How to Make Ornaments

Having trouble finding the right ornaments for your style? Looking to make ornaments yourself? Take a look at our best and most popular ornament making projects to spark your creativity. Watch a video or look through a slideshow to get your next idea. Have something to say? Join the ornament making discussion board and let us know what you think.

Homemade Christmas Ornaments

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How to Make Ornaments

Choose your medium: Clay and plaster of Paris are the easiest mediums to use. We recommend clay, but consider whether you have the means to bake or fire it.
Choose your decoration: Select something you can mold from a round shape fairly easily - like a rabbit or a dove.
Mold a rabbit: Roll your clay into a large ball with a flattened bottom. Attach a smaller ball to the back as a tail and a medium-sized ball as the head.
Attach some details: Mold detailed shapes from clay and attach them to your ornament. Each attached part needs to be smoothed and secured to the body with water.
Bake your ornament: Place the ornament in your kitchen oven on the highest heat. This is not equal to kiln firing, but it will strengthen your decoration.

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Top Projects for Making Ornaments

Check out our top DIY ornament projects for helpful guidance and ideas.

Snowy Windows and Mirrors

Making snowy windows and mirrors is easy and inexpensive. You can see more of my crazy creations here

Chas' Crazy Creations

Flock a Christmas Tree the Child / Pet Safe Way

I have never flocked my own Christmas tree before, but I can remember how my Granny Jo would let us spray some of that canned snow onto her tree every year. Though spraying that stuff was fun and would certainly be nostalgic, it is not the most non-toxic of options. With that in mind, I thought I would give a natural flocking option a try that would be safe for children and pets that may get into the tree (not that I have either, but hey). To get this DIY Christmas snowy flocked tree underway all you need is some coconut and liquid corn starch!

Amanda C, Hometalk Team

How to Make Wood Slice Snowmen Ornaments

It seems like everyone wants to have a rustic Christmas this year. Wood slice crafts are all the rage. And this little snowman ornament is so easy to make, it's a great craft to make with children!

Cynthia - Clockworkinteriors

Chocolate Candy Ornaments

Do you have some ugly ball ornaments laying around that need perking up? Why not make some chocolate candy themed balls?!!!

Katrina Warren

Fleece Mini Stocking Hat Ornaments, Package Toppers or Garland

I enjoyed making my yarn Mini Stocking Hats so much that I found a tutorial for a fleece version. This little tutorial touches on all the different ways to personalize and add personality to your hats. These stocking hats are so easy to make, it is hard to make just a few. This tutorial could easily make a garland of miniature hats in less than an hour. As many people pointed out in my last tutorial, these don't just have to be Christmas decorations, they can be winter, baby shower, use your imagination and the possibilities are endless. **I just saw an idea on Pinterest to share with everyone. They covered a candy bar with a white wrapper, added a snowman face and other touches and topped it with one of these hats. Each one my kids will be getting one in their stocking, for sure. I will make one and post a picture as soon as I buy some candy bars.**

Stacy Davis

Make Glittery Snowball Ornaments With Glue

Now that it’s cold outside and all my flowers are done blooming, I’m looking for some lovely alternatives to flowers for my table. I found this adorable decorating idea online and, using a few household items, I made a stunning winter themed centerpiece for our table.Step 1: Gather your materials

Shawna Bailey

Ornament Wreath

Hooray for more holiday treats! I am sure you have seen a good ornament wreath before, but why not make one exactly the size and colors that you want? This ornament wreath is not only super customizable, but super easy too! You only need some pool noodles (YES, POOL NOODLES), ornaments, loads of hot glue and dried greenery to create this beauty! Add some lights for a pretty glow and you are seriously set for a nice mantle piece.

Amanda C, Hometalk Team

Decorating a MINI Christmas Tree | Cute DIY Tiny Ornaments | by Fluffy

Hey everyone! I bought myself a cute little tree in a pot, and I thought I should decorate it for Christmas. I must confess it took a lot of brainstorming to find ideas for ornaments so tiny, especially since I challenged myself to use household items. I hope you find these ideas helpful and get inspired to create your own. Let's decorate this Christmas tree!

Laura Dogariu

Tin Can Lid Ornaments

The internet and pinterest are full of ideas for repurposing tin can lids. You can use them on the roof on birdhouses, decorating a table top, or making quick and easy Christmas ornaments.

