looking for xmas ornament craft ideas

[larig]

starting last year (when he was 2) DS and I make ornaments as one of our advent activities. Last year we bought styrofoam balls and glued sparkly stuff to them (and I mod podged them). Cute and perfect for a 2 year old. So, I'm looking for ideas for this year and beyond of ornament making ideas that you've used that have been A) easy for kids B) attractive when finished

[JoyNChrist]

Last year I got some of the hollow glass balls (usually sold in 6 packs at Michael's or Hobby Lobby) and a bunch of different colors of craft paint. Unscrew the top and pour a little bit of paint in. Then screw the lid back on and let DC slowly turn the ball all around to coat the inside with paint. You can also mix colors, or add glitter for a cool effect.

DS1 had a blast with these and they actually looked really neat.

[elbenn]

We did these wood photo blocks in my mom's group last year and they turned out great. They are really easy, too!

http://thecraftingchicks.com/2009/12/homemade-block-ornaments.html

[larig]

great ideas!

[belovedgandp]

We did the glass balls also, but made them into snowmen faces. Push white stuffing inside the ball and use fingers to dot the eyes, nose and mouth on the ball.

I've also seen some cute ones that look like icicles, stringing beads on wires.

[roobee]

I've made cinnamon ornaments with my kids. http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/non-edible-cinnamon-ornaments/detail.aspx

[gatorsmom]

I still have 2 ornaments I made in grade school. One was a pine cone that the teacher had spray painted gold. Then the kids took the pine cone, rolled it in glue and then rolled it in glitter. Only the edges actually had glitter on it so it looked like it had been dusted with snowflakes. It was very sparkly on the Xmas tree!

Another year we had glued round, satin-covered Xmas ornaments to wafflecones which had been spray-painted gold to make it look like a Xmas ice cream cone. I remember thinking how neat it was to have an ice cream cone on our Xmas tree! These first 2 ornaments were VERY simple projects for younger kids.

Another year we took emptied walnut half shell and put a bit of stuffing at the bottom which we covered with a teensy square of fabric we'd tucked in around it. Then, on the edge we put a little pompom we'd glued tiny eyes and felt ears to. it looked like a tiny mouse tucked to sleep into a walnut shell being used as a hammock. We had first glued the ends of 4 pieces of string to the inside of the walnut shell. We used those strings to hang the walnut shell on the tree. It was a cute ornament.

[zoestargrove]

I'm late to this, but I've collected a few good ideas for an upcoming cousins craft day.


Glittered pinecones dipped in beeswax ornaments.
http://themagiconions.blogspot.com/2011/11/glittered-wax-dipped-pinecone-christmas.html


hanging Christmas Stars
http://themagiconions.blogspot.com/2009/12/make-hanging-christmas-stars.html


Bird feeder craft
http://eighteen25.blogspot.com/2011/08/bird-feeders.html

Block ornaments
http://thecraftingchicks.com/2009/12/homemade-block-ornaments.html

Handprint snowman ornaments
http://eighteen25.blogspot.com/2010/12/hand-print-snowman-ornaments.html

[zoestargrove]

last year the kids and I made ornaments using the same technique as this garland.
http://www.kidspot.com.au/Christmas-Christmas-crafts-Christmas-paper-bauble-garland+3699+117+article.htm

We've also done this craft at Martha Stewart a few years back.
http://www.marthastewart.com/270748/easy-ornaments-pipe-cleaner-wreath

We felted wool roving into balls and I strung a piece of string into it as an ornament. You can get fancier with a felting needle, but the wet felting was just the right speed for my kids at ages 6 and 7.

I saw this idea recently and thought it would be awesome to cut in half and then attach a string to each half as an ornament. http://www.livingcrafts.com/blog/gift-ideas/tiny-treasures-rainbow-rocks

Also, thought this was a lovely looking ornament
http://rhythmofthehome.com/2011/11/winter-snow-fairies-crafts-with-children/

[Mermanaid]

We put two candy canes together to form a heart and put them in the oven @ 250 for about 5 - 7 mins. When they came out I pinched the ends together to ensure they would stay together. After they cooled, DD traced around the outside edge on construction paper, cut it out and drew a picture on it. We glued it onto the back of the candy canes and then glued on ribbon to hang it. Super cute.

[pakin]

I saw this page on Land's End site and thought about this thread.

http://www.landsend.com/kidsfun/

Cute projects!

Pakin

DS 4/2001
DD 6/2005

[larig]

The snowman handprint on the block you linked zoestargrove is cute. I had seen this on Pinterest (http://www.meetthedubiens.com/2010/12/handprint-snowman-tree-ornaments.html), but I think I like the block more!

Thanks for all the links and ideas, everyone.

[justlearning]

Love this thread! I have never made any ornaments but would like to start that tradition now too. I haven't made these but did see a friend post her version of these on facebook--cute if your kid likes Angry Birds: http://obsessivelystitching.blogspot.com/2010/12/angry-birds-ornaments.html

She painted them the same way but didn't put the Santa hat on and they still looked cute.

[zoestargrove]

Love this thread! I have never made any ornaments but would like to start that tradition now too. I haven't made these but did see a friend post her version of these on facebook--cute if your kid likes Angry Birds: http://obsessivelystitching.blogspot.com/2010/12/angry-birds-ornaments.html

She painted them the same way but didn't put the Santa hat on and they still looked cute.

ha ha! We might have to try this one. My 7yo won a ribbon at the fair this year for painting his pumpkins like angry bird and a pig.

[infomama]

We did these wood photo blocks in my mom's group last year and they turned out great. They are really easy, too!

http://thecraftingchicks.com/2009/12/homemade-block-ornaments.html

This is so timely! I just put about 12 wooden blocks in the purge box. What a cool way to recycle them!

[larig]

This is so timely! I just put about 12 wooden blocks in the purge box. What a cool way to recycle them!

Take a look at the handprint snowmen on blocks that zoestargrove linked...you could do this with a couple of them too next year?