Paper Christmas Ornaments:
Easy To Make Christmas Decorations
Paper Christmas ornaments: Try these 6 free printable Christmas decorations for quick & simple Christmas paper craft. Make your own Christmas decorations from stuff you have at home!
Download the printable Christmas ornaments (links @ bottom of page) & choose a color scheme.
Then turn the patterns into delicate paper Christmas decorations & use them as ...
- unique, homemade Christmas tree decorations,
- paper Christmas ornaments for door knobs or window handles,
- simple homemade Christmas ornaments for an indoor wreath,
- personalized gift tags for Christmas gifts.
These are super easy Christmas ornaments to make, and there's beauty in numbers: I always hang loads of them on long translucent ribbons (at different heights) from a white paper lampshade above the staircase at Christmastime. Small investment - grand impression!
You Will Need ...
To create the shapes:
- White or cream-colored card, as thick as your printer can handle - the heavier the card, the more luxurious your paper Christmas ornaments will look!
- The hard back of an old writing pad, or similar thick, sturdy card (I always collect the backs of writing pads once I've used up the paper. Some chocolate bars have nice solid card backing, too!)
- A soft pencil for tracing the shapes
- Sturdy scissors (and/or cutting mat, scalpel & metal ruler)
- Paint (e.g. gouache/ink/leftover wall paint)
- A paintbrush
To pinprick the patterns:
- A push pin, or
- an old ballpoint pen/biro that doesn't write any more, or
- a sharp thick needle (& a thimble, to make your fingers last longer)
- Some corrugated cardboard for support
Plus ...
- glue
- ribbon to hang your paper crafts for Christmas
- wire & a wire cutter (if you're making eyelets)
How To Make Paper Christmas Ornaments, Step 1:
Print & Cut The Shapes
To download the six paper Christmas crafts, go to the bottom of this page.
Each design comes on a separate sheet and will give you 3 double sided or 6 single sided paper Christmas decorations.
The construction process is the same for all. Here's how to use the free Christmas ornament patterns:
- Print the design onto white/cream colored card. (If you're using a darker color, the pinprick pattern will be less visible in the finished product.)
- Cut out the shape of the Christmas ornament you want to make, including the wide gray border.
- Trace the shape onto the back of your writing pad.
- Cut the shape out of the heavy card.
How To Make Paper Christmas Ornaments, Step 2:
Paint The Base
If you want a white pinprick design on both sides of the cardboard shape, you only need to paint the margins on both sides. (Otherwise, give your paper Christmas decorations a beautifully finished 'back' side.)
Remember to paint the edge, too!
What paint?
I've used a transparent, shellac-based ink from Sennelier; it gives a mottled look and dries with a silky sheen.
However, you can use almost any kind of paint that produces a nice flat finish (or an interesting textured one).
Oh, and this is the moment to plan your color scheme! Choose the hanging ribbons first, then find matching paint color for your paper Christmas ornaments. It's much easier than the other way round (there's more paints available than ribbons).
Good (& fairly traditional) colors that make these printable Christmas decorations great 'jewelry' for Christmas evergreens:
- white or cream & red (anything from pink/rose via rusty tones to burgundy)
- white & chalky gray
- blue (anything from navy to pale dove blue, except purplish blues), plus white or cream
Against a background in lighter color or neutrals, cream & black looks very elegant, particularly when you hang these simple homemade Christmas ornaments with narrow black ribbon.
How To Make Paper Christmas Ornaments, Step 3:
Create The Pattern
- Place the design, 'face' up, on the corrugated cardboard, and pinprick the pattern lines.
- Try to keep the design in one place to make sure that the raised pattern does not get squashed.
- When you're done, carefully cut off the gray border.
How To Make Paper Christmas Ornaments, Step 4:
Glue The Design Onto The Base
- Distribute glue in strategic places between the pinpricked pattern elements
- Carefully press the card to the base without flattening the pinpricks.
To hang,
- Cut or pierce a hole into the colored margin. Thread ribbon or wire directly through the hole, or twist an eyelet from skinny wire.
To Download Your Paper Christmas Ornaments ...
... you will need Adobe Reader
(the latest version is recommended) installed on your computer. You can
get Adobe Reader here (a new window will
open so you can download it without leaving this page).
To open, just click on the link of your choice. In case you want to download a file to view later, right-click on the link and choose "Save Target As" or "Save File As". Then select where you want to save the file on your hard drive.
Once you have saved the file, locate where you saved it, and double click to open.
To print the pattern for your paper Christmas ornaments, open the downloaded file, and select the "Print" option from the menu.
The inspired folks over at information-packed craftideas.info recently gave these printable Christmas ornaments a try. They created two sets, one of them color paper ornaments in cool colors, photographed on a white Christmas tree. Have a look!
More ideas for DIY Christmas ornaments & decorations below:
- Try other Christmas tree decorating ideas;
- Check out some Christmas decorating ideas, or ...
- ... find cool Christmas craft & gift ideas!
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