Easy Christmas Tree Ornaments 2012 Ideas

Clever embellishments turn plain-Jane ornaments into seasonal standouts.

Frosted Pinecone Ornament 

Take a walk in the woods to gather materials for this simple, natural ornament. Clean the sap from pinecones with a weak water-and-bleach mixture. Twist an eye hook into the top of the pinecone, dust the edges with spray snow, and tie on a bold ribbon to add outdoor charm to your tree.

Seashell Ornament

 Bring the beach into your Christmas decorating by painting stripes of glue on an aqua-color ornament and sprinkling it with sand. Add small shells and beige buttons for a casual, sunny look.

Cable-Knit Ornament 

Turn an old sweater into a warm and festive ornament. Cut a 6-inch-long tube from a sweater sleeve. Slip a plastic-foam ball into the tube. Gather cut ends at the top and bottom of the ball using straight pins to hold the fabric in place, trimming where necessary. Glue red velvet ribbon around the ball as shown, dividing the ball into quarters. Use a red pearl-head pin to secure a felt poinsettia or a small purchased artificial flower to the top of the ornament.

Paisley Gem Ornaments 

Swirls, teardrops, and tiny dots cover satin baubles like frost on a winter windowpane. Freehand paint paisley-inspired patterns so each ornament is one-of-a-kind. All you need is a white paint pen and some colorful Christmas balls.

Salt-Dough Snowflake Ornament

These delicate snowflakes are definitely sweet -- but they aren't edible! To prepare the dough, mix 1/2 cup salt, 1 cup flour, and 1/2 cup water until sticky. Roll the dough to 1/4- inch thickness, and cut out snowflake shapes with cookie cutters. Use a skewer to pierce a hole for hanging. Bake the shapes for 4 hours in a 200 degree F oven. When cool, draw hearts, squiggles, and dots with a red permanent marker. Hang from a loops of festive twine or yarn.

Santa's Greeting Ornament

Let it be known that Santa is in the house with this greeting. Paint a ball ornament with red acrylic paint. When the paint dries, apply letter stickers and a snowflake to make Santa's voice ring throughout the holiday season.

Jingle Bell Ornament

Add a little jingle to your tree with an ornament that's sure to bring music to your ears. Fill a clear ornament with small red bells. Wrap ribbon around the top of the ornament and glue the long tails in place. For an extra touch, tie ribbon through the hanger and glue a felt Christmas tree to the center of the crossed ribbon tails.

Metallic Snowflake Ornament

Dab metallic paint onto an ornament using a sponge to create texture. Punch snowflakes from cardstock and adhere just the centers (so the points are not secure). Top the snowflakes with round, epoxy stickers adhered to the centers for a frosty fun addition to your tree.

Patterned Paper Tree Ornament

Cut out a tree shape from festive holiday-motif cardstock. Mat the tree on white paper, then add rhinestone trim and a snowflake on top.

Gem Christmas Ornament

Add a little bling to your tree with this dazzling ornament. Dress up a clear orb with pink acrylic paint. Let the paint dry then add evenly spaced rows of multicolor adhesive-backed gems.