3 DIY Christmas Ornaments You Can Make at Home

There is no decoration better than a homemade Christmas ornament! These ornaments are easy to create, and can be cherished for generations. This holiday season, create these unique ornaments for your home or for your friends and family. Each of the following ornaments are straightforward to create, but certainly don’t look it. Happy crafting!

Acorn Ornament

Capture-225x300Turn to nature for something a little woodsy! Creating this beautiful ornament is easier than it looks.

You will need:

  • A Styrofoam ball (size of your choosing)
  • Brown paint
  • Paint brush
  • Acorn caps (amount will vary depending on the size of your project and the size of the acorns. Smaller project usually require 50-60 acorn caps.)
  • Hot glue
  • White craft glue
  • Glitter
  • Twine
  • Ribbon

Paint the Styrofoam ball with the brown paint and let it dry. Next, paint the outer rim of the acorn caps with glue, and dip them in the glitter. Allow the glue to dry fully.

Then, create a loop of twine for the ornament to hang off of, and hot glue it to the top of the ball. Affix the acorns to the styrofoam ball with hot glue, side by side. For an added effect, top off the final product by tying a ribbon to the twine at the top of the ball. The perfect embellishment for any Christmas tree, this ornament also makes a wonderful gift!

Cinnamon Cookie Cutter Ornaments

A fun and easy craft to do with children, these ornaments require few ingredients and are a great Christmas activity!

Capture2-300x163You will need:

-3/4 cup applesauce

– 5 oz of cinnamon

– Cookie cutters

– A drinking straw

– Ribbon

Preheat the oven to 200°F. Combine the applesauce and cinnamon in a bowl until a soft dough is formed. Between two sheets of plastic wrap, roll out the dough to a ¼-inch thickness. Remove the top sheet of plastic wrap, and use the cookie cutters to cut the dough into your desired shapes. Use the drinking straw to create a hole near the top of the ornament (for hanging). Place the ornaments on a cookie sheet and bake for 2 ½ hours. Let the ornaments stand for 1-2 days to ensure that they are fully dry, turning occasionally.  When dry, string the ornaments with ribbon and decorate with paint or glitter, if desired.

Scrabble Tile Ornament

Capture3-283x300This cute ornament is perfect for any game lover, and is an easy way to create unique ornaments everyone will love!

You will need:

  • a paper plate
  • scissors
  • Scrabble tiles with the letters of your choosing
  • textured snow paint
  • felt
  • craft glue
  • ribbon

Arrange the Scrabble tiles on the paper plate. Trace the tiles and cut out their shape. This will create the backing for your ornament. Glue the tiles to the paper plate cut out, and apply textured snow paint to the edges of the tiles to create the effect of freshly fallen snow. When the ornament has dried, create a loop of ribbon and affix it to the back. Cut a piece of felt in the same shape of the ornament and glue it to the back (this will hide the ribbon and paper plate cut out). Let the ornament fully dry before hanging it on your tree. For further information, visit craftsbyamanda.com.

All of this crafting can really work up an appetite! Celebrate this holiday season at Salem Cross Inn in West Brookfield, MA. Enjoy a delicious meal within our fully restored historic inn, or attend one of our Fireplace Feasts in the New Year.  If you are interested in more good reading, visit our blog!