Natural Star Ornament

Hey, friends! Today I’ve got a festive and really inexpensive ornament you and/or your kiddos can make outside by taking sticks you find in your yard and turning them into something beautiful. Take a look!

Materials:
– Twigs or sticks {you’ll need five per star}
– Twine
– Jingle Bell
– Glitter glue
– Glue

Step 1: Gather your sticks and trim five of them to be about the same length.

Step 2: Glue sticks together to form the shape of a star. You could also use wire to attach them if you prefer.

Step 3: Wrap the top point with twine and form a loop for hanging. Glue the ends of the twine in place.

Step 4 {optional}: Add glitter. If you prefer the totally natural, rustic look, you can skip this and move right on to Step 5. In our house, though, we think glitter makes just about everything better, so we opted to use Elmer’s Classic Glitter Glue in yellow. We put a dab of glue on our fingers and just rubbed a tiny bit onto the top of each stick to give it a little added sparkle. Not too much, just enough to make it shine when it reflects the lights on the tree.

Step 5: Tie a jingle bell to the horizontal stick with a short piece of twine.

Easy peasy! Now you have a Natural Star Ornament to adorn your tree! And one of the really fun things about it is that the whole thing can be made outside {that is, if it’s not cold enough to freeze your fingers off where you live}! You can put your supplies in a little bag or backpack, take a walk around the neighborhood to find the sticks, then have a picnic and craft making session on a blanket in your yard or the local park. It’s a great chance to get outdoors, plus you’ll be saving energy too since this product takes no electricity or energy other than your own!

This time of year, we tend to use more energy rather than less, due to lighting up our homes and trees for the holidays. Plus, many folks are just home more often because of vacation days and hosting family get-togethers. But the more energy we use, the more it costs us, plus it puts more strain on the grid and natural resources. That’s why it’s important to try and think of ways we can be more energy efficient during the holiday season {and all year round}. For ideas on saving energy and money during cold weather, warm weather, and anytime at all, check out these Savings Tips from PG&E.

And for those of you who love Instagram, don’t miss out on the PG&E Instagram Contest happening now through November 23! Enter for your chance to win one of seven $100 Home Depot Gift Cards. Follow them on Instagram for more info! Good luck!

What are your best Energy Efficient Tips or DIY projects? I’d love to see them!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.