17 DIY Ornaments to Sell: Handmade Crafts for Holiday Markets

These 17 ideas run from a batch of salt dough that costs flour and an oven hour to felt wreaths needing wool felt and a small embroidery hoop.

The right one depends on whether you are filling a Saturday table at a first craft fair or shipping from a kitchen table with no inventory left at the end of the day.

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1. Felt Wreath Ornament Craft

Small embroidery hoops give these wreaths their tidy frame and a ready-made hanger.

Green felt cut into a ring, a few red berry beads or French knots, and a scrap of velvet ribbon turn into something that looks far more finished than the hour it takes.

The hoop does the hard work of keeping the shape crisp.

A glue gun works if you do not sew, though a running stitch around the inner edge keeps the felt flatter over time.

I would choose wool felt over the acrylic craft-store kind; it holds the embroidery without puckering and the color stays deep.

2. DIY Dreamcatcher Ornament

Metallic thread or cord wrapped on a tiny hoop builds the web, and a few seed beads at the center catch light the way a full-size dreamcatcher catches morning sun.

The tassel underneath is just more of the same thread, maybe with a single charm or feather slipped in.

This one suits anyone with leftover jewelry supplies from another project.

Keep the scale small so it stays light enough to hang on a standard branch without bending. Brass, silver, and warm rose gold all work; a champagne tone reads as neutral on almost any tree.

3. Simple Salt Dough Ornaments

Flour, salt, and water make a dough that rolls like cookie dough and bakes hard in a low oven until fully dry.

The recipe scales to whatever you have: 2 cups flour, 1 cup salt, 1 cup warm water is the standard batch. Cut with cookie cutters, poke a hole for hanging before baking, and paint after they cool.

The surface takes acrylic craft paint well and seals with clear spray or Mod Podge if you want them to last past a few seasons.

I like that a failed shape goes back into the ball for another try; the only cost is time and a little oven electricity.

These are the ones small children can help shape, though the painting is better left to steadier hands.

4. Cute Yarn Ball Ornament

Crocheted in rounds, these baubles hold their shape without any internal form.

Wind yarn around it in crisscross layers, brush on diluted white glue, and let it dry overnight before popping the balloon and pulling it free. The result is light, slightly fuzzy, and nothing like the slick store-bought baubles.

Crocheters can work a solid sphere in the round instead: a denser fabric that holds its shape without glue. Either way, scrap yarn finds a use.

I would stick to wool or cotton; acrylic does not take the glue stiffening as evenly and can end up slightly tacky to touch. A loop of matching yarn at the top is all the hanger you need.

5. DIY Jack Skellington Ornaments

White glitter ornaments or plain glass baubles become Jack Skellington with black rhinestones or paint for the stitched mouth and two small black ovals for eyes.

The striped ribbon hanger is a nice touch that sells the character without adding cost.

The Nightmare Before Christmas has kept a steady following for decades, so these move at craft fairs from October straight through December.

I would buy the baubles in bulk and paint a batch of faces assembly-line style rather than handling each one individually.

A fine-tipped brush or a Sharpie with a chisel edge both work for the mouth lines; the rhinestones are faster but need tweezers and patience.

6. Adorable Mason Jar Lid Ornaments

The flat metal insert from a standard mason jar lid is a perfect circle ready for fabric.

Trace it, cut a scrap an inch larger all around, run a gathering stitch along the edge, pull tight over the insert, and knot.

The ring itself becomes the frame; gingham is classic, but any cotton with a small print works.

Twine through the screw band holes makes a hanger that fits the rustic look.

I have seen versions with a photo or a bit of sheet music instead of fabric, and a small circle of quilt batting behind the fabric gives a padded, almost pin-cushion effect.

These use what you already own if you preserve jars, and the lids that rust or dent are the ones to reach for first.

7. Book Page Ornament

Old book pages fold into crisp stars that look like something found in a grandmother’s attic rather than made last weekend.

