Pretty Christmas Ornaments Made from Paper

Dot your Christmas tree in retro-fresh cheer with ornaments that take just minutes to craft. Cover Christmas tree die cuts with patterned papers using a glue stick. Spread glue over the surface of the paper-covered ornaments and sprinkle with ultra-fine diamond dust. Glue green glass glitter to the boughs of the trees. Punch a hole in the top of each tree and thread with a length of ribbon for a hanger. Embellish the trees with pom-poms, ribbons, and trinkets.

Editor's Tip: Use your scrapbooking leftovers to decorate your paper tree ornaments. This one sports a berry sprig and bow. See three more variations of this ornament on the next slides.

Mix large and small polka dots to give your tree ornament extra charm. We've added a petite polka dot bow (which ties together two miniature ornaments) atop the larger scale polka dot paper background. A metallic pom-pom tops the tree.

Editor's Tip: Use a hot-glue gun and hotmelt adhesive (rather than a gluestick) to hold heavier embellishments, such as the bow and ornaments.

Use a small sprig of holly topped with a petite polka dot bow to adorn a tree covered in poinsettia-pattern paper.

Glue snowflake confetti to one of your tree ornaments for a winter wonderland-inspired bauble. Background paper featuring snowmen creates a fun background. No confetti? Use a snowflake paper punch to make the shapes out of gold, silver, or white paper.

Recreate your neighborhood on your tree. Download our free house patterns and build a home that resembles your current abode or your childhood home.

Start with a basic papier-mache ornament and get creative with bits of paper and pretty beads. Customize your embellishment selections to match your Christmas tree's color scheme and theme.

Although this three-dimensional snowflake looks like it was made from several pieces of paper, it was actually crafted from just one. To make it, download the free pattern and tape to a light box (or a window in direct sunlight). Tape tracing paper over the pattern. With a pencil, trace the pattern onto white cardstock. Mark all points with pinholes to ensure accuracy when you begin and end each cutting line. Starting in the center of the design and working toward the outside, carefully cut on the lines, taking care to not cut the areas that hold the shape together. Cut on all the pattern lines, then, starting with the center star, carefully twist one quarter-turn. Continue to twist each successive star until all are spun out.

A vintage postcard, a narrow piece of ribbon, and a paper punch are all it takes to put together these antique-look ornaments for your Christmas tree. Punch a hole in the top of a real or reproduction vintage postcard and thread narrow ribbon through the hole. Tie the ends in a bow, making a loop for hanging. To leave a valuable postcard intact, make a color photocopy. Back the ornament with color-coordinating cardstock trimmed with 1/4-inch allowance.

Use scraps of patterned papers to piece these sweet, whimsical ornaments together. Download the free patterns and cut out the pattern pieces from different papers. Layer the pieces and embellish with stickers, jewels, and more.

Stacked layers of paper are topped with a rub-on tree transfer for this easy-to-make ornament. Cut out the desired tree image from a holiday rub-on transfer sheet. Place the image on white paper and rub over the design to transfer. Layer the paper with the transferred image onto white cardstock and secure with paper adhesive; let dry. Use a crafts knife to cut out the tree shape through all paper layers. With a snowflake paper punch, make snowflakes from red glittery cardstock and adhere to the top of the transfer tree with an adhesive foam dot. Embellish the ornament with red rhinestone trim as desired.

Editor's Tip: Look for sets of rub-on transfer sheets with multiple trees in different sizes. Use all of the rub-ons to make a matching set of ornaments.

Stack paper snowflakes and pretty pearl ribbons to make a White Christmas-inspired ornament that will really stand out against the evergreen branches of your Christmas pine.

Small papier-mache medallions (available at crafts stores) make great ornaments when spruced up with paint and paper. Paint one side of the medallion green; let dry. Trace the medallion shape onto the back of patterned paper. Cut out the circle and glue it to unpainted medallion side. Punch out a smaller, scalloped circle from solid paper. Use foam circles to adhere a scalloped circle and a snowflake cutout to center of medallion.

Use an extra jewelry box (with a lid) from your wrapping supplies to craft this petite holiday shadowbox. Cover the interior and exterior of the lid with holiday paper. Punch two holes in the top of the lid. Thread ribbon through the holes and tie in a bow for a hanger. For each ornament, cut a valance from holiday paper and top with a gold doily scrap. Glue a small holiday image to a chipboard piece and attach it to the inside of each box. Embellish with ribbons, charms, and tinsel.

Make a colorful flurry of snowflake ornaments. Fold a square of sturdy decorative paper in half diagonally, then in half again. Make cuts on all sides. Open, press, and outline edges with crafts glue and glitter.

Give these bird ornaments a place to nest in your Christmas tree. Using spray adhesive, adhere a layer of red glitter cardstock over solid red cardstock, right sides together. Download the free pattern and trace the bird's body, wing, and tail shapes onot the papers. Cut the slits on each cutout shape as indicated on the pattern. Using a small round brush, apply red glitter glue around the edges of each shape. Use crafts glue to adhere a black sequin or bead onto the head for an eye; let dry. Assemble the bird. For a hanger, cut a length of satin ribbon, form a loop, and tie the ends in a knot. Hot-glue the loop in place on the back of the bird's body.

Go to the next slide to see how to make the matching medallion ornament.

Using an ornament stamp as a template, stamp and cut out the ornament backing from red glitter cardstock. Stamp and cut the remaining ornament components using patterned cardstock as desired. (Stamp the back side of the paper to conserve your inventory.) Punch snowflake shapes from red glitter cardstock. Assemble the ornaments using foam dots to create a multi-dimensional look. Use crafts glue to adhere rhinestones, bow embellishments, and a loop of red cord for hanging.

Get the kids to help make these simple and colorful ornaments. Form 1-1/4x7-inch-long strips of double-sided cardstock into rings. Overlap the paper ring ends and use glue stick to secure. Punch a hole at overlap for the hanger. Knot the ends of narrow ribbon, slip on chunky wooden beads, and push the ribbon loop through the hole.

Put presents on your tree as well as under it with these easy-to-make gift-shape ornaments. Download the free pattern and trace twice onto scrapbook paper; cut out. Cut the slits in the pieces as indicated on the pattern. Punch holes at the top and bottom of the package shape. Slide the two pieces of paper together. Make a bow with 1/2-inch-wide ribbon and wire it to the top of the paper package using the punched holes to secure. Add the narrow ribbon through the hole for a hanger. Thread a miniature jingle bell onto the wire and attach through the holes at the bottom of the package.

Enjoy this calorie-free holiday candy. Thread a needle with embroidery floss and knot one end. Using clear acrylic beads and 1-inch-wide, double-sided paper strips, create the candy shape by threading two beads between each layer of paper strip as you bend it back and forth. Secure the top bead by running the floss through it twice, and make a loop for hanging.

Craft these cute holiday purse ornaments for the handbag-loving fashionista in you. Download the free pattern and trace onto cardstock; cut out. Score folds on outside; fold. Punch holes through the paper as indicated. Glue trim along flap edge. Attach a beaded wire handle, bending ends to secure. Glue trim onto flap. For closure, add adhesive-back, hook-and-loop tape.