It’s Wednesday the 2nd, and that means it’s time to share this season’s (completely unofficial) Pinterest Challenge — a friendly push to stop pinning and start making. This quick craft challenge was dreamed up by Katie to get everyone crafting, and I decided to tackle ornaments early so I’d be prepared for the holidays.
I know it’s not even Thanksgiving yet and I usually take holidays one at a time, but finishing these felt oddly satisfying. I ended up making 38 DIY ornaments inspired by pins I’d saved — I put my own spin on each idea and enjoyed the process. Below are some of the projects that inspired me and the assortment I created.
My final tally:
- 12 faux ceramic animal ornaments
- 18 colorful swirl glass bulb ornaments
- 3 patterned ceramic ornaments
- 4 faux antler ornaments
- 1 skeleton key ornament
Here they are together:
Below I describe how I made each type so you can try these at home.
Faux Ceramic Animal Ornaments
- Bought a pack of small plastic zoo animals from a craft store.
- Primed each figure with white spray primer to create a smooth, paint-ready surface.
- Drilled a small starter hole in the top of each animal and screwed in small ring hooks so they could be hung.
- Painted groups of four in three colors: white, lime green, and navy using acrylic craft paint.
- Threaded colorful friendship-bracelet string for hanging to give each ornament a playful finish.
Colorful Swirl Glass Bulb Ornaments
- Purchased clear glass ornaments in several sizes.
- Removed the metal caps and poured craft paint into each ornament — I used bright, saturated colors for a bold look.
- Rotated and swirled each bulb so the paint coated the inside in a streaked, spun pattern; I aimed to cover about half the surface for a balanced effect.
- Let each ornament dry overnight, then reattached the caps and added colorful string for hanging.
Patterned Ceramic Ornaments
- Bought blank ceramic ornaments and Sharpie markers in a few bold colors.
- Drew simple, modern patterns — chevrons, a stylized globe shape, and nested starbursts — keeping lines clean and graphic for a modern look.
- Replaced the stock red ribbon with the same colorful friendship-bracelet string to coordinate with the rest of the collection.
- I plan to paint one cap later to better match the ornament’s palette.
Faux Antler Ornaments
- Used polymer clay to form small shield-shaped plaques in a bright color.
- Poked holes for hanging and added shallow indents where twig antlers would attach.
- Baked the clay according to the package directions until hard.
- Glued small twigs into the indents to create faux antlers, then added colorful string for hanging.
Skeleton Key Ornament
- Started with an old skeleton key with a bit of patina for character.
- Primed and painted it white to match the rest of the set, then added the colorful string for hanging.
Display ideas: I like the idea of a half-height tree placed on a round pedestal table so ornaments can be admired up close. If you use a real tabletop tree, consider planting it in the yard afterward so it gets a second life.
Budget breakdown for my full set of 38 ornaments:
- $4 — plastic zoo animals
- $2 — ring hooks
- $3 — spray primer
- $3 — acrylic paints (navy, white, lime)
- $2 — colorful string for hanging
- $9 — clear glass ornaments
- $2 — additional paint colors
- $2 — polymer clay for faux antlers
- Total: $27 (about $0.71 per ornament)
These ornaments were inexpensive, quick, and fun to make. If you try any of these ideas, share your projects — it’s great to see how people make inspiration their own. And check in with other participants to see the variety of projects everyone created for the Pinterest Challenge.
If you’ve already documented your challenge project on a blog, add a direct link to that specific post when sharing so others can easily find your tutorial and photos. If you don’t have a blog, linking to a public photo gallery works, too — we love seeing what you made.
Update: check the holiday decor roundups for more budget-friendly finds and ideas to pair with handmade ornaments.