Our Hopeful Home: How To Make Chinoiserie Christmas Ornaments

Today I'm sharing how to make chinoiserie Christmas ornaments.

blue white Christmas ornaments flocked tree red berries

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Anyone who has followed this blog (at least for the last few months) knows that I have become obsessed with blue and white chinoiserie EVERYTHING. So why not Christmas ornaments? They're fun and easy to make and don't cost a lot of money. And did I mention that they're elegant and timeless? Read on for the down low and the how-to!

When I came across these milky white Christmas ball ornaments at my local Dollar Tree I could not believe my eyes. Why is that, you ask? Well: 1. It was only September, and 2. These were the perfect balls for me to use for my DIY chinoiserie Christmas ornaments! So I brought 20 of them home, in two sizes (14 small and 6 large), and got started!

Why are they perfect? They're perfect because if you miss a spot, it won't be immediately obvious. The white color camouflages any gaps in napkin coverage.

The smaller sized ornaments were two for a dollar!

three milk white Crafter's Square Christmas ornaments

Here they are next to the large ornaments for comparison. The large ornaments were one dollar each.

I later came across these clear ornaments at Dollar Tree. Since they were a different shape I bought a few to mix it up, even thought they weren't white.

NOTE: For this craft, milky white ornaments work better than clear ones. That's because the white color of the ornament ends up bolstering the white parts of the napkin and makes the whole pattern (including the blues) seem brighter and more colorful. The final product packs more of a visual punch. That's why I chose just a few of the clear ones, for shape contrast. (However, you can always fill your clear ornaments with cotton or even white tissues first to create a white background for the project.)

Before we get started I have to say that I've laid bare my DIY chinoiserie method in a few different blog posts already. I've shared SO MANY tips and tricks that you really should check them out before starting the Christmas ornament project:

How To Make Chinoiserie Pumpkins DIY Decoupage

DIY Chinoiserie Vase

How To Make Chinoiserie Easter Eggs With Cocktail Napkins and Mod Podge

Now you're ready to begin!

How To Make Chinoiserie Christmas Ornaments

Supplies

1.plain white Christmas ball ornaments (I got mine at Dollar Tree.)

2. teardrop shaped clear ornaments (I got mine at Dollar Tree.)

3. Mod Podge

4. small flat-edged paint brush(es)

5. chinoiserie cocktail napkins

6. wax paper or parchment paper

7. precision crafting scissors

8. paint pens (optional)

9. silver or gold ornament caps (optional)

Chinoiserie Christmas Ornament Tutorial

NOTE: The following instructions describe how I made the smaller white ball ornaments. If using larger or differently shaped ornaments you would adjust the size and width of your napkin strips as needed.

1. Tear one of the two white layers off the back of a napkin and discard. (It might appear that there's only one white layer, but upon closer inspection you'll find that there are actually two white layers.)

4 squares blue white cocktail chinoiserie napkins

2. Cut your cocktail napkin into four squares.

blue white chinoiserie chic cocktail napkins square

3. Using scissors, cut each square into approximately 1/4" wide strips.

chinoiserie cocktail napkins four squares

4. Then cut each strip in half (carefully, so as not to pull apart the two layers).

5. Using your flat-edged brush, apply a line of Mod Podge from the ornament cap to just above the actual bottom of the ornament, then apply one napkin strip to that line. Then paint over it with one last touch of Mod Podge as insurance, smoothing out any wrinkles as you go.

6. Continue with this process all the way around the ornament. I use wax paper to protect my table as well as provide a surface to place the ornament on in case I need to put it down while I'm working on it.

NOTE: Due to the round nature of the ornament, you won't be able to apply each strip in neat rows. I basically laid one strip in each quarter of the ornament, then went back and filled in the blank spaces as needed.

7. Once the majority of the ornament is covered with napkin (although that's not the case here -- I just wanted to show you the bottom area), turn it over and apply final napkin pieces to the bottom of the ornament. You may cut smaller pieces for both the bottom of the ornament (if strips are too large) and/or to fill in any unusually shaped bald spots you discover after the fact.

white Dollar Tree Christmas ball hanging over table

8. Hang the finished ornament to dry. (This one is obviously not finished.) I hung mine from the kitchen chandeliers with iron hooks I had on hand. You can also use actual ornament hooks, or maybe even twisty ties -- whatever you can get your hands on that works.

Tips For Making Chinoiserie Christmas Ornaments

You are basically working with wet tissue paper! If you manhandle it too much It. Will. Rip. But never fear -- you can always just grab another piece of napkin and start again. There's basically no wrong way to do this. If something rips, just take a deep breath and make it a do-over!

In the past I've used foam brushes for my decoupage projects, but I really loved using the flat-edged paintbrush for this project. The paint brush was much easier to control and I think it applies the Mod Podge more consistently. I also think it was easier on the napkin, helping me to avoid ripping it.

Some people go over the whole thing with Mod Podge after the fact. I didn't feel that was necessary here. It's up to you. There's actually a spray for that: Mod Podge Ultra Gloss Spray On Glue And Sealer. I was unable to find a spray like this in any other finish than gloss.

I've also seen others take the ornament cap off before applying the Mod Podge and napkins, then put it back on when they're done. I left the ornament cap on so that I had something to hold on to and didn't have to get my hands covered in Mod Podge! In addition, when I did try to pull one cap off, it became bent and misshapen. (Remember, these are Dollar Tree ornaments!) If you use different ornaments, or don't mind being super-careful, you could probably take the caps out while you decorate the ornaments.

Finally, if you prefer the ornament cap a different metal color (i.e., silver versus gold), you can always use paint pens to change that OR just buy new silver caps or gold caps!