Easy DIY Hand Lettered Christmas Ornament

One of my favorite things to make this time of year is Christmas ornaments! There are so many different ways to create them, and they work wonderfully as gifts for neighbors, teachers, and friends. You can also use a personalized ornament in place of a traditional gift tag on your packages. Here is an inexpensive and simple DIY ornament idea that lets you use the hand lettering skills you’ve been practicing…take a look!

You’ll need:

clear round ornament {mine is glass, but you can also get shatterproof plastic}
white craft feathers
gold paint marker or permanent marker

Step 1: Remove the cap and fill your ornament with feathers.

I started with the stem, pushing each one down until it the whole thing was inside. You can use as few or as many feathers as you like. I used about ten, but the size and shape of the feathers will determine how many you need to fill yours. You can also use colored feathers to create a different effect.

Step 2: Use faux calligraphy to write a word or phrase with your paint marker.

If you’re not familiar with the term, “faux calligraphy” is what I call the technique of creating a brush lettered look with a “regular” pen or marker. You write the word first, then thicken the downstrokes. For a full tutorial, check out my Beginner Hand Lettering post and get started! Anyone can do it, I promise.

Step 3: Add stars or snowflakes.

I went with gold and silver paint marker because it matches my Christmas decor. Feel free to use black, red, green, or any other colors you like. Or, use dark colored feathers and write with white for a chalkboard effect.

That’s it! Three easy steps and you have a pretty ornament that can be totally customized any way you want. Write names, special dates, favorite phrases or quotes…anything goes! What would you write on yours?

For more practice with hand lettering, be sure to check out my book, Hand Lettering for Relaxation. It’s available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, and everywhere else books are sold. It makes a great Christmas gift too!