CasaSugar

DIY: Recycled Aluminum Can Ornaments

CasaSugar — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 07:45:34 -0800

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?
What You'll Need

Empty aluminum cans
Scissors
Sandpaper or sanding block
Pen or pencil
Ribbon or cord for hanging

To find out how to make it, read more.

Here's how to make it, from Little House in the Suburbs:

Cut off the top and bottom of the can with scissors. (Wear gloves and glasses to be extra safe.) A knife is good to make the first cut so you can get your scissors in there. Cut down the side - if you haven't done so already to get the top and bottom off - and flatten it out.
Trace your object. Use a drawing or just freehand it. Bear down with your pencil or ballpoint or other pointy thing so you make a cutting line.
Cut along the lines. Be careful. Cut aluminum is sharp.
With your pointy thing and using your object as a reference, whether it is a leaf like mine or what-have-you, emboss your cut-out with veins, other details, etc. Take a nail and make a hole for hanging the ornament.
Sand the piece to remove any burrs and other hazards and to give it a nice pewtery surface. A sanding block or its equivalent is handy for this. I sanded the front and back. If you prefer, you can sand the color off entirely, but I left it for a distressed look. The veins or other details are emphasized by the sanding so you want to make sure you emboss before you sand for this effect.
Add a ribbon, cord, or a length of raffia to hang it up.

To see the complete directions, including incredibly helpful photos, read the whole tutorial here.

Source

Etsy Find: Matryoshka Doll Ornament

CasaSugar — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:00:27 -0800

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. I love how the embroidered ribbon adds an additional little touch of ornamentation. If dolls aren't your thing, Saidie also sells sweet birdcage and bird on a branch ornaments.

Casa Verde: Method Potpourri Ornament

CasaSugar — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 13:00:20 -0800

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. You can reuse the ornament for years to come after the beads have lost their scent. The ornament is available with a Spiced Pear or Winter Berry scent. If it smells as good as it looks, I'm sold. The scent of Christmas trees is so festive, though, that I'd probably hang this ornament elsewhere in the house. What do you think?

Roundup: Designer Ornaments

CasaSugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:00:22 -0800

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. I think there should be a balance though; a few basic ball ornaments mixed with handmade and designer ones sounds like a ideal balance to me. To give your tree that luxury art element, I've rounded up a few more designer ornaments for you.

DIY: CB2 Ornament Wreath

CasaSugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:00:21 -0800

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. To check out the instructions, read more.

Here are the steps from CB2:

String one ornament at a time onto the wire ring, alternating colors, using smaller ones to fill in the gaps.
When the ring is completely covered in ornaments, fasten the ends together.
Use a ribbon to cover the spot where the ends are fastened together, and hang!

Tip: Best not to go too large in diameter as the wreath could become too heavy and stretch out.

Roundup: Silver Ornaments

CasaSugar — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 08:30:00 -0800

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.

Are you loving the look of these silver ornaments? Check out my other favorites below.

DIY: Easy Ornament Place Cards

CasaSugar — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 10:42:30 -0800

At a recent holiday dinner party I attended, the hostess rested basic place cards on a handful of adorable polar bear ornaments to make her simple place settings all the more festive. I was so smitten with the idea that I had to take photos to share. She also spread around some tiny plastic champagne bubbles, which I got a little carried away with after dessert. This project (would you call it a project?) takes almost no time to complete and the guests can leave with an ornament to hang in their own homes.

This idea will work with whatever cute ornaments you fancy, and they don't have to be expensive. If your ornament has a flat surface, you can personalize it by writing each guest's name directly on the ornament. Or, you can get frame ornaments and put a fun photo of each of your guests into the frame, and there'll be no need for name place cards. While I do always appreciate the place card projects that Martha Stewart has up her sleeve, they're often time consuming. So if you're hosting dinner, this may be a better option, especially since you've probably got more important things to worry about, like roasting a turkey or baking a ham...

DIY: Domino Snowflake Ornaments

CasaSugar — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 06:15:42 -0800

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! On that note, you should also check out my Easy Snowflake Chandelier DIY. If you get motivated to cut and tape these snowflake ornaments, please share photos!

Here's What You Need

3 sheets of 8½" by 11" heavyweight paper (construction paper will do)
1 sheet for the larger loops (shown in red)
2 sheets for the smaller loops (shown here in gold)
X-acto knife
Ruler
½" double-sided tape
18" piece of ribbon

To learn the steps, read more

Cut the paper into 1-inch-wide strips. Cut seven 8-inch-long strips for the larger loops, and twelve 6-inch-long strips for the smaller loops.
Using your double-sided tape, make all of your strips into loops, or for extra strength, secure the outside with regular Scotch tape.
To make the spokes of your snowflake, use double-sided tape to attach two small loops to a large loop - one attached to the inside, one to the outside. The one large loop remaining is the center of your snowflake.

Arrange your spokes around the large leftover loop and attach them with double-sided tape.
Attach the sides of your spokes together using double-sided tape.
Cut your ribbon to the desired length, loop one of the spokes, and hang!

Source

Deck the Haus: Patchwork Ornament Ponies

CasaSugar — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 11:00:55 -0800

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.

What do you think, would you pony up for these ornaments?

Deck the Haus: Recycled Light Bulb Ornament

CasaSugar — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 12:00:30 -0800

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. A burnt-out light bulb, some leftover paint (nail polish would work well), and a paper clip or spare wire (for the hook) and you're good to glow. Well, not really. Is anyone up for this DIY? Send me photos if you get motivated to make one. Otherwise, check out the ten stupidest things to do with a burnt-out light bulb.

Michael Aram - $39.00	Jonathan Adler Pop Bird Ornament - $28.00
Kimberly Wolcott - $48.00	Jay Strongwater - $125.00
Jonathan Adler Dove Ornament - $24.00	Kimberly Wolcott Amazing Love Christmas Ornament - $45.00
Michael Aram Golden Pear Ornament - $39.00	Arthur Court Christmas Ornament, 2.5" Peace Symbol - $20.00
Jonathan Adler Pop Giraffe Ornament - $28.00	Michael Aram - bellflower ornament by michael aram - $29.00
Michael Aram Pine Cone Ornament - $39.00

Michael Aram Twig Snowflake Christmas Ornament - $29.00	Glass Bird Ornament - $3.50
Metal Angels with Bells Set of Four - $11.80	Etched Mercury Vases - $12.00
3-D Snowflake Ornaments - $8.95	Peace Sign Ornament - $3.95
Silver Swirl Ornaments - $18.00	Barneys New York Old World Standing Deer - $38.00
Silver-Plated Sleigh Bell Christmas Ornament - $38.00	Silver Origami Crane Placecard Holders - $24.00
Horchow Sterling Silver Two Turtle Doves Christmas Ornament - $50.00	Holiday Lane Christmas Ornaments, Tube of 6 Silver Snowflake Balls 3" - $17.00
Kotte Decoration, Ornament - $2.99	Barneys New York Big Apple Ornament- Silver - $44.00
Silly Dog Ornament - $10.00	Orbit Ornament - $4.95