Adding beauty and decor to the holidays doesn’t have to be expensive. See how easy it is to create pretty homemade Christmas ornaments for the tree using scrap materials such as ribbon, fabric and beads!
Adding a Homemade Touch to the Tree
We are in the midst of Christmas decorating in my house. My sparkling Christmas tree is up, the boxes are everywhere and there is general chaos in the house. But we’re very happy!
I’ve enlisted my girls and their friend to help me with the decorations. Because otherwise, it will be New Years before I’m finished. Today I’m going to share my homemade Christmas ornaments that I made last year for the first time.
Materials Needed to Make these Simple Ornaments
- cardboard
- scizzors
- cup, bowl (for tracing shapes)
- stapler/hot glue gun
- scrap fabric, ribbon, embellishments
How to Make Scrap Ribbon Ornaments
I begin by cutting out donut shaped cardboard figures.
I then cut fabric into long strips and staple it onto the cardboard.
The strip of fabric is then wrapped around the cardboard.
This is the basic ornament. Now you can add onto it with whatever you have. Here I chose to add some ribbon.
I also had an old pearl set which was in bad shape so on to the ornament it went.
Just add a ribbon to the top so you can hang it on the tree and you’re done – homemade ornaments using what’s found at home.
The possibilities are endless. And they make perfect gifts!
This last one is my favorite homemade Christmas ornament. The vintage fabric and modern beads make a lovely combination.
Now go look around your houses and tell me what you see that can be used for your homemade ornaments.
Need additional DIY ornament ideas?
Check out these handpainted canvas ornaments, macrame feather ornaments or Buffalo check jar lid ornaments.
This DIY just came at the right time! I just bought 4 clear ornaments! You are a genius! I thought I was going to have to pour paint into them but I love the plaid ribbon idea so much better!
i would use old CD’s for this…but i love what you did
Elaine you are so right. Why didn’t I think of this? And I have a ton of Cd’s waiting to be repurposed. I’ll definitely try it next time, thank you for the suggestion and for stopping by.
Mary I love the sweet, rustic look of these. Just gorgeous! Thanks for sharing at Five Star Frou-Frou. Mimi xxx
Thank you Mimi, They have turned out pretty well and now I’m giving them as personalized gifts.
These are so cute! I am always looking for handmade ornaments that are easy to customize to new color schemes and themes. Thanks you so much for sharing at Inspired By You!
I don’t t hink it can get any easier Kimm. It took me about 10 minutes. The hard part was trying to decide what to put on them.
I love homemade ornaments and these are just beautiful. You are so clever and thank you for showing us how to make them. Great to have you link up and share at our very first #OvertheMoon link up and see you next week. I love this time of year!
Sue it is also my favorite time of the year. Everything gets dressed up in its finest… except me, I’m still in pajamas.
What a great idea!! I would love to have you share at my new craft link party: http://craftymomsshare.blogspot.com/2015/12/adult-coloring-book-review-craft-crafty.html
Carrie I just linked up. Always happy to visit new link parties.
Mary, Your homemade ornaments are beautiful! I love easy ornament ideas and yours is perfect! I could also see these as a beautiful garland hanging on the stairs or under a mantel. Thanks for sharing with us at Snickerdoodle Sunday. Pinning and tweeting to share!
~Laurie
Laurie I didn’t even put them on the tree. I’ve got them hanging off of the wall unit and some more are attached to a string of gold that is cascading down my mirrors. They can go anywhere really. But not the mantel. My husband lights it so that is a no no!
Πραγματικά έγιναν πολύ όμορφα και με μηδενικό σχεδόν κόστος αφού όλα τα υλικά μπορούμε να τα “ψωνίσουμε” από το σπίτι μας. Μπράβο Μαίρη μου και για την ιδέα και για την εκτέλεση της. Φιλιά!
Ευχαριστω Χριστινα μου. Αν μη τι άλλο χρησιμοποιώ όλο το χαρτόνι που μάζευα τόσο καιρό.
These all look so pretty, Mary. I love homemade ornaments. Pinned and Tweeted.Thank you for partying at Snickerdoodle Sunday with us each week.
Beverly they were easy peasy. And so versitile. I make them and put them all over the house. Thanks for hopping over.
These are so lovely and great to make with the kids, the possibilities are endless. Thank you Mary I love your blog x
Jane these were one of the first ornaments I ever made. I still have a few.
These are so cute! I love how simple they are to make and customize – I like anything I can make more unique to my style. Thank you for sharing at Welcome Home Wednesday, your posts have been awesome 🙂
Thanks so much Sam. They are so easy and so versitile! Happy holidays to you!
Hi Mary,
I love homemade Christmas ornaments, especially ones that my kids can easily get involved in making. Thanks for sharing so many different ways to decorate a simple piece and for linking up with us at Talented Tuesday.
Cheers,
AJ
AJ your kids will love doing these, they are so easy and the possibilities are limitless.
A lovely personal touch to your tree! I’m off to search through the house to see what I can make 🙂 Thanks for linking to #frifree4all
Hayley the inspiration does not stop at this time of the year. Everywhere we look we see so much that inspires. Good luck with your decorations!
Very cool! This looks like a fun activity to do with kids!
Thanks so much for joining the Alder Collective this week again! Pinning!
Kayla this would be perfect to do with kids of any age. And it can be done with fabric or paper . Thanks for your great idea!
Hi Mary..
Your handmade ornaments are so pretty and unique..
thank you so much for coming to visit me and leaving such a kind comment..
Sonny Dream Lane
Thank you Sonny. Your post today was the sweetest surprise. That is true talent to be able to make a doll look so life-like! Merry Christmas.