Judy Tosh

Christmas Choo Choo

Ileen Stephens

Snowy Windows and Mirrors

Making snowy windows and mirrors is easy and inexpensive. You can see more of my crazy creations here

Chas' Crazy Creations

Flock a Christmas Tree the Child / Pet Safe Way

Amanda C, Hometalk Team

How to Make Wood Slice Snowmen Ornaments

It seems like everyone wants to have a rustic Christmas this year. Wood slice crafts are all the rage. And this little snowman ornament is so easy to make, it's a great craft to make with children!

Cynthia - Clockworkinteriors

Chocolate Candy Ornaments

Do you have some ugly ball ornaments laying around that need perking up? Why not make some chocolate candy themed balls?!!!

Katrina Warren

Fleece Mini Stocking Hat Ornaments, Package Toppers or Garland

Stacy Davis

Make Glittery Snowball Ornaments With Glue

Shawna Bailey

Ornament Wreath

Amanda C, Hometalk Team

Decorating a MINI Christmas Tree | Cute DIY Tiny Ornaments | by Fluffy

Laura Dogariu

Tin Can Lid Ornaments

The internet and pinterest are full of ideas for repurposing tin can lids. You can use them on the roof on birdhouses, decorating a table top, or making quick and easy Christmas ornaments.

Judy Tosh

Christmas Choo Choo

Ileen Stephens

DIY Ornament Videos

Want to start making ornaments but need some help? Watch our DIY video tutorials.

Puzzle Piece Ornaments - Christmas Decoration

I have a small obsession with gingerbread houses! I just adore them! :) I have to admit I never bake them but I like making all sorts of crafts gingerbread style. So today I will show you some lovely ornaments, you can use it hanging on the tree or you can used it as seating cards on your Christmas dinner table. They're made of recycled materials and are so easy to put together. What would you do with a puzzle that’s missing some pieces? Why not make a puzzle piece ornaments. These are easy and cheap to make! They also make a great gift. You will need some puzzle pieces, paint, glue, marker, greenery.

Inaablue

DIY Glitter Pear Christmas Ornament From the Dollar Tree

Make this glamorous pear ornament out of Dollar Tree items. Bonus points if you add a partridge!

Kristen

Epic Dollar Store Ornament Makeover

Turn plain plastic ornaments from the the dollar store into fancy ornate decorations that your friends wont even believe you made!

Debi Beard

Homespun Fabric Christmas Ornament

If you love this project, grab your quick start DIY guide & subscribe to our blog!I’m so excited to show you how to make your own DIY homespun fabric Christmas ornament. We’re going to go over 4 different kinds today. You can make one homespun fabric Christmas ornament or, better yet, make them all!

Chelsea @ Making Manzanita

Hometalkers' Favorite DIY Ornament Projects

The best ornament projects on the web. Prepare to fall in love.

Wood Spool Ornament

Sorting through a box of old threads from an estate sale purchase, I discovered several wood thread spools that were too classic vintage to discard. They had to have a new life.

Teri.jeffrey

DIY Wonderful Glitter Dots Ornaments 😍 *step by Step

I have an amazing, creative, and of course simple and easy idea.

3 Great Ideas

Cookie Cutter Christmas Ornaments

Every year I buy a new set of cookie cutters. Not that I use them so much for baking but more because I like their shapes. So this year I decided to use old ones and make some Christmas ornaments. The idea is nothing new but I had to do it and wanted to share with you how they turn up. They warm my heart and will make the most sentimental tree ever. Also I think this is a great way to transform an old cookie cutters plus this project is easy and budget free.

Inaablue

Mini Stocking Hat Ornaments or Package Toppers

These Mini Stocking Hat Ornaments use yarn and the cardboard roll from paper towels or kitchen wrap. This isn't a new project idea but it is new to me. It uses just a few supplies that you possibly have on hand. (The fact that you are reading this on Hometalk increases that probability.) I used yarn, scissors and a cardboard roll for some of the hats and I bought some pom poms for two of the hats. I found this project to be fun and therapeutic. I haven't done a crafty project of this nature in a while. It is also a project that you can customize by varying the size of the hat brim (cardboard roll), yarn type and colors of yarn used. I also enjoyed using up some of my yarn stash. Update: One of the comments below gave some valuable advice... Here it is... Thanks Loretta! "I've made hundreds of these....started out with toilet paper cardboard but soon found out that taking empty roll cardboard from glad wrap, aluminum foil and cut them to 1/2 inch worked better. The cardboard is a lot sturdy and doesn't end up misshaped. I also use a crochet hook when I can't get the yarn through the middle....Hope this helps"

Stacy Davis

Repurpose Ugly Neckties Into Beautiful Christmas Ornaments

This simple and easy project will turn those ugly neckties that every father has in their closet into beautiful and elegant Christmas ornaments. I was inspired to do this project when I saw sweater ornaments on Pinterest made with embroidery hoops.

