Christmas makes me feel crafty. I love making Christmas ornaments. It makes me happy to see homemade ornaments I make every year when I hang them on my tree. They are also some of my favorite things to make for gifts, knowing that my friends can have the same happy feeling when they put them on their own trees. Here are 10 homemade Christmas ornaments that I'd like to make this year.
I donate books to my local library whenever I can, but there are usually a few that are falling apart and in no shape to be donated. I try to keep a couple of those around at all times for projects like Christina's book page paper star ornament. I also really love the idea of making these using maps of places your family has visited.
I really like projects that don't require a run to the craft store. (So does my bank account.) I have lots of mason jar lids in the house and I have some chalkboard paint left over my chalkboard wall project. Alicia's mason jar lid ornaments will be a snap to make.
You know how sometimes you see a picture of something and you think there is no way you could make it? And then you see the instructions and are shocked by how easy it is? Let me point you to Christina's wooden stick soldier. They look amazing and I'm stunned by how simple they are to make.
Shari's melted snowman ornaments make me laugh every time I look at them. I love them. I need them. I think all my friends need at least one.
Do you have a sweater that has seen better days? But you just can't quite part with it? Turn it into some of Natalie's mini mitten ornaments. Hang them on the tree. Use them instead of bows on presents. Use them to wrap a gift cards. Basically, make these teeny mittens and use them for everything.
For reasons I can't really explain, I have a fondess for octopuses. I like to joke that the #nopeoctopus is my spirit animal. Kat's octopus-topped ornament is so very me. It even involves glitter. I love glitter!
I have oodles of small jewelry boxes collecting dust in a closet because, you know, they might be useful one day. I've found a use for them! You can use jewelry boxes to make Erin's Christmas vignette ornaments. I love the tree she used in hers and the presents are gift-wrapped Legos! Look around your house to see what small items you could use in yours -- I bet you'll surprise yourself with what you find!
I feel like birds just belong on my Christmas tree and so my tree has several of them. It is sadly -- and shockingly -- lacking in owls. I love owls! And sparkles! I think that makes Kat's glitter owl Christmas ornament pretty much perfect. I have friends who would love to have some owls to add to their tree.
We are big fans of Christmas crackers and that's exactly what Jade's Christmas candy decorations look like to me. When you have finished, nestle them in the branches of your tree. If you don't mind seeing your hard work undone, you could even slip some treats inside them. Or clues to a Christmas scavenger hunt!
There's nothing quite like a personalized ornament. I really like Jaime's hand-painted monogrammed ornaments. I'd like to make some for myself but I think they'd also make really lovely gifts. Your toughest decision will be choosing which font to use because they'd all look awesome.
Are you making Christmas ornaments? Will you be giving any as gifts?
Karen Ballum is a Community Moderator on BlogHer.com. She also blogs at Sassymonkey and Sassymonkey Reads.