Creating holiday ornaments may not save you time, but this
is time well spent with your family. For
me, spending time with my family is what the holidays are all about. Many of the items used in the ornaments are
already in your home. Empty cereal boxes
and multi-packs of soda are great sources of cardboard. I find glitter pens to be expensive and
frustrating, and I prefer to use a glue bottle and glitter. Paint brushes are an excellent way to spread
out glue from the bottle. This saves you
from having to buy a separate glue stick.
If you enjoyed making any of the ornaments below, I would love for you
to send in a picture!
Personalized Stocking Ornaments
Make one for each member of your family, including your pets!
- red felt (or construction paper)
- cardboard
- cotton balls
- glue
- glitter
- hook
1. Cut cardboard into the shape of a stocking. Just think of it as an elongated J.
2. Use cardboard as a stencil and trace the shape onto the
felt. Cut felt and glue to
cardboard.
3. Stretch out cotton to make it extra fluffy. Glue to the top of the stocking.
4. Make a hole for the hook, and thread the hook
through.
5. Write the name in pencil and trace over it with
glue. Sprinkle with glitter.
6. Let dry flat so the name doesn’t drip.
Snowflakes
Vary sizes, glitter colors, and shapes to create unique
ornaments.
- paper
- scissors
- glitter
- glue
- hook
1. Start with a square.
An easy way to insure you have a square is to fold the paper diagonally,
then trim the excess. Open and you will
have a square!
2. Fold paper diagonally twice.
3. Cut along edges and corners to create an interesting
snowflake. Open paper
4. Paint on a thin layer of glue, and sprinkle on the
glitter.
5. Create a hole at one of the corners. Insert hook.
Pipe Cleaner Candy Canes
Consider giving these to family and friends instead of a
candy cane with your holiday cards.
- Pipe cleaners in red and white
- Ribbon
1. Take one pipe cleaner of each color, and line them up
side by side.
2. Twist the pipe cleaners together evenly from top to
bottom.
3. Shape the top into a hook.
4. Tie ribbon into a bow around the middle of the candy
cane.
Ornament Balls
Styrofoam balls can be found in any craft section.
- Styrofoam ball
- paint
- paint brush
- glitter
- wire
1. Lightly paint Styrofoam ball a uniform color, if desired,
and let dry.
2. Paint a design on the Styrofoam ball. stripes, polka dots, or stars on ball. If you are more artistic, go for something
more challenging.
3. Sprinkle glitter on wet paint.
4. Carefully push the wire through the ornament. Leave a tail on the end, and create a hook
shape on top.
5. Let dry before putting on tree.
Santa Buddies
Facebook makes it easy to find a good pic of all your
buddies!
- picture of buddy
- cardboard
- cotton balls
- red felt (or construction paper)
- ribbon (or hook)
1. Cut a circle out of the picture. The bottom of a soda can makes a good guide.
2. Cut a slightly bigger circle out of the cardboard. Glue the picture in the center of the
cardboard.
3. Use the circle as a guide and cut out a triangle with the
width the same as the circle.
4. Glue the edge of the triangle to the top of the circle. Be sure to cover the top portion of the
cardboard with the triangle.
5. Cut out a second triangle about a third of the size of
the first. Glue it to the top of the
first triangle.
6. Cut the felt into the shape of the Santa hat created by
the two triangles. Glue it on the
cardboard.
7. Stretch out the cotton balls and glue them on the circle
around the picture. This will be your
buddy’s Santa beard.
8. Glue a piece of cotton to the end of the Santa hat.
9. Let dry, and then
make a hole in the top of the hat.
Thread a piece of ribbon through the hole and tie it into a loop.
