Ornaments are a favorite craft project to work on as Christmas approaches. There are so many items you can upcycle into DIY Christmas ornaments, and an ornament party is a fun way to spend an afternoon with friends and family. Here are some sweet and whimsical upcycle ideas for handmade ornaments using items from the thrift store or tucked away in a drawer or cabinet in your own home.Read more ›
Christmas Ornament Crafting with Switch Plate Covers
December 16, 2020 · By · 20 Comments
There are very few certainties in life, but I’m pretty sure this IS certain: If you walk into any Habitat ReStore, you’ll find a plethora of switch plate covers. Light switches, wall plates, outlet covers, in plastic, wood, and metal. So, I decided to do some Christmas ornament crafting with a few of them for my latest project on the Charlotte Region ReStore blog.Read more ›
Wooden Spindle Ornaments from a Coffee Mug Tree
November 18, 2018 · By · 13 Comments
Last year, I upcycled a coffee mug tree into a tabletop Christmas tree. At the time, I had set aside the remaining “arms” or wood spindles for another project. Well, I’m happy to say that I’m FINALLY upcycling those coffee mug tree arms now. And I’m turning them into wooden spindle ornaments !Read more ›
Exotic Christmas Ornaments from Florentine Coasters
December 14, 2017 · By · 13 Comments
Vintage Florentine pieces are pretty common at antiques shops- you know what I’m talking about, right? The gold painted pieces like trays, jewelry boxes, etc.? Well, for years I’ve admired Florentine coasters and always secretly thought about turning them into Christmas ornaments. I just couldn’t bear the thought of purchasing a perfectly good, full-priced set and doing that. Read more ›
Mason Jar Lid Ornaments with Vintage Christmas Wrapping Paper
November 26, 2017 · By · 28 Comments
A few years ago, I made these DIY Wreath Ornaments using the bands from canning jars after I bought a set of mason jars to use as drinking glasses. I had no intention of making another kind of mason jar lid ornaments, but then thrifting fate intervened. Earlier this year, I came across a bag of canning jar lids, in various sizes, colors, and brands, and I couldn’t bear to leave it behind. Read more ›
Repurposed Ornaments and Christmas Ornament Crafts
December 18, 2016 · By · 25 Comments
As a December 26th baby, I feel a special connection to Christmas- even if a birthday at this time of year is pretty underwhelming. Coupled with my love of repurposing and upcycling, it should come as no surprise to anyone that combining the two (upcycling and Christmas) is something I look forward to each year. And while I haven’t done that many of them, repurposed ornaments using upcycled materials are an exceptional favorite holiday craft.Read more ›
Loose Leaf Tea Strainers as Christmas Ornaments
December 1, 2016 · By · 91 Comments
Over my thrifting and vintage-shopping adventures, I had accumulated a handful of loose lea tea strainers in different shapes and sizes. For whatever reason, I couldn’t stop buying them, especially when I’d spot one that was yet a different shape.Read more ›
Mini Christmas Wreaths from Mason Jar Lids
December 23, 2014 · By · 61 Comments
Mason jar lids are an ideal craft project material, aren’t they? I frequently find the lids and bands at thrift stores, and crafting with them is always fun! This bag of lids was a great find on one of my thrifting adventures and I knew they’d be perfect for upcycling into a few types of ornaments, including mini Christmas wreaths.
Weaving Bobbins as Spindle Ornaments
December 3, 2014 · By · 14 Comments
Because Greenville, SC (where I used to live) was historically a textile town, the relics of those old fabric mills are found in every vintage shop around. And repurposing those relics is a favorite pastime- including these weaving bobbins (Pirns? Quills? I’ve seen them called all sorts of things) that I found. Because they were on the smaller side, I decided to turn them into spindle ornaments for our Christmas tree!Read more ›
Mint Tins as Christmas Ornaments that Look Like Vintage Luggage
November 24, 2014 · By · 23 Comments
Vintage luggage covered in travel stickers is about iconic as it gets for me in the world of vintage decor. In the spirit of Christmas-ornament-making during this time of year, I decided to create my own vintage suitcases that could be hung on my tree. And to do this, I decided to upcycle some Altoids tins or mint tins to make it happen!
