Trim the Tree with Crepe Paper and Sparkle! {Tutorial}

We put our little 4 ft. Christmas Tree up during Thanksgiving weekend.  We strung it with white lights (by 'we' I mean The Hubbums because if I put them on it will look  like the tree got in a nasty fight with a few strands of lights and the lights won.) and we hung the lovely simple silver balls on it because I do so love them.  Some of them have cute little glittery (yet subtle) snowflakes on them, which totally makes me happy.  And THEN....
...yes then....I decided I wanted to make the ornaments for the tree this year!  HA!  I am SUCH a visual person that I really don't know what I want until I get it up and get started.  So, it looked pretty enough as is, so I left it and then, as I mentioned earlier this week, I picked up some crepe paper at WalMart (in the party supplies isle) to create my ornaments.

Well, my dear bloggy friends, I made some last night and they turned out PERFECTLY!  I am so excited!  They are EXACTLY what I had envisioned and I can't wait to get them on the tree!

I decided to share them with you today along with a tutorial on how to create them yourself!  They are super easy.

Supplies:  A Sheet of Cardstock, White Crepe Paper, Red Crepe Paper, Aluminum Foil (yup - that roll in the kitchen is perfect), a vintage paper, Silver Stickles, Diamond Stickles, Red grosgrain ribbon, Bling of some kind for the centers.

And THIS is what you will create with that fun stuff!


It's a very vintage looking ornament (I'm secretly hoping the white paper yellows a bit over the next couple of years 'cause that would look really neat!) and totally fun and glittery!  Love that!



You want to start with lots of circles!  First cut a cardstock base circle - the color isn't super important, as this is the back, but it will be visible on the back, so don't pick something atrocious.  Just say'n.  Cut that to a little over 2 inches or so.  I used the EK Curvy Cutter to cut my circles.

Then punch several 1 inch centers from the vintage patterned paper - I used an old Daisy D's music sheet paper.

Trace your cardstock circles onto foil with a Sharpie and cut those into small pieces.  You will be cutting them out later, but for now, just leave a bit of room around each.



Apply adhesive around the edges of your base circle (this is the one I traced - hence the black marks!  LOL) being sure there is adhesive going all the way around the edge.



Apply the crepe paper in a ruffle around the circle, pressing it down to the adhesive as you go.  I just leave mine on the roll so I only use what I need, but if you are more comfortable, you can cut a long length of paper.  To create the ruffle just fold the paper as you turn the circle - because you are working on a round surface, it happens pretty naturally.  The only thing you want to watch for is to keep a somewhat even edge.  I kept about 1/2 inch of white outside of the cardstock base all the way around.



Next, you want to cut the foil circles with pinking scissors.  It is TOTALLY okay, good even, if these are not perfect.  This adds SO much to the vintage look.  You want to cut around the OUTSIDE of the circle - not directly on the  line.



Cut a length of red ribbon long enough to hang your ornament and place it on top of your white crepe paper circle.  Apply adhesive to the back of your foil circle and adhere, making sure the adhesive also contacts the ribbon to hold it in place.  Firmly press down over the entire piece of foil so it picks up the textures behind it.  This makes it look wicked crazy cool.  Just say'n.



With the red crepe paper, you want thinner strips to work around the center.  To get this scalloped strip, simply cut a long length of the paper and then accordion fold it to around 3/4 - 1 inch wide.  Cut the top and bottom of the folded piece in a rounded form and then cut a straight line through the middle, therefore creating two scalloped strips of crepe paper.



Using the same method you used for the white paper, create a small circle in the center of the foil with the red crepe paper.  Adhere the vintage paper center over the crepe paper.



To finish off your ornament add dots around the foil with Silver Stickles and then outline the white crepe paper with the Diamond Stickles.  Place a bling accent in the center.



If you have a place to do it, I suggest hanging these to dry.  It helps avoid dog hair mishaps and, I'm guessing, little hand mishaps, too!  LOL!

I was able to make ten of these last night and I have another five completed up to the foil stage.  I plan to finish them up and get them on the tree tonight!  I can't wait!

So, what do you think?  Are you going to make some?  They make great gift toppers, too!  And, of course, you can do them in any color scheme.  I am thinking I need to go get some dark pink and turquoise crepe paper!!!!  How cute would THAT BE???!!!  Pretty darn.  Just Say'n.

Jingle Out.

HA!!!