50 Insanely Easy-to-Make Holiday Ornaments
Hello, my friend, hello again; today we come together to talk about 50 Insanely Easy-to-Make Holiday Ornaments and hope the blog can help you.
With some common tools, scrap supplies, and a little know-how, you can transform just about anything into a decorative accent for your holiday tree. Here’s proof!
Ready, Set, Decorate
There can never be too many ornaments on the tree, right? Whether you already have boxes of baubles in the basement or you’re starting fresh, give your hand a try at making these easy DIY Christmas ornaments to add your own personal touch to the tree. From simple to sparkling and everything in between, these ornaments will look great and be fun to make.
Cinnamon Stick Bundles
Using raffia or baker’s twine, bind together a handful of cinnamon sticks. Accent with rustic beads, bells, or seeds, or add a dried orange wheel to enhance the scents.
Glittery Leaf
Cut two leaf shapes from cardstock or watercolor paper and glitter the outward-facing sides. String a ribbon loop through a bead and glue ends between the two leaves, then clamp together to dry.
Related: Christmas Miracle: 8 Simple Fixes for All Your Tree Troubles
Marbled-Effect Ornaments
Turn clear glass ornaments into colorful decorations with acrylic paint. Start by placing a couple of drops of paint at the top inside of the neck; turn the ornament to create swirls of color. Continue adding more paint until you’ve created your very own, one-of-a-kind masterpiece. Visit Persia Lou for the full tutorial.
Personalized Wire
Write a name in cursive and cut a long piece of wire. Using pliers, bend the wire to match the curves of the written name, ending with a loop or heart. Finish by wrapping the wire with baker’s twine or yarn until each letter is covered. A few drops of glue will help keep the string in place.
Chalkboard-Painted Ornament
We’ve seen the power of chalkboard paint on everything from furniture to coffee mugs, so why not DIY Christmas ornaments? A fresh coat on a plastic ornament lets you add a personalized touch to your tree. Simply wipe with a damp cloth to change the message.
Orange Slice
Dried orange slices add color and a pleasant scent to your Christmas tree. To make your own, bake slices of citrus in the oven at 150 degrees for three to four hours, or let your sliced fruit air dry for 4 days. Oranges are the classic choice, but you can use the same technique with lemons, limes, and even grapefruit!
Paper Embellishments
Turn construction paper or an old book into an elegant star ornament. Cut thin strips of paper, then hot glue them into onion shape. String an embroidery thread tassel to the bottom and an embroidery thread loop to the top to hang.
Vintage-Inspired Bell Jars
The Smile Mercantile sells the supplies to fuel this holiday DIY project. To make these vintage-inspired DIY bell jar ornaments, enclose a timeless winter scene under the dome of a glass cloche, then sprinkle glitter inside. These step-by-step instructions will help you create your own little holiday diorama this season.
Sparkling Acorn Ornament
Paint a three-inch Styrofoam ball in a dark natural tone. Press or hot glue acorn caps into the foam, getting them as close together as possible. Fold a twine loop and use a straight pin to fix it to the ball. Brush Mod Podge along the edges of the acorn caps, and sprinkle glitter while the glue is wet. Finish with a ribbon bow once the ornament has dried.
Pom-Pom Santa
Roll red felt into a cone shape and hot glue in place. Then attach a pom-pom and a felt nose with hot glue. When the ornament is dry, thread a loop at the top of Santa’s hat, and this simple project is ready to hang.
Glittery Animals
Screw a small eyelet into the back of a plastic figurine, and then cover the entire toy in a solid color of paint. Allow the toy to dry, then coat with glitter spray paint. Finish with a layer of sealer, and you can have a menagerie of playful ornaments.
Salt Dough Stars
While not edible, these cookie ornaments are sure to add delight to your tree. Follow the salt dough recipe at One Little Project, then knead, roll flat, and start making cookie cutouts. To recreate the design shown here, gently press your dog’s paw into the dough, then reward him with his own (dog-friendly) holiday treat. Bake the cookie ornaments at 225 degrees Fahrenheit for two to three hours. Let the dough dry out for a few days, then paint with acrylic paints and, if desired, use a pen to embellish with intricate designs.
Stuffed Felt Snowman
Build a plump snowman in the warmth of your own living room with just felt, embroidery floss, and cotton batting. Personalize your snowman with colorful buttons, eyes, and a carrot nose. Find the at Remodelando La Casa.
Shower Curtain Ring Wreaths
Wood rings from the craft store or even no-longer-used shower curtain rings can find new life—and just in time for the holidays. Transform them into mini wreaths by wrapping them in colorful yarn. Personalize yours with ribbons, bells, or artificial greenery, like the blogger at A Pretty Life in the Suburbs.
Clothespin Rudolph
Clothespins are a classic material for making your own DIY Christmas ornaments. Glue together a few wood clothespins (available at most craft stores), add a pair of googly eyes and a red pom pom for a nose, and you’ve got a new friend who bears a striking resemblance to Santa’s favorite reindeer.
Tree Toppers
Simple yet sweet, a DIY Christmas tree topper can come together with sparkly pipe cleaners and an old wire hanger. Twist and turn an old hanger (or jewelry wire) into your preferred design, then wrap with glittery pipe cleaners. Ta-da! Your new tree topper is born.
Cinnamon Cookies
Salt dough cookies are an old favorite for crafting DIY Christmas ornaments, but they’re not the only way to create a cookie-like addition to your tree. This recipe for cinnamon cookies (just for show, not for eating) will show you how to make your own.
Gumdrops
Goody, goody gumdrops! What could be easier to pull off than this set of DIY Christmas ornaments resembling one of the season’s favorite sweet treats? The blogger at The Sweetest Occasion made these artificial gumdrops by mixing plaster into brownie pop molds and painting them. Get the full tutorial here.
Dala Horse
flickr.com via merwing
For Christmas with a Swedish-American twist, a dala horse ornament will do the trick. You can make your own from wood or cardboard, or put your embroidery skills to the test with this design from Little Dear Tracks.
Geodes
Wire, adhesive, and a beautiful crystal are all the materials a DIYer needs to create this homemade Christmas ornament. Shine on!
Pom-Pom Pinecones
Bring quirky color to one of nature’s most beautiful gifts of the season. Pinecones adorned with miniature pom poms bring an unexpected jolt of color to a natural Christmas tree. One Little Project shows how easy it is to put these DIY ornaments together.
Wood-Burned Ornaments
The Yule log isn’t the only wood a-blazin’ at this time of year. You can burn your own wood slice ornaments—carefully and artfully—with a wood burning tool available at most craft stores. Use it to write a holiday message, your family monogram, or a playful pattern.
Hazelnut Wreath
It may look like Christmas magic has bound these hazelnuts together in the form of a wreath but the secret is hot glue and innovative use of a jam jar lid. Find the full details at the Northstory blog.