What do you do when you’ve got a bored four-year-old at home in the thick of the holiday season? Make DIY paper ornaments! Today, I’ll show you how my little guy and I made some beautiful holiday tree jewelry that will last for years to come.
1. Print + Trace an Ornament Template
First, print out this simple ornament template on whatever paper is in your printer.
Then, cut the template out.
Next, trace your template onto cardstock or watercolor paper. I chose to use black cardstock, while Remy opted for elegant green handmade paper. I had Remy hold the template still while I traced around it using a white mechanical pencil.
Once you’ve traced the template, use scissors to cut out your ornaments.
2. Add Paint
Next, use a blunt art syringe to moisten the colors in a metallic watercolor palette (such as the TPK Finetec Palette). Adding water to the paint is a job that’s fun for kids of any age!
Then, dip your brush in the color of your choice and get to painting.
If you’re painting with a little kid, just let them do their thing. Errors like paint contamination and spilled water are easily corrected!
Making Pretty (Adult) Ornaments
While Remy worked on his ornaments, I made mine. First, I painted the tops with two coats of silver watercolor.
Then, I used the “Double Flourish Ornament” motif from the TPK Holiday Calligraphy Worksheet 2022 Edition to add some pretty flourishes to one of my ornaments.
For my second ornament, I used the “Unraveled Ornament” motif (again, from the TPK Holiday Calligraphy Worksheet 2022 Edition) and metallic green ink. Remy was finished with his ornaments by that point, so I added silver paint to the tops of his ornaments.
3. Protect Your Ornaments (Optional)
Next, if you want to, you can use MicroGlaze to add a protective layer to your ornaments. This step isn’t strictly necessary, but it does help to ensure that your paint won’t smudge over the years, and it makes the paper just a tad bit more resilient.
4. Punch Holes and Add String
Now, use a large hole punch to put holes in the tops of the ornaments.
Hole-punching requires precision that young kids don’t possess, but kids do love to use the hole puncher! I let Remy play with the hole puncher on a spare piece of paper while I wrote his name and the year on the backs of his ornaments.
Once you’ve punched holes in the ornaments, use the string/twine of your choice to make hangers.
Then, hang the ornaments on your tree!
I hope that today’s tutorial inspires you to make a cool ornament — either by yourself or with a beloved little one. For more ornament goodness, you can check out the Calligraphy Christmas Ornament Tutorial. It uses the same template that I’ve provided you with today, but the project concept is a bit more adult!
Thanks so much for reading this tutorial, and happy holidays from Remy, Pia, Hernán, and me!
Warmly,