Judy Tosh

Re-purposed Metal Teaspoon / Christmas Tree Ornament

The spoons in the first photo are plastic icecream spoons that I painted some time back. I began painting on spoons way back when, I'm not sure how long ago. But I had many to paint on and share. These here are to provide you with ideas of what you could paint on a spoon that do not all have to be for Christmas.

Phillipcardjr

Wood Spool Ornament

Sorting through a box of old threads from an estate sale purchase, I discovered several wood thread spools that were too classic vintage to discard. They had to have a new life.

Teri.jeffrey

DIY Wonderful Glitter Dots Ornaments 😍 *step by Step

I have an amazing, creative, and of course simple and easy idea.

3 Great Ideas

Cookie Cutter Christmas Ornaments

Inaablue

Mini Stocking Hat Ornaments or Package Toppers

Stacy Davis

Repurpose Ugly Neckties Into Beautiful Christmas Ornaments

Judy Tosh

Re-purposed Metal Teaspoon / Christmas Tree Ornament

Phillipcardjr

Popular Ornament Making Discussions

Here are the popular DIY discussion boards on making your own ornaments.

What kind of paint for inside of plastic ornaments?

/> Wendy

I bought some plastic (acrylic?) see-through ornaments and wanted to drop and decorate with paint on the inside. I used acrylic paints and it is NOT working! It isn’t sticking completely and not drying! So, what kind of paint SHOULD I be using?

What kind of paint for inside of plastic ornaments?

View discussion

How do I make bird seed ornaments?

/> Vicki

View discussion

How do I make a beautiful unicorn ornament for my granddaughters?

/> Lesa Harmon

What is the best glue to use to put a resin unicorn horn on my glass ornament?

How do I make a beautiful unicorn ornament for my granddaughters?

View discussion

How to hang ornaments from a Christmas tree with fishing line?

/> Paula Curtis

Christmas Tree Made With ornaments hanging from fishing line

View discussion

New Ornaments Projects

New DIY ornament projects are here to spark your creativity and get you creating!

DIY Whimsical Woodland Ornaments

I'll admit it-- I'm hooked on teeny miniatures, especially around the holidays. Seeing a winter wonderland scene in small scale makes my heart go pitter patter! After spotting woodland ornaments at my favorite home decor retailer, I knew I had to try my hand at making them myself. Check out the easy how-to so you can create a whimsical set of woodland ornaments for your tree too! Decor

Carrie MakingLemonade

Ordinary to Extraordinary - #SPiTchallenge

Take your ordinary clear Christmas balls and turn them into a piece of art! Here are some plain Christmas balls that I picked up at a garage sale for .10 each

Mary Carlson

Mismatched Flatware Santa

Do you have mismatched, leftover silverware laying around? Don't trash or donate it! Transform it!

Salvaged Living: Decorating & DIY

Twig Christmas Tree Ornaments

Using twigs and a strip of cardboard these twig Christmas tree ornaments were pretty easy to make. We made them in mass quantity, ie: 30+ for our family Holiday party. We actually made a little ornament making party out of the whole project. Fun was had by all, maybe even too much, hahaha, or should I say hohoho!! Anyways, aside from getting sore fingers from breaking all those twigs down to size, the ornaments turned out pretty cool.

Amy Ellis @ StowandTellU

Neon Marble Ornament Tutorial

The holiday season is always merry and bright, so your ornaments should be too! Making these ornaments are so, so easy and just require a few supplies. If these bold colors aren't your thing, you can totally use other colors, but the teens and tweens in your life will probably love the in-your-face colors.

Tulip Color + COLORSHOT

DIY Glass Photo Ornament

I love making photo gifts during the holidays, especially ones that can be cherished year after year. Ever wonder how to get your family photo inside a glass bulb? Check out this tutorial for an easy method. No special tools required, a photo, drinking glass, fishing line, pencil, and a decorative ribbon.