If you are planning for the upcoming Christmas season and want to do something different, perhaps you should try making homemade Christmas ornaments. Making homemade Christmas ornaments is a great way to personalize your Christmas decorating. In addition it is a great way to bring family and friends together, and if there are children in your life, involve them in decorating for Christmas. Homemade Christmas ornaments can also become really meaningful and personal gifts. An added bonus of making home made Christmas ornaments is that they can cost as little or as much as you want them to with some truly spectacular results. But if you are not sure where to begin on making homemade Christmas ornaments here are some fun ideas to get you started.
Beaded Ornaments-these simple-to-make ornaments can look homespun or sophisticated depending on what types of beads you use. These ornaments make wonderful gifts for a wide variety of people as well.
What you will need:
•Pipe cleaners
•Craft beads (5- to 10-millimeter diameters) any color or style
•Time needed for completion of project: Under 1 Hour
Step One-Bend an end of a pipe cleaner into a 90-degree angle. Begin threading on beads from the opposite end, stopping a half inch from the tip.
Step Two-Twist together the two ends, and the strand is ready to shape into a star, a candy cane, or another festive object.
Variations for this ornament:
You can twist together the ends of two pipe cleaners for a longer strand, or attach short beaded lengths to add a striker to a bell or holly berries to a wreath.
Ribbon Candy Ornaments-this fun ornament is meant upon completion to look like old fashioned ribbon candy. This fun-to-fold ribbon candy decoration really dresses up a tree or a window. Arrange several in a small box, and you’ve got a great gift package to send to a long-distance relative or family friend.
What you will need:
•17 inches of 1 1/2-inch-wide wire ribbon (striped or solid colors work well)
•16 inches of clear fishing line or decorative thread
•Needle
•Pencil
•Time needed for completion of project: Under 1 Hour
Step One-For each ornament, first fold down 1/4 inch at each end of the ribbon, then begin accordion-folding the ribbon in 1 3/4-inch sections.
Step Two-Knot one end of the fishing line and thread the other through the needle. Push the needle up through the bottom of the folded ribbon pile and return the needle 1/4 inch away from the original hole. Knot the line at the bottom.
Step Three-Pull the line from the top until the ribbon sandwich is about 1 1/2 inch thick and the two bottom knots are taut. Knot the line on top, so that a loop is left for hanging. Now you can use a pencil or your finger to round out the side folds.
Scented Ornaments-these cute and whimsical cutouts can be fragrant gifts or non-edible tree ornaments for your Christmas tree.
What you will need:
•1 cup of regular applesauce (not the chunky variety)
•1 1/2 cups of ground cinnamon
•1/3 cup of white glue
•Assorted cookie cutters
•Drinking straw
•Colored ribbon
•Time needed for completion of project: approximately 3 hours
Step One- In a mixing bowl, stir together all the ingredients. Form the mixture into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap and chill for at least thirty minutes until the “dough” stiffens.
Step Two-Sprinkle more cinnamon on a cutting board or a waxed-paper-lined surface, and turn the chilled dough onto it. Dust a rolling pin with more cinnamon and use it to roll out the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness (if it’s thinner than that, the ornaments will be too fragile and break).
Step Three-Then you can begin to cut out decorative shapes with assorted cookie cutters or a butter knife, then use a plastic drinking straw to make a hole through the top center of each cutout for easy hanging later.
Step Four-Let the ornaments air-dry completely before stringing them with ribbon.