5 Easy Christmas Decorations 

Happy Holidays! Does the fact that it is December 4th make you nervous or excited? Do you decorate Christmas before Thanksgiving, the day after Thanksgiving, or when you get around to it? Regardless of the type of Christmas Decorator you are, I have five easy DIY Christmas Decorations you can make right now, enjoy for the season, and have for years to come.

The best part is that you probably already have some of these items on hand or can easily find them at a Thrift Store, Dollar Store, or garage sale.

#1 – 3 Upcycled old picture frames into Christmas Decorations

If you are like me, you probably have a bunch of old picture frames in your stash. I find them in boxes for free with Garage Sale Leftovers, move-outs, in the garbage, and sometimes just gifted to me!  You can find all my insider tips on this link.

To transform old frames into easy Christmas Decorations, take apart the frame and remove the cardboard backing that would typically go behind the picture. Remove the glass and set that aside. Paint the frame using the DIY paint color of your choice. I used the new DIY Paint Color Eden and their classic red Marquee for this project.

Next, I painted the cardboard backing in Tarnished Pearl; I recommend using a light, neutral color for this part.

I then took my favorite IOD holiday transfer, Crimson Velvet, and selected some gorgeous scenes to put right over the painted cardboard. If you are new to IOD transfers, you are in for a treat! Each transfer is microthin with an adhesive backing. They go beautifully over thoroughly dried paint and even better over glass. You can apply the transfer of your choice right on the glass or use it on the painted cardboard, as I have done.

To give your frames a glowing finish, lightly distress them with high-grit sandpaper and seal them with 100% natural DIY Clear Wax. Wait for the wax to dry, buff it with a soft rag, and assemble your art!

#4 Upcycle an old piece of wood canvas board into Christmas Decorations

If you have a smooth piece of wood that you have been keeping for a special occasion, this is it! I have several of these gorgeous Cradle Boards in various sizes from IOD, and they make the perfect surface for all kinds of custom art, including transfers, stamps, and even IOD clay or resin castings from molds.

I painted the entire frame side with the new DIY Paint color Eden, then, while this was still wet, added Tarnished Pearl to the inside of the board. I worked with a continuous Mister water bottle to help the paint blend and move around easier and a “neutral brush” for blending (I love the Multi-Tasker for blending) to combine the two colors to create a soft glow over the gorgeous forest green.

Once the paint was thoroughly dry, I applied the gorgeous vintage Christmas Tree transfer from the IOD transfer, Crimson Velvet. I sealed this entire piece with Clear Liquid Patina from DIY Paint. It isn’t necessary to seal a transfer or the paint. Still, putting a DIY Paint top coat on, such as Clear Patina, Big Top (most durable and low sheen), or my favorite, Clear Wax, brings out the depth and richness of the DIY Paint colors, plus protects the paint and your transfer from spills, fingerprints, etc.

#5 Upcycle an old Wood Trivet or Tray into Christmas Decorations

I often find these old wood trays or trivets at Vintage or Thrift stores. Sometimes, they already have some artwork applied to the center of them. Usually, they are just old and in need of some love. Whenever I find them, whether in the garage while Dumpster Diving or when I am out hunting thrift shops, I grab them because they are so versatile for unique DIY art.

I painted the wood trays with DIY Paint in Eden or Marquee and then chose some of my favorite transfers from the IOD Christmas transfer, Crimson Velvet. (Can you tell I love this transfer? And I only have a few left!)

I followed the same steps as the other projects, sealing these with clear wax.

You can easily knock out many DIY Christmas Decoration projects in just a few hours. Line up all your supplies and paint them all at once. When the paint is dry, you can apply the transfers and seal! These are super easy, instant Christmas Decorations that will look like you spent hours creating them!

These Five Easy Christmas Decoration ideas are perfect for hostess gifts, gift exchanges, and even year-round decor! I hope I inspired you to create some of your own Christmas Decor, and it’s not too late or too early to start!

If you would like to see more details on how I made these in video form, come follow me on Instagram and YouTube! 

If you would like to see more about how fun and easy IOD Transfers and their other enhancement products are, check out this blog post!