Whimsical Christmas Tree Ornaments

I've spent the last few weeks trying to decide just what's going on the tree this year. Initially, it was going going to be strictly an army of assorted gingerbread men and pine cones, but my ideas are always evolving.

While searching through old books, magazines, and online, I've come across some pretty clever ideas. So, it looks like my dining room will be turned into the ornament factory for the next few weeks.

I did a mini-teapot tree several years ago when we lived in Phoenix on a faux tree that stood about 2 feet high. It was ADORABLE, I used the mini porcelain tea sets found at dollar stores. I hot glued the saucers to the tiny teacups and tied ribbon to the handles of the cups, teapots, and even the creamers and sugar bowls. The lids were hot-glued on them, as well. Playing off that idea using regular cups, look what I'm doing!

This is where all of those mis-matched, 25-cent teacups at thriftstores come in handy! Bear in mind, the ornaments can be heavy, so if you ever tackles these use the small, pretty, fragile, lightweight cups. If you happen across some green or red melmac cups, it's your lucky day!

Materials needed:

Teacups (various sizes)

Floral foam

Tacky glue/epoxy glass glue

Your choice of florals

1. Wash and dry your teacups.

2. Cut a piece of floral foam to fit in the base of your cup. This foam should have some height to it-but not as tall as the cup itself. Approximately 1 inch below the rim of the cup works well.

3. Glue one end of the floral foam to the inside base of the cup. You could also glue the saucer onto the cup as well, depending on the size cup.

4. After glue has dried (look to manufacturing directions for time) begin to place your floral choices into the foam, filling your cup with whatever decorations you choose. You want to fill the cup so you no longer see the floral foam.

5. Tie a beautiful color coordinating ribbon on the handle of your teacup. You may attach a hanger to hook your cup to the tree or place the ribbon right on one of my branches!

Watch for floral arrangements that can be disassembled and use just portions of them.

Options are limitless! You can take floral wire and wire pine cones, jingle bells even candy canes to put into your cup.

These are the shimmery pine cones that will also be hanging from the tree this year... simple to make, all you need is a little gold spray paint, glitter, and a warm day outside for painting them! I'm using gold, green, and red ribbons.

Look for updates in future posts!