DIY Christmas Decorations on the Cheap

This year my family hosted it's first Christmas Open House (def: a come and go as you please informal party of friends, family, and acquaintances with snacks). When my mum first told me about this idea I knew Pinterest would be our friend in planning the menu, getting tips on how to host a successful open house, and of course decorations. We didn't want to break the bank here but still wanting the holiday cheer to smack everyone in the face as they entered the house. But you know, tasteful like. 

With a $50 budget we rocked up to the dollar store and a well timed church bazaar and got all the fixings--we actually only spent $35 on decorations and paraphernalia (cups, plates, napkins, punch ladles, etc). Nature was also a big provider of some of my crafting supplies. Word, Mother Nature.

On a Sunday morning walk I collected a bag of pine cones of various shapes and sizes and popped them in an old basket we had kicking about. I stuck a large mason jar in the centre with battery powered fairy lights and decorated with glittery bits from the dollar store. This little piece might stick around for the winter, I really liked how it came out and it's not overly Christmasy. And FAIRY LIGHTS!

On this walk, I also collected twigs, broke them and hot glued them into star shapes. I attached twine around the joints to make a more rustic look and mum added glitter to be more festive. I made a bunch so we hung these little guys all over the house and even on the tree.

This bauble wreath has been on many Pinterest crafting boards and when I came across a couple of boxes of old baubles, I knew I'd have to give it a try myself. This one was a team effort as dad had to help with the bending and twisting of the wire hanger. I'd REALLY recommend hot gluing each bauble to its cap before stringing on the wire so that they are more maneuverable and don't pop off every few seconds as you adjust them just so.

Looking for more cheap Christmas decorations ideas? Check out the fabulous Sydney at The Sydney Chronicles who has crafted 5 brilliant inexpensive holiday decorating ideas.

Do you make any of your own Christmas decorations? Tell me about it in the comments! 

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