twist the wires. Or I'll do all the beading, then all the twisting.
Step 7: Create stacks of 3 branches and twist them together with the pliers
It can look nice to stagger the branches a little, but only 1-2mm.
Put the pliers close to the base of the branches, maybe 1cm down max.
Only twist for 1cm or less. You'll get a feel for how much to twist here to get the density of branches you want.
Fan out the beads a little when you're done to puff it out.
Step 7b: IF YOU ARE USING AN INCLUSION BEAD
With 5-bead branches, I like to do inclusions. Bells, flowers, etc.
For an inclusion branch, for the first bead (the one at the very top middle), use whatever inclusion bead you want. In the photo below, I added flowers.
Sandwich that strand between two "normal" strands, and twist together.
Step 8: Repeat until you have 12 bundles of 3 branches each.
Take 3 bundles of wire and combine them the same way you did the individual branches.
Only twist 2-3 times around, you really barely need them connected.
Step 9: Once you have 4 of these bundles of branches, start combining them to form a tree!
You'll get a feel for how to do this, but what I usually do is combine 2, then feed in one more, then feed in one more, each time barely twisting. Just enough to create a staggered branch look.
At some point, it will become easier to use your hands instead of the pliers.
Using your hands will create a smoother trunk, using the pliers will add harsh ridges and give it more of a bark look.
Step 10: Go nuts with the "roots"
If you did not do Step 0 (a thin layer of resin in the base of your mold, DO THAT FIRST) otherwise, the roots will poke holes through your mold.
Just grab random bits and start twisting, randomly drop wires as you're twisting.
FAIR WARNING x3: If you use the Amazon wire, prepare to bleed a bit. It is wicked sharp at the ends and will scratch or poke through skin easily.
Bend wires after twisting, tree roots don't run straight.
Basically do whatever the hell you want, just be mindful of the size of your silicone mold.
You really cannot set the tree down once you start making the roots. I tend to hold it while I do the roots, but you can also use the Helping Hands at this stage.
Step 11: Use the Helping Hands to hold your tree in the mold, then fill with epoxy resin.
For a thinner base, you'll need to keep the roots pretty flat. I do that by gently curving the roots down as I'm making them, so when I press the tree into the base, they're more inclined to flatten out.
Thicker bases, you can add more lateral movement to the roots, making them stand up more.
Add inclusions to the resin (color, glitter, beads, etc.), and pour it until it covers the roots.
Minimum, I like to add a little teeny bit of opal mica powder, just to give the base a hint of shimmer.
Let resin cure for 24 hours.
Why do I use resin instead of attaching the tree roots to a geode or other object? Because I have a curse on me where any glue that I touch will not dry.