Mary, I had to scroll down so far to leave a comment, it shows how much people love what you do. The way your mind thinks, mixing the creative with the repurposing. It’s just amazing how you can turn a piece of cardboard into a treasured holiday memory! Thanks for sharing I am pinning!!!
Nikki, I love cardboard because it’s free! Left over from too much wasteful packaging. The fabric comes from old clothes. and the ribbons are also free. Sometimes when you buy clothing the tags have these cute ribbons on them. I save everything… my house is full… its getting dangerous in here…lol
Hello Mary, such a very clever idea and you have a great eye for mixing the different fabrics. My favorite is the one with the blue thin stripe and the white…but you just have the white on a wee bit of the ornament. I’m all about asymmetry and this one is spot on.
Thanks for sharing your great ideas…can’t wait to see what you come up with next.
Lynn
Thank you Lynn, that is quite a compliment coming from you because you do some pretty amazing things on your blog.
Well how easy was that? Those are such cute little wreaths for the tree. Thank you for sharing. And thank you for visiting my blog 🙂
It’s always a pleasure to visit new blogs and meet new bloggers. There is such an interesting world out there and we learn so much from each other in the blogsphere. And yes my ornaments are so easy it’s not even funny! Thanks for stopping by.
You make it look so easy! I think I shall have to have a go.
Oh but it is easy, We have to do some easy projects with no fancy machines for the regular folk. Anyway I’ve been battling it out for a few weeks now with my coffee table, it won’t cooperate to be painted.
Love how simple yet gorgeous these handmade ornaments are! Too pretty. Pinning! 🙂
Thanks Jenna, and easy too, that’s very important…especially for a tired blogger like me.
So sweet, I just love this idea. I certainly have some items around the house that I could use for these cuties!
Just start out with a blank canvas and then go wild!! I think all of us blogger shave things around the house that can be used for these.
Hi Mary,
What a clever idea, and so amazing that it is all from things you would have on hand – I love that!
I love the one with the pearls and the last one is beautifully shabby chic! But I loved them all!
Hmm…you don’t want to know how much ribbon I have…I am a ribbon hoarder! 😉
Happy almost weekend!
Hugs, Kimberley
Kimberly so am I! I hoard ribbon from everysingle thing that has it and comes into my house. Now you can make these too with all your ribbon. You too have a great weekend.
Nice idea. Handmade ornaments are the best. I really liked the one with the recycled pearl set. I wish you would have shared a wider view of the tree, so we could “step back” and see the whole effect. I just put up my “artificial” tree yesterday. I haven’t even gotten as far as ornaments yet. 🙂
Krista, the tree is still being worked on. So I’ll be posting about it next week. I’m repurposing some of the ornaments I didn’t like… always about the repurposing…lol
You’re so creative, Mary!! I love those ornaments, my favorite is also the last one and the white with the blue ribbon. You’re right, they will be great as gifts!
Pili, they are easy and frugal and they make great gifts, you can also do them with your girls. This is the perfect idea for us!
Μαίρη μου ,αυτά τα στολίδια είναι φανταστικά !! Πόσα πράγματα μπορείς να δημιουργήσεις με ότι υπάρχει στο σπίτι η να ανακυκλώσεις όλα αυτά που στέκονται σε συρτάρια και κουτιά ! Η ιδέα σου είναι ,εύκολη ,δημιουργική και ευφάνταστη !! Καλή συνέχεια !
Ολυμπία μου αυτός ειναι ο στόχος. Με οικονομία να δημιουργούμε ωραία πράγματα, όπως και οι προπαππουδες μας, με απλά υλικά..
I love the idea of homemade ornaments – and these look so simple to make!
Yes, too easy. Sometimes even we need a break from the hard stuff. I also find that the simple things are usually more popular, because they can be done with the kids.
Great Idea, Mary!
Our Christmas decoration comes in one of the next posts,
many greetings
Uwe
I’m looking forward to it Uwe, have a great day!
Such a lovely simple idea. Handmade ornaments are always the nicest gifts and make such a lovely tree.
Debra I’m being very ambitious this year, I want to color coordinate everything, and do it right.
Very cute idea Mary – I really like the one with the pearls. I hope you post pictures of your home once you’ve finished decorating!
Thanks Marie. I’ll post the tree and the other ornaments as well, since we have that blog hop coming up we have to do something special.
What a clever, clever idea, Mary – inexpensive and they look great, too.
Thank you Pam, and I bet you would never guess they had such humble beginnings.
This is such a fabulous way to use up extra ribbon, fabric and even jewelry. The only thing I don’t have is the cardboard lol.
You must have had a blast doing this project with your girls, and I bet they did too!
Happy decorating!
xxx
Doreen is it possible to not have cardboard? You probably have all those fancy machines instead… lol. I love doing projects with my girls, the house is full of their handiwork.
Very easy and creative-love it !
Thanks Darrielle, it’s like a blank canvas that you can create anything at all on.
Mary, these ornaments are so cute!! I love that they can be made with whatever is lying around!! What a fantastic idea!! Love it!!
Thank you Keri. They are so simple, just cut out the donuts, and let the kids do them, that easy. And you know me, I have tons of scrap fabric from old clothes I refuse to part with.
Oh Mary these are so cute! So unique and like you said, endless possibilities and so easy. I have so much fabric, and small strips like you need for these, so, perfect! It’s fun decorating with girls isn’t it? You can make a party out of it… Mine love it as well.
I have so much fun with my girls when we get in the mood and do crafts together. They can also make these as gifts to their friends.