Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, how can we decorate your branches? Yes, the classic, traditional glass ornaments can look nice hanging on your tree among the tinsel and tree lights, but it might be time to spice things up. What better homage is there to the do-it-yourself takeover year than to commemorate the last holiday of the year with some DIY fun and inexpensive crafts. Here are some ideas for some creative DIY ornaments that can make your 2013 Christmas tree your best one yet.

Chalkboard Ornament

Let your inner child/artist run wild with this cool technique. All you need is a plastic ornament bulb, some chalkboard paint and some actual chalk. Coat your ornament in the paint, wait until it dries and then go crazy and draw whatever you want with your chalk. You can have full creative freedom with this ornament. Bonus: kids will also love this one. They can write their names, draw a picture, etc. The possibilities are endless. 

Chalk ornament (Creative Commons)

Picture Ornament

Again, any large, clear plastic ornament will be your best friend with this DIY craft. And then after that, you can print out any picture you would like in a size small enough to be rolled up and put in this ornament. To do this, fold the picture neatly in half without creasing it, and then unscrew the ornament cap and place the picture inside. Then you can use a pair of tweezers to straighten out and move the photo. You can put the picture on a foam bump sticker or glue it on a piece or colorful cardboard paper if you’d like it to stand out, or you can let it stand alone. And then you may add decorations to the bulb if you’d like, such as tinsel or berry stems. This ornament is a cute and sentimental way to serve as a reminder for some of your best memories of the year. 

Picture ornament (Creative Commons)

Glitter Ornament

Warning: this one may get a little messy. Be sure to work over a paper towel, plate, sink or even in an outdoor area for this one, for as we know, glitter can be hellacious to clean up. So once again, use any plastic or glass ornament for this craft, and then gently coat it in glue. Mod Podge is a great one to use. You can cover the whole bulb, or you can create shapes using tape or just freehand. Then, pour out your glitter on a plate or paper towel, and lightly roll the bulb on it. Make sure to let the ornament sit upside down to try, and then violá, you’ll have a beautiful, glittery accessory. 

Glitter ornament (Creative Commons)

Tinsel Ornament

If you have leftover tinsel from wrapping your tree, don’t throw it out. Instead, make an ornament out of it! Stuff a glass or plastic bulb with it for an easy but aesthetically pleasing ornament. Any single or combination or colors will work, and the shine will definitely add some pizzazz to your tree. This DIY craft will work with tulle or ribbon as well. 

Tinsel ornament (Creative Commons)

Nail Polish Ornament

Who says nail polish is just for nails? Choose some sort metallic nail polish with a medium texture, and get out some cotton swabs. Next, pour about a quarter of the bottle of nail polish into the bulb. Swirl it around inside with a cotton swab while spinning the ornament. Making a striped pattern may be the easiest, but you can make any design you can manage with a cotton swab. After the inside is coated make sure to keep spinning it until it is completely dry. 

Nail polish ornaments (Creative Commons)

Crayon Ornament

This one will may seem out-of-the-box, but the cool, abstract result will give life to your Christmas tree. Take whichever crayons you would like to use, and remove their labels. Break them up into small chunks and place them inside a glass ornament. Next, you’ll need a hair dryer. Use this to blast heat on the ornament, but make sure to not hold it on one spot for too long. Twirl the bulb and the crayons should start to drip inside the ornament. And there you go, you should have some uncontrollably beautiful and abstract designs. 

Crayon ornaments (Creative Commons)

Glow-in-the-Dark Ornament

Easy to make and cool to look at – this DIY is sure to be a hit. Take the cap off of a clear glass or plastic ornament, and squeeze some glow-in-the-dark paint inside. Gently shake and/or swirl the ornament, and then put the cap on. Make sure to let it completely dry, but afterward this ornament is sure to light up your tree in more ways than one. 

Glow-in-the-dark ornaments (Creative Commons)

Miley Ornament

This one will may not be as timeless as the others, but it will definitely be good for a laugh. Any round ornament will do, and then cut out a picture of Miley Cyrus from her famous “Wrecking Ball” video, and tape or glue it to the top of the bulb. Miley’s coming in like a merry, festive wrecking ornament ball this Christmas. 

Miley Cyrus "Wrecking Ball" ornament (Twitter/@fcoronado)

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