Homemade Ornaments for Trees

Paper Ornaments

• Recycling paper goods into attractive ornaments for all seasons can be a fun project for the entire family. Gather small (wallet-sized) photo frames and cut scraps of wrapping paper to fit inside the frames. String ribbon or fishing line through the frames and hang them on the trees.

  If your kids like to display their artwork, turn their drawings into ornaments. Roll out a piece of plain brown or white craft paper on the table. Have the kids draw on the paper with markers, finger paints, crayons or any other art supplies. Cut the drawings out into small shapes and punch a hole at the top of each drawing. Cover the drawings with several layers of decoupage glue, allowing the glue to dry between each layer. Thread ribbon through the holes and hang the ornaments on the trees.

Ribbon Ornaments

• For a simple twist on tree decorations, use grosgrain ribbon to decorate indoor and outdoor trees. Choose ribbon colors and patterns that match a party's color scheme, the traditional colors of a holiday or the design of a home's interior. Gently tie ribbons into bows around the ends of tree branches.

  For another ribbon project, use a hot glue gun to draw a thin line of ribbon around one edge of a cookie cutter. Press a piece of ribbon to the hot glue. Wrap the ribbon lengthwise around the cookie cutter, pulling tight to retain the cookie cutter's shape. Secure the edge of the ribbon back at the starting point with an additional dot of hot glue. Continue by placing the next piece of ribbon flush with the first. The finished product will retain the cookie cutter's shape but will be entirely covered with ribbon.

Birdseed Ornaments

• For outdoor trees, try making birdseed ornaments. For this project, Country Living magazine suggests using a bird-shaped cookie cutter as a mold. Place the cookie cutter on aluminum foil and wrap the foil around the edges to create a tight mold. Next, melt 1 cup coconut oil, ¼ cup sunflower seeds or chopped nuts and ¼ cup birdseed on the stove over medium heat. Pour the mixture into the bird mold and allow it to harden. Pop it out of the mold, tie with twine and hang in the trees.

  For another birdseed ornament, Jules Duggan, of Mother Earth News, suggests dipping pine cones in honey or slathering them with peanut butter. Roll the sticky cones in birdseed and hang them in the trees.

Homemade Lanterns

• Transform simple paper bags into festive lanterns for an outdoor party. Flatten the bags and use stencils to trace designs on the fronts of the bags. Next, use scissors to cut out the shapes. Staple ribbons to the bags to create handles. Place a battery-operated candle inside each bag. Hang the lanterns in the trees for twinkling light.