I love upcycling items, but since I'm also a bit of a design snob, I want those upcycled items to look beautiful as well. Luckily, I've stumbled across an awesome tutorial that shows you how to make beautiful holiday ornaments out of the humble aluminum can. You'd never believe this pretty leaf started out life as an aluminum can to look at it, would you?
Somehow Matryoshka dolls are still trendy after a year, but I suppose that's because they're so darn cute. I couldn't pass up the Saidie Matryoshka Doll Ornament ($9), which will bring a bit of traditional Russian kitsch to your Christmas tree this holiday. The original Matryoshka illustration was printed with a Gocco onto linen fabric, hand sewn, and stuffed.
Method never ceases to impress me with its well-designed, eco-friendly products. I've been waiting to see what it had in store for us this holiday season and I'm charmed now that I have. Method's new Potpourri Ornament ($10) is a tin ornament filled with compostable wooden beads.
It's no wonder that these three Mouthblown Glass Bell Ornaments ($30-45) are drop-dead gorgeous: they were designed this year for the MoMa by none other than world-renowned industrial designer Eva Zeisel — who turned 103 years old last week! I'm absolutely in love with them. I almost feel guilty for owning drugstore variety ornaments.
The super stylists at CB2 DIY'd a stunning, colorful holiday wreath using ornaments from their holiday collection. The wreath can definitely be re-created with any standard ornaments, but I love the nontraditional colors and various shapes on this wreath. To make it, you'll need strong stiff wire to bend into a ring (like aluminum wire gauge 20 or a wire hanger), 30-90 ornaments depending on the size you want, strong tape or pliers, and ribbon.
I love to add a few new ornaments to my holiday tree each year, and this season I'm really loving the metallic sheen of silver baubles. One of my favorites is this set of silver swirl ornaments. They have a great, antiqued look, and would look gorgeous against the dark green needles of your evergreen.
Domino has a no-sweat tutorial for making whimsical, snowflake ornaments from paper, which has amped up my holiday spirit. These ornaments remind me a lot of the Modern Paper Ornaments that Grace from Design*Sponge posted. It amazes me how you can do so much with a few sheets of paper!
These adorable little calico-coated ponies ($12) from Anthropologie would've been a shoo-in for my Equestrian Accents Trend Alert. They'll look great amongst your more traditional Santa and angel ornaments, and add a kick of folksy kitsch to your decorating scheme. Each pony is blue on one side and pink on the opposite for maximum ornament fun.
This 3R Living Recycled Light Bulb Ornament ($26) turns me on. But, but, but, I would never buy it. The beauty of this ornament is that everyone has the supplies to make it.