The hustle and bustle of the holiday season has made many people lose sight of what’s special about this time of the year. This year, instead of a gift purchased on impulse, give a gift from the heart: one made by loving hands that embraces its recipient in thoughtfulness and creates a lasting memory. We want to take you back to a time when gifts were more meaningful, when holiday family traditions were as much a gift as the box with the shiny bow. Our Holidays from the Heart series will provide you with gift ideas, decoration tips and more to prepare you for the most wonderful time of the year—full of good cheer and heartfelt traditions you can pass on to future generations. Each week until the end of December we will bring you inspiration for heartfelt gifts, fun family projects and party hosting.
Photo Source: A Victorian Affair.
The Christmas ornament—a timeless symbol of the holidays. The shiny surface reflects the warm glow of tree lights and the lit-up faces of children on Christmas morning. This small, colorful trinket has become such a tradition that we often pass down our favorites to future generations. These treasures are more than just decorations; they have wrapped within them our memories of family and good cheer. Revisiting ornaments year after year is like looking into the past at all of those magical times. What better way to keep the spirit of Christmas alive than with a handmade ornament, one made with caring hands and fingers that pass the maker’s joy into the details. This week we’ll show you different ways to make ornaments that can tell the story of your Christmas.
A Victorian Christmas Story
If you want to preserve the nostalgia of the holidays, make an ornament with vintage themes. Antique brass finishes are a perfect way to achieve this look, and when paired with regal colors, you get the perfect decoration. Our Ruby Jubilee Ornament idea precisely reflects this feeling. Replace the Ruby crystals with Jet black or sparkling Crystal AB to keep the dramatic feel. If you have an old-fashioned image you want to preserve in the holiday spirit, recreate our Victorian Skater or Old World Santa ornaments with your own special touch. Each one follows the vintage brass theme, which will add antiquity to any picture.
A Modern Day Christmas Tale
Tell the story of your family with a handmade ornament that symbolizes your youth. Maybe your family celebrated the holiday with non-traditional colors like pink or lime green, or maybe Christmas was the one day a year your mom made her famous sticky buns for breakfast. Whatever reminds you of Christmas, capture it in an ornament with different colors and components to tell your story. Let our collection of different ornament ideas be your inspiration, like the Princess Pink Ornament, Ice Blue Ornament or Poinsettia Nouveau Ornament. Our Christmas Flower Ornament idea is another great starting point.
Blending the Past and the Present
Our designer Teri made these beautiful ornaments by sliding stitches over traditional baubles. These homemade masterpieces are easy to make, and you’ll be proud to pass down these pieces as tokens of precious memories. The story you tell through this small decoration can grow into a future tradition and a new beginning. Learn how to make beaded ornament covers with instructional books, full of great inspiration.
Spread the Cheer
For a last-minute gift idea, turn a pendant into an ornament! All it takes is an amazing focal and some organza ribbon or even satin cord. You’ll make a lasting impression on good friends by choosing a pendant that represents them on Christmas! We have an incredible collection of Christmas pendants, and any of them would make a wonderful adornment on a tree. Get your friends in on the fun and start an ornament exchange every year. Any handmade present, like a Christmas ornament, makes a lovely Secret Santa gift too. There are a number of ways to spread the holiday cheer through a Christmas ornament. You just have to decide which path you want to take.
Our Unicorne Beads lampwork pendants are full of such color and life that they would make perfect ornaments as well. Take advantage of our sale on Unicorne Beads this week and start your own holiday tradition.
-Marissa
I love Christmas and all the beautiful decorations…for the past two years I’ve done mine in lime green, chocolate brown and silver…will do it again this season as I really enjoy the colors in the room.
Always had many hand made items when my children were small, it was always a great time making them together.
At my show on the weekend I bought a lime green ball similar to your beaded ornaments balls, only mine doesn’t have any dangles and the whole ball is encased in the stitches…love it!!! My daughter bought a brown one…
I really love your coloured balls, especially the Poinsettia Nouveau Ornament, my colour…gotta love Swarovksi crystals on Christmas decorations…
Cheers