How to Make 3 Victorian Ornaments for Your Tree

Victorian themed trees can be fascinating works of art. Combining the bygone days with modern flare will light up any room with holiday cheer. So, what type of ornaments should you use to achieve this look? Here are three simple ornaments you can make to fit any Victorian themed Christmas scene.

Dark poinsettias

The brilliant combination of darks and lights are what really spells out Victorian era. At your local craft store you will find silk or plastic poinsettias in a myriad of seasonal colors, not just red. Find the darkest reds you can, and some glittery golds. They often come in 'bushes,' which is a cluster of silk flowers. Depending on the size of your tree you will want to buy accordingly; it's better to have too many than not enough because you can use them for other accents around the room. At home, you will need some wire cutters and some gold and burgundy ribbons about 1-1/12 inces wide. The sheer ribbons will likely look the best as the lights of the tree will shine through the mesh holes and illuminate your flowers. Using the wire cutters, cut off all the extra leaves on the stems and clip the stems to about three inches in length. Make bows with the ribbon and attach it on the three-inch wire stems; you can secure it better with little dabs of glue from a hot glue gun. When you attach these flowers to the tree, secure them on each branch a few inches from the tip by wrapping the three-inch wire around the branch. Doing this will ensure a sturdy base so they don't fall off when curious children have a look.

Fans

You can make two types of fans and decide which one you would like to use. Simply using some wallpaper or shelf lining and some construction paper makes the first type. The construction paper acts as a sturdy board to glue the wallpaper on. You can usually find Victorian looking designs on wallpaper, but if now, look for simple floral or vine motifs. Form a fan by folding the paper back and forth to make pleats. You will want to staple the bottom of the fan to keep its shape. The next steps are the finishing touches. With some lace or ribbon lace, attach with a hot glue gun to the top of the fans edging. You can also find strung pearls (look in the bridal section of craft stores) and other thin ribbons to accent the bottom. Just clip a 6 inch piece of strung pearls, an 8 inch strand of ribbon and affix it to the area you have stapled on the bottom to cover it. Tack on a rosette to the front and it's all finished. You can make these in whatever size you would like, and they are placed on the branches towards the inside of the tree or with a hanging ribbon just behind the flowers.

The second type of fan is smaller and a little more sophisticated. You will need to find some gold-toned jewelry findings for this ornament. Look around in the jewelry sections of craft stores for a semi-flat pendant or filigree clothing embellishment; this will be the base and handle of your fan decoration. Purchase some synthetic feathers in colors that will match your theme (when in doubt, white is always a versatile choice). To create the fan you need only glue the feathers to the back of the filigree or pendant embellishment. You can loop a ribbon in the pendant ring to hang on the tree. Try adding rosettes or beads to the front for an even more elegant decoration.

Scented Delight

And for an aromatic atmosphere, try these clove oranges. Purchase thin-skinned oranges (navel oranges have very thick skin so avoid them) and whole cloves. Carefully stick the cloves into the orange, with the 'star' end jutting out. You can either make a Christmas shape (a star is probably the easiest) or just make even rows all the way around the orange. Wipe off an juices that may have squirted out and let it 'dry.' Using a tulle circle (you can find these in bridal sections of craft stores), wrap your orange loosely and tie with a ribbon bow on the top. Place these inside the branches or a few hanging for a lovely scent. When you are done with it, just toss it.