Today was a cold, rainy day which was perfect for making these homemade Christmas ornaments. I made these ornaments from wooden curtain rings, and since we don’t have our tree up yet, I just hung one on this container so I could show it to you.
This all came about when I ran across this bag of wooden curtain rings that I forgot I had.
And when Janet Metzger from the blog The Empty Nest posted these beauties on Facebook back in October, I knew what I was going to do with my curtain rings.
I wasn’t quite sure how I was going to transform my curtain rings into ornaments, but when I ran across this bag of potpourri containing miniature pine cones and preserved juniper I knew what I was going to do. (I ‘ve already been gathering pine cones to use in my Christmas decorating this year, and it seems that a whole lot of other people are doing the same!)
The potpourri contains pine cones of all sizes, and I found it at Carolina Pottery in Columbia, SC.
Here you can see the miniature pine cones and the preserved juniper.
You can see how I used the little pine cones and juniper in making the ornaments. Hobby Lobby also carries the miniature pine cones.
The first step in making these ornaments is to paint your rings. Mine were already white, so the next step is to create a back. Since I’m going to be using these on a tree decorated in white and silver, I decided to go with a silver back.
I had spray painted a paper plate with silver paint and cut circles out of it to make some of my backs, and that worked the best. But it was raining today and I couldn’t spray paint more of them.
Luckily, I had some silver scrapbook paper and I cut circles out of it.
After gluing on the backs , I added a little silver leaf Rub ‘n Buff to the rings.
Next I hot glued the juniper and the pine cones to the ring.
I mixed some Epsom salt and glitter in a bowl so I could glam up the ornaments a bit. To apply it, I watered down some Mod Podge and brushed it on the ring. Then I sprinkled the salt and glitter onto the ring.
I can’t wait to see them hanging on our tree. It’s all part of my plan to use more natural materials in decorating for Christmas this year. Are you thinking about Christmas, too?
I’m joining:
Christmas Decorating on a Budget@Creative Cain Cabin
Meet Me Monday@You Are Talking Too Much
Newbie Party with a Twist@Debbiedoo’s
Metamorphosis Monday@Between Naps on the Porch
Uncommonly Yours Party@Uncommon Designs
Wow Us Wednesday@Savvy Southern Style
A Crafty Christmas Linky Party@Before Meets After
Just an FYI … if you have any Alder Trees in your area they have something that looks like little pine cones on their branches. When they first appear they are green in colour but by fall they have turned brown and usually fall off the trees. A little bit of Gesso painted on with a sponge brush and it looks just like snow. I live in the Silicon Valley of California and have access to thousands of these things. Check your areas and see if Alder Trees grow in your area. I tried to copy & paste a picture for you but it wouldn’t allow me to.
Jane!!! These are the perfect upcycle, love the touches of nature!! thank you so much for linking up to our party!!
I LOVE these!! I just happen to have a “stash” of curtain rings too 🙂 Hmmm…now you’ve got me thinking. So many ideas…so little time! Thanks, Laurel
Your Christmas ornaments are adorable Jane! What a great idea!!
LOVE these Jane…they are adorable and such a clever idea. So glad you shared them at the party.
Sweet little ornaments – great idea!
Happy to have found your blog. I enjoyed reading about your new adventures. I was a big fan of “The Breeze” and miss it so much.
Like the idea of your homemade Christmas ornament, silver has always been a color of freedom, peace, neutral, shining, silent, trust, still and silent and a color, which has been attractive to me always.
Jane!
These are adorable – I actually have some old curtain rings lying around and this would be perfect!
I love using natural elements in decorating and I’m trying to go simpler this year too!
Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving too.
Kelly
Jane,
These are so cute! What a fun, repurposed idea!
Wishing you and your wonderful family a blessed Thanksgiving!
karianne
Jane,
These are so cute! I’ve been thinking about decorating for Christmas! I hope to start on Friday, after Thanksgiving! Hope you and Leo have a great Thanksgiving!
These are adorable! I was looking for a craft to make with my kids at school. These will just fit the bill.
Thanks for sharing and have a happy and blessed Thanksgiving.
Patti
Jane…fantastic idea!!…The ornaments are so beautiful…and what a great “base” as they already have hooks!!…A great craft to do with my little one!!!
This looks great, what a fabulous idea. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones! I would love for you to visit me and see the centerpiece at my Thanksgiving table 🙂 I am visiting you from Savvy Southern Style!
Jane I had seen a similar type of Christmas ornament in one of my ladies magazines. Most of them had family photo’s and family pets. Yours are creative and will look great with the theme of more natural materials for Christmas. Jean
Jane, this is a clever idea! So many possibilities with this project! Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Wow amazing. So so creative and pretty.
Thanks for dropping by the party and showing off your creative talent.
These are pretty cute! I agree that pine cones seem to be the go-to natural element. lol. I cut some boxwood today and put it in a bucket. I guess that’s a start! Plan to really get started this weekend. Hoping you and Leo have a wonderful Thanksgiving. I am so grateful for our friendship. Blessings to you both!
Great idea! I just purchased some clear glass round ornaments and with Mod Modge, I decoupaged them with colorful Christmas scrapbook paper torn into small pieces. They turned out great and are wonderful to give as gifts! 🙂
So cute. I did have to laugh though since my husband and I just got done rewatching the movie “Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Made me think of John Candy’s character who was the shower curtain king!
These are so adorable. I have some rings in my linen closet I’m sure, although I have doors and no longer use the curtains. I also wanted to get a package outto you this week, I may not be able to do it til next week, things are a little hectic ;-0 but I will let you know definitely! xo
Love the use of mini pine cones.
So cute Jane!
These are adorable Jane! I love the idea of mixing Epson salt with the glitter! Christmas has just been on the fringes of my brain with Thanksgiving this week. I have lots of cleaning to do 🙂
Very pretty, Jane!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Jane, these are too cute:) What a creative girl you are.
How cute and clever! Pinned it!
Cute ornaments Jane. I like adding natural touches.
Those are adorable! What a great idea to use curtain rings for! Love handmade ornaments! 🙂
Those are so cute, Jane. I have a very old curtain ring ornament that has a cross stitched back on it and was given to me as a gift. I hang it every year.
This is a fun project and I see bags of these rings at the thrift store all the time. It would be fun to embellish them in all different ways! I love red berries! Enjoy your week! Happy Thanksgiving!
Cool!
Doable and so elegant!
Hopped over from the hop and now staying to see what else you come up with.
-r