I fell in love with the thought of owning a faux cherry blossom tree after being inspired by Pretty Little Things headquarters decor theme. My interest led me to Pinterest where they had many beautiful photos of flower walls and cherry blossom trees. As my search got more and more detailed, it became evident that wanting such a look was going to cost me. With that, I decided to look into the alternative of building my own version instead. Unfortunately for me, I could not find any detailed tutorials about creating a faux #cherryblossomtree from scratch. Luckily for you, I documented and recorded my experience so you may make your own at home.
The details I will give in the video were my very own trial and error steps that I blindly took to make my custom 9.5ft cherry blossom tree. Those instructions will be different from these written details since I now know what I could have done better. Of course, results may vary. The below instructions are the final materials and order of creation I would suggest using for the absolute best results.
Step 1:
Supplies I used:
Shop the exact materials I used here: (100) Cherry Blossom Stems: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_AYQcDX(3) "Coffee" branches: https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_9QE2GHThe rest of the materials: https://www.amazon.com/shop/sincerelyisyss?listId=1R31YQUDR4CJK&ref=idea_share_inf
(80-100) 100cm Cherry Blossom Stems (the more stems used, the fuller the tree)
(3) "Coffee" Branches (BENDABLE for wire concealment)
(1) 9.5ft squared stick (for tree height)
(1) Pkg of 24 Guage Galvanized Wire (for securing parts)
(1) 84" Shepherd Hook (for tree stability)
(4) 1-1/4in Swivel Wheels (optional for portability)
(1) Pkg of Washers & Nuts #8 ... 1-3/4in (for wheel assembly)
(1) 20" Square Planter (10"x10"x20") (Square BOTTOM!!!) (round planters are difficult to put on wheels)
(1) Bag of Quick Set Concrete (for a permanently secure tree)
(3) 10m Battery Powered String Lights (optional for night lighting)
(9) Rechargeable AA Batteries (for optimal tree lighting time and cost-saving reusability)
Tools Needed:
Drill (optional but HIGHLY suggested)
Screwdriver
Step 2:
Attach wheels to the planter. Line up the wheels to the bottom corners of the planter and mark where the holes are with a metallic marker (for visibility). There will be a total of 16 holes. Pre-drill them and begin attaching the wheels with the 1-3/4in screws. Once the screws are in, attach the nuts on the inside of the planter.
Step 3:
Attach (1) faux vine to the long stick then attach to the shephard hook (not shown in photo) using galvanized wire. Secure the vine and stick to the hook, securing in several positions, being sure that it doesn't move.
Step 4:
Double-up the cherry blossom branches and attached together using galvanized wire. Doubling-up on the branches will make them fuller and longer in length if you stagger them before attaching them together.
Step 5:
Attach 1-2 doubled-up cherry blossom branches to the tallest part of the stick using the galvanized wire. We are testing for stability and height. Stand the stick upright. Are the branches secure? Want it taller? Adjust now and check again. Once it is to your liking, go to the next step.
Step 6:
Stand the shephard hook/stick upright into the planter and angle the bottom of the shephard hook diagonally into the square planter. Get creative and secure the hook into position being sure that it doesn't move. (See video for how I made mine stand up).
Step 7:
Add the concrete to the planter. Using QUICK SET concrete mix, follow the instructions per the bags "rod" setting instructions. Make sure the shephard hook is level on its side and back. Let set until hard. The bag may say 30min, but I suggest letting it sit overnight before starting the next step.) I decided on using concrete for this project because its the only way I could think of to have this heavy 9.5ft tree remain secure and look natural in a planter. If you come up with a better way, I would love to hear about it!
(Tip: iPhones have a built-in level tool in the "Measure" app)
Step 8:
Working from the top, down...Begin adding the rest of your doubled cherry blossom stems to the secured stick and hook using galvanized wire. During this time, you will want to fluff and spread out the branches to make sure there aren't any gaps left in the display.
Step 9:
Secure more faux vine to the combined hook and stick by wrapping it from the base up, to conceal any galvanized wire. Depending on how tall your tree is, this may take one or two vine to completely hide the light parts of stick.
Step 10:
Add string lights. Get creative! This could be a fun way to turn your masterpiece into a majestic night light! String lights are so subtle and low profile, that you don't even notice the sting during the day!
Step 11:
Add faux moss or grass on top of the set concrete for a finished look. I'm considering adding soil and real indoor-grown plants to the base of my tree.
HOW TO BUILD YOUR OWN CHERRY BLOSSOM TREE VIDEO