Upcycled Cardboard Star Ornaments [Quick & Easy]

If I told you that you could make adorable ornaments out of cardboard, would you believe me? Well you can!

Today I’m going to pass on how I make upcycled cardboard star ornaments with cardboard (of course) and a few other materials.

I’m having all kinds of fun with glitter this year and am especially enjoying my new color: aqua.

Note: This post contains affiliate links for [the same or similar] products used to complete this project. This is both for your convenience as well as to support my website, since I receive a small compensation whenever you click on a link and make any sort of purchase, for which I thank you 🙂 See my full disclosure here.

Materials for Making Cardboard Star Ornaments

Materials:

• Scrap cardboard (here’s some heavy cardstock)
• Vintage music paper (here’s some scrapbook paper)
• Sizzix die cut machine
• Star die
• Mod Podge
• Glitter
• Hot glue gun
• Embellishments: e.g., small bells, red berries, etc.
• Christmas stamps with words like “noel” or “joy” or “merry”
• Thin textured paper, like vintage typing paper (for mini banners w/words)

Where to Source Good Cardboard

First, a note about cardboard. I’m always on the look-out for good cardboard, free from print on both sides. I’ve got a pretty good stash of it right now because I “rescued” a rather large piece from the flour pallet at Aldis.

They use a very large piece of medium-weight cardboard, in a nice farmhouse-y shade of brown, to separate each row of flour on a pallet.

A couple of months ago, I grabbed one and brought it home with me. I cut it into smaller pieces to make it easier to store.

Alternatively you can use heavy cardstock, which I’ve linked to above in the materials list.

Making the Star Shapes

Glue small pieces of music paper (based on the size of your die) to matching pieces of cardboard. Set your star die on top of the cardboard and run it through your Sizzix machine.

I use my manual Sizzix machine all the time and highly recommend it for projects like this.

If you don’t have one, then make a cardboard star template, trace a bunch of them on your music paper/cardboard, and then cut them out. 4″ across is a good size for this project.

Decorating Your Star Ornaments

Some of my stars I covered completely with glitter, using Mod Podge to adhere it. I applied an even coat of Mod Podge with a foam sponge and then poured glitter over the entire surface. I tapped it lightly to help the glitter adhere better.

On other stars, I just glittered the edge.

On some of the fully glittered stars, I simply tied on a bell and glued a Christmas banner across the front. If you don’t have any Christmas stamps, you could write some out by hand or print them using your computer.

For others, I made vintage paper rosettes and then glued a small banner on top.

And others, received a few berries for embellishment.

How to Make Paper Rosette Embellishments

To make a rosette, cut a 2″ x 7″ piece of vintage music paper and fold it 1/4″ at a time like an accordion.

Fold the accordion in half and apply hot glue down the center as show above and press the two “ends” together. Turn the rosette over and fold in half the other way and glue as above. (It’s all easier and simpler than it sounds!)

Now you’ll need to put little dabs of hot glue between the folds (but just in the center of the rosette) to make your round, rosette shape and hold the whole thing together.

Use a last dab of hot glue to attach your rosette to your star. To finish it off, attach a bell using thin cord or string and glue a banner on top, and your done.

Your ornaments are ready to hang on the tree.

Or to accent your “brown paper packages tied up with string.”

I think they make the perfect addition to my holiday packages. What do you think?

Some other Christmas ornaments you may enjoy:

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Bye for now,

I’d love it if you’d pin me!