Wait! Before you throw out your shipping boxes, I want you to see one way you can recycle them by using my cardboard ornament craft idea.
Making Christmas ornaments using cardboard is an easy and fun craft for kids and adults. Mom or dad can cut out the shapes and your kids will have a ball painting and decorating them to hang on the Christmas tree.
You can use so many different shapes to make an upcycled Christmas ornament, like a snowman, gingerbread boy and girl, snowflakes or stars and the list goes on.
For my handmade ornament, I pictured an outdoor cedar tree with fresh snow on the branches. I hope you enjoy making my version of a winter tree ornament!
CARDBOARD ORNAMENT CRAFT IDEA
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SUPPLIES NEEDED:
- cardboard
- Apple Barrel craft paint
- Marsh Green
- Leaf Green
- White
- scissors
- box cutter or X-acto knife
- Buffalo shredded snow (Michaels)
- tiny white berries or miniature pom poms
- snowflake embellishment
- Mod Podge
- hot glue gun and sticks
- 2 paint brushes
- ruler, paper, pencil
- jute twine
HOW TO MAKE CARDBOARD ORNAMENT DECORATIONS
STEP 1 – MAKE A TREE SHAPED PATTERN
Measure and cut out a 5×7 section from paper. Sketch a Christmas tree like I did below.
Cut out the paper pattern. Place it on your piece of cardboard and trace around the tree pattern.
STEP 2 – CUT OUT THE TREE PATTERN
You can use a box cutter or X-acto knife for scoring the tree outline. I started with a box cutter, but liked the X-acto knife better.
Lightly press and score on the top of the outline. Then begin again scoring deeper from the front and back until your pattern pops out.
Clean up the edges where needed by snipping with regular scissors.
Safety Tips: Cut slowly and carefully to prevent cutting yourself, and hold the cardboard up at a slight angle so you do not scratch or cut your table.
STEP 3 – PAINT THE SNOW AREAS ON THE TREE
Use an artist paint brush to paint white curvy snow areas as seen below. 2 coats are needed.
STEP 4 – PAINT THE GREEN TREE SECTIONS
Paint a base coat of green and then paint 2 different shades of green in a swoop or swirl type movement to create some interest. I used Apple Barrel Marsh Green and Leaf Green.
Of course, you can just leave it a plain solid background if you’d like.
To paint the swoops, I poured out my paint like seen below, and loaded my paint brush with the two greens – one green on one half of the bristles and the second green on the other end. I kept loading the paint brush like that every couple of swoops or so.
STEP 5 – DECORATE THE CARDBOARD TREE ORNAMENT
I used a paint brush to drip and glob Mod Podge on the white sections.
Randomly drop the tiny “snow balls” into the glue and then sprinkle the snow flurries on top. If needed, drip more glue and flurries. (I like using Buffalo extra fine snow flurries and it’s found at Michael’s.)
Attach a snowflake embellishment using hot glue at the tip of the tree.
Hot glue on a loop of jute twine for the ornament hanger, and then you’re all set to hang your tree ornament!
SEE MORE CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT IDEAS:
DIY GNOME DENIM CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT
FARMHOUSE CARDBOARD CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS
It’s time for another monthly Sustainable Pinterest Challenge, where my blogger friends and I pick an idea from one of our Pinterest boards and make it into a “use it up,” recycled, upcycled craft or decor.
Our December theme is “winter” and I used this inspiration pin for my DIY cardboard ornament. Be sure to click the links at the end of my post to see many more winter decor and craft ideas!
SEE MORE WINTER CRAFTS AND DECOR BELOW!
MEET YOUR CREATIVE BLOGGERS!
Julie | Sum of their Stories
Gail | Purple Hues and Me
Julie | Treasures Made From Yarn
T’onna | Sew Crafty Crochet
Niki | Life as a LEO Wife
Mel | Decor Craft Design
Allyson | Southern Sunflowers
NOW, VISIT THEIR WINTER PROJECT LINKS!
Sum of their Stories ~ DIY Punched Tin Lantern Upcycle
Life as a LEO Wife ~ Free Printable Thank You & Snack Basket for Delivery Drivers
Decor Craft Design ~ Upcycled Christmas Vase
Sew Crafty Crochet ~ Upcycled Plaid Scarf Wreath
Treasures from Yarn ~ Snowman
Purple Hues and Me ~ Natural Woven Tree with Berries
Southern Sunflowers ~ Cardboard Ornament Christmas Craft (that’s me)
Sharing my Cardboard Ornament Christmas Craft at these fabulous blogs.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
AllysonAllyson is the founder and content creator of Southern Sunflowers, which shares tutorials for DIY crafts and decor on a budget.
What a great way to use up some cardboard. Your tree turned out cute.
Glad you like my tree ornament, Julie. Thanks!
Allyson,
This is super cute and super easy!! Thanks for sharing and thanks for taking the time to visit!!
hugs,
Deb
Yes, Debbie, my cardboard ornament is super easy and quick to make. Thanks for popping in!
It’s so adorable, Allyson! A cute Christmas tree ornament which coming from things that mostly thrown away. And I love what you did with the pattern, clever!
Thanks Mel, I’m so happy you like my cardboard craft!
This is such a cute craft, and this is something I could do with my kiddos who love crafts involving paint. Green is my favorite color, and I really love the green paints you used. I also love those snowballs. Too cute!!
T’onna, for sure, these ornaments will be a fun craft for kids. Hope your children enjoy making them!
What an adorable idea to use up all those delivery boxes! Making a whole themed mini tree decorated with these would be so cute. Pinned!
Niki, thanks for pinning! Yep, I could make some different shaped cardboard ornaments and colors for a specialty tree.
Very cute, Allyson. The ‘swoops’ of paint make all the difference!
Thanks, Ann! Yeah, it definitely needed some more texture other than just the snow areas.
Gorgeous, Allyson! Yours look so much better than the Pinterest inspiration! And a really thrifty Christmas ornament to make, too – a fun way to create something pretty out of what would probably be thrown away!
Well done!
Gail, thanks for the compliments! Since I got 3 new shipping boxes delivered today, I guess I’m going be stuck making tons more cardboard ornaments ~ lol.
What a clever way to use some of that card packaging that we all seem to be accumulating at this time of year. I love how you took the original pin idea but ran with it and made it your own style. These would be such a fun idea for a craft group to make as it’s so inexpensive and there is room for people to decorate their trees however they like.
It’s just lovely!
Julie, that’s a great idea to make these ornaments during a craft night out. That would be fun!