The paper is thin enough to crease cleanly without cracking, and the printed text gives each facet a different tone.

A bone folder helps, but the back of a butter knife works for the first few.

I would choose pages from a damaged hardcover rather than a paperback; the heavier stock holds a point better and the margins are wider. Twine through one point is the only hanger needed.

8. Homemade Hot Chocolate Ornament

Clear fillable baubles from the craft store become instant gifts when layered with cocoa powder, mini marshmallows, and maybe crushed candy cane. A permanent marker or paint pen adds the same personality without a cutting machine.

These sell best when the ingredients are visible through good plastic, not the cloudy kind.

I would pack the marshmallows last so they sit on top and stay white. A small tag with mixing instructions turns a pretty object into a usable one.

9. Botanical Wax Sachet Ornaments

White wax pressed with botanicals looks like winter itself. Cinnamon sticks, dried citrus, and star anise settle into a clean, spare arrangement that needs no extra color.

Soy wax melts at a lower temperature than paraffin and carries scent better if you want to add oil.

Check that your dried botanicals are fully dehydrated; any moisture left in a slice of orange will weep through the wax over time.

Plastic wrap and baker’s twine package these as sachets rather than tree hangers, though a loop could be set into the warm wax.

10. Dried Orange Slice Ornaments

Dried orange slices keep their color best when dehydrated low and slow, turning once partway through. Whole wheels, not wedges, string with pine sprigs and gold bells on thick jute that reads as garland more than single ornament.

A dehydrator gives more even results than an oven, but either works. I would slice with a mandoline for consistent thickness; uneven rounds dry at different rates and some will curl or crack.

The jute rope here is heavy enough for a door or mantel, and the whole string stores flat in tissue between seasons.

11. Personalized Felt Gingerbread Men

Brown felt bodies get their rickrack look from actual white trim sewn around the edges.

The names on these are strung from small letter beads, three to six per gingerbread man depending on the length, and the red gingham bow sits at the neck like a scarf.

Wool felt costs more than the acrylic sheets but the edges stay cleaner and the beads sew through without dragging.

I would trace a cookie cutter for the body shape and mark button placement before stitching front to back; the stuffing goes in last through a small gap.

These suit anyone who needs a batch of personalized gifts and owns a basic needle and thread.

12. Wine Cork Charm Ornaments

Wine corks drilled through the long axis take a ribbon loop at one end and whatever dangles at the other: beads, charms, small jingle bells.

The cork itself is the body, its printed label often left visible as part of the rustic look.

A vise or clamp holds the cork steady for drilling; freehand it and the bit wanders and splits the end.

I would sort corks by diameter first; synthetic ones are uniform but real cork varies, and beads sized for one may rattle on another.

These move at craft fairs when the charms tie to a year, a hobby, or a local landmark.

13. Embellished Felt Gingerbread Houses

Brown felt cut into house shapes takes beads and sequins the way gingerbread takes icing: the embellishment is the point.

Wool felt holds the weight without sagging, and a blanket stitch around the edge in white thread mimics piped royal icing.

A loop at the peak lets these hang as singles or cluster on a wreath, and green thread disappears against the tree better than fishing line or wire.

I would sort beads by size before starting so the roof lines stay even.

14. Wine Cork Angel Ornament

A wine cork stands upright for the body, a round wooden bead sits on top for the head, and gold mesh ribbon fans out behind as wings.

The printed label on the cork stays visible, which is part of the charm; no 2 angels match.

Drill through the cork’s long axis for the hanger loop, then add a second hole crosswise near the top to pin the bead head in place.

A dab of strong glue between cork and bead keeps the head from working loose. These need less hardware than the charm version and sell well as stocking stuffers.

15. Striped Paper Bauble Ornaments

Strips of red, green, and white paper stack into a sphere with a bead at each pole to hold the shape.

