Craft Ideas – Page 5 – Artisan Shopper

Sequin and bead Christmas ornaments are a pretty addition to any holiday decor, and if you're crafty you can make some yourself. Beaded ornaments can also be used for decorations for other holidays depending on the color and theme of the design. Bill Mason, owner of Holidays Lane and an Artisan Shopping directory member, makes ornaments that can be displayed year-round, and he also makes kits for DIYers. How do you make sequin ornaments? Sequin and bead Christmas ornaments are made using styrofoam forms with sequins, small seed beads, and push pins. The pattern on the ornaments is defined by the colors of the sequins, and each sequin is attached to the form by inserting a pin into a bead, then into the sequin. The designs can also incorporate ribbons and other elements that reflect the holiday that the ornament is representing. Please note: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which will give me a small commission at no cost to you if you buy something when you use them. Bill offers kits to make your own DIY ornaments in his Etsy shop, and also sells pre-made ornaments for all seasons, not just Christmas. In this youtube video he says that each ornament can have between 150 and 175 sequins, and can take over an hour and a half to complete. That's obviously his speed, and he knows what he's doing, so be aware that it could take you a little longer! https://youtu.be/Naq626hYPjM Click to see the video. This is a good craft for adults, and it would be fun to host a holiday crafting party where you get some friends together and make a bunch of decorations that people can take home with them. (For more about crafting for adults, read my article here about choosing crafts that you might enjoy: Crafts to do at home for adults: What's really involved?) Making sequin ornaments would also be a good thing to do on Thanksgiving with older kids who probably aren't too enthusiastic about making conversation with their adult relatives. Set them up with an ornament-making station and let them be creative! The ornaments might not look as professional as Bill's when they're done, but it will be a fun keepsake that you can hang on the tree afterward. Remember that there are pins involved with making these, so this isn't a good craft for young children! For an article on BIll's blog about how to decorate with Easter Egg ornaments, click here. The kit for this ornament, as well as other designs, is available in Bill's shop here: Holiday's Lane These sequin and bead ornaments aren't just for Christmas, either, they can be used to decorate year-round. I have two of Bill's ornaments that I have hanging in my work area along with some vintage ornaments. I just like them, so I figure, why not have them displayed all the time? The orange one was from a Halloween collection, so if you want to decorate for Halloween with something nicer than a plastic witch, this would work. Look on Bill's youtube channel to see an eyeball themed ornament that was also in that collection! I have to say that I made some of this type of ornament when I was probably about 10 years old, and when I found them in my mother's Christmas ornaments I was horrified at how crooked they were! So when you get your kit, take your time and don't rush the process. The kits come with all the materials that you need except for white glue, and there is also an illustrated set of instructions to make sure that you can DIY it. If you'd rather have your ornaments made for you, you can also buy them from Bill's shop. He offers a wide range of designs for different holidays, and a nice touch in his packaging is a little hook that's included to hang the ornament. I was happy to see that, because I would definitely have had to go find a paper clip to bend into a hook, and the one that Bill sent was a lot classier. So check out Holidays Lane if you're interested in trying to make DIY sequin and beaded Christmas ornaments, or if you'd just like to get some that are premade. They make nice decorations for your tree, your home, or to give as unique gifts at Christmas. Click to see more home decor options from the Artisan Shopping Directory members.