7 Days of DIY Christmas Tree Decorations - Day 1 - DIY Rusty Cookie Cutter Christmas Ornaments

Happy Monday Friends!

And welcome to Day 1 of my ....

(drumroll....😂)

7 Days of DIY Christmas Tree Decorations

I'm almost ready to do the big reveal of this year's Christmas tree, but first I wanted to share some of the DIY decorations I have been creating.  

This year I decided to theme my tree around handmade ornaments only. Initially I really wanted to use only vintage items, but that turned out too hard. Maybe next year. 😉  

Today's share are my DIY Rusty Cookie Cutter Ornaments. 

Along the lines of vintage, I really wanted to include genuine rusty vintage cookie cutters on my tree, but I just couldn't find enough. So, I decided to create my own. 

I found this 8 pack of cookie cutters for $4 at The Reject Shop. I did a lot of research and decided I would attempt to rust them myself. I tried soaking them in a mixture of vinegar, peroxide and salt but not much happened. It was then that hubby told me stainless steel doesn't rust. Or if it does, it takes a very long time for it's protective coating to break down enough for rust to occur.  Therefore, my very shiny stainless steel cookie cutters were setting me up to fail.  So I decided to faux it! 

To tone down the shine, I spray painted them using my beloved Rust-Oleum Antique Pewter Forged Hammered spray paint.  I swear this can has lasted me forever. It's like the never ending can. And now that I've said that, it will probably run out next time I use it. 😂

Next I used my acrylic paints to mix up a shade of reddish brown, resembling rust. I alternated between dabbing the paint on and using brush strokes. 

 

I think I was a little heavy handed, because they looked a bit too painted when they dried. So I grabbed a wet paper towel and rubbed some of the paint off in varying areas. This effect was perfect for how I wanted them to look. 

 

And to hang them, I attached organa ribbon. I love the way organza ribbon looks on the tree. So soft and delicate. I'm using it on a lot of my ornaments this year. 

 

And while I'm talking about ribbon, I'd like to give Sarah Lauren a big shoutout for her ribbon. The one I purchased is the 6mm organza in white - 10 metres for $2.50. It's a beautiful quality and comes in a small ziplock bag, making it super easy to just pull out the amount you need without it all unravelling. She is based in Australia but does ship overseas. I highly recommend checking out her website. 😃 

 

I think they turned out fantastic. 

 

And at a distance they look like the real thing!

 

I even like them displayed in this old metal bowl. Which reminds me, I found the bowl at the thrift store recently and I knew it would be perfect for Christmas decorations. 😊 

Join me tomorrow for Day 2 of my DIY Christmas Tree Decorations!