How To Create a Rustic Wood Slice Moon Phase Wall Hanging

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Wood slice crafts have a charm that feels natural and uncomplicated. When you pair them with painted moon phases, you get a wall hanging that is earthy, creative, and surprisingly easy to make.

This project is perfect if you want something beautiful for your home but don’t want to follow rigid steps or worry about perfection. The rustic nature of wood slices makes every piece look unique, and the design can shift depending on how you choose to hang your moons.

This tutorial focuses on blank wood slices with one predrilled hole at the top. They are widely available, beginner-friendly, and versatile enough to create several different hanging styles.

You can keep things simple or experiment with shapes, spacing, and added textures. There is no one “right” way to assemble your wall hanging, which makes this project feel refreshing and fun.

What Makes This Moon Phase Wall Hanging Unique

Many moon phase wall hangings look flawless and highly structured. This can make people feel like they need precision tools or professional-level skills to recreate something similar.

The truth is that rustic materials don’t need perfect alignment or matching edges. Wood slices naturally vary, and this variation brings character to your finished piece.

Painting moon phases is also forgiving. You can use clean shapes, soft blending, or abstract interpretations. Whether your moons are sharp and defined or more painterly and clouded, the final piece still looks special. You’re working with natural textures and shapes that are visually appealing no matter how loosely you interpret them.

This project is ideal for people who enjoy crafting but don’t want pressure or comparison.

What You’ll Need

• Rustic or smooth wood slices with one predrilled hole at the top (or raw slices from foraged limbs with a hole drilled in them)
• Acrylic paints in black, white, and gray. You can also use vintage toned for a more earthy look or metallic paints for a shimmery witchy feel.
• Small paintbrushes or a sponge brush
• Jute twine, cotton cord, or natural rope for hanging
• Scissors
• Optional: hot glue for securing twine, matte sealant
• Optional: dried flowers or herbs, wooden beads, crystal beads, moss, ribbons
• Optional: a small drill (only if you want to create the linked two-hole design in the variations section)

Prepare Your Wood Slices

Lay your slices out on a flat surface. Look at their shapes, bark patterns, and any natural marks. These details add interest to the finished wall hanging. If any slice feels rough on the front surface, lightly sand it. Most slices are ready to paint straight out of the package.

Choose how many slices you’d like to use. Three, five, and seven are common counts, but any number works. Arrange them in an order that feels visually balanced. Remember that this does not need to be exact. Slight differences in color or texture help the piece feel handcrafted.

Paint the Moon Phases

Acrylic paint works well on wood and dries quickly. Start by deciding how you want your moons to look. They can be crisp and geometric or soft and blended. Both options turn out beautifully.

If you want a simple set, paint a full moon, a crescent, and a new moon. If you want more phases, add waxing and waning shapes. You don’t need to measure the curves or trace perfect circles. Let the grain of the wood guide your brush. The irregularities make the moons feel natural.

A sponge brush helps create smooth transitions, while a smaller brush gives you more control for defined edges.

Tip: For a more graphic full moon look, print out and decoupage paper onto the wood slice.

Allow the slices to dry completely. If you want to protect the paint without adding shine, apply a matte sealant.

Here is a fun clip on painting a full moon from Feeling Nifty Painting Tutorials:

Choose Your Hanging Style

Once the moons are dry, you can assemble them in a multitude of way. Choose whichever one fits the space where you plan to hang your finished piece.

Style One: Rustic Gathered Cluster Hanging

This is a relaxed, textured option. Each slice hangs from its own strand of twine in a bundle. All strands are tied together at the top, creating a loose cluster that feels organic and natural.

How to make it:

1. Cut one piece of twine for each slice.
2. Thread each strand through the slice’s top hole and tie a knot.
3. Gather all strands together at the top and tie a single knot to hold them.
4. Adjust lengths as needed so the slices fall in a visually pleasing way.
5. Hang on the wall from a hook, nail, or small branch. You can also experiment with hanging them from your potted plants or in the windowsill.

This style works well if you like a slightly messy, free-flowing look. It’s forgiving and easy to personalize.

Style Two: Branch-Mounted Horizontal Hanging

For a more structured look that still feels natural, hang the moons horizontally from a branch or dowel.

How to make it:

1. Choose a branch, dowel, or piece of driftwood.
2. Cut equal lengths of twine for each slice.
3. Thread the twine through the hole and tie it securely.
4. Tie the other end of the twine to the branch, spacing the slices evenly.
5. Add twine to the ends of the branch to create a hanger.

This style looks great above a bed, desk, or shelf. It’s easy to adjust and makes spacing feel intentional without needing precision.

Style Three: Vertical Hanging

This is the simplest vertical style and works especially well with three or four slices.

How to make it:

1. Cut one long piece of twine.
2. Thread it through the first slice and tie a knot behind it.
3. Tie another knot further down the twine to mark where the next slice should sit.
4. Thread the next slice on and slide it down to the knot.
5. Repeat until all slices are attached.
6. Tie a loop at the top for hanging.

If you want the slices to stay centered, you can add a tiny dab of glue behind each one. This keeps them from shifting while still allowing a natural, slightly rustic look.

Variation Tip: The above design can be achieved by drilling a second small hole at the bottom of each slice except the bottom one. This lets you create a daisy-chain style vertical hanging using twine loops.

Variations and Personalizations

Once you have the basic structure, you can add creative touches that make your wall hanging unique. These ideas are optional and easy to incorporate.

• Add wooden beads, crystal beads, or clay beads between slices.
• Tie small sprigs of dried herbs or flowers between strands.
• Wrap twine around the top of each slice for added texture, or let some loose twine flow over a bundle.
• Add a small bit of moss, ribbon, or fabric to soften the transitions.
• Use different twine colors or natural cotton rope for a subtle shift in style.
• Let strand lengths fall vary for a casual, collected look.

These additions help your moon phase hanging feel truly your own.

If you’re curious about even more ways to use wood slices beyond moon-phase décor, check out the post on creative wood slice craft ideas for boho decor.

Closing Reflection

This is the kind of project that encourages experimentation. There is enough structure to guide you, but enough flexibility to let you create something that matches your personal style.

Whether your moons are crisp or softly blended, evenly spaced or slightly irregular, your wall hanging will feel warm and handmade.

Let this be a craft you approach with curiosity rather than pressure. Your materials are simple. Your steps are clear. Everything else can unfold in a way that feels natural.