Deck Your Tree with Homemade Ornaments

homemade ornaments

This time of year, magazines and catalogs are filled with decorating ideas that promise “the best holiday ever.” Too bad most of them involve buying a lot of budget-busting stuff. This year, why not start a tradition and make your own ornaments, garlands and other trim? Not only is a whole lot less expensive (or even free), it’s something the family can do together. We’ve put together a Santa’s Workshop full of creative, joyful ideas for homemade ornaments from bloggers and posters. So gather up your supplies-you probably already have a lot of them on hand–make some hot cocoa, turn on the Christmas carols and start making decorations and memories.

5 Fabulous Ideas from SomewhatSimple.com

Thanks to Stephanie from SomewhatSimple.com for these very merry ideas. You can follow along on her social media pages using the links below or with these hashtags: #SomewhatSimpleHome and #SSBuildsWithTM.

  • With a pair of scissors, you can make these easy ornaments using  inexpensive craft felt squares and buttons. Hang them separately or string them together for a colorful garland. See how simple it is.
  • Cardboard and yarn, soda straws, cinnamon sticks and scraps of pine garland, wine corks magically become a variety of charming adornments for your tree. Get inspired.
  • Grab your glue gun and a handful of popsicle sticks and before you know it, you’ll have fun mini Christmas pallet ornaments!  Learn how to make them.
  • No snow required to create these whimsical popsicle stick snowmen. Frosty would be impressed.
  • Older kids will enjoy making these no-sew, low-budget monogram ornaments. It’s great group activity. Get instructions and the materials list.

Ornaments to Make Elves Envious

Enjoy this curated collection of adorable and oh-so-simple homemade ornaments from some the internets’ most clever makers.

    • MadDesignStudio is always a great source for holiday decorating ideas. Check out the DIY painted wooden spheres and pompoms. Step 1, pick a color palette, gather up some paint and painters’ tape. Step 2, add mini eye screws and ribbon hangers. Step 3,  make coordinating yarn pompom with scrap yarns. Step 4, hang on your tree and admire your handiwork.
    • Take the family on a pinecone hunting excursion. Then turn your found treasure into rustic tree ornaments with a little jute twine like marcitasoler did.
    • Immortalize your first home. Whip up a batch of corn starch or salt dough and make this cute house key ornament. Substitute this no-cook cinnamon recipe instead and add an enchanting aroma.
    • Celebrate the shapes of winter. Craft your own clay or salt dough ornaments like cathyheckstudio’s example. Even easier, roll out the dough and use cookie cutters like terrigroh did.
    • Hand and paw print memories are easily made and long cherished. Shauna825 shows you a painted salt dough version. ChrisStylesHair displays a natural impression of his best pal’s paw. And SuttonPlaceDesign trims the tree with precious baby hand and foot prints.
    • Add elegance to your tree with DIY indigo marbled ornaments from AliceandLois.com.
    • Here’s a charming ornament that can do double-duty as the perfect gift for grandparents. Turn plastic ornaments and photos into keepsake snow globes with instructions from BusyKidsHappyMom.

  • Why let visions of sugar plums dance in your head when they can hang from your tree instead?  OneLittleProject shows you how to make these sweet ornaments with melted peppermint candies and cookie cutters. If you have small children or a pet with a sweet tooth, you’ll want to place these on the higher branches of your tree.
  • Got Jurassic Park fans in your family? These glittery dinosaur ornaments from Dollar Store Crafts will make them roar with delight.

A Legend & a Legendary Ornament

The Weihnachtsgurke or Christmas Pickle is believed to have originated in Germany. Maybe, maybe not. But the little green gherkins made of glass have been decorating Christmas trees since the 1890s when Woolworths first imported them. Read more about the legend here. Then learn how to sew your own out of felt and embroidery floss from JenniferJangles.

Find Your Holiday Home

You’ll know it when you see it. The home that says “happy holidays” comes complete with the perfect place to put the tree. Start your wish list at Taylor Morrison, where you’ll find wonderful new homes and new communities like these:

  • Sterling Ranch will be the first new neighborhood coming to this brand new master-planned community in beautiful Littleton, Colorado, where you’re very likely to enjoy plenty of snow in December. Join the interest list to stay informed.
  • Celebrate the winter holidays with long walks in the woods and stunning views of the Rocky Mountains. New homes are pre-selling at Terrain Ravenwood,  a master-planned community in Castle Rock, Colorado.
  •  Not much snow in the Austin, Texas area, but you’ll still find plenty of places to enjoy holiday spirit and epic hall decking when you live in one of these three new communities. Travisso, a premier Austin-area master-planned community in Leander, offers four unique collections to choose from. Crystal Falls, also in Leander, has resort-style amenities and spectacular Hill Country views. Reunion Ranch in Austin, Texas, comes with over-sized homesites, glorious views and grand amenities.

Learn more about all our holiday-perfect new homes and join the interest lists.

You’re the Star on our Tree

Among our blessings we count you and wish you and yours the merriest of holidays and the happiest New Year.

 

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