The strips are equal width and length, pinned or glued at center and ends; the stack fans open into a bauble when the ends spread.

Card stock is too heavy; text-weight paper or lightweight scrapbook stock folds cleanly and keeps the ornament light.

I would cut all strips for one bauble at once so the color sequence stays consistent. A single gold bead caps each end and hides the assembly point.

16. Accordion Folded Paper Tree Ornament

Red paper folded accordion-style into a tiered tree shape hangs by a metallic loop. The fold spacing sets the tree’s fullness; tighter folds give more body, looser ones read as sparse branches.

Weight matters here. Standard printer paper works; anything heavier fights the fold and strains the hanger.

Check that your accordion folds stay parallel; a drifting angle makes the tree lean. One hole punch at the top, threaded with thin cord or metallic loop, is all the hardware needed.

17. Popsicle Stick Christmas Trees

Popsicle sticks glued into triangles become small Christmas trees, decorated with mini pom-poms, pipe cleaner garlands, and star toppers. The sticks show their color, so the palette is set by what you buy: natural wood, bright primaries, or pastels.

School glue holds for display but hot glue survives being packed and unpacked.

I would paint or stain natural sticks before assembly if the colors need to match a scheme; the craft-store colored ones save that step but limit your choices.

These are the entry point for kids helping with a sale batch, since the cutting is already done and the shape is forgiving.

Selling Handmade Ornaments

Craft fairs and Etsy both work, but they ask different things of you.

A fair needs inventory ready to hand over, a table setup, and a Saturday. Etsy needs clear photos, shipping supplies, and patience for the search algorithm to find you.

Price by time, not just materials. That felt wreath takes an hour start to finish; the dreamcatcher might take two if you count sourcing beads.

I would mark up at least 3x material cost, then check what similar pieces sell for and adjust. Underpricing is the common mistake at first fairs; it leaves you tired and barely paid.

Batch your work.

Paint all Jack faces at once, string all gingerbread names in one sitting. The setup cost is the same whether you make five or fifty, and the per-piece price drops fast.

Materials Needed for Crafting

Most of these pull from 3 sources: the kitchen, the craft drawer, and the recycling bin.

Salt dough needs only flour, salt, and water. The mason jar lid ornaments assume you already preserve, or know someone who does and saves the dented rings.

Felt and yarn are the main purchases. Scrap yarn works for the ball ornaments; the gauge matters less than fiber content, since acrylic stays tacky after glue.

A glue gun, basic needle and thread, and a drill for the cork projects cover most assembly. Dollar store clear baubles work for the hot chocolate fills if you check that the plastic is clear, not cloudy.

Skill Level for Crafting

The list runs from no-tool to light-tool, and the difference matters for your first batch.

Salt dough and popsicle stick trees need nothing sharper than a kitchen knife and school glue.

Embroidery hoops, French knots, and blanket stitches appear on the felt wreaths and gingerbread houses.

These are learnable in an evening, but they are not first-attempt skills if you have never sewn. The running stitch alternative on the wreath helps.

Advanced techniques like resin casting or hand-painted glass are the ceiling for these projects, still within a weekend but not within an hour.

Gift Ideas for Ornaments

Teachers, coworkers, and the relatives you see once a year are the obvious fits.

The personal touch is the point, but keep it appropriate to the relationship. A named gingerbread man for a niece; a book page star for a friend who reads.

The hot chocolate bauble works as a party favor because it is also usable.

The wax sachet hangs in a closet after the tree comes down. Gifts that survive January feel less like clutter.

Packaging matters for selling and for giving. A length of baker’s twine and a handwritten tag with the dry mix instructions make the cocoa bauble something the buyer can actually use, not just hang.

A photo-backed mason jar lid needs only a loop of twine to feel finished.

I would avoid heavy personalization for anyone whose name you might misspell. The bead-strung gingerbread men are charming until one letter is wrong and the whole piece is scrap.

Frequently Asked Questions