Christmas is a time for celebration, and one of the best ways to celebrate the season is to make your own one-of-a-kind decorations. With a few found objects, you can easily make beautiful and unique DIY ornaments for your home or Christmas tree!

I love grabbing “junk” from the thrift store and turning it into something useful and beautiful. And I was totally able to do that with a few found objects from one of my recent trips. These thrift store treasures didn’t cost me much, but boy, oh boy, are they going to look amazing on our tree!

There’s no rule about what your “found objects” are or where you can find them. Choose them from around your home, from a thrift store, or even from recycled objects. No matter where you search, look for things that can hang on your tree and look amazing.

For example, the rusty keys are from my home, but the gold finials are from the thrift store. Who knows what they were used for in their former life? In our home (and their new life), they will look amazing on the gold-themed tree that I’m thinking of decorating this year.

If you’re unsure of where to start with so much creative freedom, these family tree ornaments are a great starting point to inspire you.

Looking for more DIY ornament ideas? Try these plaid Christmas ornaments, rustic angel ornaments with burlap, or these bird-themed ornaments.

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How To Make DIY Ornaments With Found Objects

The process of making homemade ornaments from objects you find in other places is simple!

Supplies Needed

Here’s what you’ll need to gather:

Found objects
Craft paint – optional (use any color you want)
Glue
Ribbon

DIY Ornaments Instructions

Just follow these easy step-by-step directions to guide you through the process of creating your own unique homemade Christmas tree ornaments!

Step 1: Clean Your Objects

Remove any dust or debris from your objects.

Step 2: Personalize Your DIY Ornaments

You can either leave them the glorious color you find them or paint them any color you want!

I took one and added a whitewash for a slightly cooler version of the original. You can vary this up to fit your needs and decor style.

Step 3: Add Any Additional Embellishments

Attach any extra bling to your found objects with glue.

Step 4: Create A Ribbon Hanger

Finally, add some ribbon to hang your DIY ornaments on the tree.

Pro Tip: You can either loop your ribbon through a built-in hole (like a key) or use hot glue to secure it in place. Either way, your found object ornaments will look amazing on your tree this holiday season.

Step 5: Hang Your DIY Ornaments

Finally, hang your handmade ornaments on the tree and enjoy the holiday season! With a little creativity and a few found objects, you can easily make unique and beautiful ornaments.

Can you believe I found those amazing gold beauties for a couple of dollars? What objects will you be hanging on your tree?

gold finials and a key as christmas ornaments

FAQs

Do you have questions about making DIY ornaments? I have answered a few common questions from readers below. If you don’t see your question already answered, please leave it for me in the comments!

What are ways I can personalize my found objects?

There are so many different things you can do to create beautiful one-of-a-kind ornaments. Here are a few ideas:

Paint your objects any color you want.
Add glitter or an iridescent effect for some sparkle.
Glue on buttons, beads, or even old jewelry to add texture and a splash of color.
Tie ribbon around part or all of the object to make it even more eye-catching.
Tie or glue bells to your found ornaments for a little jingle.

What other options can I use to create a hanger?

I love using ribbon because it adds a splash of color and texture. However, other beautiful ideas could include raffia, twine, or even wire.

More Christmas Crafting Ideas

If you love these quick and easy DIY ornaments, check out these other links for inspiration!

Total Time 5

Found Object Ornaments

Supplies

Found objects
Craft paint in any color you want (optional)
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
Ribbon

Instructions

Clean off your found objects.
Paint your found objects (if you want to).
Add any other embellishments you have, and allow to dry completely.
Attach some ribbon to hang on the tree. You can either loop it through a hole or use hot glue to secure it.

Tried this project?tag us to show off your work!