DIY · Project 7 of 12
Moon Phase Wall Hanging
What it is
A moon-phase garland shows the whole lunar cycle at a glance (new, crescent, quarter, gibbous, full and back again), a gentle reminder that everything moves in cycles. It makes a lovely altar backdrop or nursery decoration, hung out of reach.
What you'll need
- 7–9 wooden discs (5–8 cm), or air-dry clay, or thick card Affiliate placeholder
- White, cream and charcoal acrylic paint, or gold leaf / paint Affiliate placeholder
- A small brush and a pencil
- Small screw eyes or a drill with a fine bit, or a strong needle for card
- Jute twine or a wooden dowel / driftwood to hang from Affiliate placeholder
Step by step
- Paint every disc charcoal (the dark moon) and let it dry.
- Pencil each phase: new (fully dark), waxing crescent, first quarter (right half lit), waxing gibbous, full, waning gibbous, last quarter (left half lit), waning crescent. See our moon phases guide for how each looks. In the Southern Hemisphere, flip them left to right.
- Paint the lit part cream or white. For the gibbous phases, the shadow is a slim crescent on the opposite side.
- When dry, fit screw eyes at the top and bottom of each disc, or drill small holes.
- Link the discs vertically with short loops of twine, or hang each one from a dowel at slightly different lengths.
- Optional: add a small tassel or a pressed flower at the bottom.
Safety notes
- Tools: Drill small pieces clamped to a scrap board, never held in your hand.
- Children: If hung in a child's room, keep cords short and well out of reach of cribs.
Variations
- Clay moons: press lace or leaves into air-dry clay circles for texture.
- Glow version: use glow-in-the-dark paint for the lit sides.
- Felt garland: sew felt circles for a soft, child-friendly version.
Related on GnuMoon
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