Long ago, Christmas gifts were much easier to buy for our parents. However, as my husband and I started having children and I decided to stay home with them, funds got a little tight and I started looking for less expensive ways to celebrate the holidays. I also wanted something fun to do with the kids to add to our festivities.
It became a tradition of ours to start making our own Christmas ornaments. Each year, we decide on what the ornament will be. Then, each of the kids make an ornament for each grandparent (and for us, of course!).
Not only do we all have fun, but we also end up creating cute masterpieces that can be enjoyed year after year.
We created these craft stick picture ornaments a few years ago, but they are still holding up incredibly well today! I attribute their durability to the use of a hot glue gun. Although you can use other types of glue, a hot glue gun is much stronger and is worth spending the extra cash on, if you can swing it.
Equipment and Supplies
I often buy fun stickers or confetti at craft stores when I see it sold inexpensively. For this project, we used the gems, stickers and confetti that we had in our craft supplies already. You can find similar supplies at a craft store or Walmart. Or, you could improvise and be creative with whatever you have on hand!
Equipment recommended for this project include:
Supplies recommended for this project include:
- Colored crafts sticks, Jumbo 6″ and/or 4 ½”
- Construction Paper of different colors
- Glitter Glue Pens
- Adhesive Gems
- Foam Star Stickers
- Festive Confetti
- 1/8” Satin Ribbon cut in 6” or 7” long pieces
And last, but not least, you will need a picture of each child for each ornament you plan to make.
Making The Ornaments
You can start by either choosing the picture or pattern you want to use. However, be sure the size picture you have chosen will fit the design. In some cases, a portrait or landscape picture may be more appropriate.
1. Christmas Tree
For the Christmas tree craft stick picture ornament, use a hot glue gun to glue three 6” jumbo craft sticks together in a triangular pattern. Add a fourth 6” jumbo craft stick to the bottom of the triangle to form the trunk of the tree. Then, cut your chosen picture to fit inside the triangle, leaving room around the edges for gluing. Add hot glue to the back of the triangle and attach the picture.
Once cooled, use glitter glue pens to write the child’s name and date on the tree. Be sure to let the glue dry completely before moving on!
Add ornaments to the tree by hole punching several colors of construction paper to create mini circles. Next, glue the circle ornaments on the tree, as well as a foam star sticker to the top.
To finish off the ornament, add a 6” to 7” ribbon to the top of the tree. Make a loop out of the ribbon and attach it using a hot glue gun at the very top, back of the tree.
2. Sleigh
For the sleigh craft stick picture ornament, use a hot glue gun to glue four 6” jumbo craft sticks to two 4 ½” craft sticks in a perpendicular fashion. Then, use wavy edger scissors to cut a circular wreath out of green construction paper to fit inside the sleigh.
Next, cut your chosen picture to fit inside the center of the wreath, leaving room around the edges for decorating. Using your hot glue gun, attach the picture to the center of the wreath and then the wreath to the center of the sleigh.
Once cooled, use glitter glue pens to write the child’s name and date on the sleigh rails. Be sure to let the glue dry completely before moving on!
Add ornaments to the wreath by hole punching several colors of construction paper to create mini circles. Next, glue the circle ornaments on the wreath, as well as a confetti snowflake or bow to the bottom of the wreath.
To finish off the ornament, add a 6” to 7” ribbon to the top of the sleigh. Attach the ribbon, using a hot glue gun, to either side of the back of the top rail.
3. Snowflake
For the snowflake craft stick picture ornament, carefully cut four 4 ½” craft sticks in half, as well as a small circle out of construction paper. Arrange the eight shorter sticks in a circular snowflake pattern, with the center of the sticks meeting in the center of the circle you also cut out. Using a hot glue gun, glue the center of the sticks to the circle.
Next, cut your chosen picture in a circular fashion, using edger scissors. The picture should fit inside the center of the snowflake, leaving room around the edges for decorating. Using your hot glue gun, attach the picture to the center of the snowflake.
Once cooled, use glitter glue pens to write the child’s name and date on the snowflake. Be sure to let the glue dry completely before moving on!
Add fun adhesive gemstones to the snowflake. To be sure that the gems do not pop off, you could hot glue these on, as well.
To finish off the snowflake, add a 6” to 7” ribbon to the top of the ornament. Make a loop out of the ribbon and attach it using a hot glue gun at the very top, back of the snowflake.
4. Star
For the star craft stick picture ornament, carefully cut five 4 ½” craft sticks in half. Using a hot glue gun, first glue two halves together at a 40⁰ angle at the tips of the sticks. Do the same for the remaining eight sticks, to make five points of a star. Arrange the points in a star fashion and continue gluing all of the center pieces together until your star is formed.
Next, cut your chosen picture in a star fashion. I found that a 4” x 6” landscape picture works best. Place the craft stick star you created on top of the picture and, using a pencil, trace the star shape onto the picture. Cut your picture out and attach the picture to the back of the star using a hot glue gun.
Once cooled, use glitter glue pens to write the child’s name and date on the star. Be sure to let the glue dry completely before moving on!
Add fun adhesive gemstones to the star. To be sure that the gems do not pop off, you could hot glue these on, as well.
To finish off the star, add a 6” to 7” ribbon to the top of the ornament. Make a loop out of the ribbon and attach it using a hot glue gun at the very top, back of the star.
These beautiful homemade craft stick picture ornaments will look great on your Christmas tree. They are also wonderful gifts for loved ones! Our children sure love putting these ornaments on our tree each year. It’s fun to see how much they have grown since we first made them. I hope this inspires you to be creative and have some fun making these cute keepsake ornaments this holiday season!
Have you made your own Christmas ornaments? What kind did you make? Please share below.
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