How to Make Ten Cheap and Easy Ecofriendly Christmas Tree Ornaments

Christmas tree decorating the traditional old fashioned way has always included handmade inexpensive decorations. The most special ornaments on my tree are recycled ornaments made by my children and grandchildren. Having a green Christmas is important to me. Over the years we have made many kinds of cheap and easy Christmas tree ornaments using recycled and re-purposed items. Here's ten cheap and easy ecofriendly Christmas tree ornaments for your green Christmas.

1. Decoupage Mosaic for Old Ornaments. If you have aging ornaments that are losing their finish, why not decoupage them in a mosaic pattern with old wrapping paper scraps? Just glue paper scraps on. Let the glue dry. Now brush with non-toxic decoupage glue. Presto, you have a beautiful recycled ornament.

2. Marble and Wire Ornaments. Recycle old marbles once used in glass vases as Christmas ornaments. These shiny gems will make your green Christmas tree sparkle. Simply spiral copper craft jewelry wire around a marble and form a hanging hook at the end. It's a cheap and easy ecofriendly Christmas craft anyone can do.

3. Gilded Apples. You've got red artificial apples on your Christmas tree. The finish is wearing off. You can recycle them with a little gold, copper or silver paint. Simply hang them from your outdoor clothesline and spray them with non-toxic diluted metallic craft paint.

4. Recycled Yarn Ornaments. You can make oversized string ornaments for your outdoor Christmas trees using recycled bits of leftover yarn, balloons and flour. Dip yarn pieces in flour and water. Blow up the balloons and wrap them with the wet yarn. Let dry. Pop the balloon and your green ornament is done.

5. Paper Mache Star Tree Topper Ornaments. Use wire from old coat hangers to make a star shape. Cut an old newspaper into strips. Dip the strips of newspaper in flour and water. Wrap them around the star shape. Let dry. Now you can paint your recycled tree topper ornament any color you wish with non-toxic craft paint.

6. Barbie Angels. If your child has outgrown their barbie dolls, don't throw them away. Barbie dolls make great recycled angel tree ornaments. Dress them in a fancy blouse. Use scrap fabric to make a cone shaped skirt. Spray the skirt with fabric stiffener and let dry. Now you have a green angel tree topper.

7. Wrapped Blocks. One of my favorite recycled Christmas craft projects was the pretend present ornaments we made for the tree using old wooden building blocks and recycled gift wrap. Simply wrap the blocks as you would as a present. Tie with a pretty bow for hanging.

8. Permanent Paper Snowflakes. Recycled paper snowflakes are fun to cut out and environmentally friendly. Unfortunately, they're only good for one season. How about making these ecofriendly Christmas ornaments more permanent? Just hang them from the clothesline, spray with non-toxic acrylic spray and let dry.

9. Cookies. This is one of the most ecofriendly Christmas ornaments you could hang on any Christmas tree. Why? It's a no waste project. Just bake them, hang them and eat them. Don't forget to make a hole for the hanging string. Save the string for next years cookies too.

10. Recycled Ornament Hangers. Why buy ornament hangers for your green ornaments? You can make recycled Christmas ornament hangers easily with old paper clips. For green paperclip ornament hangers, simply unbend the paper clip and pull one stem out at an angle. Leftover yarn pieces work too. Just tie and hang.

Source:

Personal Experience